How long does it take - to regain confidence after a bin??!!!

[Chickadee]

Hey guys and girls,

Just wondering for those that have binned or had a near miss - how long did it take you to get past the heart in mouth and Nanna riding stage.

Three weeks ago I had a ding with a guy on a roundabout (he didn't think he had to give way) and that didn't seem to dent my confidence, however second doof's definitely had an effect.

I went for a ride today on country roads and felt sick at every corner (came off last weekend after a dodgy tyre didn't bite). Funny - I know it wasn't my riding but my brain's now wired to "OH SHIT" most of the time while riding. I've have to slow right down and can't seem to do corners like I used to. Lost my Mojo man, what a bugger. Hope it comes back or I'm going to have to give up two wheels. Can't enjoy riding this way.

Let me know it gets better than this PLEASE!!!!

[crashe]

It does get better........ really it does.

Give it time......... maybe go riding with someone.... and not on your own.

It takes time to get it back..... some a little sooner than others, but it will come back.

[RM125king]

i had a bin a few months ago at puke race track where my bike hit the wall at 140 km/h. it took me a good week or two on the road to get my confidence back up. but what i found the works best is to go for a long ride somewhere out the city and concentrate on your riding and dont worry about others around you for now.

[Chickadee]

Thanks guys

Glad to hear there is hope! I'll have to keep riding and try the RRRS course again for a confidence booster. Really want my mojo back

[Blondini]

I have had a couple of scares recently,And thought crickey not really sure about this....But I was encouraged to get out as often as I can and practice even just around the block.I try to get out every day and have improved a lot I can sit at 70 Easy now ,perhaps you can make it to the wed night practices,they are great and lots of support available.If I can help I am learning and out west,just ask and if I can help I will

[Kickaha]

Depends on the person, it takes me about 30 seconds

[T.W.R]

It's dependant on the make up of the person, but it's part of the learning curve ( well no-one ever stops learning )
After the biggest prang I had that resulted in 11days in hospital with a compounded fracture & dislocation of my left ulna, the 1st post operation check-up back at the hospital I rode 40kms to the hospital & back home with my arm in a cast

[Crasherfromwayback]

Depends on the person, it takes me about 30 seconds

Love your work!
Mind you...after some of my biggest race 'biffs'..it's taken me longer than that to find my fucking bike!

[Big Dog]

I went for a ride today on country roads and felt sick at every corner (came off last weekend after a dodgy tyre didn't bite). Funny - I know it wasn't my riding but my brain's now wired to "OH SHIT" most of the time while riding. I've have to slow right down and can't seem to do corners like I used to. Lost my Mojo man, what a bugger. Hope it comes back or I'm going to have to give up two wheels. Can't enjoy riding this way.

Let me know it gets better than this PLEASE!!!!

The ones that feel like you were not at fault are harder to walk away from emotionally because you were a victim of chance.
Best you can do is look for what you could have done different.
If you knew the tire was dodgy in advance:
Could you have gone into the corner slower?
Should you have replaced the tire?
Would going in wider have helped?

I don't want to point a finger, but if you take stock of the input you had as a rider and do an analysis of the accident as impartially as you can you may find you are still not at fault but that you could do things to minimise the risk.
You may also find you were at fault but at least you will be better prepared next time.

My first cropper I was struck from behind by a truck while sitting at the lights.
Not my fault, very demoralising.
But wait, if I had been 4 inches to the right she would have had to hit 10 cars before she collected my elbow.

Soon as I accepted that second piece of the puzzle I had more confidence than before because at last I had some control over my destiny.

Took a non rider who I worked with who happened to be 2 cars back to point this out to me.

[James Deuce]

On a racetrack I'm up and kicking it straight as soon as I find it.

On the road I sometimes have a lie down for a few months. Sometimes I'm on a bike the next day. Depends how many times I die at the scene.

[Ixion]

,, I've have to slow right down and can't seem to do corners like I used to. ,,

That may not be a bad thing. A lot of learners, once past the initial wobbly stage think "hey this is easy, I can go fast". Without having the skill to deal with the unexpected.

Try accepting the slow bit, and work back up to speed. Little bit faster, little bit more, step by step. You may find you are a lot better once you get back there than you were before.

[RC1]

after my first off it only took a couple of weeks to get back to full confidence ( that was about 17 yrs ago ),but it got easier after each accident(yes there have been a few) but the last couple i would have got straight back on if the bike had not been in pieces,

[Lil_Byte]

That may not be a bad thing. A lot of learners, once past the initial wobbly stage think "hey this is easy, I can go fast". Without having the skill to deal with the unexpected.

Try accepting the slow bit, and work back up to speed. Little bit faster, little bit more, step by step. You may find you are a lot better once you get back there than you were before.

Totally agree. I have dropped my speed markedly in cornering and slowly working back into it again after some idiot cyclist did someting stupid in front of me as I was exiting a corning.

As a reslt I have slowed down into corners and worked at the lines I took in corner. It doesn't make for as fast a corner but if I may have had a better chance of not hitting the cyclist (idiot bastard that he was).

The confidence is slowly coming back that it is possible that some stupid bastard will not be in front of me as I exit a corner.

But just take it back to basics til you feel better

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

My first major bin... err well I rode 30 ks to the hospital... ( I took a corner to fast my fault totally) after that if can I get straight back on bike and ride...

but I learnt from any mistake I made... i hope

One time I got hit from behind while I was at a give way and pushed out on the line of on coming traffic... and it just so happened to be a fark big truck when I looked up after I realised what had happened I saw the trucker fully locked up... I was luckily able to back up quick enuff... but needed a new pair of undies
(that night I went to the pub with the trucker...) however I didn't drop the bike... (I was doing motorcycle couriers so I was on my mates bike for the rest of the day till we made repairs to mine)

The only other bin I can recall is hitting a shingle patch in the apex of a corner at about 100km and my front wheel decided it couldn't grip on shingle...

All I can say is it depends on the bin and the person how bad the bin, and personality, general condifance etc...

[Lorax]

A guy I know wasn't hurt in a small accident at an intersection in the UK, but it put the shits up him so much he's never been on a bike since.

I guess he just thought it wasn't worth it. Me? Haven't even had a near miss yet (fucken touch wood!) but only been riding a few months. Lucky lucky lucky.