Good Bye Fellas, I'm done!
#51
07-20-2010, 06:37 AM
Ultimate HDF Member
Normal reaction when something scary happens to us. I say the same thing after every scary plane flight I have.
And when my wife had a bike crash as a newbie and broke her wrist, first comment out of my mouth was "that's it, the bike's getting sold".
Seems just about everything fun has an element of risk attached to it. Even a ferris wheel ride with the kids. We either accept the risk or we don't.
Best wishes whatever you decide.
And when my wife had a bike crash as a newbie and broke her wrist, first comment out of my mouth was "that's it, the bike's getting sold".
Seems just about everything fun has an element of risk attached to it. Even a ferris wheel ride with the kids. We either accept the risk or we don't.
Best wishes whatever you decide.
#52
07-20-2010, 07:07 AM
Cruiser
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Don't give up and don't sell your Harley. You will regret about it in the future. I quit riding my bike 12 years ago but i didn't sell my bike and if i can i buy the second. Just buy a jack lift and save it in your box. You can't imagine how many people daily die due of sugar (dihabets), alchool, smoke, guns and even more people die driving a car. We do of our best to avoid speeding and that is enough. I survived to a deadly car crash 16 year ago my friend died and i still driving my car. 2 years ago my older bro got hit by a truck when riding his bike. His friend (dad of two) died and my bro got TBI, Diffuse axonal injury and subarachnoid hemorrage. He still loving the bikes also if he cant ride em anymore. All i can say is look for a safe place, possibly avoid urban traffic and enjoy the ride when is possible and safe.
#53
07-20-2010, 07:12 AM
Ultimate HDF Member
With your attitude you need to hang it up---you are done. In my line of work I have seen several men retire over fatalistic premonitions and fears---best thing they could do was retire. Enjoy what life you have left.
Six weeks ago a friend of mine was killed when a car turned into him at 40mph. I contiplated selling my bike, asking myself, why couldn't that happen to me? I've been riding 25 years and pride myself on my defensive riding habits and the fact that I've never had any real close calls. He, too, had been riding his whole life. This evening I was traveling home, 50mph on the two-lane road I take all the time. Car opposite direction, signaling left into service station, turns in front of me. Ironically, the same exact scenario that killed my friend. I had this really odd feeling, before it happened, that he was going to do what he did. I veered right and went off the road, through several big pot holes, wacked a mail box, and came to a stop in somebody's front yard. It all happened so fast and all I remembered was thinking, "it's finally happening". I looked back and saw a major cloud of dust. A car stopped, asked if I was OK, and chased the car because it went on through the service station, never stopping. I dialed 911 and when the frick'n idiot cop got there says, "a lot of my friends have been killed on bikes and, even if I caught him, it's only a failure to yield". I told him it was attempted murder. They're checking surveilance cameras, but nothing is probably going to come of it. The good samaritan that chased him, lost him, but came back and made a statement. Anyways, I'm done, had enough, selling the bike. If it can happen to me and my friend, both super experienced riders, it can happen to anyone! How do you prevent this scenario that killed my friend and, if it wasn't for the grace of God, me? What's wrong with people? My headlight and passing lamps are so frick'n bright that my buddies complain when I'm behind them. How could I not be seen? In the cloud of dust, I'm sure he didn't know my outcome, leaving me for dead. I'm so shook up right now, becoming more pi$$ed by the moment. He couldnt have come any closer without hitting me. And I can't even explain how I kept it upright at 50mph through gravel with major potholes off the side of the road and then clipping the mailbox. There's nobody out there that loves to ride more than me, but I'm done! I have four kids at home that begged me to sell after what happened to my friend. What a fool I was. it's just not worth it. A friend of mine once told me, it may not be today, maybe not tommorrow or even next week or year. Maybe not even five or ten years. But eventually it's going to happen and it's not going to be good. I'm convinced he's right. I never thought it would happen to me, but it did, and there was nothing I could do about it. So GoodBye and Farewell my forum friends. I've enjoyed this forum immensely. I don't mean to discourage anyone, but needed to share and bid farewell. I'm going now to hug my kids. I don't feel right signing off by telling you all to ride safe, because I was.
#54
07-20-2010, 07:33 AM
I hear a lot of folks say "you'll die when it's your time...doesn't matter if you're on a bike or not"..... but.....don't you think motorcycling INCREASES your chance of dying or being seriously injured as opposed to being in a car? Sideswiped in a car = minor injuries.....sideswiped on a bike= say goodbye to your leg or meet the reaper.
The key is to mitigate the risk as much as possible. With motorcycles you do this through training, wearing gear and being observant. After you've done all you can to mitigate the risk, get your affairs in order and prepare for the worst. Will, life insurance, etc...Of course you should have all of those things taken care of already but for some reason riding makes people think about these things more.
#55
07-20-2010, 07:43 AM
It's a tough decision that only you can make. If it doesn't feel right anymore it's time to move on and do something different. It's a high risk sport that's compounded by others that we share the road with that are distracted by everything except driving. I remember my brother inlaw telling me to ride like you are invisable. I never forgot that.
#56
07-20-2010, 07:48 AM
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#57
07-20-2010, 07:59 AM
Its a tough thing to deal with and I feel your pain. My whole family was into bikes. When I was in my 20's working for a dealership and going to college I lost my best friend, then my cousin and then my wife's cousin. Shook me up some to say the least. I quit riding the pavement and kept riding off-road, I really missed the road riding. I would have dreams that were so real about still having one of my crotch rockets that when I woke up I was like what the hell am I doing not riding? Well after about 20 years I'm back on the road. Always looking around!
Last edited by Ouroboros; 07-20-2010 at 08:06 AM.
#58
07-20-2010, 08:03 AM
Sorry to hear about your friend. Whatever you choose to do, best of luck.
Now, I don't buy the whole "when it's your time" bullshit. The simple fact is if you don't ride, you won't die riding. For every person killed on a bike, had they been sitting at home, or whatever, they wouldn't have died when they did, except perhaps for some incredibly freak statistical anomaly. Riding is inherently risky and any time the rubber side doesn't stay down, there is a very good chance of serious injury or death.
Me? I don't ride scared. I've accepted the risks and am cool with it. I will say this, I'd rather get killed in a wreck than be severely injured to the point that my quality of life is gone. I don't want to be a life long burden on my family. Yeah, dying sucks and it would be devastating for my family but at least they'd be able to find some closure versus caring for a quadriplegic for years.
Now, I don't buy the whole "when it's your time" bullshit. The simple fact is if you don't ride, you won't die riding. For every person killed on a bike, had they been sitting at home, or whatever, they wouldn't have died when they did, except perhaps for some incredibly freak statistical anomaly. Riding is inherently risky and any time the rubber side doesn't stay down, there is a very good chance of serious injury or death.
Me? I don't ride scared. I've accepted the risks and am cool with it. I will say this, I'd rather get killed in a wreck than be severely injured to the point that my quality of life is gone. I don't want to be a life long burden on my family. Yeah, dying sucks and it would be devastating for my family but at least they'd be able to find some closure versus caring for a quadriplegic for years.
#60
07-20-2010, 08:07 AM
...a good number of riders wouldn't have faired as well in that situation. And it happened so fast, I can't recall what I did to keep it under control. ... How I didn't lock it up, slide out from all the gravel, or lose it hitting the deep potholes and mailbox, I can't answer. ....
Ive been riding a few more years than you and have gotten out of a couple of bad spots that I KNOW riders with less time wouldnt have worked out of. Feels good.