How do accidents happen?

[pritch]

Sorry I'm guilty of a repost, I did check. Must've asked a silly question.

I had some experience with safety on construction sites and more recently have done a short course in accident investigation. It always struck me that there are usually multiple factors involved in any serious incident and that there will be a number of near misses for every injury that occurs. When all of the factors are aligned though, it's not a near miss and someone gets hurt.

I remember one occasion, a dogman waiting while somebody fetched the correct strops, being shouted at by an agitated supervisor, "You've got a safety margin, use it!"

That's not what safety margins are for.

This also applies to riding, if you find you are having a few close shaves, back off, and have a think about what you are doing.

[Trade_nancy]

On this topic (sort of, I guess)....3 bikes mine included..all with a pillion onboard did a trip from Manawatu up to New Plymouth return last Sunday. Went up on the scenic SH45 coastal road. Nice day, all going well..got to somewherez like 40-50 km from NP...still in the "boonies" and an untethered goat meandered onto the RH road just as the lead bike (HD Wideglide) got within spitting range of it. Rider's gut instinct was - "I can't stop, I'll brace and ride up and over it and hope 365Kg of HD will be enough to make a path through it"....I was next bike and saw the thing unfold. Goatee wisely decided to plant hoofs and STOP as the HD went by....the goat turned back to where it came from...and then, changed it's mind and stepped back again in my path. All this took maybe 2-3 seconds. I had slowed down maybe 50kph and was just starting to reaccelerate - so was able to easily swerve around it.
So - no way to anticipate an animal coming onto the road like that. BUT I remain eternally grateful to myself for being a safe following distance behind my mate in front. If he went over or under the goat...I was going to be able to stop. Hadn't always been that good and many times on the ride - I was tailing him closer. Lesson learnt....hopefully not to be forgotten.