Confidence..

[Mik]

Hi guys ..

Almost 3 months ago I crash with a car when it changes his lane from the right to the left and never check on the mirror that I was there, I was driving at 50 miles/hr.

I brooked my two hands in the accident but mostly I lost a lot of confidence in my riding abilities. I think it wasn't my fault or probably I could avoid it?

I got surgery in both hands and right know they are 90% recover. Its only a matter of time to get them stronger

 

In the process I lost my RT because the repair was more expensive than the bike itself.

So now, I want to buy a new bike but my stomach isn't prepare with the idea.

 

Do you think its a manner of time to digest it?

What kind of advice you can give me.

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

[RedHot]

Hi Mike -

 

Very sorry to hear of your accident. I was rear ended in July and while, I didn't suffer any serious injuries, it did total my bike and I had to buy a new one (oh darn! ) BUTT, I had the same apprehensions you did.

 

What worked for ME, is that I had 2 friends go with me the first time on a bike. It was a borrowed RT of a friend, but he was not worried about me riding it, so me, him and another friend took off for a nice 2 hour ride. THAT, really helped me. I was still and am still nervous about traffic but I love riding and I'm getting there. I bought the new GT in the middle of September and it has 4500 miles on it, so I'm getting better with my confidence.

 

I would say ride someplace that doesn't have a lot of traffic and just kind of get your feet wet again. Whether it's just around the block or down the street or longer, do what feels best for YOU!! That's the most important and I don't think anyone will fault you for making your own decisions and thinking of yourself!!!

 

Goodluck!!! I hope things get better soon!

[lvnvbiker]

Motos y caballos... Get back on one as soon as possible amigo. I have had a few accidents in my riding career, and have only gone without one for very short periods of time even after a crash. I can say that if you are feeling uncomfortable about riding on the street I would do a bit of dirt riding if possible just to get my comfort level up some before going back on the streets.

[Mik]

BMWGirl,

 

Thank you for your advice and commentaries, riding in the middle of a group sounds a good idea.

Congratulations for your new bike, its a lovely one

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[flars]

"...if you are feeling uncomfortable about riding on the street I would do a bit of dirt riding if possible ..."

Yeah - that'll work. As far as I can determine from looking at pictures on the ADVRIDER forum, and following their threads, riding in the dirt will definitely get you used to falling down.

I think the OP will be fine. Everyone is a little gunshy after getting frisbied off into the weeds, and getting hurt can really take it out of you and make you doubt yourself. Re-orienting yourself on a smaller bike, or in the dirt, or with someone you trust will help you decide what is best for you.

Good luck.

[philbytx]

Sorry to hear about your off. I went through this with my wife a couple of years ago. She totalled her bike in the twisties but, fortunately, came out with just mental and not physical scars.

 

First thing is to clear your head. Try to reconstruct and dissect the accident in your mind and, hopefully, understand what you could have done differently or, more importantly, BETTER.

 

Here are some "thinking points" for you...

Was it in light or heavy traffic?

Did you have space in front/space behind of you?

Were you in his blind spot?

Were you alongside him rather than behind (you can see him!) or in front of him (he could see you).

 

If you like to ride but are a little gunshy, definitely get another bike and, initially, take some local rides/ride with friends to get "back in the saddle".

 

It may help you if you read David Hough's books.....

 

Good luck

[Quinn]

Were it me, I think I'd get a smaller, lighter bike to wade back in with. After some country riding by myself (no traffic) to re introduce myself to just the fun of riding, then I might step up to getting back in the mix with cars around me. I'm sure I'd be nervous in parking lots and on roads with other cars around me, but the smaller, easier to handle bike would take away some of the pressure from just piloting the bike to allow more concentration on the surroundings. I'm sure, in no time at all, you'd be ready for the big bike and longer trips. Doubt if you'll ever assume that car drivers have seen you again.

 

---

[tallman]

Start riding again.

Stay out of blind spots.

Give yourself permission to decide you don't want to ride after returning, if that is in fact the case, and sell the bike w/out regrets.

If, however, as many have, you find yourself back in the saddle and enjoying it, keep on doing what you love.

Best wishes.

[pmdave]

Seldom is a crash the fault of the vehicle. In motorcycling, whatever happens is always your fault.

 

A huge part of riding on public roads is to learn to "read" traffic, and position yourself so that whatever happens, you're not in the way.

 

You can learn this by trial-and-error, or learn from the mistakes of others (training). And, may I suggest that reading is a form of training.

 

At the risk of being seen as blatantly commercial, may I suggest some serious study of the book Proficient Motorcycling (second edition), which includes lots of information about avoiding collisions. The scenario you mention in which you were hit is covered around page 135.

 

Kent Kunitsugu and Nick Ienatsch have some great ideas about traffic survival at: http://www.sportrider.com/motorcycle_riding/techniques/index.html

 

Motorcycle Consumer News has a monthly skills column now written by Ken Condon. And Ken has his own book out, Riding In The Zone (Whitehorse Press)

 

Friction Zone (a freebie published in the LA area) has a hefty dose of traffic survival tactics in every issue.

 

So, yes, get back on a bike, but get serious about what's going on out there so you can avoid having to crash to learn.

 

pmdave

[Polo]

16 years, 5 months, 8 days, 4 hours and 37 minutes ago, I put a large deposit on the farm, fortunately the deal didn't go thru.

 

Maybe I could have avoided it, but I feel I did everything possible and in my power. The guy just had to make a U turn 15 feet in front of me.

 

He fled and was never found. I spent 1 month in ICU, and the following 8 months recupping. Broken skull, split upper lip, loss of smell, cuadrupple right knee fracture, left funny bone gone, both arms with traumatic paralyisis, seven facial reconstructive surgeries. The accident happened in Mexico, no medical insurance applied, couldn't work for 9 months, etc.

 

As soon as I regained the use of my arms (9 months), I grabbed the keys from a friends hands, jumped on his bike, stalled it twice as the clutch slipped off my trembling hand, and finally went for a ride around the block with what felt like a beehive in my stomach, and a grapefruit in my throat. It took me 7 years to regain sufficient economical stability and buy my RT.

 

It wasn't the bike's fault, I don't feel it was my fault, so I would not give up something I've loved since I was 5.

 

So, yes, hop on that bike, don't let some dork determine how you will enjoy your life.

 

But do stay out of the blind spot.

[jimfastcar]

Mike

a year ago I was rear-ended and escaped with a scrape on my shin, but a totalled bike. Most around me advised against riding again, and while I must confess I have become even more sensitive to my rear mirrors, I felt I needed to jump back on for a number of reasons: I love it too much and I refuse to give in to my fears, but rather prefer to attack them.

I hate heights and have a bad shoulder right now (rotator cuff), but recently enjoyed a zipl lining experience off a Cruise in St Lucia. Most would have declined in the face of those facts, I just choose to live my life to the fullest while being prudent. As best I know, I will only get one turn, and I intend to use it up.

Just my rambling thoughts, but the best way to regain your confidence might just be to jump back on. Good luck with whichever decision you make

[Mik]

Guys you are amazing, thank you all for your thoughts and support !!

It will take some time for me to decide, live is a learning lesson.

Pmdave, i m going to check the link thanks for the information.

 

Mike

 

 

[Indy Dave]

Hi Mike - 26 years ago (wow - that sounds so odd!) I was on my way back to school after visiting friends for a weekend at Purdue. Going through a small town on a State Highway, a lady pulls out in front of me. As she pulls out, she looks again and sees me on my GPZ and STOPS perpendicular to the highway, totally blocking my lane. Bike gets totaled and stuck under the car and somehow I escape with a slight scratch on my elbow.

 

I didn't ride for 25 years and didn't miss it. Until I went for a spin 15 months ago. wow! It's like I'd been living in monochrome or something - I had totally forgotten what I was missing. For me, going for a ride can turn the worst day around.

 

I can't believe I'd waited so long and now can't imagine not riding. By the same token, until I went for a spin, I didn't miss it a bit.

 

No need to rush anything. Taking a break never hurt anyone. I was happy before I started riding again, and I'm happy now that I've gotten back into it. You'll work it out and be content.

 

Good Luck.

 

 

[BanjoBoy]

 

I was hit by a car back in '77, and with the help of some good Samaritans I was able to straighten my bike out, hobble back onto it, and ride to work. I wasn't injured to bad, so I got right back on the bike, and have continued to ride ever since. (Despite some other get-offs)

Some of my friends from high school who crashed their bikes quit riding all together.

Some people like "workin them angels" take a break from riding for awhile.

It all depends on you and your priorities. While you're heal'in up go and get one ("Proficient Motorcycling" is my favorite.) or all of the books pm dave mentioned and bone up, so when you get back on you will be a safer rider. It's a good investment; the money it can save you may be your life!

 

Good luck,

[Ken H.]

BTDT

 

For me I’m not sure I’ve ever totally regained my sense of self-assuredness after each get off, but then that may be a good thing. I look at each of them as a lesson learned - ‘Well, now I know not to do that again!’

 

I think if you/we just continue on in a mode of sort of – ‘How can I get back to where I was (as a rider)?’ the apprehensiveness will continue, because ‘where you was’ in some real or abstract sense is what got you into the pickle in the first place. This I think is true even for crashes that technically were not our fault as riders.

 

Rather, I believe if we view each of them as a positive learning experience (recognizing this is very boxed as there plenty of negative about a crash) and we come away with an understanding of what went wrong, and that we are a better rider as a result, then our confidence will return / apprehension will diminish. Because in fact we truly are better riders if we learned something from what went wrong.

 

[Mik]

I feel much enthusiastic with all your posts, thanks.

Getting back to ride after 25 years is an amazing story " workin them angels".

I think all your posts are very constructive and positive.

Lets see how it works for me

 

Mike.

 

 

 

 

 

[ka5ysy]

Hi Mike: Sorry for the crash and glad you are healing.

 

I would suggest, like the others, that you get back on the bike and ride just in your neighborhood. About a year ago I ran through some powder sand in a wet spot while in a turn that resulted in dumping me hard to the right, cracked 4 ribs and ended with a level 3 concussion. After recovering, I got back on the bike and went for a three hour ride to get my head straight again. Stuff happens, so be prepared for it and dress ATGATT. The doctors told me that the armor in the suit, and the helmet saved a huge amount of road rash (none!) and probably a major head injury from the impact.

 

I would also suggest that you consider signing up for a MSF or Harley Riders Edge class as a refresher, and confidence builder. We teach a lot of these locally and even long-time riders tell us that they learn things for survival. I lot of the class is about what to look for in riding situations, and possible reactions. The day two riding exercises are the survival stuff.

 

Tactically, you best survival tool in the situation you got hit, would be to continually ride slightly faster than the prevailing traffic, and move around in whatever lane you are in. The human eye is very sensitive to movement, and anything you can do to force someone to look for the motion will save a crash. Add some headlight modulators if you do not have one already. I have recently added some super bright white LED lights to my R1200R and that in addition to the modulator makes drivers look hard at what is coming toward them. I also have a bright yellow helmet, and the high vis lime green Motoport riding gear.

 

Get back on your horse and ride !

[Green RT]

Vas a necesitar un poco tiempo, pero vas a estar bien. Estuve en una caida de un helicoptero. Por un año, estaba nervioso en aeroplanos, pero en tiempo estuve bien.

 

Que te vaya bien.

 

 

[CT_Rider]

Years ago a cager took a left turn in to my Yamaha 650. He caught the rear wheel enough to send me and my passenger into a curb and down into the grass. No major injuries but the accident was enough to make me too nervous to ride with any real enjoyment. I went out and purchased a big bore dirt bike and had a blast with that for years.

 

It wasn't until 2006 when I got the bug to ride street again. The thing that got my confidence back was education. I recommend taking a course or two. Even if it's one you have taken before.

[Mik]

Your spanish is very good Will.

Agree with you. I will take an advance security course next year.

 

Thanks for your posts.

 

Mike.