Well guys I hate to say it. As soon as I got into this I'm out after only 4 months. Living here in Florida is such a blessing. We have great weather year round, beautiful beaches and many other things... but we also have bad drivers. I'm not usually one to fold in the face of opposition but today was the last straw. I was almost killed, center lane, both cars turned into my lane at the same time from either side. I managed to get out of the way, just... I love riding, infact I have only put 150 miles on my Cage and 3500 on the GS in the past months. Got the Katana front end, Katana rear shock, Katana rear wheel, 15 tooth front, DID x-ring, ect. When I get into something I love to go all the way and I know I will sometimes miss the bike but I would miss not seeing the rest of my life as well... So I am deciding to stop riding and go back to driving. To me its a personal issue that I just cant justify at 22 putting my self is harms way consistantly every day, day in day out. I know cars arent impervious to driver injury but with the odds here I dont want to take that gamble. I'm still going to stick around on the forums if you guys dont mind, and all my stuff is going in the FS section for a week or so then onto ebay. This isnt goodbye just, well I dont know what it is....
:cheers:
Luke
have you ever considered riding for pleasure and not back and forth to work.....
why ride with the ideots at their worst....half asleep/half drugged and completely not paying attention.
I know. I have thought that over. Even thought about just going to the track... I may get flammed :oops: but its what is best for me right now in my life. I may come back to motorcycles sometime in the future outside of Florida but I have to much on the line for it to be worth the risk in here. Pleasure or not.
Wow. From your post, I would NEVER have guessed that your only 22. You seem MUCH more mature, and I respect you for that. Hopefully you'll still stick around the forum.
Well, you know whats right for you at this time in your life...but let me just say that the conditions we as motorcyclists ride in dont change. only your personal experience, and how that informs your ability to navigate the perils we all face, affect your level of enjoyment, now at 22 or 30 years from now.
Do what you think is right. You only have yourself to answer to. Whatever you do, ALWAYS enjoy life to its fullest. There will always be reasons to not enjoy it-killjoys...good luck. stick around if thats what you want to do-you're always welcome here.
Quote from: pantablo on January 05, 2007, 10:46:15 PM
Well, you know whats right for you at this time in your life...but let me just say that the conditions we as motorcyclists ride in dont change. only your personal experience, and how that informs your ability to navigate the perils we all face, affect your level of enjoyment, now at 22 or 30 years from now.
Do what you think is right. You only have yourself to answer to. Whatever you do, ALWAYS enjoy life to its fullest. There will always be reasons to not enjoy it-killjoys...good luck. stick around if thats what you want to do-you're always welcome here.
Hear hear! :cheers:
I understand that you had a bad experience, but don't give up like that. Just take a break from riding. I spent many years convincing myself that riding a motorcycle was the thing for me. I decided I wanted to be a rider, and that's what I've become. Through the good and the bad, the rain and the shine, the low sides and the highs, it's in my blood and there's no turning back. I hope you change your mind. There are always alternatives to limit your risks. If there are more factors that influenced your decision, please fill us in. I'd hate for a new rider to read your post, and think that close calls were normal grounds for giving up riding. I commute and have near misses often. Whatever you do, make sure to stick around the forum.
I refuse to tip-toe through life, just to find my way safely to death.
Unknown
To fear death is nothing other than to think oneself wise when one is not. For it is to think one knows what one does not know. No one knows whether death may not even turn out to be the greatest blessings of human beings. And yet people fear it as if they knew for certain it is the greatest evil.
Socrates
Jarrett, It was not just bad experiences. There were other factors that helped make my decision. When I left the Marines from Recon you had a 90% chance of making it back from each patrol. Almost ever time someone would get hit or I.E.D. ect. We have all lost friends but still did what we were trained to do and for many of us loved but like many others in the military I chose not to re-enlist. It doesnt make me less of a patriot or less of an American. I just weighed the benefits with the risks and decided it was not worth it to me. Thats not saying I wont go back in and don't miss being an 0321 just not right now and probably not for a long time. Not fighting in the Military doesnt detract from my life and I dont feel riding will either. I hope a new rider reading this post will take an objective look and understand close calls are not grounds for anything, giving up is failing, this is a choice. Part of the forums is to inform riders on the good the bad and the ugly and hopefully if someone does read this they will take it as with all other forum posts, as others opinions, and decide on their own whats best for them. I'm going to stick around and dont intend to vanish just yet. :)
:cheers:
I hear ya about the drivers. I actually find the drivers hear pretty good but my uncle from Toronto has told me stories like yours,hehe so he doesnt ride during peak periods. I on the other hand ride everytime I get the chance. In fact Ill be out today,hehe and thats something considering that Im in New Brunswick.
Do whats best for you and those that you care about. Hanging around here will just put the itch back into sooner or later Im sure.
,,and no not re elisting doesnt make you less of a man. I hate the American politics but I totally respect the sacrifices and dedication of the soldiers.
Talk to you soon Im sure.
Scott
Very well put, it's all a personal move. Hopefully you're not down for the count and you'll get the itch sometime in the future. But we'll leave that one up to you. :cheers:
S7
I tossed the keys for a few years before, just at the start of my third season. Gave it up for like seven years... Seemed like the thing to do at the time and looking back some of those years I really shouldn't have been riding for a couple of them. If you find the right place and time again, do it but not until you know it's right.
Yeah guys your right. Working at a motorcycle store and not riding even for one day is hard. Today was the first day I have not ridden since I got the bike. Perfect weather, turned down a Poker-Run. Today a guy came in, real nice, turns out hes an MSF instructor. We talked for a while about gear and parts then we got into riding. Brought up the turn of evens that led me into deciding not to ride and he said some pretty good things. "Everyone in their life if they ride will at one point come to the same point your in right now, for some its years for some its in the first hour of riding on the street for their first time. I encourage you to take a broad look at why you feel riding is to risky, then write them down. Evaluate each issue and see if its avoidable or at the very least possible to lessen the chances what ever it is effecting you while riding. Then once your done re-evaluate why your choosing not to ride."
I did that at work on a slow hour. There is only one real reason I'm in this frame of mind.
Traffic- usually at its worst when I'm going to work and coming home from work. And at its worst in Florida from Easter-Thanksgiving.
So here is where I'm at...
I love to ride... Today was really a trial.
I'm going to try for one week, taking the most remote roads to school/work and see how that goes.
If its still an issue I'm going to try a track day. I may be digging my self in deeper with this but looking at everything in a different perspective now that I'm cooled down a bit makes more sense. I hope I'm not rationalizing reasons to ride more but I do know myself and if I'm still thinking about it I still have an interest in it.
Any input on that guys?
I don't ride my bike to work most days and my commute is rural -- it's just a time thing for me. It takes me an extra ten minutes to get the gear on and the bike out of the shed and warmed up. Most days I'd rather sleep the extra ten minutes!
I do ride as often as possible for pleasure -- over 5,000 miles since August 2005, when I bought the GS. I choose to ride mostly 2-lane roads and mostly on weekends. Traffic is no fun for me on a bike, so I avoid it.
BTW, my stepson was in Marine Recon (2 tours of Iraq) and he got out of the USMC in October 2004. You're all heroes and there's no reason for ANY more American soldiers to die there. You did the right thing by not re-upping. Glad you're back here alive!
P4
sorry to hear about your bad experience. No doubt about it, if you can't enjoy riding (for whatever reason) then why do it? We all take the risk to get a reward from riding. If your reward isn't there anymore, then why assume the risk?
My In-laws live in the Tampa area and driving around there has lead me to decide that if I ever move to the area I will curtail my riding for a while. I am constantly stunned by how many near-accidents and T-bones I see at those huge, straight intersections. It is a wonder that more people don't die on those roads.
Best of luck to ya. :cheers:
Thanks guys! Good input so far. The Katana rear wheel and font end setup just came via U.P.S. and are calling to me. I think the best solution is not ride during traffic. This morning I got up around 4am and went for a ride, its was 73, clear night. Went out east and it was great! I know if I stop I will only miss it but yesterday going to work in the Jeep was almost a relief. After not driving for 4 months taking an actual car into rush hour seemed like I was riding a cocoon to work. AC, radio, airbags, seatbelt, and the fact NO ONE cut me off for once. I'm just not going to ride during peak hours on 'On-season' down here. When Easter rolls around and burns out all the snowbirds it will be much safer...
trumpetguy
Good thing to hear another one made it back. By any chance was he with 2nd Recon Bn out of Court House Bay? That was my last duty station before getting out. We may know each other or know of each other. Its a small community of 300-450 at any one time in Recon, Force is lower at 150's. Its terrible now over there. OIF 1 and OIF 2 survival rate on patrol was 98%. Now in EOF its 79%. If you consider a platoon of SF is usually 18 at the most with 79% odds its not good. They are using us for :bs: patrols in city and its the equal to using a razor to cut down a tree. Well take care at any rate and buy your stepson a beer for me.
I'm on the other side of Florida and do most of my riding in Palm Beach and Broward counties. I almost ate it the other day when some MORON blew a stop sign and crossed the road right in front of me. And he went AROUND another car that was already stopped at the stop sign! Musta been in a farking hurry or something. I already had a handful of brake as soon as I saw him starting to go around the stopped car. The guy he went around was looking right at me with an "OH shaZam!!" look in his eye. At least he would have made a great witness.
But I've learned to be as vigilant as possible, and just shrug off that kind of stuff.
Do whatever you feel is best for you. :thumb:
Yeh everyone is right with saying the decision is totally up to you. Noone should persuade you to ride or not. If you have to think about it that much than your probably safer stepping away for awhile. When you think this much about something especially riding motorcycles than maybe the safer decision is taking a break. You dont want to be on the street with a tons of thoughts on your mind, about how safe your being or what could happen to you at the next intersection. Riding a motorcycle needs to be enjoyable and fun. Putting this much thought and decision making into whether or not to ride is not good. Let your feelings decide, your emotions towards things can be great decision makers.
A couple years back I almost got out of motocross racing. I didnt have a street bike yet but had dirtbikes my entire life. It was going to be my 4th full season of motocross racing. I was getting tired with having to put so much time, money, effort and determination into one single thing. I thought so much while on the bike I stopped enjoying myself and the fun went to frustration. At the time i wasnt receiving what I thought where the results or respect back out of the sport that i deserved.
I was ready to sell everything, right down to my last pair of knee high moto sox. But I didnt. I decided since I put so much time into thinking about quitting while I was still riding, that I would put that much time back into thinking about riding while I was not riding. I covered the race bike and hung up the helmet for a season. I took time to think with my head but it didnt get me anywhere it actually made me confused. So I decided to stop thinking about it and ignore it. I couldnt, my ears pointed whenever I heard a motor in the distance, my body trembled whenever someone mentioned motorcycles, and my heart pounded at the sight of one. I let my feelings take over for once and kept the scattering and confusion of my mind out of the "should I suit up and ride" equation. I got back into it the next year. I feel rejuvinated and pumped everytime I throw a leg over.
;)
Just my story and 2 pennies.
( Sorry for such a long post, I hope maybe my story might help someone sometime, if not now maybe later)
Have a good one.
i had the opposite experience my first couple months. i had more close calls in my cage because of other stoopid cagers than on my bike. but that was because i was commuting to work and at that time i worked 11:30pm to 8am so traffic was never really a problem. even in the am, traffic was headed the other way so i'd find myself cruising along at 90mph and go "oops!" because no one else was around for my to guage my speed on...
Don't be a soft chicken, nearly crashing is half the fun.
Sounds like a close call. But... this is my first years tally here in Portland, where the drivers might be said to be relatively sane. Ive had no double-lane assassination attempts, but have had:
three blind lanechanges into me, one at high speed at night
Countless shitty pull-outs or near pull-outs into lane, one resulting in near collision
Four incidences of skidding on my part
One total freeway crash http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=31307.0 (http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=31307.0)
One barely-executed stop for pedestrians
Two drops on first day
Three knockovers while I was away
One pullover
A partridge in a pear tree
etc.
To stop riding or to ride only at times of your choosing is a totally sane, mature, and respectable decision. On the other hand, riding your GS for the rest of your life is probably statistically safer than having gone to Iraq. :icon_mrgreen:
I understand your concerns and I'm sure everyone does. I'm about to commute to work 25 miles on interstate mostly in traffic. The stop and go stuff scares the shaZam! out of me, four lanes and any fool could cut me off or stop short at any time. I intentionally read all the stories posted on here about near misses and loved ones lost to keep fresh in my mind that I can never let my guard down. The only thing I can do to help reduce the risk is try being more easily seen and driving defensively. I flash my brights like mad when I'm coming up on cars that arnt moving, also I flash my rear brake in four or five times followed by a long pulse until I see the car behind beginning to stop. I even swerve around my lane sometimes, I don't care if the cars around me think oh geez look at this @$$hole. The point is they remember, that ass is over there, I'm staying away from him. G'luck.
-ash
You'd have to change your name, dude.
Quote from: Chuck on January 08, 2007, 07:12:42 AM
You'd have to change your name, dude.
LOL yeah your right.
I've had plenty of time to think and will have more once I get the bike apart for the front end swap, rear wheel swap, shock swap ect, ect. I'm a rider at heart and I know that. I'm going to get the bike ready for a track day next month. Its good to have people in a community like our who can give good input on issues like this. Everyone in my family was estatic once I mentioned not riding even to the point of one member buying my bike to crush it... :icon_rolleyes: But as everyone has said the decision is mine and your right we take some form of risk every day.
:)
I'm glad to hear you're not giving up completely. I know my family never wanted me to buy a bike. Then after my first wreck, they hoped I'd get rid of the bike. After the 2nd, which was extremely minor, they thought I'd quit. After the last one, at 60mph into a guard rail, they thought I'd have to be crazy to get back on a bike. They thought I'd sell mine, pay to fix Dave's, and be done with the sport. But I love it. Even with the dangers from the cagers, I can't get enough of being on 2 wheels. It's been a month and a half since I rode, and I'm getting itchy. I go out back and sit on my bike at every opportunity, just cuz it's fun. I'm watching 50 different things on ebay to try to pick up the few necessary parts (like a CHAIN!). I am more determined than ever to get back on two. And I hope to see you back on two someday. Plus, I'm from Naples, originally, so when I get back to Florida, we have to ride together!
One thing that I think of is that if I didn't ride every day I wouldn't get used to the kind of driving that goes around in my area. That experience goes a long way to keeping me alive.
Quote from: scratch on January 08, 2007, 11:42:46 AM
One thing that I think of is that if I didn't ride every day I wouldn't get used to the kind of driving that goes around in my area. That experience goes a long way to keeping me alive.
I agree. When I started riding, I made the choice to ride every day to gain experience, knowledge of the bike, and knowledge of traffic patterns. I can tell when someone is going to switch lanes without signaling, fail to yield, attempt to pass, and pose various other dangers to myself often times before they commit the act. I ride with a worst case scenario mind frame. I've noticed that most fair weather, weekend, bump and feel riders do not look at it the same way. They are focused more on the thrill and excitement.
Ride Safe and Ride Daily
:cheers: