Are you gaining experience, or just logging miles?

[Marcoose]

Early Sunday afternoon, riding eastbound on Geary. I was in the center of 3 lanes, and the right lane was merging with my lane. This ass in a hybrid Civic, with wife and kid, totally aware of me and of the traffic to my left, slowly made his way into my lane, first sharing it, then taking it over it.

I called him asshole from inside the helmet, wished him a painful death (just kidding), shook it off and moved on.

Lesson learned: when on a bike, I'm on way on, nobody is looking after me.

 

[Raz0rback]

I believe i'm learning.

Every time I get on my bike and take a ride, and I don't mean going to the store, gym, school I mean a ride on the back-roads or somewhere over 25 miles I learn something.

Sometimes it's big things, sometimes it is small but I feel I always have gained some experience each time.

The most important things I have learned are to not get so pissed when someone in a car does something stupid. Sure, you can flip your visor up, start yelling, flipping them off, the list goes on. But you always need to remember one thing. 400 pounds VS 3500 pounds. If you really want to be an ass, make sure your at a safe distance but I don't recommend it.

Another is target fixations. Thankfully I haven't learned the hard way. Just try driving down the road (make sure its clear and safe to do of course) look to your left, and then after a few seconds see where you end up. Whenever I turn my left or right, I always go that way.

 

[adoliver]

I believe i'm learning.

Another is target fixations. Thankfully I haven't learned the hard way. Just try driving down the road (make sure its clear and safe to do of course) look to your left, and then after a few seconds see where you end up. Whenever I turn my left or right, I always go that way.

That's actually something I purposely practice. I try relaxing my body when I turn my head so that I don't apply steering input to the bars. It has helped me in a few situations where I had to quickly check on the idiot next to me without moving too much in my lane. Because it became automatic I didn't move unexpectedly and so had one less thing to deal with.

 

[FreeRyde]

Every time I get on the bike I learn things.

Every day....

 

[zekdafied]

Regardless of whether or not you think you're learning, you are. It's not the point so much to realize it during the moment, or process, but to known that it will be part of every ride.

The more miles you put under your belt, the more chance you have at learning and taking in the riding experience.

 

[Marcoose]

Regardless of whether or not you think you're learning, you are. It's not the point so much to realize it during the moment, or process, but to known that it will be part of every ride.

The more miles you put under your belt, the more chance you have at learning and taking in the riding experience.

By analogy, I think you're saying just by sitting in school for 12-13 years, we'll learn a lot. Evidence shows exactly the opposite, that scores are getting worse and worse.

I can log 1,000 miles a month, learn from my and other's mistakes, learn passively, etc, but I think that's not the point Dan made in the OP. The way I read the OP, the question was, am I going to straddle the bike today and add "learn/practice something" to my ride?

I think riders in general, as students in general, just say "having fun is good enough, when I'll need to know something I'll learn it."

Best,

Marc.

 

[Z3n]

To me, the idea of learning something on each and every ride is one of my favorite things about motorcycles. I've only been riding for 5 years, around 140,000 miles, but whereas 2 years ago, I felt like I was making great progress, now I feel almost empty. Whereas before I knew so much, now I know that what I knew is minuscule compared to what I could know. It's the best feeling to string together a series of corners, to smile to myself in my helmet as I've already anticipated someone's idiot move and compensated for it, to cruise smoothly between groups of cars on the freeway, doing 4 over, safe from idiots and speeding tickets. I've learned a lot in the last 5 years, but I hope that I can learn so much more in the decades of riding I plan on doing in the future.

Every time you swing leg over a bike, on the street, the track, the dirt, you should be working on or learning more about something. To have those skills pay off in the future is the best feeling in the world. I can have a horrible day, but mount my motorcycle and cruise off and enjoy the feeling of accelerating out of a corner, planning the best line I can through a corner, working on anticipating and avoiding other drivers, etc.

It's been quite awhile since I've had a close call, and that makes me very happy. When I was a new rider I went through the same anger at people who could be so inconsiderate/oblivious, only to learn that the important thing was avoiding the situation entirely. I realized that my anger at them was misplaced, when it should be directed at me for letting them even get close to me.

The golden rule of riding for me is:

Even when you're right (of way), you're wrong if you're involved in an accident.

 

[zekdafied]

By analogy, I think you're saying just by sitting in school for 12-13 years, we'll learn a lot. Evidence shows exactly the opposite, that scores are getting worse and worse.

I can log 1,000 miles a month, learn from my and other's mistakes, learn passively, etc, but I think that's not the point Dan made in the OP. The way I read the OP, the question was, am I going to straddle the bike today and add "learn/practice something" to my ride?

I think riders in general, as students in general, just say "having fun is good enough, when I'll need to know something I'll learn it."

Best,

Marc.

I get what you're saying. However I feel that it takes more to get up and ride a bike over the years, than it does to go to school. There is no real physical input at school, nor are there any "dangers" or risks physically to ones health. There are of course exceptions to our generalizations, but riding is a hobby, and I think it would be hard to categorize school as a "hobby" or passion. Again, for some, there are exceptions.

People ride to work and school, simply to save on gas or avoid traffic. I've found through the years that there is usually more to it than that.

Maybe I'm assuming everyone has the same craving and enjoyment to ride when instead there are many different reasons that one chooses to ride. Who knows. :dunno

Good analogy though, well put. :thumbup

 

[tonelar]

I try and learn something new every day (on or off the bike).

 

[HIglesias]

I've only been riding a month and a half and every time i go out I try to learn something new, however, more often than not, I'm forced into learning something new. That is to say, some unexpected scenario presents itself and i learn from it.

but mostly, i'm just trying to not get run over or fall!

 

[DataDan]

I've only been riding a month and a half and every time i go out I try to learn something new, however, more often than not, I'm forced into learning something new. That is to say, some unexpected scenario presents itself and i learn from it.

Yeah, that's how most of those lessons come along. The important thing is that you're learning how to prevent the same thing from happening again. :thumbup

A close call or unpleasant surprise is wasted if the rider concludes only that he was 100% in the right and that there's no way anyone could have prevented it. :x

 

[209ktmdude]

In The End

In the end you can have the best legal case in the world, and can be "right" all you want, but it doesnt replace a limb or your life. Being hyper vigilant is the only way to ride. Constantly scanning traffic and the drivers around you to avoid situations can mean the difference between going home today or being carried there in an ambulance. I have heard other riders talk about kicking peoples mirrors off and slapping cars that cut them off. Not one of them talked about avoiding the situation at all. Ride safe. Be vigilante about your safety. Chances are you are the only one who is.

 

[dagle]

I've been riding about a month, at least 4 times a week and often more. I have to say that I do learn something new every time I ride. Of course some days you learn a lot more, but there is always learning involved. Perhaps its that I've only been riding a month, but each time I feel more comfortable and confident for next time.

The scary stuff is the stuff that commits to memory and I have to say that I've had a couple of close calls. It was only after those close calls that I recognized the pattern of avoiding the close calls and seeing it take effect. 19th Ave. in SF and I saw a car trailing behind the 28Muni while I'm in the middle lane, immediately recognized that he was going to swerve so that he could save a minute on his commute. If I had been boneheaded and been going with the flow of traffic, he would have merged on top of me.

For me logging miles gains experience as a byproduct, if you're actively engaged in your surroundings you're gaining experience. I know for me at least, my aim is to get home safely every day and appreciate the other things in life aside from being on 2 wheels.

and another point that I thought was worthy to note was that its not only "gaining experience", some times its about relearning the motions. I took a 3 day break over the long weekend and on my commute this morning I had to take a few laps around the block to go through the motions before I felt good again. I see riding like anything else, if you don't practice and hone the skills it will rust on you. can't wait to get my life long rider badge.

 

[pahhhoul]

I think I'm gaining experience as I remembered yesterday to slow down and give myself some space from being too close to a Chevy Suburban to allow drivers to see me so that I wasn't in the "rolling blind spot".

 

[CjkPHD]

I've only been riding a month and a half and every time i go out I try to learn something new, however, more often than not, I'm forced into learning something new. That is to say, some unexpected scenario presents itself and i learn from it.

but mostly, i'm just trying to not get run over or fall!

Don't hit anything, Don't let anything hit you, and Don't fall off. :laughing

 

[Impact83]

I've only been riding a month and a half and every time i go out I try to learn something new, however, more often than not, I'm forced into learning something new. That is to say, some unexpected scenario presents itself and i learn from it.

but mostly, i'm just trying to not get run over or fall!

Yea I remember when I started to ride, it was more about avoidance, and just staying up right lol.. but once that became second nature the real fun begins.

 

[Cinco]

If there is one rule I ride by it's this:

According to written law, I may have the right of way; but according to the laws of physics...

Well you know the rest.

 

[Idontdotrix]

excellent question.

I'd say Im learning. looking back at posts, blogs, etc from even just a few months back about reactions to situations and seeing how I am dealing with them now shows improvement. doing a couple of track days really helped me build a better relationship with my bike and with myself up in my head, and I'm thinking things through better, with more confidence and with more control than before.
hopefully i can keep up this learning process for a few more decades

 

[tgriffin]

"I am invisible and everyone is trying to kill me."

The above philosophy combined with a healthy dose of paranoia keeps me alive.

 

[littlebeast]

saw a cruiser rider almost ass-pack a flatbed semi today. he wasn't really riding bad - it was just sort of a convergence. realized after that i held my breath watching it. little bit like watching a coyote chasing a rabbit - will the unfortunate little rodent make it? funny thing, when it's me, none of that registers. instinct takes over, and i make like the rabbit.