Superstitions?

**Motoracer** · 28th January 2006, 10:39

Most people involved in some level of sport have their own superstitions. Basket ball players, rugby players and even motorcyclists.

Superstitions as in, when you freshly paint a bike or buy a brand new bike, you must lay it down on the ground gently to get rid of the dreaded fresh paint/new bike to ground magnetism.

Likewise my main question is, how many of you belive that it is bad luck when you get asked to be carefull by your loved one or who ever that cares about you? I know quite a few riders who strictly belive that when they are asked to be careful, they are being jinxed cause when you say, "Sure honey or yes mum" something is bound to go wrong..

I have experienced about 3 crashes in the past because I was jinxed (or so I belive) so I prefer not to be asked to be be carefull. If I do get asked that, I usually say "no promises" to cancel the jinx.

What do you reckon?

**Shadows** · 28th January 2006, 10:44

I reckon no but then again I'm sure I never win Lotto because the sexy little beach behind the counter keeps wishing me luck.

**Drew** · 28th January 2006, 11:02

I cant say that it bothers me when my honey tells me to be carefull, and if you ask the people I ride with, I'm sure they'll tell you I pay her no heed.
But having said that, I make a point of never saying, "one more wheelie," or one more anything.
It just seems like tempting fate to me.
Wierd how loads of us will kick a black cat out the way and walk straight through it's path, or stroll under a ladder, and yet most of us have at least one little quirk that upsets our confidence.
I know a lot of riders, who after a wee moment, (front wheel hits a stone and shifts a little unexpectedly,) cant get back into the groove because they feel it was some kind of warning sign.
I put it down to mindset, think about crashing= go off the boil, think about thrashing someone to the top of the sunday race road= turn into Troy Corsa.
We cant predict the future, so ride it like you stole it.

**Zed** · 28th January 2006, 11:03

My friends and family have been telling me to "be careful" for years, and on reflection it's only been positive for me, and them!

Superstition is a *belief* or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation b : an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition. [Websters dictionary]

As a Christian I don't believe in superstition, but even if I wasn't a believer I wouldn't necessarily subscribe to such a belief because my life experiences alone have demonstrated that it isn't reliable. In saying that, growing up in NZ in a fairly superstitious society, every time I walk near a standing ladder or see a broken mirror I tend to 'automatically' think the worst lol!!

**Motoracer** · 28th January 2006, 11:10

Originally Posted by FIZZERMAN

I cant say that it bothers me when my honey tells me to be carefull, and if you ask the people I ride with, I'm sure they'll tell you I pay her no heed.
But having said that, I make a point of never saying, "one more wheelie," or one more anything.
It just seems like tempting fate to me.
Wierd how loads of us will kick a black cat out the way and walk straight through it's path, or stroll under a ladder, and yet most of us have at least one little quirk that upsets our confidence.
I know a lot of riders, who after a wee moment, (front wheel hits a stone and shifts a little unexpectedly,) cant get back into the groove because they feel it was some kind of warning sign.
I put it down to mindset, think about crashing= go off the boil, think about thrashing someone to the top of the sunday race road= turn into Troy Corsa.
We cant predict the future, so ride it like you stole it.

Good post man! I know it is silly superstition, but the way it's turned out for me in the past, I always manage to stuff it up after I promise to be careful. That, also would be for the stupidest reasons, it was like as if fate was changed all of a sudden just to proove me wrong by letting me know that I can't be in control of what will happen... So the way I figured, I shouldn't promise things to predict an outcome of the future.. Like you sed, we can't predict the future so ride it like you stole it.

**onearmedbandit** · 28th January 2006, 11:17

Jinx's, superstitions, etc, a load of bunk if you ask me. You say you had 3 crashes when someone wished you good luck? What about all the other times someone wished you good luck and you might not have canceled the 'jinx'?

It's like saying 'the phone always rings when I'm in the shower'. No it doesnt, just because it inconviences you it stands out in your memory.

**Motoracer** · 28th January 2006, 11:29

Not when someone wishes me luck, it's when someone asks me to be carefull..

I don't know, it just seems really really weird the way it happens to me... Maybe you are right OAB or maybe there is a deeper psychological explanation behind it all.

**erik** · 28th January 2006, 15:23

Originally Posted by Motoracer

Not when someone wishes me luck, it's when someone asks me to be carefull..

I don't know, it just seems really really weird the way it happens to me... Maybe you are right OAB or maybe there is a deeper psychological explanation behind it all.

I think the one time I've had a decent crash, and the many times I've had close calls have been due to a slight lapse of concentration.
I don't think I'm really superstitious.

The times when you've crashed after being asked to be careful, what were the reasons for the crashes? If worrying about being careful distracts you or makes you tense up, maybe it might cause the crashes. Or if you feel like you're being careful and riding more slowly, your concentration may wander due to boredom? Even if you're going slow it only takes a second of lost concentration to get in the shit sometimes.

And anyway, how careful is careful?
I often try to ride fast, but I try to do so carefully. I try not to rely on luck.

**loosebruce** · 28th January 2006, 15:26

LOL yeah my missus told me to come back in one peice, so i looped the TL at 180kph, i came back in one peice the bike however, i blamed her all for it. All she says now is if you crash dont come home.

**Motoracer** · 28th January 2006, 15:38

Originally Posted by erik

I think the one time I've had a decent crash, and the many times I've had close calls have been due to a slight lapse of concentration.
I don't think I'm really superstitious.

The times when you've crashed after being asked to be careful, what were the reasons for the crashes? If worrying about being careful distracts you or makes you tense up, maybe it might cause the crashes. Or if you feel like you're being careful and riding more slowly, your concentration may wander due to boredom? Even if you're going slow it only takes a second of lost concentration to get in the shit sometimes.

And anyway, how careful is careful?
I often try to ride fast, but I try to do so carefully. I try not to rely on luck.

Hey bro, haven't spoken to you in ages.. Hope all is well.

They were the most simplest idiotic low speed low sides and front washing out on a damn straight! When most of you know, that I normally like to push a bike fairly hard and nothing wrong seems to happen there. (touch wood) which brings me to the next thing. I find that this is closely related to the whole touch wood thing. Does anyone know where that saying comes from? It's like you mention a bad thing and you say touch wood and actually touch wood so it doesn't happen.

Like the other time my mate had a HUGE off on the motorway and ended up in A&E... I then blasted to the hospital on my bike to see him... I was going on a ride the next day and my mate's mum requested me to be carefull as she didn't want me in a mess like her son. So I said, sure I'll be carefull. Next day comes round and I washed out the front at about 120 on a straight braking for a corner and the bike went end over end and got written off...

I know it's just stupid mumbo jumbo and normally I like to look at things through a scientific perpective, but there's something more to this than just coinecidence. Or maybe just through your subconcence, your frame of mind changes (well, some of ours anyway) once we are asked to be carefull or not crash... Hence we end up jinxing ourselves... That's the theory I've got so far anyway.

**Sniper** · 28th January 2006, 15:48

I have never worried because I am naturally accident prone.

**SARGE** · 28th January 2006, 16:21

i find that whenever i am on the back wheel, standing on the pegs, flashing the " American Peace Sign

while lane splitting at 140 on the NW at 8 am in a tank top and jeans i come out fine...

its whenever i am sedately humming along Dominion rd at 1 pm at 48 kph with the proper riding gear that some muppet tries to kill me

**Jackrat** · 28th January 2006, 16:38

I don't believe in fate,good luck or bad luck, christianity is the biggest superstition of them all and I sure ain't into that either.
Things only happen because of skill,planning and care,or the lack of them.
If somebody is going to let themselfs get spooked because of something that has happened or because of some thing somebody has said then that's just a lack of skill in selfcontrol or personal awareness.
Superstition is just for people that need excuses but can't think of something logical to cover there own muck up.

**bigbadwolf** · 28th January 2006, 18:19

Originally Posted by Jackrat

I don't believe in fate,good luck or bad luck, christianity is the biggest superstition of them all and I sure ain't into that either.

christianity is the cause of most superstitions anyway:

Black Cats - In ancient Egypt, the Goddess Bast was a black, female cat. Christians, wanting to rid society of all traces of other religions, convinced the ignorant that black cats were demons in disguise and should thus be destroyed. In the process, they also destroyed the kindly ladies who cared for the cats, believing them to be witches. Being demons, a black cat crossing your path would create a barrier of evil, cutting you off from God and blocking the entrance to heaven.

Walking under a ladder - A leaning ladder forms a triangle with the wall and ground. Triangles represent the Holy Trinity, and violating the Trinity by breaking it (walking through it) would put you in league with the devil himself.

Friday the 13th - Those who know about these things, inform us that Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden on a Friday, Noah's flood started on a Friday, and Christ was crucified on a Friday. Christians also noted that twelve witches plus one devil are present at Satanic ceremonies so Friday and 13 make a deadly combination

etc etc. i personally dont have any superstitions, i've read a lot of books that explain the origins of all that bullshite and its all pretty pointless. yet when i try to explain to someone that they dont have to throw salt over their shoulder i still get evil looks... ouch...

**Zed** · 28th January 2006, 20:36

Originally Posted by Jackrat

...christianity is the biggest superstition of them all and I sure ain't into that either.

At the end of the day true Christianity & superstition contradict eachother, so to label them as one in the same thing is a mistake...i'm not sure that you're sure about that Jackrat??

Originally Posted by Jackrat

Superstition is just for people that need excuses but can't think of something logical to cover there own muck up.

Lol, if you truly think "logic" answers all the deep questions in life then you are shallower than any backsliden Christian I have ever met!