Bloodied but Unbowed - My first bike ride! - Page 6

01-01-2007, 09:50 AM

>>>A certain amount of confidence is good. But there's more.
I wish I could articulate about it.
<<<

How about "experience" Time tells all so to speak
I would also add politeness and good ole common sense.

KISS

principle

I am amazed I am still alive considering every time I am out I have close
calls by over confident drivers. If only we could switch places for a
minute. Looking at my mirror as close to every 8 seconds as I can makes me
less uncertain about my fate.
Having said that I do not think I could go out if I did not give drivers
the benefit of the doubt. Maybe more than I should I will never know for
some of them, true. I am pretty cautious, and I know I piss them off if I
can maneouver better than them. I expect them also to always break the
rules so I do my best to take my right of way and have the brake grips at
the ready.
If you can think of what an escape route would be if something did
happen your reaction will be one second faster.
There are bike trails off the street that I take to be away from the
pollution and danger even if it takes longer. Residential streets are safer
and not too much longer too.
I hope that will help in the long run.

Cheers

01-01-2007, 08:03 PM

Zoot Katz wrote:
> On 31 Dec 2006 13:48:49 -0800, "The Historian" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
> wrote:
> \
> >
> >Thanks. I've been out again. I took the bike to a nearby field and we
> >spent an hour taking practice rides. I didn't fall once. I bought a
> >bike rack for the car, and later this week we will be going to a local
> >bike path. And yes, I am determined to ride. Nearly as determined as I
> >am to lose weight, in fact. BTW, I'm down another pound, making 111
> >pounds in 12 months.
>
> At that rate you will have lost me around the middle of March.

Congratulations on your weight loss. However, I doubt I can keep up the
pace. Your 'lead' is secure for a while.

> Be careful, bicycle riding can get addictive if you keep it fun.
>
> As your fitness improves and your experience builds bicycling becomes
> even more fun.
>
> Then you don't mind the addiction so much.
>
> bon route. bon courage.

Thank you.

01-02-2007, 02:13 AM

Tom Keats wrote:

> Confidence is an interesting thing. It's like cholesterol --
> we need some. But not too much, and not the wrong kind.
>
> I've heard it opined that new drivers get into collisions,
> not so much when they're first trepidatiously trying [to
> remember] to do all the right things, but when they've gotten
> a few incident-free miles in. That's when Confidence rears its
> ugly head to bite 'em in the ... well, you know what I mean.
>
> Drivers who got pasted while trying to beat trains at level
> crossings had Confidence. Fat lot o' good it did 'em.
>
> I guess confidence needs to be tempered with something.
> Not fear, though. I honestly don't know what to call it.
> Words like "discretion", "awareness", "intelligence" etc
> spring to mind, but they don't really cover it.
>
> Just remember there's no shame in bailing rather than
> sticking one's neck out, and you'll be okay. For example,
> when riding on narrow residential streets that are so
> choked with parked cars on either side that there's not
> enough room for two oncoming vehicles to pass each other
> comfortably, I have no qualms about pulling over between
> parked cars, enough to let an oncoming car get by. And
> I frequently get an appreciative thank-you wave from the
> driver when I do so. Unless another rider coming up from
> behind me spoils it by unrelentingly and "Confidently"
> squeezing between the moving car and the parked cars.
>
> But I don't want to scare you. Cycling can be really
> quite safe. It's just that we've got the onus to make,
> or at least contribute to our own safety.
>
> A certain amount of confidence is good. But there's more.
> I wish I could articulate about it.
>
>
> cheers,
> Tom
>

Fear is a good thing. It keeps us alive.