Motorcycling and An Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

In addressing my OCPD today (2009), I can look back over the period May 2006 to March 2007, and my approach to motorcycle riding.

Though some may see a 'methodical approach', for others reading between the lines of what has been written, they may see degrees of 'perfection-anxiety-caution-catastrophe-avoidance', and in my opinion that would be a reasonable evaluation.

I have now spent over three years riding and approaching 65,000km, and one observation that was made:

"Guy, when you are riding you are focused on your riding and not letting other thoughts intrude. While you may 'think something bad may happen', do not let it become that intrusive, re-focus your attention, therefore saving your energy for whatever may happen - if and when it may ever happen."

Over many years, well before learning to ride, the extent to which my thoughts may have become overwhelming and that I would ruminate for long periods to the point of severe stress and depression, they were very difficult times.

I have been able to recognise when something has the potential to trigger a 'relapse' no matter how mild or severe, and I have been able to let it happen and work through it but without the severe ramifications.

During the following two years 2007/09 there were numerous 'episodes' that I could see had potential personal setbacks and I had to take some mild action and go with the flow, and when the 'episodes' became potentially more stressful I had to adopt some stronger personal strategies and in the exteme step back for a while.

Within a culture, fraternity, community (call it what you may) of individuals that enjoy motorcycle riding, we bring to the gathering point before the ride, a rapport. For some it could be assumed that we are 'like minded individuals', for others we may at times have to step back and not become too anxious.

My Extract From March 2007:

Thank you all for your congratulatory comments.
I am honoured to have had [My Mentor] as my mentor.

As a lot of you will recall my last conversation with [My Mentor], he commented about extending myself outside my comfort zone that is ‘pushing the envelope’. And, most recently you will have noticed the topic from the Defensive Driving Course I have raised discussing ‘qualities of a safe rider’.

For those of you who have read my profile, you will see that I am retired and therefore all my riding is purely recreational. Hence going from a complete novice rider to passing through the graduated licence system, has had one major advantage, and that is ‘time’. Time to practise, to talk, to evaluate, read, practise, attend professionally conducted riding classes, and to listen to my mentor.

I would like to share with you 'Upgrading and learning to ride the new bike' and that is one word, “Respect”. Coming from a military background it may be asked what comes first “discipline” or “respect”. Now shift that question across to motorcycling environment.

If you do not discipline yourself when learning a new skill, being patient, being focused, and learning where your boundaries are, then how will you ever maintain the respect of your peers and fellow riders, other road users and the law?

If you respect all the fundamental principles of a graduated licensing system, you will by default be disciplined.

[My Mentor] left me with the wisdom of a pair of binoculars so that I may look way ahead to find where I was going. I could not see my boundaries, yet I could sense the boundaries, but not touch them. In time I knew where the boundaries were – they were within.

Over the months since his death, [My Mentor] placed envelopes in front of me, one was the Advanced Rider Refresher course [through Roadsafe] and the other the Defensive Driving/Riding course [through Triple A Driving]. During the Roadsafe course, a third envelope, I had the opportunity of riding a VLX 600cc Honda Shadow. Immediately I knew that this would be a perfect ‘transition bike’ from the GN250. The VLX is within my personal boundaries and those boundaries have been pushed out over the last three months thanks to [My Mentor].

He remained with me and 'Upgrading and learning to ride the new bike' was his objective for me to do so safely, with discipline and respect.

Learning to ride the VLX 600 is something that was achieved through deliberate and disciplined preparation well before I got on it and was accomplished with the utmost respect for and guidance from [My Mentor], professional instructors, and well meaningful and thoughtful members of the kiwibiker community.

Finally a thank you to my brother-in-law, without whom, a bbq and beer each Sunday and walking around his bike talking a whole lot about something I never understood back then, now makes sense. It’s not the destination that is important but the joy of how you get there.