Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: White Horseradish on June 28, 2012, 10:29:37 PM
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I just finished the MSF basic rider course and passed the riding test. All I need to do now is take the approved permit to the county and I will have the full motorcycle license.
I am so glad I took the course instead of just going for the test. Totally worth it and fun, too.
Now, to put the bike back together...
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Have you signed your organ donor card yet?
I know the danger comes more from cagers than from riders doing dumb things, but either way ....
stay safe.
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Have you signed your organ donor card yet?
I know the danger comes more from cagers than from riders doing dumb things, but either way ....
stay safe.
I rode many years ago.
The nurses living down the road call all riders organ donors also.
Yea, the cage drivers suck.
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My mom tried and failed to talk me out of it...
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I rode many years ago.
The nurses living down the road call all riders organ donors also.
Yea, the cage drivers suck.
I've heard them referred to as donor-cycles.
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Well, now that all that negativity is out of the way...
Excellent. Good on you for taking the class. Riding motorcycles can be a dangerous activity. But, you have taken active steps to train yourself not only in the proper operation of a motorcycle, but proper emergency maneuvers. Like any activity, you can not fully eliminate risks; but you have taken effort to mitigate and manage risks you can control.
Even after you get your license, remember to practice and hone your skills. You are more vulnerable, which means you must be more vigilant.
Keep the rubber side down! ;)
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Yea, the cage drivers suck.
FTFY.
The percentage of motorcycle drivers who suck are probably about the same as "cage" ;/ drivers. You just see way more people driving normal vehicles than motorcycles.
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The percentage of motorcycle drivers who suck are probably about the same as "cage" ;/ drivers. You just see way more people driving normal vehicles than motorcycles.
On the other hand, it's mighty hard to talk on the cellphone, play with the GPS, put a CD in the stereo, apply makeup, shave, eat a cheeseburger, yell at the kids, spill your latte, read a book, etc while running a motorcycle...
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On the other hand, it's mighty hard to talk on the cellphone, play with the GPS, put a CD in the stereo, apply makeup, shave, eat a cheeseburger, yell at the kids, spill your latte, read a book, etc while running a motorcycle...
No, but it's a lot easier to split lanes, do wheelies, speed through heavy traffic, etc. with a motorcycle. ;)
You can do stupid *expletive deleted*it with any vehicle, and there ain't no population devoid of idiots.
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On the other hand, it's mighty hard to talk on the cellphone, play with the GPS, put a CD in the stereo, apply makeup, shave, eat a cheeseburger, yell at the kids, spill your latte, read a book, etc while running a motorcycle...
Pffft.
You simply lack hand-eye coordination and multi-tasking capability. Anyone can text and drive ...
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjokideo.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F06%2F536283_306629502760539_713842858_n.jpg&hash=0f3f5b6f818b251f1fc9328e8cc2ec9282120f2c)
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Well, now that all that negativity is out of the way...
Excellent. Good on you for taking the class. Riding motorcycles can be a dangerous activity. But, you have taken active steps to train yourself not only in the proper operation of a motorcycle, but proper emergency maneuvers. Like any activity, you can not fully eliminate risks; but you have taken effort to mitigate and manage risks you can control.
Even after you get your license, remember to practice and hone your skills. You are more vulnerable, which means you must be more vigilant.
Keep the rubber side down! ;)
As an MSF instructor, I approve this message, an have this to add
Always assume that everyone around you is an idiot and prepare accordingly...
Your broken and mangled body won't care whose fault it was. Remover the Rider Radar video and take it to hear. Constant scanning for and reacting to threats is key. Always have an escape route.
Riding safely is about managing risk and removing unnecessary ones. 35 percent of fatal head injuries are to the chin area, so wear a full face helmet. Also, armored motorcycle jacket, etc. if its too hot for gear, buy better gear or a cooling vest. Rising in t shirts is like screwing a hooker with no condom. Might feel pretty good until your skin ends up cracked and bleeding later.
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unfortunatly the really good gear costs as much as a fair bike. my wife has a nephew with a sport bike. he spends more on the armour for that bike than on nis own gear. i tell him his priorities are misplaced.
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. . . Riding safely is about managing risk and removing unnecessary ones. 35 percent of fatal head injuries are to the chin area, so wear a full face helmet. Also, armored motorcycle jacket, etc. if its too hot for gear, buy better gear or a cooling vest.
Easier, safer, & more comfortable to fasten your seatbelt and turn on the A/C in your car.
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The percentage of motorcycle drivers who suck are probably about the same as "cage" rolleyes drivers. You just see way more people driving normal vehicles than motorcycles.
On the other hand, it's mighty hard to talk on the cellphone, play with the GPS, put a CD in the stereo, apply makeup, shave, eat a cheeseburger, yell at the kids, spill your latte, read a book, etc while running a motorcycle...
Can we all agree that the ones we notice are the morons, no matter how many wheels they happen to have under them?
I see people in cars pulling stupid @#$% every day, and I see cyclists being idiots. Those of us who just get out there and try to safely get to our destinations don't show up on anyone's radar.
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Pffft.
You simply lack hand-eye coordination and multi-tasking capability. Anyone can text and drive ...
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjokideo.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F06%2F536283_306629502760539_713842858_n.jpg&hash=0f3f5b6f818b251f1fc9328e8cc2ec9282120f2c)
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How did the driver even manage to accomplish that?
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How did the driver even manage to accomplish that?
I'm going to go with he was an idiot speeding down the shoulder of the road and didn't see the semi parked there.
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Riding safely is about managing risk and removing unnecessary ones. 35 percent of fatal head injuries are to the chin area, so wear a full face helmet. Also, armored motorcycle jacket, etc. if its too hot for gear, buy better gear or a cooling vest. Rising in t shirts is like screwing a hooker with no condom. Might feel pretty good until your skin ends up cracked and bleeding later.
After trying about a dozen helmets on I wound up buying the HJS IS-MAX BT
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hjchelmets.com%2Fimages%2Fproducts%2Fproduct_images%2Fismaxbt%2Fsolid%2Fblack.jpg&hash=2993240d042175ebe926c28af5ffcca2ccd68d1a)
I think I made a good choice - wearing it for the four hours of the class was no problem on any of the three days, even when it was hot and humid. The sun shield works really well, especially since I wear glasses.
Don't have a jacket yet. A friend of mine says his riding buddy wears this (http://www.dainese.com/de_de/motorbike/jacket-wave-pro-1.html?cat=41), apparently it kept his injuries to a few bruises after taking a pretty good spill. I'm not sure I'm up for something like that just yet.
I can't figure out how people manage to ride in flipflops. Isn't shifting uncomfortable or them?
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unfortunatly the really good gear costs as much as a fair bike. my wife has a nephew with a sport bike. he spends more on the armour for that bike than on nis own gear. i tell him his priorities are misplaced.
I tell people, body protection first... Bike protection second
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Easier, safer, & more comfortable to fasten your seatbelt and turn on the A/C in your car.
Maybe, but also lame
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(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjokideo.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F06%2F536283_306629502760539_713842858_n.jpg&hash=0f3f5b6f818b251f1fc9328e8cc2ec9282120f2c)
Wow! That semi-trailer is going to need a new license plate bracket :O
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After trying about a dozen helmets on I wound up buying the HJS IS-MAX BT
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hjchelmets.com%2Fimages%2Fproducts%2Fproduct_images%2Fismaxbt%2Fsolid%2Fblack.jpg&hash=2993240d042175ebe926c28af5ffcca2ccd68d1a)
I think I made a good choice - wearing it for the four hours of the class was no problem on any of the three days, even when it was hot and humid. The sun shield works really well, especially since I wear glasses.
Don't have a jacket yet. A friend of mine says his riding buddy wears this (http://www.dainese.com/de_de/motorbike/jacket-wave-pro-1.html?cat=41), apparently it kept his injuries to a few bruises after taking a pretty good spill. I'm not sure I'm up for something like that just yet.
I can't figure out how people manage to ride in flipflops. Isn't shifting uncomfortable or them?
HJC makes a good lid. I like the slide down sun shield on mine and it was even tolerable in 114 degrees last summer with the internal vents and a little water poured over our heads before putting the helmet on it was almost cool for a few minutes.
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Lane splitting is not dangerous, it looks dangerous but really,it isn't.
I do it a lot less now due to it being illegal in Nevada, and due to there is a lot less traffic out here in the boonies.
I feel much safer lane splitting and getting away from a flock of road turkeys then I do being surrounded by a bunch of folks who cant use their turn signals and only use their mirrors to change lanes.
BTW
Congrats on taking the course, you now have an efficient way to save on gas and have a little fun
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HJC makes a good lid. I like the slide down sun shield on mine and it was even tolerable in 114 degrees last summer with the internal vents and a little water poured over our heads before putting the helmet on it was almost cool for a few minutes.
that's a good idea - the water thing- I often even pour water on the helmet ...
http://www.revzilla.com/product/alpinestars-t-breeze-air-flo-jacket
get a jacket similar to this, do not ride in a tshirt, flip flops, sneakers, or without gloves.
I have summer gloves with all the protection, got it on sale a few yrs ago at cycle gear for 70 bucks, have had an alpine mesh summer jacket for yrs-well worth it.
for boots I wear steel toe hikers I got on sale, I would rather wear real mc boots but cant afford them and they are not comfortable for walking. You always need a protective jacket, gloves, boots.
You'll find that spills happen far more often going slow, like when you stop at a stop sign or if you happen to drive over some gravel... wearing a jacket/gloves will mean a difference between annoying and painfully annoying, the difference between picking up your bike and going and looking for a first aid kit and water to pour over your road rash..Bay Area Riders Forum has some great tips/links to cheap(er) safety gear.
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As an MSF instructor, I approve this message, an have this to add
Rising in t shirts is like screwing a hooker with no condom. Might feel pretty good until your skin ends up cracked and bleeding later.
I thought this was hilarious. I read it to my wife who said 'Eeew'.
I am pretty much all the gear all the time. I don't always wear boots for my work commuting. But when I am commuting to work, dressed in a suit or sportcoat, I am wearing a high-viz Olympia Phantom suit and a bright yellow Zeus modular helmet. For fun riding, I have two piece Olympia gear, but I am always suited up. My experience as a paramedic taught me the value of good gear. When it gets hot, I have an Olympia Stealth mesh suit. On the rare occasions that it reaches 90 degrees or above in Seattle, I drive instead. The stop and go traffic on our freeways is just too brutal in 90 degree weather on the bike.
Because of the gear, I consider myself safer on the motorcycle than on the bicycles. Where as I have said before, I am essentially wearing spandex underwear and a styrofoam ice bucket on my head.
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get a jacket similar to this, do not ride in a tshirt, flip flops, sneakers, or without gloves.
I don't even walk in flip-flops. I don't own any. :D I've worn nothing but boots for years and only bought low-cut shoes after I couldn't pull boots on after breaking my leg.
You'll find that spills happen far more often going slow, like when you stop at a stop sign or if you happen to drive over some gravel... wearing a jacket/gloves will mean a difference between annoying and painfully annoying, the difference between picking up your bike and going and looking for a first aid kit and water to pour over your road rash..Bay Area Riders Forum has some great tips/links to cheap(er) safety gear.
I got a pretty good illustration of that. The two people who dropped their bikes during the class did it either when stopped, stopping, or when doing a slow turn.
I have light gloves, they are cheap, but they have double palms and knuckle guards. Pretty decent as far as comfort.
I'm working on the jacket, trying to fit it into the budget.
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I'm NOT gonna jump on the "all the gear/all the time" bandwagon. Make the decision for yourself: it's your body.
>Always assume that everyone around you is an idiot actively trying to kill you and prepare accordingly...<
FIFY Pardon my paranoia, but it seems to fit the idiots out there better.
And good decision, taking the course. It's why I'm still alive today
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I'm NOT gonna jump on the "all the gear/all the time" bandwagon. Make the decision for yourself: it's your body.
>Always assume that everyone around you is an idiot actively trying to kill you and prepare accordingly...<
FIFY Pardon my paranoia, but it seems to fit the idiots out there better.
And good decision, taking the course. It's why I'm still alive today
Yup, that pretty much the way I operate.
Also, since no one else has mentioned it- Plan on taking the experienced rider course next year.
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The MillCreek corollary to this is: assume you are invisible to everyone else on the road and ride accordingly. This is why I am fluorescent whenever I am on two wheels.
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The MillCreek corollary to this is: assume you are invisible to everyone else on the road and ride accordingly. This is why I am fluorescent whenever I am on two wheels.
I have to watch that in my truck. I tend to favor trucks in silver/gray/tan colors. At least my last three have been. At certain times of day, some people find that hard to see. Of course, some people appear to be oblivious of anything or anyone else on the road anyway.
IMO, the most dangerous things I see bikers doing is similar to what I see sports car drivers doing. Going way too fast to the point that you are passing people who haven't even realized you are coming up behind them yet.
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I'm NOT gonna jump on the "all the gear/all the time" bandwagon. Make the decision for yourself: it's your body.
>Always assume that everyone around you is an idiot actively trying to kill you and prepare accordingly...<
FIFY Pardon my paranoia, but it seems to fit the idiots out there better.
And good decision, taking the course. It's why I'm still alive today
Your first statement is in direct contradiction to your second. You cannot claim to not be in the "all the gear all the time" bandwagon, while simultaneously advising the person to assume that everyone around them is an idiot and prepare accordingly. Part of preparing accordingly is to "dress" for the time in which the idiot gets the best of you, due to any number of factors, and you have to rely on protection, not skill, to avoid death or serious injury.
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No, but it's a lot easier to split lanes, do wheelies, speed through heavy traffic, etc. with a motorcycle. ;)
You can do stupid *expletive deleted* with any vehicle, and there ain't no population devoid of idiots.
This... riders are their own worst enemies. We SCREAM about "those idiot cagers" but then we do things ourselves that increase our risk. Responsible riding is about managing risk, not creating more.
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Lane splitting is not dangerous, it looks dangerous but really,it isn't.
I do it a lot less now due to it being illegal in Nevada, and due to there is a lot less traffic out here in the boonies.
I feel much safer lane splitting and getting away from a flock of road turkeys then I do being surrounded by a bunch of folks who cant use their turn signals and only use their mirrors to change lanes.
BTW
Congrats on taking the course, you now have an efficient way to save on gas and have a little fun
As an MSF instructor, I cannot say I agree with you on lane splitting.
The non-MSF instructor Fitz, however, agrees wholeheartedly. Much better to be safely away from the idiots (filtering to thefront at a stop light, for example," then deep in the middle of a pack of them.
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for instance, cars are stopped at a light, will be there for a good long time due to its a busy street, its a very wide street 4 lanes each direction.
Enough room for two bikes side by side, let alone one bike. I will often simply ride up to the crosswalk ( lane split) then when the light is green I'm gone. In Reno the only thing dangerous about that is a ticket, in CA its perfectly natural.
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>Your first statement is in direct contradiction to your second. You cannot claim to not be in the "all the gear all the time" bandwagon, while simultaneously advising the person to assume that everyone around them is an idiot and prepare accordingly<
Depends on what you're talking about. I assume everyone around me wishes to kill me, and act accordingly.
At the same time, I exercise my right as an adult human being to forego a helmet, most of the time. I do that in full recognition of the fact that I may be risking more serious head injury if things DO go pear-shaped, and safety gear is all that stands between me and said injury.
So far (knock on wood), skill and reflexes, as well as thinking FAR in advance on the road, has kept me alive, and not actually needing gear...
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for instance, cars are stopped at a light, will be there for a good long time due to its a busy street, its a very wide street 4 lanes each direction.
Enough room for two bikes side by side, let alone one bike. I will often simply ride up to the crosswalk ( lane split) then when the light is green I'm gone. In Reno the only thing dangerous about that is a ticket, in CA its perfectly natural.
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I do the same thing, and agree
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Bikes are dangerous. . Things that result in a small dent in your car can kill you on a bike. Any unplanned excursion into the shrubbery can kill you on a bike. Always assume the car drivers will do the stupidest thing possible -like signal for a right turn and turn left instead. Or swerve directly into your lane. etc. (this goes for your riding buddies too) Try to actively think about this stuff. For example- You are riding down a country road. There is a car on the left shoulder. and the guy is reaching into his mailbox from the drivers seat. What is he going to do after he gets the mail? Sit there and read it? Pull out into your lane going your way? Make a 180 turn across both lanes so he hits you head on? Have a plan, an escape route. What do I do if-?
When watching a stopped car, look at the front wheel- it is your earliest clue about movement, is it starting to rotate? Turning?
good braking skills are imperative-not just to avoid hitting something as a last ditch measure, but to buy time for other evasive maneuvers ( don't combine them-brake OR swerve, you are gonna only have enough traction for one or the other at any one time.)
So practice stopping in a safe place.
There are two basic skill sets need to survive on a bike- physical riding skills,
and more important, situational awareness and judgement skills.
The best way I know to improve riding skills is to get a small dirt bike and ride off road with some friends. You can slip and slide and fall with little damage.(usually)
Judgement is a matter of thinking and observation and takes time. It is hard to learn in a car because the penalty is a lot more remote.
if you find yourself saying, "that a$$-why did he do that!? about a driver, it is a good indication you situational awareness failed. I have said it a million times my self-and there is always a new idiot out there inventing cool new ways to put the hurt on bike riders.
Read Dave Hough's book. "Proficient Motorcycling". He got a medal for it. And 40 years of training riders to stay alive.
The most common serious screw ups I read about-
not making a corner due to speed or some other factor. (Taking a wide entry and a late apex is good-for example-on a left hand corner, stay right till you can see the line out-this will help to prevent being trapped by a decreasing radius curve) Lots of times a early apex on the first corner will put you in the wrong place to make the next one.
poor emergency braking resulting in a locked rear brake, sideways slide, and brake release resulting in a high side crash.
T-boning a car turning across your lane, usually at an intersection.
Sorry this is so disorganized, and please forgive my crappy writing- I am not trying to preach, just trying to pass along a few useful things I have learned the hard way over many years.
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Bikes are dangerous. . Things that result in a small dent in your car can kill you on a bike. Any unplanned excursion into the shrubbery can kill you on a bike.
Ever notice that when someone gets killed on a motorcycle everyone stands around and goes on and on about how dangerous motorcycles are. Yet if someone gets killed in a car wreck every climbs into there cars and drives to the funeral.
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Well, yeah- but most of the guys killed on bikes woulda been OK if they had been in a car. I love bikes, by the way- been riding them for years. =D