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| http://54ka.deviantart.com/art/Fear-8094691 |
“Fear (noun) - a
distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the
threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.” 1
Watching my granddaughters play in the pool recently, made
me think about fear and how it affects us.
My oldest granddaughter, Addison, will play all day on a shallow tanning
shelf but ask her to get in the deeper water, even while wearing a life jacket,
and she freaks out. She’ll eventually get
in but only after a lot of coaxing and even then, she wants someone to hold her
the entire time. On the other hand, my
youngest granddaughter, Mia, will jump right in. Mia is content to splash around on her own
while wearing a life jacket. Both girls
enjoy the water but have vastly different comfort levels.
I think for many, riding a motorcycle is similar to my
granddaughters’ experience in the pool.
Some jump right on and ride like a bat out of hell while others are so
timid their motorcycles become glorified garage queens. While fear can help keep us safe and out of
trouble, if not checked, it can become debilitating. Fear can keep us from trying new things and
enjoying life to its fullest. Fear is
the antithesis of adventure. How many
times in your life has it played a part in the decisions you’ve made? Be honest with yourself.
As motorcyclists, it’s important for us to be aware of our
fears and balance them with an honest assessment of our riding skills. We can’t afford to be overcome by fear while
riding through a curve…the result could be deadly. We must work on improving our riding skills
and addressing our fears head-on through thoughtful practice. If you’re fearful of riding the Interstate,
riding at night, riding in the rain, or riding the twisties, work on your basic
skills, then go out, and make yourself ride in those situations and conditions. The only way to conquer our fears is to face
them.
Friend and fellow moto-blogger, Trobairitz, did just
that. Two-weeks ago, she visited Huckleberry Flats Off-Highway Vehicle Area for the first time on her Yamaha TW-200. While climbing a steep and rutted hill she
was almost thrown off her bike, but despite being injured and afraid she hung
on and made it to the top. Traobaititz
faced her fear and will forever be a better rider because of it. I admire
riders like that and hope if I were in a similar situation, I’d have the
intestinal fortitude to do the same.
Looking at my own life, I know that fear of the unknown,
fear of failure, and fear of injury have influenced several of my decisions
over the years. I regret that. I realize I can’t do anything about those
things now, but I can work to do a better job of acknowledging and recognizing
when fear is present and make a concerted effort to face it head on. Life is too short to hold back out of
fear.
Don't let fear be a factor in your riding or your daily life. Live with no regrets...Live Free. Ride Hard. Be Happy!
_______________________
Motorcycling is inherently dangerous. Every motorcycle rider will experience an injurious crash at some point. That being said, if you want to minimize all reasonable risk, then don't ride one.
ReplyDeleteIf you can look at it that way, it changes your outlook on riding. Fear loses its grip on your conscience, while acceptance of fate increases. Instead of thinking about possible risks, you instead think about possible fun. I know I would be safer if I wore knee pads. But I want the spontaneity of jumping on a bike and going.
Steve,
DeleteI agree wholeheartedly, there will always be risks associated with motorcycling...you'll never ride risk free. You have to accept that and move on. I think there would be a lot more people riding today if they could accept that and get over their fears.
The first step is to recognize and admit we're afraid of something...at that point fear starts to lose its grip on us.
Cheers,
Curt
Curt,
ReplyDeleteI wrote about this from my own perspective as I was entering the sport:
http://www.sashmouth.com/2013/01/Fear-of-motorcycling.html
I have admired Trobairitz from Day 1 of riding! I've been following her blog faithfully and she inspires me probably far more then she realizes.
This is a great observation on your part. I think about the things that holds people back often, realizing that in some way fear affects us all daily. Some fear is based in knowledge. Other fear is based on "What if. . . "
Thanks for giving me something more to think about . . .
Smooches,
Sash
Sash-The Rude Biker Chick
See Sash Videos!
Tina,
DeleteThanks. I hope it does make people think not only about their fears but how they can face them. I think many times we hold ourselves back out of fear...and we miss out on some really great things.
You and Steve have been an inspiration to me. I think its amazing what you guys are doing. It had to be just a little scary to venture out into the unknown and live full time on the road. I always look forward to reading about your adventures.
Safe travels and keep up the great work!
Cheers,
Curt