Learning from accidents

[bluninja]

I hit a stoat once on my T500, fucker could have killed me.

Vicious those stoats! they can jump high too.....quite viscous once you've hit them with a vehicle

[unstuck]

Vicious those stoats! they can jump high too.....quite viscous once you've hit them with a vehicle

That bastards jumping days are over, those old titans were heavy buggers.
Nearly hit a horse once too, but when I opened my eyes I had gone round it.

[bluninja]

That is just stupid to suggest I should be looking up driveways and it would have to be every driveway not knowing who were dog owners in a street because if I did that I would very likely end up rear ending the car in front. As for your fox story you did see it before it pounched towards you but I did not see the dog before it started running so there is no comparison between your hit and mine.

Why are you so close to the car in front that you would rear end it if you glance at a driveway at the side? I saw the fox because I was looking for cats that tend to sit under cars and dart out at the last moment, I wasn't actually expecting to see a fox.

As for looking up driveways; here's some tips.

1) If the driveway has the gates closed then it is unlikely that anything can suddenly emerge into your path.
2) If you can view the driveway by looking ahead with a wide viewpoint before you get to it, you don't need to look down it.
3) If the driveway is open then adopt a position that gives you an early view into the drive and keeps you away from any unseen hazard. Be prepared to stop or manoeuvre suddenly. I'd also recommend that you adjust your position with regard to vehicles you are following, or coming towards you in case something comes out the drive in front of them and they suddenly stop or swerve.


BTW immediately after a 2 day advanced training course I tried to add this skill/technique to my riding and it made my riding less safe and did my head in as I was trying to implement all I'd learnt at once. I had to prioritise the skills and practice them one by one and then habituate them within my riding so that they become automatic. When something becomes habituated it takes less conscious effort (less tiring) and is quicker than processing it consciously.

[Katman]

When I couriered in London we did 12 hour days.

The level of concentration required had me coming home during the first couple of weeks totally shattered mentally.

After that, the concentration became second nature and required very little effort.

It's just a matter of training yourself to focus at that level.

It would appear Cassina hasn't got that ability. (Or the desire to even consider trying).

[Grashopper]

You said what you were taught made you feel unsafe which does not sound like the sort of riding school I would want to go to.

If I've learned anything from your posts in several threads then that you are totally against any kind of riding training. Now the question is, have you actually ever been to any kind of riding school or is everything you say just based on what you hear from other people and misinterpreting that to try and justify to yourself that you don't need any training?

[Tazz]

That is just stupid to suggest I should be looking up driveways and it would have to be every driveway not knowing who were dog owners in a street because if I did that I would very likely end up rear ending the car in front. As for your fox story you did see it before it pounched towards you but I did not see the dog before it started running so there is no comparison between your hit and mine.

It's hard if you're thick. You just stick to the simple stuff please.

And comparing driving across miles of remote sub zero temp roads plus frozen lakes in Canada and Alaska to driving in a Christchurch winter....

[Katman]

I was offered a job as a courier rider once too but turned it down

Good call. I doubt you'd have lasted a week.

[Tazz]

You read wrong I agree with rider training but it is no panacea like you guys think. It was not around in when I was learning in the late 70s so I ended up learning from experience. That can be a teacher too did you know?

So tell me, is it better to recklessly cut your own finger off on a table saw, or learn from the experience of someone else and keep all your fingers

Actually.....how high can you count on your own fingers? Might explain a few things. You're full of new levels of surprise.

[Luckylegs]

You read wrong I agree with rider training but it is no panacea like you guys think. It was not around in when I was learning in the late 70s so I ended up learning from experience. That can be a teacher too did you know?

So you reckon youve learnt enough through experience that training would not be of benefit?

[FJRider]

Good call. I doubt you'd have lived a week.

There ... fixed it for you ..

[nzspokes]

That can be a teacher too did you know?

Experience is a cruel teacher, she gives you the examination before the lesson.

[FJRider]

Experience is a cruel teacher, she gives you the examination before the lesson.

Punishment IS the lesson ...

[swbarnett]

That is just stupid to suggest I should be looking up driveways and it would have to be every driveway not knowing who were dog owners in a street because if I did that I would very likely end up rear ending the car in front.

Grab a dictionary and look up "Peripheral Vision". Learn to use it!

[swbarnett]

Good call. I doubt you'd have lasted a week.

Or he would've learned the hard way.

Either way, if he'd taken up the offer we wouldn't be having this conversation.

[FJRider]

I hit a stoat once on my T500, fucker could have killed me.

I've had plenty of "Issues" with 'Possums ... their heads don't crush under the front wheel and usually just roll off it to the side ...