Self control...

[Jantar]

This is one of the big tests of the old style road trials. It wasn't always the fastest rider, nor the slowest, that won the event, it was the most disciplined.

To get yourself disciplined on the road, set yourself a target speed to average. For example, go for a ride to Whangarei, on SH1, but set yourself a time to achieve. Say 1 hour 49 minutes, from Spaghetti Junction to Whangarei. It can be done without being a speed demon, but you will need to keep up a good pace. Try and get there as close to the target time as possible. Some cars will possibly pass you, just let them go. In general you will have your work cut out passing a lot more.

When you have a target like that you will find that you must really concentrate on maintaining a steady speed, you can't afford to be stuck behind other vehicles for long, but nor do you have to pass when it would be dangerous to do so. You will soon be smoother in cornering, smoother and safer in overtaking, and not be so concerned about having to pass everything on the road.

I use this technique quite a lot, and when I have to take my bike to Dunedin for servicing (201km) I allow myself 2 hour 14 mins, I am usually at the bike shop within 1 minute of the time I've booked. The only time I have ever had a speeding ticket on this journey was the one time I left home 15 minutes late.

[Disco Dan]

Does have any tips for keeping yourself under control while out riding, and no i'm not going to do ride right ride safe or any of that crap.

I have to get myself under control.

Regards: Mark

[xwhatsit]

I occasionally felt a similar way, especially riding home after work around 9pm or so. `Race face' is a good description of the situation -- a car in front of me, even if it was only a couple of kph slower than what my bike likes to sit at in 50kph zones, irritated the hell out of me, so I'd need to pass it. This went on and on, until one night I got pulled over. I got let off the ticket, despite the officer listing a myriad of offences (speeding, failing to give adequate notice of changing lanes, following too closely).

It was then I realised what I looked like riding. I felt like a complete twat, it hit home to me that I looked exactly like the boy racer smacktards I despise. So now when I start getting that same irritated impatient feeling, I think `do I really want to look like a wanker?' and 99% of the time I bide my time. Occasionally I do it anyway -- I couldn't contain myself on Sunday when somebody insisted on driving at 50kph through a short residential 70kph zone (there's a nice corner midway through, I didn't want to pull a U-turn and go and do it twice ); funnily enough as soon as I did that, a police car came around the corner and just about made me shit my pants (double yellows (although I stayed in my lane) and I was doing slightly over the speed limit).

It's a tricky thing. I get it at work all the time. I want to shout at them `you, sir, are a completely pompous fucktard and your tie looks very silly', but I am rather keen on keeping my job and income. When I'm on my bike I'm rather keen on keeping my life/license/un-twatness, and likewise modify my behaviour to suit.

I respected the police officer, so when he let me know I was being a dick, it struck home and made me change what I was doing. For you, the tickets don't seem to inspire the same sort of change; perhaps what it'll take is for somebody, maybe a girlfriend, or somebody here on KB that you really look up to, to say to you (and for you to take it seriously) that you're being a dick.

Good luck, attitudes are hard to change.

[discotex]

I have to get myself under control.

Yes, yes you do.

I'm sure off the road you're a nice guy but the cold hard fact is that the way you ride makes you a menace on the road. I think you know that too. Sure it gets you plenty of attention but it's not getting you much respect mate.

My guess is the only thing that will get through to you is a decent crash. Some people are destined to learn the hard way (and I say that as one of those people).

You could always try spending 30 seconds imagining all the bad shit that could happen if you ride like a dick every time you put your helmet on and see if that slows you down.

EDIT: It's not about being a total saint all the time. You just need to make riding loose the exception rather than the rule.

[Boob Johnson]

As has been mentioned, save it for the open road. Stick to the speed limit round town, if you continually ride at silly speeds in built up area's with loads of cars around then your a bloody idiot...........who should get a million dollar life insurance policy and at least something behind for ya mum

[oldrider]

Hey all, well here goes i know you will probably all shoot me down in flames but what the hell i need to sort this out.

Does have any tips for keeping yourself under control while out riding, and no i'm not going to do ride right ride safe or any of that crap.

I just mean going along in traffic and cars going along in 50 kph zones at 60 ish, and resisting the urge to pass them, giving up the boredom i guess...

Has Anybody had similar problems in thier youth that they found easy solutions for, thanks in advance.

I have to get myself under control.

Regards: Mark

Mark.

A lot of people are walkin around with T shirts, with the following message!

To be old and wise, first you gotta be young and stupid!

I am just but one of the older members here on KB and I can equate to that message.

I only got to be this age by pure luck.

Can't even count all my friends who didn't make it, on my fingers and toes.

I "still" suffer from the same temptations to do something stupid on my bike, every time I ride it.

You have answered your own question just by asking it, the rest is up to you!

"You" are in control, you and you alone, are accountable for your actions! You know what you have to do!

Good luck, live long, enjoy life, enjoy your bike! Cheers John.

[jafar]

Get a track bike & keep the stoopid shit for the track.. thats what tracks are for . If you can't do that then take up skydiving or something else thats gives you a rush. The road isn't the place for crazy dumbarse tricks, the cemetary is full of guys that rode just like you do.... you really want to go there ????

[ceebie13]

Most people think "what a plonker" when they see you ride. You can change that.

Ah but let's face it...most other road users think all bikers are plonkers because our reputation goes before us as a result of irresponsible and anti-social riding by some of us. This of course means we are all tarred with same brush.

I doubt that will ever change. It's too ingrained that if you are a biker you are, therefore, a hooligan.

Personally I couldn't give a monkey's toss what other road users think of me, my bike or my riding style, but I like to think that I might do my little bit to repair our tarnished reputation by riding (reasonably) sensibly when in traffic and being patient and courteous to other road users rather than automatically adopting the attitude that they are the wankers all the time and shouldn't be allowed on the road.

So I agree with McJim that if we thought about a little more about our actions and behaviour then maybe...just maybe...people might see us in a better light.

And I'm going to give SkidMark the benefit of the doubt with regard to his reasons for starting this thread and simply say "Think roadcraft, not road-race" Riding defensively and safely with consideration for others as well as yourself can be just as much of a buzz as treating the public roads as the Nurburgring!

Me? ceebie13. (aka Richard)
You? Mark Mywords
geddit!!! lol

[ZeroIndex]

Mark, there is a bunch of brilliant information in the above posts... I'm glad you started this thread, because a lot of the posts so far contain invaluable information that I plan to incorporate in to my riding when I get my license back (and another bike).

One thing that I might be able to offer: Get a mp3 player and some nice comfy headphones (the really in-ear type act a bit like ear-plugs, so they block a bit of wind noise too... Find some music that can keep you energised, but relaxed at the same time... To give some bad examples of music to listen to: Heavy Metal and Classical Music... Heavy Metal: You end up headbanging, and you stop paying attention to side-streets and other road users. Classical Music: Even though it's mainly old people in retirement villages these days that listen to this sort of music, classical music effects your mood in a really severe way... the music speeds up, and guess what happens to your speedo?

If anyone wants to try this, get hold of some classical music, along with your mp3 player, and go do a trackday... A trackday isn't about racing, but rather, let out some angst/steam etc... classical music will help with that tremendously... think something like flight of the bumblebee ...

but yeah, back onto the road: Take it easy... As long as you're the one in the seat (hopefully holding the handlebars), you're the one that's in control of how the bike is going to obey the law and respect other road-users.

[Gremlin]

Identify the cause...

ie... Why do you do the dumb shit around town? I used to split at a pretty decent clip (upwards of 50k diff was no issue) on the motorway, but soon realised that 1, it was becoming normal, and 2, most that do that speed only slow down after having a big incident. I got away incident free because I decided to pull my head in, and now I try to avoid travelling in heavy traffic (look at it like a drug - and lower your exposure).

In the end, you barely achieve a time difference, for a lot more risk taking (I checked this on numerous occasions). For you, a large deterrent would be the cost of license loss/fines, as the penalties only increase over time. This doesn't even include random events like running people over/crashing into things, which are very likely around the suburbs at legal speeds, let alone large doses of speeding (and yes, I've had plenty of close calls from idiots, while obeying the limit). Think of the increase in danger, with the increase of speed (I'm sooooo not going with speed kills)

At the end of the day, its all in your head, and only you can stop it.

[janno]

Why don't you have a go racing? I have no idea about your skill level, but the speed addiction, need for adrenaline and split second decision making sounds like a match made in heaven to me! Plus that attention seeking and self confidence which some might call arrogance is what you need to be a champion - racehorses too, interestingly enough!

I've just talked to one of the best racers in New Zealand and he says he doesn't ride on the road at all because he'd lose his licence or kill himself or someone else; he knows he couldn't control himself. He's fully aware that to go as fast as you possibly can at all times, you need to be in the specific place for it. And because he only wants to go as fast as he possibly can, he will wait until then . . .

And I suspect when you get on the track you will get your arse severely handed to you. Which will give you something to get your teeth in to - getting your skill level up where your head is at.

So maybe don't try to change your ways - they're not wrong as such, just in completely the wrong place. I wouldn't worry too much about trying to completely change, because that's not likely to happen in a hurry. If I were you I'd focus on where I could legitimately get that buzz. So perhaps try racing, skydiving, surfing etc.

There's a ton of people like you out there. The difference is that they've worked out where they can let rip without harming themselves, and more importantily, others.

[Coyote]

Can i afford to crash my bike

That's what stopped me from going to quick

Be aware that when people see you ride they are NOT admiring you and they are NOT respecting you. You have an acute sense of 'Race Face'. If you do not pass a vehicle you feel somehow that the other vehicle has beaten you.

You can see that in other drivers. Once you've torn off at the lights, cruise at 100-110, wait a few seconds and you'll get a holden zooming past, then the big bore, then joe public. They then back off and do 120 untill I'm out of their site, which never happens as I always catch up due to the next red light and the whole thing starts again. They're not gaining any distance from you, but they've all obviously got bigger penis's than you, they're just prooving it by doing 140 past you.

[ManDownUnder]

Yup... 2 things

1) LooseBruce will be in no hurry to see you again. He'll be watching I'm sure, and you guys can catch up soon enough... but give it another 70 years ok?
2) Come visit a morgue with me and a few squids. I want you guys to see the slabs you'll end up on if you can't stop this impulsive stupidity.

I want you squids to see the needles they use to drain your blood then pump in the embalming fliuids. Come and take a look at the stainless steel table with the drain at one end to stop a mess being made while any other bodily fluids escape.

Come and smell the clinical smell of the room, and feel the cold.

Come and see the makeup they apply to make you look as normal as possible so your relatives don't reel in horror at a smashed up face on the front of their loved one.

Come and meet the guy that would probably use the needles and makeup on your sorry arse while he stands over yet another young guy that died trying to impress his mates, or save 1 minute on a journey from A to B.

You up for it? Serious offer... c'mon. I did it at 17 and it was an absolute eye opener.

[nadroj]

Self control / self discipline is the key. One of the best ways to learn this is a course in martial arts. You know you can hit the instructor hard but you also know and can feel the consequences.
If you need to learn this on a bike then try trail riding or motorcross.

[Taz]

Thinking about others is one of the keys. Just try some common courtesy and you'll be amazed at the difference in your road manners. Change your attitude to other road users and you'll see thier attitude change towards you. Ride like a wanker and you'll notice that other road users treat you like such. It's all about attitude in my opinion.
Good luck.
Andy.