Motorcycling and An Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

Whether one may consider my approach to learning to ride to be:

Obsessive
Practical
Cautious

Or

Transferring learning techniques gained from a military background.

I think this ‘transfer’ probably sums up the first three above. Why? Because at the end of the day, (if I got that far) my life, not may – but will, depend upon it.

My Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder over many years was full of ‘catastrophizing’ seeing the glass half empty as opposed to half full.

Here is an immediate flashback comparison:

When doing my basic handling course:
“Take control of the bike, don’t let the bike control you…….park up over there and think about this and if you want to carry on……….”


And many years earlier in Western Australia:
Looking down the long range firing ten rounds in my own time, the spent cartridge shell jams on ejection from the chamber….”Keep your weapon pointed down the target line at all times and raise your right hand if you need assistance.”

Logistics Support Mission – Vietnam Troop Transport
Walking around the flight deck, mock defensive positions made of sand bags, soldiers stripping down their weapons and re-assembling them blind folded. Some given the command to open fire on target balloons.

In learning to ride, I was a complete and utter newbie, never rode a bike before. I was a pillion only twice: the first time as a drunken eighteen year old sailor that evening, and the second time, the following morning realizing what a complete and utter idiot I was to get on the back of a motorbike realizing that the rider had as much to drink as me. His wife gave him a tongue lashing that would make any salty old chief petty officer cringe – then it was my turn she blasts eight bells of crap out of me and tells me ‘don’t you ever get on a motor bike again with a drink in you.’ About six weeks later the pregnant wife was on the back of the bike with her husband, they had a crash and survived but lost their child.

Here is a condensed extract of my Newbie Training Update – May 2006, you can perhaps see the approach was disciplined to say the very least.

May 2006

My commitment to myself is to do 1000km at least until the end of June, here in Stokes Valley

Each time I go out and focus on one or two key things and I must say 'being in one with the motorcycle' is slowly taking its shape.

I started at the very top of the valley and worked my way down each off street … Found a couple of places to pull over and dwell on things I have been working on during the ride and keep focused on improving gradually.

When I get out of the valley brother in law is going to take me over to Whitemans Valley for a run. Understand it will be a good test on the road going out that way initially.

I have mixed up the times I get out and have got out around end of school time just to get a bit of pressure with the increased traffic including buses [shheeeessh], seriously though, it is coming on quite well and enjoying the new found joy.

Have been practising the emergency stop, with the immediate rapid accelerate. I have been taking a lot in these few weeks and will certainly work on the rapid accelerate too now.

In the several books I have been reading the constant that comes through, and there are numerous, however the emergency braking skill is something that should become as the result of habit.

In the back of my mind is to run down as far as Avalon and do the loop Fraser Park ie Taita Drive and Harcourt Werry Drive in the evenings in early Spring before I venture further a field. Also down the High Street back over the Wingate Bridge and Pomare loop would be another good initial evening ride too.

Given my background, my childhood upbringing, my military regime, my perfectionistic approach, my Obsessive, Practical, and Cautious approach – you know what - I had fun learning to ride and you know what else I still have fun.

I was like a kid with a new toy; well I was being a kid and enjoying myself perhaps for one of those few moments in a whole life time.

Heads Up and Enjoy