The fear!

[Laava]

This is the worst aspect of motorcycling IMO. Learning to try and predict what other drivers may do and having to be 100% vigilant in traffic. I spent some time communting on my Laverda in London and it was fucking awful most of the time. Hate the motorway but have to say the std of driving up here in Whangarei is worse. Thankfully we have little in the way of motorway.

[Katman]

I spent some time communting on my Laverda in London and it was fucking awful most of the time.

Imagine doing 12 hour days in it.

[Geeen]

I've had similar happen to me in Tauranga, wasn't quite as bad as yours though. It does tend to dent your confidence for a while, every ride you do brings a little back. As has been said, never trust other road users and always be aware of whats around you. I'm doing a Heavy Vehicle course at the moment and part of that is hazard awareness, situational awareness etc and know when I ride or drive I can't help but see how shit at knowing what they are doing most drivers are.

[BigAl]

Get one of these http://www.aerostich.com/ear-cannon-air-horn.html

[CHOPPA]

I think your a better rider now. You should be riding thinking that no one has seen you and be prepared for everything.

If you were riding with your new found "fear" do you think you could have avoided the accident?

[jim.cox]

Feel that fear.

Take hold of it.

Wring it right out.

And do it anyway :)

I find riding 'assertively' helps.

[SPP]

Hey fulla. It’s normal so figure out what went wrong and put it behind you. You’ll be all good.

I ride a bit in Auckland jams, quite a lot indicators are used late or not at all but people normally turn their head before they pull over. Their door mirrors are good for seeing that if you’re coming up the side of them… if you see their full face get ready.

[Hacking]

Takes time and age ,crashed alot in my teens and twentys but as you get older and prioritys change riding on the streets compared to the track is so much better for confidence.maybe do a track training day than a ful on track day to regain some confidence .

[Old Steve]

I nearly wore one just like that on only the third day on my bike. Tauranga, going down Chapel St hill, guy inside just pulled into my space. Luckily I was able to swerve into the right turn lane at the lights and stop. I was alongside him and actually saw his hands move on the steering wheel. That shook my confidence a bit, but I bet that was nothing like being wiped off your bike.

I hope you overcome the way you're feeling. Don't let some other b*stard put you off.

I have since become very adroit at watching front wheels, hands on steering wheels and the head movements of drivers around me. My situational awareness was mightily heightened, and I hope I've retained that. I try to follow other cars on the road in a position where I'll be seen in their mirrors, since if they use anything it'll be the mirrors. But it's not always possible to do that on the motorway.

Like they say, get back on the horse which threw you. In other words "toughen up".

[Paul in NZ]

I was on edge the whole time, every car I thought was going to pull across the front of me and really didn't like this feeling at all.

That's how I feel every time I ride.

The bad feeling goes,,,,but trust no cunt,,,not ever.

Damn straight - being a bit on edge will keep you alive and arguably had you been a bit on edge in the first place you may not have been collected? (impossible for me to know of course)

Stay a bit edgy and OUT of drivers blind spots.

[ducatilover]

Keeping on edge will not keep you alive.
Being relaxed, but with good situational awareness will. You will react faster from a relaxed and observant state than a hyperactive state, and the reaction will be better when relaxed too.
Riding in a petrified state is fucking stupid and very, very dangerous


Work through the fear, keep riding and take it easy.

[Paul in NZ]

Keeping on edge will not keep you alive.
Being relaxed, but with good situational awareness will. You will react faster from a relaxed and observant state than a hyperactive state, and the reaction will be better when relaxed too.
Riding in a petrified state is fucking stupid and very, very dangerous


Work through the fear, keep riding and take it easy.

Meh - I take your point but little difference in the detail..... We mean the same thing just describing it different.

Edgy isnt petrified in my book. Edgy is running the lists of shit that could go wrong before I even get near the bike... Have i checked the tyres? How much gas, oil? Did I back off the preload from last pillion trip etc etc... Am I in the guys blind spot, is this that place that sometimes has rocks from the cliff etc etc

[ducatilover]

Meh - I take your point but little difference in the detail..... We mean the same thing just describing it different.

Edgy isnt petrified in my book. Edgy is running the lists of shit that could go wrong before I even get near the bike... Have i checked the tyres? How much gas, oil? Did I back off the preload from last pillion trip etc etc... Am I in the guys blind spot, is this that place that sometimes has rocks from the cliff etc etc

That kind of edgy is what I call normal
I suffer from anxiety and riding in a highly anxious mental state is not something I like, it's incredibly dangerous

[oneofsix]

You will get better but you (hopefully) wont forget. You will look for the first movement of the car towards you from now on, as time goes on you will learn not to be too jumpy about it but you will also notice escape routes you weren't aware of before like as the car moves towards you lane either getting ahead or dropping back, not just side to side. Kind of what ducatilover and Paul are saying only they put it better.

One thing I will agree with Ocean1, I avoid the traffic if I can, pisses the boss off a bit but keeps me alive and working.

[B17DUF]

Thanks everyone for the input to this thread, Some good points, some great points infact.

Will just get back out there (when my wrist is 100%) and get on with it I suppose, certainly wont let it beat me.