Needing to get this off my chest

[fwtcc]

You can die of cancer or a motorcycle wreck.

I'll take the wreck thank you very much.

I mean preferably neither, but, well I know my genetics and I am a shoe-in for the big C so why not take risks?

Wanna go skydiving?

[jclin]

This diatribe is the exact reason we all wave to each other on the street, and that we feel the need to be nice to other motorcyclists. Our mode of transportation is inherently dangerous, and there's no getting around it. Even if we lived in a place that had the most courteous, intelligent cagers, we would all still be at risk. I think, for me, it's the thrill of riding that I enjoy, and I hope I don't get in such a bad accident that I lose sight of that.

Take some time off. Don't ride until you hear that calling.

[DoubleEagle]

I live in the country and hate to ride in the city. I spend almost all my time riding in the Hocking Hills Region of South Eastern Ohio. Appalachia. I feel much safer there ,but you still have kids that think they are speed racer on the curviest roads and people in pickup trucks that think they are running a Nascar race on these roads.

I still must be on guard for those types coming and going plus the 4 legged critters that are the size of my bike that appear from out of nowhere since most of the roads I ride are lined by woods or Forest.

Never know what is going to be around the next curve since many are blind ,but that is where I love to ride.

I thought I was getting pretty good at riding these roads at crazy speeds for someone who had only been riding a Ducati S4Rs for about 1 year.

Missed a blind curve at between 50-70- mph and broke 4 ribs, punctured my right lung, had a contusion of my right shoulder, 2 sprained ankles and lots of soft tissue damage.

I was my own worst enemy. That was in early April  and I've mended enough that mid June my Surgeon said I could ride if I choose to.

Well I've slowed down quite a bit and let's hope I don't relapse or I'll end up dead. You can bet I lost my innocence about riding like a Roadracer.

I do feel safer in the country as long as I don't ride over my head. I am slowly getting my confidence back.

[Adamm0621]

I'm in the Army, I drink, I smoke, I scuba dive, I skydive, I snowboard, I surf (a little)...  I might as well ride a motorcycle too.  That said, I've got a beautiful, loving wife, and a one month old baby boy.  The fact of the matter, is that there are risks in life, and that there always will be.  I choose to live my life by being the best person, the best soldier, the best son, the best husband, the best father, and the best friend that I know how to be.  I also choose to enjoy my life by not limiting myself from activities that I find enjoyable.  If something happens to me, I want to be remembered for being a good person who really knew how to enjoy life.

Fear is not an easy thing to get over.  In many cases fear is a necessary protocol in life.  Fear is healthy, worrying is not.  Fear keeps you alive in many situations, worrying induces stress and muddles the senses.

“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.”  Winston Churchill.

+1 on the track bike idea.

[Dareduc]

We all go through the second guess after a fall... big or small. The f*&^ed up thing is the factors that are beyond your control. every time you hop on your bike or get into a car, your are putting your life in the hands of those around you... and trusting that they are safe and responsible enough to be driving. unfortunately that is not often the case. I am in LA... and heard about 4 different crashes on the freeways involving bikers... its ruff. even if you are not an idiot racing around the freeway... you could get clipped and there you go. Now that summer is here, i am reading more and more on the boards about a fellow member that went down. and every time i read it, i think, when is it my turn. but you are alive to live... and if motorcycling is a part of your life... your not living with out it.

[Mad Duc]

You might be a king or a little street sweeper, but sooner or later you'll dance with the reaper.

- Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey

You are going to die. I am going to die. We all are going to die.  Do I want to die? No. Do you want to live in fear of all the bad things that might happen? I don't. It wastes time. Money comes and goes but time doesn't come back. Challenge yourself to live. Really live. Living of fear isn't living. There's a billion cliches saying the same thing.  I wrecked my bike a few weeks ago because some jackass pulled out in front of me. I ordered a 696 2 days later. I could barely walk but I got my ass to the dealer. If I am going to die I prefer to do it on my terms.  I would prefer to have a few scars and stories to tell rather than look back at my life and remember nothing worth remembering.

http://www.bigeye.com/donotgo.htm

[knightrider]

i think this might be one case where loud pipes save lives, just always rev your bike at stoplights just to keep the people behind you awake

[Cucciolo]

What happened to you is pure bad luck. There is nothing you could have done or any way you could have seen that coming.. I can feel the hate man.. I would be forever pissed after that.
Yesterday when I was going to watch the new Batman movie I saw a fellow rider that had just been rear ended! I stopped next to him with traffic behind me to see if he needed help. He was fine, he said.. I'm shaky, but I'm ok.. and got on the phone with the police.. The stupid cager of course was a teenager on a BIG SUV. she did not see him? How stupid are some people? I guess there is nothing we can do to avoid the inevitable. There are some ANIMALS behind the wheel.. that take the fun out of riding... I hope you overcome this fear soon.. although I know it will be on the back of your mind forever.. It would be on mine. Get better 

[HeyThatsMyBike]

I was thinking of getting a vest and put a big reflective 'Radio Active' sign!!!  I'm sure that'll get peoples attention! I just hate the idea of giving up something you love because of someone else's stupidity! I don't think you should give up riding. People could get killed sitting at home and a plane crashing into it!!! Might as well live it up! Just my 2 cents.

[daftduc]

My first year of riding I ended up sliding through the intersection.  It was dark out and a truck turning left cut right in front of me.  I think I grabbed too much front brake because I was instantly (no skidding, no tank slapping) on the pavement sending sparks flying in the air.  Physically I was okay and the bike was still drivable.  Just needed some cosmetic work.  I got lucky I think.

The problem is it's too easy to drive a car.  Our brains demand more stimulation than we get from driving.  So destractions help fill that stimulation need.  That's why riding is so nice.  Riding is all you need to keep your brain entertained. 

[IZ]

So I think I might hate dumb people too much to be able to ride again. Ever since being rear ended by a woman the fell asleep I keep thinking how much worse it easily could have been. If I got tossed at a different angle I could have been in oncomming traffic... Thinking about how much worse it could have been makes me feel a combination of anger and thankfulness.

I am angry because my body and my bike are injured. I am also angry because I feel like the purity and the love for riding is now tainted, this woman was stitting behind me at the red light for 2 minutes and then she accelerated into my back while the light was still red! I am the most paranoid rider out there, if nobody is behind me at the light I am always watching, with this I thought I was safe because she was there for 2 minutes, never did I think she'd just decide to drive into my back while the light was still red throwing me into an active intersection. NOTHING could prepare me for what she did... I mean WTF! Is it over? Can we just trust no one anymore? Like it's not bad enough to watch out for cars but now you've got people texting and messing with I-Pods while driving, parents with movies playing and crap, what happened to just "driving"?

I live in the city, the suburbs south of the city are the worst for bad drivers, I am damn good at avoiding the crazy cab drivers and the congestion in the city but the suburbs have morons blowing red lights and speeding all over the place, probably while sending text messages too. In the city there's too much traffic for anyone to do serious damage so I actually worry less. I have been good on the highway because I am super-defensive but since my accident I saw 2 incidents where cagers almost knocked bikers going 60mph on the highway, one time it was a girl in a SUV and it looked like she was texting. It's an epidemic with the gadgets in the cars, my level of paranoia is almost enough where I cannot imagine having fun out there.

Riding has been the best thing I ever did, I absolutely love being able to get away from the phone and computer and getting out and riding by myself, it's like meditation for me. I absolutely love my bike, probably the coolest thing I have ever owned, I *almost* like to just admire it more than I like riding it. Despite how much I like the bike and riding has really helped me find a good healthy hobby I just keep thinking how much worse it could have been. I want to have fun out there but I don't want to lose an arm or a leg, that aspect of it worries the crap out of me. I am moving away from the city, will I feel safer in the sticks??? I keep picturing screeching tires, a big SUV, and a world of hurt. I just keep thinking of how much worse it could have been and it makes me angry that people are so careless. I worked a 90 hour week and just wanted to relax and instead I ended up on my hands and knees in an intersection, just the thought of how unfair the whole thing played out has me seeing red and makes me very bitter.

That sucks E!!  Sorry to hear that happened.    Be glad that you're still alive and get back on the saddle.  That's all you can do.  Maybe find another hobby or just track the bike or find a new off-road bike?  There's always other options! 

[He Man]

90% of my riding is down in Manhattan. Come down to the big apple and you'll learn quickly how to survive and your skill set will sky rocket. We shouldnt need to ride like we are going to die, but its become a norm for me to slow down, and check my mirrors at the same time. I head check 3-4 times if i feel like theres a hot headed SOB thats doing 100mph down that lane (happens fairly often). I check every driver i pass.

Older gentleman in a suit. he looks like the type to mind his own buisness stay in lane, and maybe speed  a little bit.

(this one is today) a Blonde who drifted to her right over 2 lanes. I was behind her and saw her jerk her car 2 lanes back. She did this twice, so i passed on the left very cautiously. We appraoched a red light, and i brake, shes behind me, and i put my bike in between 2 cars. The pregnant dog was texting. :/

Young teen dude in a BMW/Mercedes benz with or without a girl, hes going to try and race me. If traffic permits, im going to get away from him as far as possible. If no traffic, i just let him get pedal happy, and ride normally.

Anyone in an SUV automaticly gets flagged. They drive like they own the road. 90% of hte people i know who drive SUVs, drive them becasue they feel that if they get into an accident, they will live. So their mind set is "im invincible"

Ricer cars, watch out for sudden lane changes and annoying exahusts. they will ALWAYS try to show of their traffic skills by zipping in and out of lanes.

Other bikes are generally cool. 90% of the time i try to gun it with them and they dont wanna play. not like i could win anyway, they are all big4 Supersports!

you just need to becareful man. Every day i get into a situation where i think im going to be involved in a car accident and its always avoided because i made a bias judgement against a specific car or a driver and i keep my eyes peeled, ears wide open.

Be safe.

[robartlum]

Anyone in an SUV automaticly gets flagged. They drive like they own the road. 90% of hte people i know who drive SUVs, drive them becasue they feel that if they get into an accident, they will live. So their mind set is "im invincible"

Very true. I watch out for SUV's even though that is my cage when I dont ride. I just drove back in my SUV from Tennessee and saw SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MANY BIKES! I wish I had my ducati instead of the suffocating cage. However, since I ride, I ALWAYS watch out for motorcycles and always give em the biker wave from my car. 

I really get angry at cagers. More so than ever. I am starting to get worried for my own safety now. However, I always say a prayer before I get on the bike and I always know that I just might get hurt or die. I ride knowing that anyone can die at anytime regardless of if they are riding a bike or not. I could die in my sleep tonight.

I guess the reason I choose to ride is because of my faith - I trust that my life and safety is in the hands of the Lord. Knowing that comforts me. 

Ride safe, guys.

[psycledelic]

Not that it is much comfort, but in reading the replies, notice that no one has said that, "yea, that happened to me to".  Freak accident man that you were the unlucky receipient of.  Take time to heal and let your head reset.  I can't count the close calls that could have taken me off the bike forever. But with two baby girls, a screwed up 50 hour a week job supervising 78 people, and being a full time mechanical engineering student (to get me out of the screwed up supervisor's position), my Monster is my only break from life and I (just speaking for myself) couldn't give that up!  With that being said, do what is best for you.  If the paranoyia takes all of the fun and relaxation out of your ride, then you are being missing the benefit that justifies the risk.  My humble advice is to just take some time off.  It will come back around.  Good luck.

[bdfinally]

Take a break and heal up. Think the thing through and see where you're at when you're well. The worst thing you can do is get on a bike if you're tentative. I took about 8 years off, not because of an accident, but to be an adult (stupid me.) When I got back to rding I couldn't believe I existed those years without it.

I will note one thing, when I started street riding in '72 it was a lot more dangerous, brakes and tires sucked, gear was not nearly as comfortable and no one look out for you. Upside was there weren't many SUVs or any cellphones.