Does Attitude Matter?

DudeClone · Mar 6, 2014

Do I need to read a book? Take MSF? Am I not serious enough about riding to be safe?

Somewhat serious question, but I find in this forum we have some rather serious posters. The only difference I can perceive between myself and a few is my attitude about riding. It would seem to be "wrong." Because we all ride bikes, right? Must I think a certain way when I mount my bike everyday to be safe?

I wear helmet, appropriate jacket, riding gloves, and appropriate boots or shoes for no slip traction. I am not agatt but I am covered from head to toe even in SoCal summers.

And that was just for scooters.

So are these the "trolls" in the forum calling me a "squid" or should I know something I don't? Oh, maybe I will just quit riding and be "sportbikeless" in a year, as one poster says? Which is nonsense.

It seems ridiculous, but maybe they are right? My attitude needs to change about riding when getting on the bike. And I am quite serious about that.

This is a safety forum, of sorts. I ride lawfully, have broken the mirror of a car of a gang member and kept going. I did not mention the thug in the thread where I was bashed for riding on. I did not mention it was a gang member with tattoos and a shaved head who tried to swipe me, because I thought some might side with me easier, or start gun talk like in other threads here when "thugs" enter the banter. I just wanted some unbiased answers. I was in a place akin to Compton, on a scooter. Did not mention that, either. Because I did not want it to become political. I just wanted to say "i hit a mirror and kept on going" because a driver tried to kill me. And I would keep going again in the same situation.

For this I am "reckless" and a "squid." I find that silly.

And for all that it follows me to my new thread. Apparently, my attitude about riding is wrong. I need be more serious and give more courtesy to those trying to kill me on the road. Otherwise I am a squid and give all of you a bad name.

But you see, I am not a squid. I know what that is. If any SoCal riders were ever meet and ride with me that is so apparent. So, so appreant. Quite seriously. If I can be serious for a moment as others can.

But you see, my attitude about riding is wrong, so it seems. And does it matter? Because if so, maybe I can learn something, here. Something that will save my ass. Or yours. Quite seriously.

It does seem very serious business to some. Although we all do the same thing, take the same risks, and hopefully ride within our limits as well as the limits of the law, perhaps how i think about it does matter?

I have a lot to learn about riding. I will get that from expereince, taking my riding lesson tomorrow, and my upcoming MSF course. But I know how to ride, and I do it for the freedom of it, not the fear or politics of it. And not for the sport of it. It's the joy of it.

I don't know, maybe this ""Perfect Line" forum is a serious one and I did not realize that? Not a place for relaxing a little after a ride. It's ok lots of other good forums here at ADV.

They never called me a squid in Battle Scooters. I am starting to miss my home.

Have a good time, guys. Keep the rubber side down, and maybe I will pass you on the road, sometime.

klaviator · Mar 6, 2014

Perfect line is full of people looking for a fight. Don't expect to start a thread here unless you are looking to start a fight. That may not be your intention but that is what will happen.

Any of the following topics are guaranteed  to end in a fight:

ATTGATT
OIL
CAR TIRES
MOTORCYCLE TIRES
COUNTERSTEERING
LANE SPLITTING
CROSSING THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINE
SPEEDING
HIGH VIS GEAR
HARLEYS
SPORTBIKES
BMW'S
KNEE DRAGGING
RIDING

Did I miss anything?

PalePhase · Mar 6, 2014

klaviator said: ↑

ADV Rider is full of people looking for a fight. Don't expect to start a thread here unless you are looking to start a fight. That may not be your intention but that is what will happen.

Any of the following topics are guaranteed  to end in a fight:

ATTGATT
OIL
CAR TIRES
MOTORCYCLE TIRES
COUNTERSTEERING
LANE SPLITTING
CROSSING THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINE
SPEEDING
HIGH VIS GEAR
HARLEYS
SPORTBIKES
BMW'S
KNEE DRAGGING
RIDING

Did I miss anything?
Click to expand...

I just made a minor correction in my all-knowing wisdom, but I think you've pretty much nailed it.

Solarbronco · Mar 6, 2014

BMW's are for closet fags

PalePhase · Mar 6, 2014

klaviator said: ↑

Any of the following topics are guaranteed  to end in a fight:

ATTGATT
OIL
CAR TIRES
MOTORCYCLE TIRES
COUNTERSTEERING
LANE SPLITTING
CROSSING THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINE
SPEEDING
HIGH VIS GEAR
HARLEYS
SPORTBIKES
BMW'S
KNEE DRAGGING
RIDING
BICYCLISTS

Did I miss anything?
Click to expand...

I knew we were missing something.

pne · Mar 7, 2014

what the hell are you going on about? Wear what you want when you want, I don't care...

vintagemxr · Mar 7, 2014

klaviator said: ↑

Perfect line is full of people looking for a fight. Don't expect to start a thread here unless you are looking to start a fight. That may not be your intention but that is what will happen.

Any of the following topics are guaranteed  to end in a fight:

ATTGATT
OIL
CAR TIRES
MOTORCYCLE TIRES
COUNTERSTEERING
LANE SPLITTING
CROSSING THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINE
SPEEDING
HIGH VIS GEAR
HARLEYS
SPORTBIKES
BMW'S
KNEE DRAGGING
RIDING

Did I miss anything?
Click to expand...

Not many:

Carrying a gun on your bike
What age should my kid be when I teach him to ride?
Helmet laws
Dyna Beads
The AMA
Gasoline
Gasoline additives

crowe2815 · Mar 7, 2014

LOL if you are going to take everything you read in here to heart you will never get on a bike again.

Dead set some of the garbage i have read in here makes me want to laugh , cry and scream all at the same time.

I'm suprised some blokes even manage to get out and enjoy their bikes. After dressing in eleventynine hundred layers of protective clothing and completing a pre ride check that would put NASA's pre flight checks to shame
Once they finally manage to leave the driveway they seem to need to be in such a heightened state of awarness / panic / defence mode that there is no way they can be enjoying themselves.

One finger covering the brakes a couple more covering the clutch, ensuring that their GO Pro is working so they can record the accident that they are certain is about to happen to them.

Slowing down to 10 mph because the wind just came up and may have blown dust particles onto the road.

Slowing to walking pace in the area that they saw a goat cross the road 6 years ago.

Pulling into a carpark every 12 kilometeres to practice their emergency braking.

Fuckem and feed em beans. Ride what you want and how you want. And then if you still want advice intersperesed with 74 pages of argy bargy from old blokes with sand in their vaginas come in here and ask away.

JohnCW · Mar 7, 2014

crowe2815 said: ↑

Dead set some of the garbage i have read in here makes me want to laugh , cry and scream all at the same time.
Click to expand...

True, very true.

tkent02 · Mar 7, 2014

crowe2815 said: ↑

LOL if you are going to take everything you read in here to heart you will never get on a bike again.

Dead set some of the garbage i have read in here makes me want to laugh , cry and scream all at the same time.

I'm suprised some blokes even manage to get out and enjoy their bikes. After dressing in eleventynine hundred layers of protective clothing and completing a pre ride check that would put NASA's pre flight checks to shame
Once they finally manage to leave the driveway they seem to need to be in such a heightened state of awarness / panic / defence mode that there is no way they can be enjoying themselves.

One finger covering the brakes a couple more covering the clutch, ensuring that their GO Pro is working so they can record the accident that they are certain is about to happen to them.

Slowing down to 10 mph because the wind just came up and may have blown dust particles onto the road.

Slowing to walking pace in the area that they saw a goat cross the road 6 years ago.

Pulling into a carpark every 12 kilometeres to practice their emergency braking.

Fuckem and feed em beans. Ride what you want and how you want. And then if you still want advice intersperesed with 74 pages of argy bargy from old blokes with sand in their vaginas come in here and ask away.
Click to expand...

You forgot to ensure your Spot device was up and running.

TrashCan · Mar 7, 2014

Yellow motorcycles.

Anonawesome · Mar 7, 2014

I think your attitude in everyday life directly correlates to how you behave on the bike. I'm usually very passive and anti-confrontational, so when I ride I watch my own ass like a hawk, and when something does happen, I handle the situation, then once it's over I just try to regain my cool and float on.

I think the problem people had about the issue you mentioned would be the fact that you retaliated. Bad neighborhood, gang member, w/e variables there were, he was just a psychopath. I think they disliked the immaturity you showed by retaliating at all. Life's too short for anger games man, don't cut it shorter over some stupid shit on the road.

Bill Harris · Mar 7, 2014

Dang it's been a long cold Winter.

Sure it matters. Ya gotta have attitude.

:)

--Bill

scootrboi · Mar 7, 2014

Bill Harris said: ↑

Dang it's been a long cold Winter.

Sure it matters. Ya gotta have attitude.

:)

--Bill
Click to expand...

Attitude. That is a good word, motorcycling is communication with body language, and attitude is the root of it.

Dogbone · Mar 7, 2014

DudeClone said: ↑

Do I need to read a book? Take MSF? Am I not serious enough about riding to be safe?

Somewhat serious question, but I find in this forum we have some rather serious posters. The only difference I can perceive between myself and a few is my attitude about riding. It would seem to be "wrong." Because we all ride bikes, right? Must I think a certain way when I mount my bike everyday to be safe?

I wear helmet, appropriate jacket, riding gloves, and appropriate boots or shoes for no slip traction. I am not agatt but I am covered from head to toe even in SoCal summers.

And that was just for scooters.

So are these the "trolls" in the forum calling me a "squid" or should I know something I don't? Oh, maybe I will just quit riding and be "sportbikeless" in a year, as one poster says? Which is nonsense.

It seems ridiculous, but maybe they are right? My attitude needs to change about riding when getting on the bike. And I am quite serious about that.

This is a safety forum, of sorts. I ride lawfully, have broken the mirror of a car of a gang member and kept going. I did not mention the thug in the thread where I was bashed for riding on. I did not mention it was a gang member with tattoos and a shaved head who tried to swipe me, because I thought some might side with me easier, or start gun talk like in other threads here when "thugs" enter the banter. I just wanted some unbiased answers. I was in a place akin to Compton, on a scooter. Did not mention that, either. Because I did not want it to become political. I just wanted to say "i hit a mirror and kept on going" because a driver tried to kill me. And I would keep going again in the same situation.

For this I am "reckless" and a "squid." I find that silly.

And for all that it follows me to my new thread. Apparently, my attitude about riding is wrong. I need be more serious and give more courtesy to those trying to kill me on the road. Otherwise I am a squid and give all of you a bad name.

But you see, I am not a squid. I know what that is. If any SoCal riders were ever meet and ride with me that is so apparent. So, so appreant. Quite seriously. If I can be serious for a moment as others can.

But you see, my attitude about riding is wrong, so it seems. And does it matter? Because if so, maybe I can learn something, here. Something that will save my ass. Or yours. Quite seriously.

It does seem very serious business to some. Although we all do the same thing, take the same risks, and hopefully ride within our limits as well as the limits of the law, perhaps how i think about it does matter?

I have a lot to learn about riding. I will get that from expereince, taking my riding lesson tomorrow, and my upcoming MSF course. But I know how to ride, and I do it for the freedom of it, not the fear or politics of it. And not for the sport of it. It's the joy of it.

I don't know, maybe this ""Perfect Line" forum is a serious one and I did not realize that? Not a place for relaxing a little after a ride. It's ok lots of other good forums here at ADV.

They never called me a squid in Battle Scooters. I am starting to miss my home.

Have a good time, guys. Keep the rubber side down, and maybe I will pass you on the road, sometime.
Click to expand...

Just to put a direct answer to your musing:

I started out on sportbikes; started riding in Vermont (excellent roads, very little traffic, zero riding season) and was a complete squid. I knew how to twist the throttle and hang on for the ride.

Moved and learned a great deal about accident avoidance and angry drivers in the Boston and Providence areas. I was still a squid, with the only piece of gear I regularly wore being a helmet. I, too, removed many a mirror during that time.

Fast forward to today (some 16 years later) and I can tell you that many of the situations you will find yourself mired in (such as you described) are a result of your inexperience. No, I am not saying it is your fault a driver a tried to kill you. What I am saying is, that as your experience grows, you will develop the ability to analyze situations on the road, predict the possible outcomes, and better avoid putting yourself in potentially dangerous situations.

Also, this is VERY important to make part of your mantra, "Cars ALWAYS win." It's a 4-5Klb vehicle vs your ~600lbs. No way any confrontation is coming out in your favor (short of you ripping a mirror and running ,) so without disrespecting you, stow your ego and learn to let things go; the majority of people are not intentionally trying to kill us, they're just oblivious. It will be better for you longevity if you take that to heart.

I mean all this in the most positive manner, just my $.02

JimVonBaden · Mar 7, 2014

Solarbronco said: ↑

BMW's are for closet fags
Click to expand...

Nice, you managed to be insulting to two groups at once. That is a rare talent!

Motomedic · Mar 7, 2014

crowe2815 said: ↑

Fuckem and feed em beans. Ride what you want and how you want. And then if you still want advice intersperesed with 74 pages of argy bargy from old blokes with sand in their vaginas come in here and ask away.
Click to expand...

Sig line material here, folks!

oser

Dusty1013 · Mar 7, 2014

Hell yeah altitude matters my bike never runs well at high altitude.

tkent02 · Mar 7, 2014

JimVonBaden said: ↑

Nice, you managed to be insulting to two groups at once. That is a rare talent!
Click to expand...

Three groups if you think about it.

scootrboi · Mar 7, 2014

tkent02 said: ↑

Three groups if you think about it.
Click to expand...

I bet you did well with Venn diagrams.

Log in or Join

Does Attitude Matter?

DudeClone Long timer

klaviator Scooter Trash Supporter

PalePhase Humour Noir

Solarbronco Long timer

PalePhase Humour Noir

pne Long timer

vintagemxr old fahrt, nobody special

crowe2815 kenoath

JohnCW Long timer

tkent02 Long timer

TrashCan Scary Jerry

Anonawesome Scenic Rider

Bill Harris Confirmed Curmudgeon

scootrboi Long timer

Dogbone More machine than man at this point

JimVonBaden "Cool" Aid!

Motomedic Over-caffeinated Raconteur Supporter

Dusty1013 Been here awhile

tkent02 Long timer

scootrboi Long timer

Log in or Join

Useful Searches

Does Attitude Matter?

DudeClone Long timer

klaviator Scooter Trash Supporter

PalePhase Humour Noir

Solarbronco Long timer

PalePhase Humour Noir

pne Long timer

vintagemxr old fahrt, nobody special

crowe2815 kenoath

JohnCW Long timer

tkent02 Long timer

TrashCan Scary Jerry

Anonawesome Scenic Rider

Bill Harris Confirmed Curmudgeon

scootrboi Long timer

Dogbone More machine than man at this point

JimVonBaden "Cool" Aid!

Motomedic Over-caffeinated Raconteur Supporter

Dusty1013 Been here awhile

tkent02 Long timer

scootrboi Long timer