Speed kills. I've been riding for 35 years, just last month during a 24 hr rally I was running with 2 guys on BMW's that were hauling ***, got into some twisties, and I damn near bit it in one of them.....I straightened up and laid into the brakes......kept it up but I used the asphalt on the other side of the white line doing so....I slowed down and forgot about those 2 beemers...........and reminded myself again that I want to see grandkids someday..............and to add, damn, I dig ABS....

 

I dont worry about it , I just put "crashbars" on my scoot..
I am now safe

 

Same thing here, came in WAY too hot, and panic grabbed TWO handfuls of brake....ABS kicked in, kept me from doing down. still ended up in the other lane.....if a truck had been coming I'd be dead.

So, I'm forcing myself to slow the hell down!

~Joe

 

Don't ride faster that your angel can fly, And don't let her drink Jack!

 

seriously scared the crap out of me....not first time either.

~Joe

 

I'm reading Proficient Motorcycling 2nd Edition by David Haugh right now. On page 22 he states that the Insurance Information Institute reports that in the years 2000-2004, "drinking riders represent over 40% of all motorcycle fatalities."

He further reports that "according to NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts for 2004, in fatal crashes, a higher percentage of motorcycle operators had BAC levels of .08 g/dL or higher than did any other type of driver."

It's a good, if not sobering (no pun intended) read. It may scare some off, but it really is a useful tool to help you limit your risk factor by riding smart. Obviously, not drinking factors big.

Oddly enough, the author above agrees with you. He feels that the experienced rider will get little out of the MSF courses because they have been so pared down. He feels that we (experienced motorcyclists) receive more benefit from reading and re-reading (books like his I suppose lol) and practice. He then qualifies that with stating that there are excellent private safety courses that would benefit the advanced rider such as Lee Parks Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic among others.

Seriously, read the book. The first chapter covers all of the above posts in pretty good detail - stats, facts, examples, etc. The failure to negotiate a curve issue is certainly covered under "sight distance" and approaching blind curves too fast which is chillingly illustrated in the opening paragraphs of the book.

 

Yeah...no ****, accidents are gonna happen. We're talking about preventable accidents through training and experience. Both of those key elements are at least partially provided in the various classes. The rest of your argument is amusing...ban motorcycles or let everyone make their own decisions.

Yeah, letting everyone make all their own decisions sounds better in theory than it is in practice....it's called anarchy. Anarchy doesn't work very well for a society...evidence is all over the world in many of the places I've visited and most have only read about. One of the many things that makes our country the greatest and most successful society in the history of the world is our shared belief in and adhereance to common values and standards, aka governing laws. I've seen societal anarchy, trust me, you don't want to live there.

Freedom and liberty....yeah, I know a thing or two about it.

Enough of the rant. Again, I'm thankful that the military mandates the training for us. Personally and professionally, I think it's a great idea that has been proven to work.

 

I think the two bigest problems with failing to make a turn -other than alcohol- are (1) not understanding countersteering and (2) target fixation. I recently came through an unfamiliar turn a little hot, but it was no problem since I just looked where I wanted to go and leaned it over harder (by countersteering). An inexperienced rider might have hit the brakes in a panic and stared at the ditch ahead, which often times means that's right where you go.

 

I was gonna respond to this and make a few points since you blew what I said way out of proportion. But your right, it's a rant, and I'm tired and it's late, and it's not really that important, so good night, ride safe.

 

There's a HUGE difference between 5 years of experience, and 1 year of experience five times.