Supporting Member Heli ATP Posted June 19, 2021 Supporting Member Share Posted June 19, 2021 Today was my longest ride on my FJ. 160 mile commute with highway and city riding. I learned a lot from the city riding with stop and go for about 40 minutes, good practice for the friction zone. Since coming back to riding after 35 years away, it's taking a while to build the confidence a teenager might take for granted. My day job sees many accidents so I tend to be extremely cautious. All in all it was a very enjoyable experience and seemed to go much quicker than in my truck, which I probably drive faster, and cagers were mostly respectful. Emotions though were all over the place. Excitement to be getting out. Apprehension for such a long journey after which I had to be on time. Nervous for how the cagers might treat me. Anxious with my skill level should I be faced with an awkward situation. With some cross winds and the usual windshield noise I was wishing I had put in some ear plugs, but then I got in the 'zone'. I was cruising along and everything seemed perfect for a minute, my turns were good, the wind wasn't a bother, I had a grin on my puss... and then some guy in a large BMW car passed me in the inside lane way to close and way above the speed limit, and I was out of the zone. Just like that I was back to calculating every move, worrying who might pull out from the parking area ahead and wondering if another landscape trailer might shred its tire. Is this the norm? 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member dazzler24 Posted June 19, 2021 Supporting Member Share Posted June 19, 2021 I think it might be ...for some of us at least! I too have had those rides where nothing can go wrong and you feel as though you have mastery of the road. Then, for good and even no good reason some times, it all falls apart as you described. For me, I think it's just an age related thing. When I was a whipper snapper, I would be fearless and all without a stitch of ATGATT on. Don't sweat it too much, we all(most) have those days I'll wager. Just savour the good ones. 🍷 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBB Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 I learned a myriad of skills on my advanced motorcycling course, but the one I keep coming back to is best described as alertness. That’s different to paranoia, but it’s definitely related. In a car I can have journeys where I could not describe most of what happened as the attention requirement is low and you feel cocooned and safe. The contrast on a bike is huge, as a lack of concentration is what will get you. Just to take your inside lane BMW example (and I’m not criticising by the way), good mirror observation would have seen him coming and so you could creep sideways in your lane to increase the gap to your side. But, this constant level of observation takes a toll and that’s why bike riding can be so tiring. It’s also why I ride: because it is such an immersive experience and therefore enjoyable because of it. It’s also the reason I don’t commute much on the bike, as I find it detracts from enjoying riding. I think good and bad rides also come with the territory. On my last ride I dropped the bike on gravel and had lots of poor encounters with drivers. I came home and ranted to my wife that everyone seemed to want to kill me that day. However, I also survived every sh1t encounter by being alert. I also think that (UK view here) car driving standards have dropped a lot since COVID, probably due to the lack of practice, so even more caution is required at the moment. Don't give up @Heli ATP, I’m sure your arrival deadline added extra pressure, but some alertness/anxiety is nearly always required on a bike. Reframing that in your mind as necessary, rather than something to worry about may help. 3 Red 2015 Tracer, UK spec (well, it was until I started messing with it...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member fddriver2 Posted June 19, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted June 19, 2021 It's like verything else in life. Good days, bad days, mediocre days all come with the territory. Be alert but not scared. Scared people often do the wrong things. Be aware of the vehicles around you and what they might do in an emergency. Are you in their blind spot? Do you have room to get out of their way? Pay attention to the type and general condition of the vehicles around you. Never follow a construction vehicle or trailer. All kinds of things fall off of them. Is the vehicle next to you/in front of you a POS? Find a way to put space between you. Do your best to not stay behind a vehicle you can't see around. Full size pick-up's, SUV's, van's. Get someplace where you can see down the road. Cel-phone drivers. Never ever stay near a person driving while on their cel. They are clueless and may run you over without ever knowing. It may seem like a lot to worry about, but the more you do it the more second nature it becomes, until you are doing it without realizing it. If your commute takes you along a limited access highway a way to protect yourself is travel in the lefthand or HOV lane. If you are in the far left lane your area of immediate concern is only 180* not 360*. I ride pretty fast so vehicles coming up on me in the lefthand lane doesn't happen a lot, but when it does I get out of the way and after they pass fall in behind them. Also motorcycles are allowed in the HOV lanes everywhere in the USA. As aways YMMV Can A Motorcycle Ride In The HOV/Carpool Lane? | Motorcycle Habit 3 "It doesn't matter who walks in, you know the joke is still the same" Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckie Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 Thought v no thought...mushin ........ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYTracer Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 Completely normal, at least in my case, some great points made above like being “alert” but not paranoid and having good and bad riding days. I got my Tracer hoping to commute to work into NYC from the burbs and once I get into the city I no longer enjoy the ride. It is filled with crazy people who don’t respect each other in cars let alone bikes, I now look forward to my weekend rides further north and into the mountains with much less traffic. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angrygirafe Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 You get used to it. When I started riding, I had a 50 mile route to school one-way, in California (so, lane splitting was a thing). It seemed multiple people were trying to kill me every day. By the time I graduated, I rarely had any of those incidents. It’s not that other drivers and riders got better, but I learned what to look for, what to pay attention to, and what to anticipate. It was hard to admit that almost all of those close calls and “people trying kill me”, maybe weren’t my fault, but definitely something I could have seen coming and avoided, but it’s the truth. At the end of the day, fault doesn’t matter, because we are the ones who will pay the price, so it’s up to us to adapt to others behavior. Earplugs on long rides will greatly reduce fatigue, and I find it easier to avoid sketchy situations if moving 5-10mph faster than general traffic. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckie Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 There is a difference between being alert and being aware. You can be alert but not aware of your situation. Being alert you see whats going on around you......being aware you are not only alert but aware of whats going on around you and how that can effect you. Situational Awareness....... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Wolf Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, duckie said: Situational Awareness....... A military officer told me how they train for Situational Awareness. Decide what you would do in a given situation (like incoming fire) Determine that the situation is occurring Deliver the plan you had in place for this situation They call it the "3 D's". It reduces the wasted time of "oh shit - now what?" With the example of the original post, I would (hopefully) see the approaching vehicle in a rear view mirror. Have the plan in place to swerve, quickly move over a short distance. KNOW that countersteering works, and gently push the grip on the side you want to move toward. The plan would include checking the space you want to move to - other vehicles or edges of the road. Know your exit strategy. Do it, and keep your cool. Be in control, as long as you are alive and breathing you need to be in control to the extent you can. Edited June 20, 2021 by Lone Wolf 2 1980 Yamaha 850 Triple (sold). Too many bikes to list, FJ-09 is next on my list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin R Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 On 6/18/2021 at 9:39 PM, Heli ATP said: Today was my longest ride on my FJ. 160 mile commute with highway and city riding. I learned a lot from the city riding with stop and go for about 40 minutes, good practice for the friction zone. Since coming back to riding after 35 years away, it's taking a while to build the confidence a teenager might take for granted. My day job sees many accidents so I tend to be extremely cautious. All in all it was a very enjoyable experience and seemed to go much quicker than in my truck, which I probably drive faster, and cagers were mostly respectful. Emotions though were all over the place. Excitement to be getting out. Apprehension for such a long journey after which I had to be on time. Nervous for how the cagers might treat me. Anxious with my skill level should I be faced with an awkward situation. With some cross winds and the usual windshield noise I was wishing I had put in some ear plugs, but then I got in the 'zone'. I was cruising along and everything seemed perfect for a minute, my turns were good, the wind wasn't a bother, I had a grin on my puss... and then some guy in a large BMW car passed me in the inside lane way to close and way above the speed limit, and I was out of the zone. Just like that I was back to calculating every move, worrying who might pull out from the parking area ahead and wondering if another landscape trailer might shred its tire. Is this the norm? 🙂 Riding again after many years away, I'd say what you experienced is to be expected. Along with the great responses already in this thread, I'll add an anecdote. First, I've been riding continuously for 40+yrs. At one point I lived for a couple years in a rural part of the country (western Illinois). Then I moved to southern California. Riding on the freeways was a big shock, which surprised me. It really did take a little while to get used to moving at freeway speeds with vehicles so close. However, I did get acclimated and it is no problem now. Keep at it. It will take a little time to knock the rust off, but I can already tell by your post that you have the right temperament to succeed. Soon you will be totally alert and much more comfortable. Oh, and do remember the ear plugs. I did a fair amount of riding before I discovered the benefits of reduced wind noise. It'll help a lot with your concentration - not to mention preserve your hearing. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member Heli ATP Posted June 20, 2021 Author Supporting Member Share Posted June 20, 2021 Made the return trip today on a Sunday morning without a timeline, and it was much more enjoyable. Thanks for the tips, I'm a work in progress 🙂 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member fddriver2 Posted June 20, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted June 20, 2021 47 minutes ago, Heli ATP said: I'm a work in progress 🙂 We all are. 2 1 "It doesn't matter who walks in, you know the joke is still the same" Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckie Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 Kieth Codes Twist of the Wrist is a good read. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angrygirafe Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 3 hours ago, fddriver2 said: We all are. Amen 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckie Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 (edited) Many years ago, a company rep from England was over and we went for a ride. He asked me later why riders do not do a “head check”. A what was my reply. According to him, in England, it was required that before a motorcyclist changed lane, they were to actually turn their head in the direction of lane change before making the change. This was not for rider to make sure the lane was empty, but for the driver of the car. The theory was that turning the head would be very noticable by the driver and a better indication of a upcoming lane change. l liked they idea so much, I started doing it going on over 20 years now. Just a riding tip...... FWIW........I still get nervous when Im about to go on a ride.....helps keep me alive...... Edited June 21, 2021 by duckie 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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