NO CELL PHONES WHILE DRIVING, PLEASE!

[richship]

Take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course even if you don't intend to ride.  I guarantee once you realize that you have to be aware of all things going on around you (i.e. paying attention) to help ensure that you are not run over by vehicle with more than 2 wheels, you will be a better driver when in the car. 

That's a good point. I was a much better driver after riding for a bit. You get to where you can read minds and tell when someone's going to do something dumb. Or you don't.

 

[dNA]

There are a couple of motorcycle dealership in Leesport that sponsor some courses.  Check out: http://www.pamsp.com/courselookup.aspx

thanks dude. i'll check it out. The weather is JUST getting nice so the idea of riding a motorcycle actually sounds like a lot of fun!  :headbang:

 

[CrackedPepper]

Take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course even if you don't intend to ride.  I guarantee once you realize that you have to be aware of all things going on around you (i.e. paying attention) to help ensure that you are not run over by vehicle with more than 2 wheels, you will be a better driver when in the car. 

That's a good point. I was a much better driver after riding for a bit. You get to where you can read minds and tell when someone's going to do something dumb. Or you don't.

Exactly - and if you don't, you are sometimes unavailable to tell your tale.  Or you are.

 

[-CB-]

but the point i was making is that a single person alone on their hands-free set could be less likely to cause an accident than a mother with 3 young children in the car.

Or vise versa, I dont think any comparisons have been made.

 

[-CB-]

Take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course even if you don't intend to ride.  I guarantee once you realize that you have to be aware of all things going on around you (i.e. paying attention) to help ensure that you are not run over by vehicle with more than 2 wheels, you will be a better driver when in the car. 

Agreed to a point.  The main thrust of the MSF courses is to make you a safe rider.  I've taken the course, just over a year ago actually.  I went in fearing, sweating bullets, that I'd not be able to pass it, because I'd have to UN-learn all my bad habits of 45 years on two motorized wheels.  Yah.. got the first mini I was just 8ish. 

I've had this certain, or maybe uncertain, regard for folks who try and get on two wheels at a more ripe age.  My reasoning is thus:  When you're young, and making mistakes, and having not yet learned the laws of the jungle (which like written law, can be violated....), you are also graced by your Creator with much faster reflexes, greater strength, keener vision and hearing, etc.  You also recover faster....ahem.

When you're older, and hop on, sure you can keep things afloat, but you dont have that 7th sense of the guy about to open a door, making the car in the lane next to you swerve right into you.  You dont have the 7th sense of things being just not right when approaching an intersection.  You dont have that 7th sense about any of the things that can getcha, and need to be avoided.  Instead, like when you were young, you rely on what reflexes and physical capabilities you posses.  That can be an issue.

The MSF courses do not go into that enough.  They do GREAT things though.  They teach you to balance, how to handle the bike, how to brake hard, and how to use the brakes.  They go into how to stay afloat when you MUST hit that 2x4 in the road.  They go into shifting during turns, lane changes in turns, how to recover from approaching a turn too fast, how to NOT recover from it and lose it on a high side flip.  They go into road surfaces and varying turn radii.  They have you do a figure 8 in a box.  They have you do emergency avoidance.  They get you pretty familiar with handling the machine and this is all good.  They dont do squat regarding getting you into riding in actual traffic.

Self preservation is a good motivator for motorcyclists, as a rule.  What NOBODY does, and something I'm about to begin doing, is to force some education ABOUT motorcyclists to 4 wheel drivers, at the school level, via interactive web class.  It will be voluntary, but I see it as going places (hopefully) and becoming mandatory for HS age folks here in Florida.  We already have a powerful set of videos and some outline of the course material... but the folks in charge have languished with it.  I should be heading it up in June, hopefully to get it through to completion.  It was my own idea, but I do also recognize the team effort needed to go from idea, to reality.

Wish me luck on that.  I'm gonna need it.

 

[CrackedPepper]

Self preservation is a good motivator for motorcyclists, as a rule.  What NOBODY does, and something I'm about to begin doing, is to force some education ABOUT motorcyclists to 4 wheel drivers, at the school level, via interactive web class.  It will be voluntary, but I see it as going places (hopefully) and becoming mandatory for HS age folks here in Florida.   We already have a powerful set of videos and some outline of the course material... but the folks in charge have languished with it.  I should be heading it up in June, hopefully to get it through to completion.  It was my own idea, but I do also recognize the team effort needed to go from idea, to reality.

Wish me luck on that.  I'm gonna need it.

Brilliant idea - can't tell you how invisible motorcycles are to many cage drivers.  Even big bikes remain invisible despite loud pipes, humongous motors, headlight and taillight modulators etc.  Good luck with the course.  An idea whose time has come...

 

[OzziePete]

Wow, I honestly didn't expect this much of a response.  :icon_smile:
Given the way I've been acting lately...Well, thanks for reading and for the kind words.

Let me take a selfish chance to say I'm sorry for being a bit...spikey...This year so far has really sucked...in a LOT of ways...but that's not y'all's fault.
Especially to Gregg. He lets me in to his house and I track mud all over it.  :sad1: Sorry, man. I'll be cool from now on.

I am glad, however that we've gotten a good conversation going here! For sure won't be texting while driving!

Let me just say that my wife was in the passenger seat, which was the side of the vehicle that was struck. I made sure she was ok, about 4 or five times, ha. I got out of my car and approached the other driver...which probably wasn't the best idea, considering what I was about to do to this guy. It was a good thing for him that the cops came when they did. I'm not gonna get too detailed, cause I'm not a show off, and I dont' want to get myself in trouble, HAHA

Bottom line, It's up to each of us to try and keep eachother safe. What am i? some tough guy hippie? hahaha
Thanks for looking.

Stay safe out there, Lads and Lasses!

Hey Muyfue

I'm kinda embarrassed by my earlier post in this thread where I said my bit about using a cell phone whilst driving but completely forgot to address the fact that you and your missus got into an accident! I apologise for that oversight and hope you are both OK (seems like you are thankfully). Nothing shocks you more than an accident .... most come right out of the blue and there's the awful dealing with the after effects and the adrenaline rush etc. and then the let down. So yeah, glad to hear you are both OK ..