Already crashed...

[Mk1inCali]

+1 to Cal...we in the US are too lax on riders.

I slept through my MSF and got the highest score on the riding and written portion.

One girl rode her 25K Harley to class, where she promptly fell over as soon as no one was there to push her off to get her started.

Rediculous, what the law allows in this instance.  And MaryJane is illegal? :x  :x  :x

[ukchickenlover]

I think the UK system is much better. You have to complete a training course on the road and a test before you are aloud a licence. This test is quite hard so it helps make you safer.

[gsmetal]

gsmetal, I'm NOT sorry your an idiot. I'm sure you'll say something else to provoke us even more, but I won't say anything else. And I'm sure you'll say something to try to make me look like an idiot in this post as well, but I don't care. Suck it.

Oh, I see how this works.

You're allowed to express your opinion but I'm not because it's different than yours.

I'm glad you're in the military fighting for our freedom.

[pandy]

Well, I'm sorry for anyone who crashes but this post is a perfect illustration why here and in much of Europe you can't even go on the road with Learner plates until ....Simply turning people out onto the road is grossly unfair to both the newbie and the road users around.

I agree with all you've said, Cal. I would love to see more-stringent rules/regulations on getting a motorcycle license. Heck, I'd probably make up a few of my own:
1.  Riders must be 21 before getting a moto license,
2.  Any citation issued for excess speed automatically suspends moto license for at least two years (or more, depending on how many miles over the speed limit rider was going),
3.  Any points of any kind on license automatically suspends moto endorsement for one year,  and
4.  I'm sure I can come up with more....

I have nothing against teens...truly I don't....I've simply watched my own son drive, and his driving utterly terrifies me, and it's not just because I'm a squeamish mom!  :lol: He just plain can't drive! Does that mean that all teens can't...well...uh...hmm.....most don't have the wisdom and maturity to make good decisions. We put a lot of responsibility into the hands of youngsters, and I agree with Cal that we should increase the difficulty for ANYONE to get a license of ANY kind, but especially the moto.

[pandy]

Oh, I see how this works. You're allowed to express your opinion but I'm not because it's different than yours.  I'm glad you're in the military fighting for our freedom.

gsmetal: Everyone is freely allowed to express an opinion here, and all of us are freely allowed to agree or disagree. I think trouble comes in when we don't agree and/or disagree in as respectful a manner as we could. Some of these issues can be quite heated, and some of us are passionate about some of our convictions!  :lol:  However, that said, there's no reason to be disrespectful when expressing agreement or disagreement (and I don't mean you, gsmetal. ....I'm talking about ALL of us here).

Your opinion is your own, and no matter how many disagree with you, it's still your opinion, and I respect your right to HAVE your opinion AND to express it, even if I disagree with it.  

[gsbethesda]

Yeah... what she said...  

[Blingmasta]

gsmetal, I'm NOT sorry your an idiot. I'm sure you'll say something else to provoke us even more, but I won't say anything else. And I'm sure you'll say something to try to make me look like an idiot in this post as well, but I don't care. Suck it.

Oh, I see how this works.

You're allowed to express your opinion but I'm not because it's different than yours.

I'm glad you're in the military fighting for our freedom.

see my above quote.

[jomei]

Cal:

For sure. I have been saying that for years. It is the same as in eu, if not more strict in japan for riders and cagers alike. What do they and japan get in return though? Much safer drivers, and lower accident rates. Oh, they also have much better maintained roads... no massive deadly holes in the road that can kill you every 15 ft like here in LA.. oh.. and they also have a bigger budget to maintain their roads and teach people about safety.. hmm.. i could get all political but i think i will just stop here.

[LotN]

This sort of went in a different direction.

Anyway, I thought I would be ready.  I took the MSF and had been practicing in a parking lot for a month.

The parking lot just didn't have any hills.

I was comfortable on the street.  Just hadn't realized how difficult those inclines would be.

It's a shame someone on here's glad I crashed.  But I suppose it's a learning curve.  Kept me from getting on the highway that day, so maybe it is a good thing.

:dunno: ...

[pandy]

LotN:

Someone being glad you crashed (or NOT sorry...whatEVER!) is an absolutely minority here. 99.999999999999% of us here are NOT glad you crashed, and we're VERY glad that you made out with minor injuries to you AND your bike.

We seriously care about the well-being of our oldies AND newbies. Hills scare the heebie-jeebies out of me, so I avoid them until I feel better prepared and more experienced.

I didn't get on a freeway until I'd been riding for about four months, and then I'd get on for brief periods when traffic was light.

There's no rush...you have at least another 80 years or so to ride!    :lol:  Take your time, practice on quiet streets, work up to the hard stuff (like hills)...

Well done on taking the MSF and the practive you've done so far. It sounds as though you're doing the right things, but that the hill snuck up on you. Don't be frightened away by some of the grumps, grinches, and scrooges around here!  :lol:  We welcome you!! And we welcome your posts about your experiences, too, because sharing our experiences helps ALL of us in the long run.  :kiss:  

[jomei]

Im not glad you crashed for sure. I AM glad you crashed and are still around to tell us about it.

Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. Know what I am saying? All part of the learning experience. I would suggest finding some backroads with no traffic in bright daylight. Go out with someone who is an experienced biker. Riding on the back can help too. It will help you get accustomed to the physics of riding at speed.

be safe

[Alphamazing]

Just to clarify, gsmetal said that he was not SORRY she crashed, not that he was GLAD she did. Those are two entirely different statements.

Yeah, it sucks that she crashed, and it's good that she got out without serious injury. However, when someone crashes it pretty much forces them to learn. Some people do, some people don't. If LotN can learn what happened and take steps to correct the errors that were made, then she's coming out on top. I'm not sorry she crashed. I'm not GLAD she did either. On the contrary, it sucks that she did. Crashes happen however. That's the nature of the "beasts" we ride. As long as she learns from this experience then all the better.

[pandy]

Those are two entirely different statements.

What do YOU know about semantics! You can't even do simple math!  :nana:  :mrgreen:

[Alphamazing]

Those are two entirely different statements.

What do YOU know about semantics! You can't even do simple math!  :nana:  :mrgreen:

Hahaha, yeah yeah. Remember the gravity argument? That was alllllll about semantics. :-p  :nana:  :nana:  :kiss:

[LotN]

Of course I'll learn.  I ain't stoopit.

I don't, however, know anyone who rides.  I imagine this whole learning this would be easier and much less frustrating if I did.

Not too many backroads around here, right in the middle of a city.  The thing is I know of a good parking lot to practice hill stuff in.  Problem is, I'd have to ride a few hills to get to it.  :lol:

Not sorry's fine.  I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me.  I hoped the reactions would be purely academic.  That's just how I see things (perhaps bad for motorcycling, perhaps not).  Kissing my bruises won't make them any better...

[RVertigo]

I hoped the reactions would be purely academic.

Rear brake is your buddy.