Reality Check

I was having a quick breakfast at Carlucci's this morning. We were chatting about the morning traffic to town that had come to a complete stand still. I knew exactly why the traffic was backed up, because I just came from town and drove passed the problem. I took my GS in for her first 1000km service and for some repairs after my second fall. Yes, I did not even write anything about my second fall, I was too embarrassed. On my way back from the service dealer I passed a motorcycle accident. A gentleman was lying on the side of the road next to his damaged bike. It gave me cold shivers to think that I've just passed that same spot a couple of minutes earlier on my way to town this morning. It could've been me lying next to that road....

I think out of all the adventures sports that I have attempted in my life, and this ranges from skydiving, paragliding, surfing, skateboarding and bungi jumping, the most dangerous of them all does not compare to a bike ride through peak traffic. In all the other activities the biggest source of concern is the unpredictability of the elements. What I think is even worse for any biker is the unpredictability of motorists. When I see or hear about a motorcyle accident, I always wonder what the cause of the accident was. Was it an unpreventable or unforseen accident like a pothole in the road or loose gravel maybe? Was it the result of plain stupidy by the biker himself like speeding or taking reckless chances? Or was it the unpredictable motorist that changed lanes without looking back or skipping a traffic light maybe? No matter what the reason behind the accident might be, it is not a nice feeling seeing a fellow biker lying on his/her back on a sidewalk.

I have a new bike. Much more faster and difficult to ride than my previous one. I have fallen twice already, ending my clean record after many years of "safe" riding...and being lucky I guess. I know these falls are a bit different, both happened on loose sand while knowing what could happen if you take an oversized semi-offroad bike through thick sand for the first time. Stupidy on the side of the biker maybe? Yes, definitely. But regardless the cause, falling is not a nice feeling even when done under "controlled" circumstances. Falling on tar is a bit worse. Getting hit by another car is extremely bad and should be avoided at all costs.

While sipping down my last bit of coffee I got a lump in my throat. It's a sign of a reality check. In all the adventure sports you take a calculated risk even though you cannot predict the outcome. In biking you just take a risk, no calculations and no predictions either. Unless you drive carefully and you keep thinking about the what-ifs, you are in the hands of other drivers, drivers that couldn't care less when they jump a red traffic light or couldn't care less if they get caught for speeding or reckless driving. Drivers that do not do the calculations for the risks you are about to take. Sadly it took another biker's misfortune to bring me to my reality check this morning. All I can hope is that he is ok and then thank him for that. I am signing up for an introductory course on gravel riding. I hope the cost of the course will reduce my costs of repairing my bike in the future and maybe improve my general riding skills. But I will always try my best to ride safe and never get too confident.

Keep well and keep it safe.