When did you realize you didn't care how fast you went?

At 55 years old (nearly 56) I still like to think I can either hang with or beat younger guys either on singletrack or fast fireroads,nice curvy pavement.

The older guys are usually the harder ones to pull away from on corners.

But as far as blasting along in a straightline wide open........Ive never been into that much on the street,there's no point to it.
And the tickets involved can shut you down

I gave up caring when my commute changed. I guess driving 100+ miles round trip every day, up and down the same road just kind of lulls you into a sense of comfort.

You always know where the cops are because you'll see a wave of taillights and a bright white crown vic in the median.

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I have never been a true speed demon. Even when I had the GSXR or the Triumph Sprint. But, as I age I do find myself getting a bit more nervous during some rides. For example: I was riding one of my favorite roads the other day, after days of rain, and was riding about the speed limit when I noticed a large pile of sand in one of the corners. Had I been traveling much faster I would have been lawn art. I have come around corners and found dogs in the road, deer, dead cars, people just wandering about, etc. While they may have been in the wrong, if I was going too fast I would have paid the price. All of my get-offs have been at low speed without injury.....frustration, irritation, out-and-out bloody anger, but no real injury. I choose to keep it so.

My favorite sentiment is: "ride to ride again". Makes great sense. Public roads are not race tracks. People out there are careless, inconsiderate, and clueless. If you ride WOT you are more at their mercy than the rest of us.

I do not agree that horrible crashes are inevitable, but I do realize that the faster I go the less margin for error. I have had students brag about their speed to me. I always make sure they understand that I am unimpressed. You wanna go fast go to the track, join a race club, etc. Go fast be safe. Don't endanger others just to prove to yourself that you can.

I'm afraid I look at it like this, if I get to a speed where I know if I come off I ain't walking away.
I have a choice ,do I slow down and maybe if it goes wrong it won't be to bad. Or say fuck it and go faster....I choose faster.

I don't ride like this all the time but when I am having fun I will push it.