rufusmcd

today for some weird reason i developed a sudden fear of riding. it started when i went to work and it was colder than i thought and it severely effected my riding. but i though everything would be ok on the ride home since i knew it would be warmer on the way home which it was. but i was still freaking out on the way home. i have rode off and on for the last 30 years. 3 years ago i was involved in an accident, it crushed my knee and i didnt walk for a year, 5 operations, it wasnt pretty. but with the rise of gas prices i bought a rebel, i had no major problems riding, i rode slower than usual but thats understandable.
ive even got too cold and started shaking on the way to work before but i have been fine on the way home. now all of a sudden this happens, has anyone had a similiar experience?

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John

I've been riding since 2002....sometime in 2004 I was on an Interstate and the FEAR hit me.....what was I doing on a Motorcycle at night doing 70 MPH....the next day I was fine and have been since....I'm sure others have had that TWILIGHT ZONE experience!!

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wvmod

i went through this same thing after about a month of riding.. a dog ran in front of me an i layed my bike down.........not hard but enough that i was nervous everytime i got on it...i seen on our local news a piece on a motorcycle saftey class done by

http://www.msf-usa.org/

they have courses i believe in most states after i took the three day begginers course i gained alot of knowledge and all my fears dissapeared. i now have more confidince than ever before on my bike and i ride to and from work and come home around 4a.m. and the hands on training the class gives you helps you stay more calm in the event you see a deer standing near the road or other things that appear in the night. you will learn how to manuver your bike more quikly and safley and most important comfortably.

in west virginia this class cost me $100 for in state and $190 for out of state. i would recomend looking at there web sight and seeing if there is a class near you. it is money well spent you will enjoy your bike even more than ever.

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NC_Rebel_Girl

Great Suggestion WVMOD.

I took the MSF class with a number of people who had been in accidents and they wanted to get "back in the saddle". The course is great for helping with "situational" riding.

I'm not sure where you're located "rufusmcd", but in NC, most, if not all, of the 58 Community Colleges allow the MSF to be taught on their campus.

I don't ride on the Interstate, or highways where the Speed Limit is greater than 55MPH (Luckily, I'm able to ride back roads to work, 50 miles round-trip). I enjoy the winding 2 lanes through the fields and woods.

If you can, maybe you should just take a Sunday morning ride in the country and try to relax on the bike.

Good Luck.

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Guba

Last May I felt pretty good riding to work, and I prefer the slower speeds(45 MPH), but I was on a road that had a 50 MPH speed limit with a car behind me. No problem, just do the speed limit and everything's fine. Less than a mile from work I was approaching a section of road that had woods growing to the edge of the road and there were houses just inside this visual boundary. It all happened so fast, look down at the speedometer, check the rear view mirror and look up to see a deer jump out in front of me from the left with another at the edge of the road. I figured that I would swerve behind it, but the deer saw me and decided he'd better stop. Now I'm heading right for him so I decide to swerve right instead. Not exactly easy to swerve at those speeds. I ran over his front legs while his head butted me right in the calf. He nearly knocked me off the bike, I was thrown from the left side of the road to the right side edge, but managed to bring the bike to a stop. Then the pain set in and it was hard not to show it! The car behind me asked if I needed to go to the hospital and I didn't really know. So I finally stood up and decided that my leg wasn't broken and that I was okay. I limped around at work for twelve hours and fixed my bent gear shifter (I got to work in first gear only) and went home. My knee swelled up as big as my thigh the next day, time for the doc. When I was well enough to ride again I noticed that my enthusiasm was gone. I'll admit that it was even scared. I forced myself to climb back in the saddle and now love riding again. However, I'm now very Leary of any wooded areas that I approach and don't give a damn about what my speed is or who's behind me! Damage to the bike was mild. Beside the bent gear shifter, the left side battery cover got cracks in a couple of places and my left side saddle bag had one of the latches ripped off and was sliced from the front of the bag to the back. I consider myself VERY lucky(but only on that day and not on a day that I play the lottery) and I chalk this one up as a slap in the face learning experience! The deer, unfortunately, had his head bounce off of me so hard that the left side of his head got a concussion from slamming into the pavement. Not a sight that I prefered to watch.

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Black06putput

First of all, about the cold, do you have the proper riding gear? The key is to concentrate on the core of your body rather than the arms and legs. Your body seeks to keep itself warm at the expense of your limbs. Get a First Gear Kilamanjaro jacket, a turtle fur for your neck and some nice leather gloves, you won't have many cold problems anymore.

As for the fear I would have to say that it's good to be a little fearful, it keeps your guard up. I worry a little bit all the time when riding but I can't let it stop me because that's sacrificing enjoyment for the sake of what MIGHT happen. A Harley friend of mine says you can't live like that. It may sound hypocritical to worry about riding but not enough to stop riding but it's the middle ground between living and simply existing.

I hope that helps.

Geoff.

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LA_Geezer

I am retired, and I TRY to keep some fear in me in my daily rides. A couple of the posts above mention the needed confidence to ride, and I agree with that. If you remember that none of us is the perfect rider and that we will all be confronted with a bad riding experience (hopefully it won't be a horrible, death-threatening accident), then maybe you can view your fear as a positive and necessary thing.

Like NC_Rebel_Gal, I avoid Interstates and heavily-traveled freeways, but I haven't had any deer come out onto the roadway like Guba. I did make way for a rattlesnake chasing a mouse on the roadway in front of me, though. With apologies to any PETA members, I was glad that snake was looking for a meal, as I was close enough for it to coil and strike if it had just been crossing the road.

My point of view is to drive as defensively as I can. That might keep me from my turn for years to come.

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Scott Larson

Last year was my first season. One day I was on my way home from work it was raining and there was a strong crosswind from my left side. I was traveling at the posted 45mph and yet some A$$#0!E was right on my back tire. I chalk it up to being my fault, since the crosswind was trying to push me into the gravel on the side of the road I was riding against the center line. I came up on an intersection with a car in the turn lane on my side and just a few feet before I got into the intersection a car from the oncoming lane turned left in front of me. Luckily he had enough sense to stomp on the gas pedal which gave me a little more room. Braking would have been totally useless, I swerved hard left around his back bumper then hard right to miss the other cars in his turn lane and continued on my way (with my heart trying to climb out of my chest). My mistake was concentrating too much on the road conditions and not at all on being seen. Two good things came from this, I learned a good lesson and some A$$#0!E learned not to tailgate bikes. I don't think he came within ten car lengths of me the rest of my ride.

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maddogg240

ok everyone else was being serious so im going to be different. I fell at 35 during my riders test! how much dumber can you get? feafull? hell ya I rode the )(#$&%) thing down there. check it out I just wrecked and now I have to ride it home? I was shaking fromt his accident I just had and thought maybe IM not ready to ride? maybe I shouldn't be doing this? and in that moment on the way home I said screw it you only live once pulled the throttle hard and forgot about it. I learned through years of falling down in life that if yoru there when it's over, GET UP it's over! Looking back can help you move forward, staying back keeps you where your at. whatever doesnt kill you make you stronger and God never gives you more than you can handle although he sure does like to test you because it wouldn't be a test with out your testimony! I understand nervousness but honestly I think that healthly fear will keep you safer and make you a better rider.

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ASE-Tech

Hey all... just wanted to touch a little on this subject while it is still fresh on my mind, Unfortunately on the 3rd of May, my wifes Uncle and Aunt were involved in a motorcycle accident in Columbus, Nebraska. They were headed North and there was a vehicle in the other lane heading south. The other vehicle had turned left right in front of them, and Wifes Uncle layed the bike down to avoid the head on collision... But despite his best efforts, he was killed in the accident, His wife is still in the hospital making good progress, but still hasn't fully awakened yet.

The whole week after, while we were there for his services I was thinking.. Why... What do I do.. This IS gonna happen to me... Do I really belong on a bike anymore? I rode to work my first day back this week, and I felt alot better, but the fear is still there ofcourse.

Is there anyone else with any experience like this? What steps did you take, and how and have you overcome it? I wanted to go out for a little cruise today before it rained but the Wife, And I can't blame her for feeling this way, doesn't and won't feel comfortable with me on my bike for a long long time. She knows how much I love to ride, and hasn't asked me to sell the bike. And trust me, I don't wanna give it up, but everyday lately I skate that edge of dusting off the For Sale sign, but I don't. Any advice is welcome.

Didn't wanna scare anyone into selling their bikes, thats not why I'm writing this. Forum moderators can edit or delete this post.. But I had to get this out, Thats the reason I haven't posted or visited the forum lately. Well, Thanks guys for listening... talk to ya's later.

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