Motorcycling and An Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

My Mentor’s last comments to me over coffee at Staglands on a review ride just before I sat my Restricted Licence:

'Take your time in pushing the envelope a bit further.'

In many ways the DEE-FAP concept is summed up in his comment.

15 November 2006

Total Distance 8331km [since 12 May]

Training Strategy:
DEE-FAP Discipline - Focus - Attention - Personal

Just because I have passed my Restricted Licence today, this does not give me a personal licence to ramp it up to the 100kph immediately, I got to earn my personal skill level progressively and gradually too - and my mentor said 'take your time in pushing the envelope a bit further'.

DEE-FAP is your personal approach to your riding development I have selected the keys as:

Discipline - You will know when you get that pit gut feeling when something goes awry - Expect the Unexpected. Discipline yourself to not let that moment pass and if you have the time then immediately pull over and stop.

Ask yourself 'what happened? What did I do wrong? or What didn't I do?

And don't get angry because some cage may have cut you off or pulled out in front of you at an intersection or from a parked space. Think about it you can't control the other road user, but you can control your approach to riding strategically.

Focus - Have one or two things as key review points each time you get on your bike. Think ahead where and when you want to focus your attention on those keys. It does not have to be immediately, you may have a pre-arranged location in mind [eg slalom - cone weaving - countersteering technique] you may have a good quiet road [without the cones] or that empty carpark with the cones.

Attention - Develop a habit of cycling through your safety strategy for me as an example [check mirrors, heads up horizon, glance at gauges and speedo, heads up horizon peripheral sensitivity - here exercise your visual awareness your peripheral vision can be 'shut down' because though you are looking ahead your mind may be wondering and your peripheral vision may not be alert [day dreaming] and back to checking mirrors and repeat the cycle. When coming back into increased traffic flows this Attention drill takes on greater meaning.

Personal - How you approach your DEE-FAP Discipline Focus Attention Personal strategies will be evolving as your riding skills develop. Above all be true to yourself when you next go for a ride and think again about where you're riding and how you're riding. Remember you do not have to be overly tense and completely locked into your training program remember to relax.

There will come a time when you get on your bike and very shortly maybe a kilometer or two or three and you know that you are not completely 'at one' with the bike, recognise it for what it is and if necessary don't venture out on that recreational ride, stop go [home] back inside and have another cup of tea/coffee. Revisit that feeling in your mind's eye and when you feel ready then perhaps go for that ride and definitely have one or two keys things to Focus your Attention on. You may have had the initial not 'at one' feeling with the bike because you just got on the bike and headed off without a DEE-FAP

Heads Up and Enjoy


21 November 2006

Total Distance 8527km [since 12 May]

Moving From Learner To Restricted

Now that I have the Restricted Licence, I have deliberately chosen my time and place to get out there to the 100km limit.

Monday [midday] a ride out through Whitemans Valley, Mangaroa Hill, Upper Hutt and onto Staglands for coffee then across to Waikanae. Bit of a forced decision, new tar seal and chip was being laid on a section of the Akatarawa Road between Upper Hutt and Staglands - did not fancy going back over it.

As I had done this winding road and I do mean winding road, down to walking pace around some blind left bends between Staglands to Waikanae [16km is not that far but allow plenty of time], the ride is enjoyable and brings into focus numerous skills and good hazard stategy [quite common - stones across road and small slips].

I only did the trip out to Waikanae once before and I was concerned about the SH1 run back down to Paraparaumu previously. However, there is quite a lengthy 80km section. Turn off out to Paraparaumu Beach and down to Raumati Beach and Raumati South rejoining SH1 to Paekakariki then up over the Paekakariki Hill, SH58 over the Haywards and back to Stokes Valley.

Tuesday [Evening 7.30pm to 8.45pm]
Deliberately chose the quieter period out there to get on the motorway first stage
heading Kennedy Goode Bridge to Petone, back to Lower Hutt for McD's coffee, then Kennedy Goode Bridge to Silverstream, back into Stokes Valley. Down to the 50km limit and reviewed some slow bike control procedures and concentrated on leaning and countersteering over the Holborn Drive. Also mindful of balance and u-turn technique.

Summary - [See Dee-FAP discussed 15 November] So I wanted to have some initial variety on Monday approx 160km and Tuesday 36km in a quieter traffic environment. Getting the bike upto a sustained higher speed and holding it there was one objective. The next was following speed checking either with a car in front or light poles count off 'one thousand and one / one thousand and two' get an appreciation of the distance and in my case allowing out to one thousand and four. Coming up to traffic lights that are already red and slowing down, next a green and anticipating an amber, these are 'newer experiences' because you are coming down from a higher speed than you have been used too/familiar with.

One thing that is in the back of my mind and that is to keep a smooth suspension transition when applying the front brake - I don't want to have the nose dive down and nor do I want to have the rear wheel lock up. So gradual front brake pressure and gearing down and dabbing the throttle. This is up there on the list of things to go over with my Mentor when we have a review ride before xmas.

[End of Part 2. In part 3 I do a review of my riding and DEE-FAP]