Reasonable risk

[p.dath]

This post is a bit of fun, so don't take it too seriously.

Recently I've been talking to someone I know that suffers from claustrophobia. Just to bring you up to speed quickly, claustrophobia is the fear of enclosed spaces. More specifically, it is an anxiety disorder where the patient fears *what might happen* in the enclosed space. That bit is important. It is not the enclosed space they fear, but what might happen.

So, for example, its not an enclosed lift they fear, but what might happen in the lift (such as it falling).

And, I guess, it becomes a disorder when it is severe enough to cause disruption to their life.


And that got me thinking about motorcycling and safety clothing in the back of my mind. Motorcyclists wear safety gear not because they fear motorcycling (I hope!) but because they fear what might happen (and off). And in the same way that a person with claustrophobia mitigates the risk by avoiding enclosed spaces, some motorcycle riders mitigate the risk by wearing protection clothing.

Claustrophobia is considered a disorder because the bulk of the population don't consider an enclosed space to be "risky". Someone with claustrophobia feels the exact opposite of course.

So is motorcycling a disorder? Or is motorcycling *with* safety clothing the disorder?

[Grasshopperus]

We want to have our cake and eat it too.

This is particularly true of Fatt Max's gang.

[scumdog]

We all have degrees of it - some see the ATGATT with back-protectors, armoured gloves etc as nervous-ninnies - and they in turn see the open-face helmet, no gloves and wearing jeans and sneaker crowd as risk-taking idiots.

Each sees a different lavel of risk

(Although some have NO perception of risk at all)

In between lies the ideal level of protection.

[avgas]

How many people die in lifts these days?

How many die on motorbikes?

Now compare the figures of those who ride motorbikes vs those whom use lifts....

ATGATT is not a 'fear' thing, its facts and figures thing. Like driving with lights on at night. You can get home without your lights on, but you feel like increasing that chance of survival and decreasing your chance of crashing. Turning on the lights does this.

Unfortunately many of us learnt lesson the hard way with ATGATT, as it is not as obvious a thing as light at night.

[Swoop]

"OSH" is the disorder.

Stifling innovation, business and progress.

[steelphoenix]

LOL - allow me to point out that your comparison is a false assertion, as claustophobia is a phobia (by definition, an irrational fear), as opposed to ATGATT, which is reasonable risk mitigation.

That said, I'm amused by this post!

[avgas]

"OSH" is the disorder.

Stifling innovation, business and progress.

Pffft if you think its bad here - don't move to NSW and deal with Workcover.
http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
Make OSH seem like Girl Guides.

[Tunahunter]

I guess the answer is that people fear the consequences of things. For instance, most people love to fly but many have a fear of the plane crashing - that converts to " a fear of flying" - but its not is it?.

I recall when seat belts became mandaory in cars - most thought it was a stupid rule (including myself) - but nowadays I feel kind of naked when not wearing a seatbelt. That's a fear of driving? - hell no - its a fear of needlessly having one's face mangled and chest going from convex to concave. Others may call it social engineering or conditioning. Thus we will see that in a generation or two, people won't use hand held cellphones in cars because of a fear of crashing through inattention.

[Usarka]

Anyone with a genuine phobia of falling off a bike probably wouldn't ride one!

I have a work phobia.

[Fatt Max]

I guess the answer is that people fear the consequences of things. For instance, most people love to fly but many have a fear of the plane crashing - that converts to " a fear of flying" - but its not is it?

Yep, that is how I see it, summed up very well.

Yes Grasshopperus, the FBMC do not fear the road, its the bakeries on the road not having any pies that scares the shite out of us.

Finally, and to round this off, for the record, I have NEVER ridden a motorbike in a lft. I have, however, ridden a VERY rude young lady in a lift to which she had the service key and could stop mid elevation.

[phill-k]

, . I have, however, ridden a VERY rude young lady in a lift to which she had the service key and could stop mid elevation.

Pictures or it didn't happen on second thoughts perhaps not!

[Fatt Max]

Pictures or it didn't happen on second thoughts perhaps not!

Yeah, nah.....20 years ago mate, greasy hair, stubble, missing teeth and a hairy arse....I didnt look much better myself....

[Ocean1]

"OSH" is the disorder.

Stifling innovation, business and progress.

+1

Yup.

[george formby]

I literally feel naked without ATGATT & my fear is having my snail laughed at, more so than gravel rash.

In the immortal words from Waynes World, looks just like a penis only smaller.

Sorry, to much info.

[SPP]

I'm Algophobic