Rider intuition AKA that "Gut feeling."

[Wormwood]

Throughout my 30+ riding years I have experienced a growing recognition of a certain feeling. I can not express it well other than a feeling of discomfort with a pull on the logic strings. Something does not feel right.

Historically it has been a spur of the moment "nope not today" response. Go with the gut based on past experience of shitty rides and/or mishaps when the feeling was ignored.

Fast forward to today. My gut fired up after Joe Mo was killed. went for 1 ride after the accident. Since then Oakland Lion went down and my bike has been parked and covered. Several times I have gotten the urge only to be defeated by the gut. It is saying take a break. It is not fear as I know what that feels like. My mind is saying this will pass as it has before but JFC it is taking some time.

WTF is this?
Do you feel it?
Do you listen to it?
Do you wrestle with it or let it guide you?

Is wormy crazy?

 

[Tydive]

Riding is my meditation & being fully present time. Anything outside "now" gets ignored. So, no I don't stop riding for those kind of feelings, I just work harder on my focus and keep it slow. YMMV :shrug

 

[Thateguhate]

I roll with it. When it doesn't feel right I stay off of it. There's been a few occasions where my laziness has caused me to get a feeling I shouldn't ride as well. Once you can distinguish the two decisions are easier to make.

Id like to think of it as a guardian angel/ riders intuition.

 

[Wormwood]

I roll with it. When it doesn't feel right I stay off of it. There's been a few occasions where my laziness has caused me to get a feeling I shouldn't ride as well. Once you can distinguish the two decisions are easier to make.

Id like to think of it as a guardian angel/ riders intuition.

I hear that voice. Whether it be my subconscious or from afar I do not know.

 

[louemc]

I don't go by that type of a feeling. I only can believe that someone elses mishap was their own doing...it has no bearing on how I will experience my ride.

I only have one level of attention/response/caution....Full on, all the time, I'm used to it, it is easy and natural.

 

[Rob]

You're either on your game or you're off your game. Don't ride if you're off your game. At least give yourself that much out there.

 

[letsrideinsc]

I completely follow my instincts! I feel it's somewhat superstitious; however, in the past I've told myself to not take that turn, but I went against my thoughts and have crashed, puckered up, run into traffic, witnessed something odd or otherwise said "shit, I should have followed my instincts"

In recent times, I have warmed up the moto, checked t.p., etc. with coffee in hand nearly ready to ride, and at the last moment decided NOT to ride simply because something came over me. Weird, but that's me. So yes.

 

[Wormwood]

I include the mishaps as it was all in the timing. I have lost many a friend to riding accidents. Never had an impact on my gut like this before. Hard to figure it is the events themselves that are driving this.

 

[Clem Kevin]

I had been riding for a few years before I understood this. Last spring I had geared up for a 400 mile ride, after about 50 miles that feeling completely consumed me. I turned around, got home, and drove my truck to my destination. To this day I'm sure what I did was the right thing to do. I won't ever ignore that feeling again.

 

[day004]

As a rider of 35+ years i recognise that feeling. It's known as the survival reaction. Pretty usefull emotion! The tough part is accepting what it's telling you, but using the other brain to make sense of it. Basically it boils down to ,"Do I quit now?"
We ve all quit at one time or another for a myriad of reasons. A lot of folks eventually start back. But we all know that life is mean,brutish and short. The magic is deciding if that's the reason we ride or the reason we quit.
Only you can make that choice.

 

[Wormwood]

If you said lets hit the track I would load and go. No issue.

If you said lets do a road trip I would back out.

Perhaps it is rooted in fear after all?

 

[bikeama]

Throughout my 30+ riding years I have experienced a growing recognition of a certain feeling. I can not express it well other than a feeling of discomfort with a pull on the logic strings. Something does not feel right.

Historically it has been a spur of the moment "nope not today" response. Go with the gut based on past experience of shitty rides and/or mishaps when the feeling was ignored.

Fast forward to today. My gut fired up after Joe Mo was killed. went for 1 ride after the accident. Since then Oakland Lion went down and my bike has been parked and covered. Several times I have gotten the urge only to be defeated by the gut. It is saying take a break. It is not fear as I know what that feels like. My mind is saying this will pass as it has before but JFC it is taking some time.

WTF is this?
Do you feel it?
Do you listen to it?
Do you wrestle with it or let it guide you?

Is wormy crazy?

I do get the gut feel had not changed if I ride but how I ride, I ride different (slower). August 22, 1989 filled gas at Truckee CA with my brother and 2 friends. Total came to $13.13 and someone said that is unlucky, I got that gut feeling and slowed up, 30 minutes later by brother was dead in an accident. Told the wife I would stop riding if she wanted, after some thought she said that is who you are don't stop riding.

No Wormy is not crazy, listen to your gut but you can still ride.

Bill

 

[VicTim]

Yes, I've had those feelings and used that logic. It makes me money. I take it to Vegas and play Black Jack. This intuition tells me when I have a winning hand, how much to bet, double down etc. It never fails.:cool

 

[louemc]

Umm, Rooted in fear, I'm sure....why some have fears and others don't...seems to have two widely different reasons.

There is fear of the unknown...so...someone that has experienced a life of hard edged challenges...doesn't have Unknowns...someone that hasn't been out there, would have quite a list of "unknowns".

Then there are people that are oblivious...and in that state, don't have the reasoning power to have a fear, or figure the odds of getting bitten on the ass by something.

In the end, everyone has a different history, and way of responding to what comes, so...how to go about life, is a call that only an individual can make for themselves.

 

[Wormwood]

Yes, I've had those feelings and used that logic. It makes me money. I take it to Vegas and play Black Jack. This intuition tells me when I have a winning hand, how much to bet, double down etc. It never fails.:cool

That is similar to what I am talking about. That little feelin that turns into action or lack thereof. With the cards for me it is feeling the flow. I either do or I do not. My game always matches that feeling.

 

[i_am_the_koi]

I don't have the gut reaction... but any/every time i've had something break on my bike, the previous couple minutes have included the thought... "Gee, I'm having too much fun right now, I hope something doesn't break on my bike"


Snap



I have quickly usually followed it with "Gee I'm having too much fun right now, I hope beautiful naked wimmenz don't fall out of the sky!"

 

[afm199]

If I did not ride when I was emotionally disturbed I'd never get on a bike. But I do avoid the track if I am stressed.

 

[Wormwood]

I have skipped an otherwise worthy trakday or 2 due to stress outside my control.

Angry or distracted at high speed is a dubious practice.

 

[vato_loco]

I had the gut feeling this AM but it was mostly related to it being so damn cold outside. Staring out the window for several minutes, thermals in hand, I decided that a ride was not in the cards today. Instead, my GF and I went for a run in Glen Park Canyon... :teeth

 

[rodr]

Gut feelings generally don't matter, and superstition never matters my decision to ride or not. If riding is a reasonable option that's what I do. There will be plenty of time to go without when I'm old and feeble.