The Art of Situational Awareness.

[PrincessBandit]

............... I have not set myself up as a self proclaimed expert on the subject, KM has, and its high time he backs up his talk.

Any suggestions? Or are you just knee-jerking by getting irate with the messenger?

[SVboy]

Keith Code , in Twist of the wrist, talks about learning to expand your periferal vision[and attention] without moving your eye from your primary focus. While this advice is mainly race track oriented, I have tried to build it more into my all round riding so I have better situational awareness. I try to scan a lot more too. KC also talks of the $10 of attention-n00bs "spend" more of their attention on basic riding skills whereas more experienced riders can rely on their experience and focus more on their riding environment. Their "$10 of attention" is available to be more widely spread. I guess the secret is to do just that and not slip into a state of complacency. I have done some biggish day rides recently and have come home drained. I think that is probably a good thing!

[nzspokes]

Could you bring yourself to consider even for a moment that if most of the idiots out there who give many of us motorcyclists a bad name, for once considered their actions and didn't do the stupid shit,( you know, passing on double yellows, on one wheel,cutting off anyone, bikes or cars to get back in before becoming a statistic, the usual stuff) that the accident rate would actually stop dead in it's tracks. or that for a moment if all of the people who ride fast in a straight line didn't fall of the end of the bloody road that there'd be almost no, rider error crashes.Because like it or not that's the Biggest percentage of motorcycle crashes in the whole scheme.Oh and of course it's the young ones on their 2 fiddys doing most of that, not us oldies returning to riding as the gubbermint would have you believe.
It is the message that is important, how it's delivered makes friends or enemies, no question.For once I'd like to see reasoned debate not slagging matches and if you have never tried to influence fools on fast bikes then I'd suggest you seriously try and see how far it gets you?
This is a place where you can talk and work through things if you guys would just do that I'd be happier, for one.

I understand what you are saying and dont completely disagree. Since Ive come back to riding Ive meet some great people that have passed on knowledge that has kept me safe. All are humble and very good at what they do, mainly for free I may add. And on this site as well the advise for the main has been very good.

I very much doubt that an aggressive style of passing on a message will work, but then again Im no teacher. Maybe it does. But that does not mean I have to accept it.

[Katman]

I very much doubt that an aggressive style of passing on a message will work,

You're kidding, right?

I'm a veritable pussy cat these days.

[nzspokes]

Keith Code , in Twist of the wrist, talks about learning to expand your periferal vision[and attention] without moving your eye from your primary focus. While this advice is mainly race track oriented, I have tried to build it more into my all round riding so I have better situational awareness. I try to scan a lot more too. KC also talks of the $10 of attention-n00bs "spend" more of their attention on basic riding skills whereas more experienced riders can rely on their experience and focus more on their riding environment. Their "$10 of attention" is available to be more widely spread. I guess the secret is to do just that and not slip into a state of complacency. I have done some biggish day rides recently and have come home drained. I think that is probably a good thing!

Ive seen the movie, guess this in the book. I re-watch the movie from time to time. Once through the cheese its good info.

[SVboy]

The movie is good-but "dumbs" down in some areas. The book is better at raising questions and making you reflect on your personal riding skills as well as offering strategies and ideas. Certainly an ACC subsidised course I did recently and my reading have made me more aware of my [many]shortcomings as a rider. Hasnt slowed me down, but hopefully I am more situationally aware.

[puddytat]

Keith Code , in Twist of the wrist, talks about learning to expand your periferal vision[and attention] without moving your eye from your primary focus. While this advice is mainly race track oriented, I have tried to build it more into my all round riding so I have better situational awareness. I try to scan a lot more too. KC also talks of the $10 of attention-n00bs "spend" more of their attention on basic riding skills whereas more experienced riders can rely on their experience and focus more on their riding environment. Their "$10 of attention" is available to be more widely spread. I guess the secret is to do just that and not slip into a state of complacency. I have done some biggish day rides recently and have come home drained. I think that is probably a good thing!

Twist of the Wrist should be mandatory reading for all motorcyclists I reckon...

[NONONO]

Well, I've seen just two people who are letting their dislike for Katman, not necessarily his message, cloud their judgement. Everyone else who has actively engaged in this thread has actually said that what the Op said in the first post is basically right.
I too fear for people who ride bikes with music blaring in their ears, also for those who block their ears with foam and other sorts of noise blocking materials.Why for Gods sake rob yourself of another sensory range.
This thread has so far enlightened me about certain books that may well teach me something and which I will follow up on it has also confirmed for me that many here do actually think about their road position and their situational awareness much more than some might have thought.
Keep up the good work Katman, as always 100% behind the message and the delivery, being nice never works,if I've learned anything in my short time on this coil it's that!
Bash em over the head with it and hope some of em take it in.

Cmon Cas, my judgement clouded?
Only most of the time mate.
Have no problem debating points here, it's only the web.

[MSTRS:Me]

this part here goes against being human
nobody is perfect.

you can post all the theoretical advice you want KM, but anybody with half an ounce of intelligence knows that theory and practice are two different things.

the best one can hope for is to MINIMIZE the potential for accidents. it is not humanly possible to completely avoid all accidents. - they are called accidents for a reason.

Perhaps asked and answered, already, but the 'Make no mistake' was in reference to the importance of concentration.

That's why they went away from that term and started calling them crashes. By far the majority of crashes are not accidents, someone cocked up. Calling them accidents just continues to try and shift the blame from the person to something out of their control.

Who's "they"? But I agree...accidents are extremely rare.
I've had some right dingdongs on here over this very subject in the past. But damned if I will let anyone's opinion of what 'accident' means cloud my perceptions of what is/isn't a crash. Because hidden in the word 'accident' is a sense that it describes something not only unintentional, but also unavoidable.

You're kidding, right?
I'm a veritable pussy cat these days.

Time for a title change, KittenMan?

[Crasherfromwayback]

, where i challenge you to demonstrate you superiority.
funny that.

The grumpy old cunt does have a wee green 'me' after his name. So he is happy to pass on his riding experience and skill set.

[sugilite:Me]

You're kidding, right?

I'm a veritable pussy cat these days.

Your not wrong, I'm almost game enough to go for a tummy tickle.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I'm a veritable pussy cat these days.

Your not wrong, I'm almost game enough to go for a tummy tickle.

THIS...I've gotta see!

[baffa]

KM it sounds like you've done a defensive driving course recently, you're quoting them almost word for word.
Good points, and I dont think enough people truely take these things on board. It doesnt help that every post after your original is a troll though.

[Katman]

KM it sounds like you've done a defensive driving course recently, you're quoting them almost word for word.

No, actually I've never done a defensive driving course.

They may well be quoting me.

[caspernz]

You call it situational awareness, in the Smiths driver training system we use at work, it's called getting the big picture and follows up in leaving yourself an out. The average rider/driver fails on both counts.