hi...im almost 36 and just got my first bike last fall...i spent a good chunk of my young years (7-16) on the back of a bike with either my dad or my mom...at 10 my dad taught me to ride...first on the front lawn and then up and down the street...never even getting into 3rd gear...anyway...my dad got rid of his bike around the time i was 16...he took to the ocean for awhile but last summer he went out and got himself an intruder...a giant 1500 that made my heart smile...so after a ride or two with him i found myself at our local bike shop signing up for the msf classes much to my husbands dismay...the class was fantastic...i felt so empowered and free...3rd gear and all...anyway i passed the class and got my license and then proceeded to bug my husband for the cash to buy a bike...he relented and i went out and got myself a brand new s40...white...very sharp...couldn't wait to get out...i brought it home on a friday...rode around the neighborhood for about an hour...again another hour saturday...sunday morning i went out nice and early... i rode up and down my streets until i felt comfortable and then i was headed to a big parking lot that would be good practice space...i left my house at 7 am so i wouldn't run into much traffic...unfortunately i did just that...i ran into a truck sitting at a stop light....i was taking...or trying to take a really tight right hand turn and....well...in class they taught us to look into the turn and where you look is where you'll go....well...i guess i must have looked at the truck because i drove into the truck...i twisted and smashed up my leg pretty good...still trying to figure out why the bike jumped forward...my gloves stuck on the throttle a bit and i guess...anyway....i spent 2 months on crutches and had knee surgery over the winter...i have been really determined to not let this crash stop me from riding and couldn't wait for the spring to come...now it's here...and my bike sits in the shed waiting for me to come and start her up...i went out as a passenger with my dad a couple times and honestly the first time i was really nervous...it's better each time but i still haven't pulled betty out of the shed...i've been coming here and reading posts and getting some courage back and it's been nice to see other new riders and new women riders...anyone out there with words of encouragement and wisdom to offer?...i read about sam going off her street and it makes me itch to get out there...i think tomorrow if the sun shines i'll at least take her out and give her a bath...

Is your dad close enough to ride with you a bit ? Your now a bit rusty like my better half - she took the MSF in March got the licn and didn't any until 2 weeks ago and had never riden really at all before the msf - I ask about your Dad because I ride with her for now - I'll lead or follow depending on what the conditions are like - sorta playing blocker so she can get comfortable with the bike and not worry with the unexpected - I think for sure you need to get back on it asap can't have the pearl bike just sittin' there! and have your Dad come ride around some with you - he'd love it.

Hi justlaura;

Remember when you first ride your bicycle without training wheels! I bet you fell a couple of time before you had total control of it. Well, this is about the same but everyhing is happenning at a much faster rate; so S.E.E. (remember MSF class) Search,Evaluate way ahead of time, and Execute. This is what I do when I am not riding and want to pratice. I pretent that I am on the bike and about to do something(brake,swerve,turn or changing lane) and make-up a scenario what-if; then think of the thing think I would do to get out of that situation. Sound silly but it save my skin once. Here is my situation on the day I drove home:

I was making left turn on a two-left-turn lanes.
-I am on the right lane
-Car on the left lane
-We both turn at the same time
-But I felt that the car is getting closer to me
-Car from behind is coming fast
-Car on left coming to my lane
-Wide open space in front of me

Decision: go forward

Action: Swere to the right and accelerate

Result: Did not get run over by mindless driver

All this happen in 1 sec. on my third day of riding on new bike ???
Eventhough I've only riding for three months, I have encountered may hairy situations. But I learned the mistake and not let it happen again.

Ride Safe
SavageDude

Hi Laura!  I'm Karen.  I write really long posts.  

I'm also 36, got my first bike in February -- the white S40.  I love that bike.  

It sounds like you rode for a while and, overall, did pretty well.  You were improving and getting more comfortable, and then you just made a newbie target-fixation mistake.  Don't worry -- it happens.  I'm sorry to hear it did so much damage -- I'm glad you're okay now.

I'm trying to think why your bike would have jumped forward.  Maybe a combination of things: perhaps you went to squeeze the front brake and, when pulling back on the brake lever, rolled on the throttle and lost your grip on the brake lever?  If that's the case, just practice stops a little more and re-gain a feel for them.   In fact, practice stuff from the MSF class anyway, to get it ingrained in muscle memory.  That way, you'll be able to do it correctly without even thinking about it.

Target fixation's a little trickier -- not looking at the thing you don't want to hit is really counterintuitive.  What I find helps is, when I'm riding down the road and something catches my eye (say, a colorful mailbox or a road sign, anything I might be curious about but don't need to look at), I'll find a point ahead in my lane past whatever I'm curious about, focus on riding the bike through that point, and see if I can ignore the thing I want to look at.  I do it a lot when I'm out riding (I'd say almost every few minutes, sometimes) -- I don't know if it's helped me re-train my instincts, or if it just serves as a conscious reminder to look where I want to go, but I think it works.  (A couple of days after I started doing that, I turned right and pulled into a gas station.  Turns out someone was pulling out at the same time, and I was close to a head-on collision.  I didn't even think -- I just turned my head, looked through a space to the right of the car, and the bike went there like it was laser-guided.)  

The cool thing is, you thought about how the accident happened and you want to learn from it, rather than just panicking and selling the bike.  So I don't know how much encouragement you need from anyone else -- I think you're going to ride again no matter what.     8)

(Of course, everyone here will be happy to encourage you anyway.   )

thanks to everyone who responded...i will get out there...when i'm ready....and i will only do what i'm comfortable doing...since i've crashed either people say "are you done with that now?" or tell me to get back on it...the first day out (my dad was riding it home and we stopped for coffee) i met a guy at dunkins donuts who said there are 2 kinds of bikers...ones who have been down...and ones who are going down and that does seem to be true...so i guess i've been down...when i was a kid we had a couple little incidents like my mom and i falling over in the gravel at old man in the mountain....my parents have been to the keys and back again and i know it's just in my blood to do this...i will when i'm ready and when i feel comfortable... someone wrote that i should not go outside my comfort zone and that's definately my intent...which is why i haven't really gone out with my dad...who only lives 2 blocks away....but i think he may not take it as easy as i'd like...and my husband too...they have high expectations and they make me nervous...my husband was the one who wanted nothing to do with motorcycles... i mean literally...i bugged him for years and years and finally last summer when my dad got his bike i couldn't stand it anymore and told steve i was gonna ride without him if he didn't want to...it was quite the issue between us really...but anyway...after i crashed steve had to bring the bike home...we still wonder how i managed to drive the minivan home with my leg all messed up but i guess adrenaline will take over in that kind of situation...so steve rode it home that morning...then again the next day to get an inspection sticker...then again so it wouldn't be wasted during the perfect riding month of october...then again and again...he came back each time later and later and with more and more smiles...finally one day after about 3 weeks he was gone over 2-3 hours and he came home so pumped up and excited and he decided he needed to get himself a bike...within a week he had himself a custom sportster 1200...very loud...so now he rides all the time and can't wait for me to be ready to join him....i'm just not sure i can count on his patience...but i do have him and my dad to go with me if i wanted...and lots of other friends that ride and want me to ride again...it's a good idea to have someone with me...when i'm ready...
i think that target fixation you wrote about karen makes a bit of sense...it sounds strange but i kinda go thru the motions of riding just while i go for my walks or drive the kids to school....think about situations and how to handle them...i want to be careful and i want also to prove to all those nay sayers...like my in laws...that i'll be fine...i did get so much crap from a few people but they won't make me quit...i want more than anything to be out cruising around the beautiful roads we have here on the north shore of mass...it just needs to be when i'm ready...like i said...if the sun comes out today i think i may get her out and give her a bath and remind my heart why i love it so much...
sorry about the long post...i guess karen and i have not only the same bike   but we like to write...
thanks again for the encouragement....soon...very soon...even my 18 year old daughter is being so great and wants me to get back on it...i think she wants to learn herself now actually....

laura,

    a friend of mine dumped her bike the first time out and that was it.  she quit riding.  everytime i go over there with my bike i can see how much she misses it. we talk all the time about what a mistake it was for her to quit riding.  she doesnt have the money to buy a bike anymore, and she kicks herself for givin up.  dont give up and when you feel like it, ride the heck out of that s40

Laura, if I can get back on the scoot after two spine surgeries, you should be fine. It WILL be painful when you start back out, but your body will adapt.

You and your daughter need to head for the high school parking lot. You to relearn the feel of the bike and how you do/don't need to adapt your riding style to compensate for your bum leg. Her to learn the basics. You're right, motorcycling is in the blood. Let her practice on your bike. Best times I've spent with my stepson were Scout outings and teaching him to ride on my highbar Savage custom.
-WD

Paladin. wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:06:


That's exactly it.  When I try to describe it to people, I end up saying things like "My brain splits -- part focuses one way, part focuses on something else" or something like that.   And, of course, it makes no sense to anyone.  

"Its own mental channel" describes it perfectly.