Getting Over Fear

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DRider

DRider

Wannabie Member
Hey folks,

About a month ago I had a slip off the bike on a slow turn on an unsuitable surface and injured my right knee (minor), and just a few days ago I had another incident where I fell onto the same knee (wasn't my fault this time, was a moron cager, at least from what I can tell!)

The weather has been horrid and it's been icy under-foot so I haven't been out since, but right now, all that can go through my mind is, "Was that accident my fault?", "What if something else happens?" and "What if something as simple as a regular turn makes me fall again!" So, basically, aside from trying to work out "What could I have done to prevent that event, if anything" I'm also thinking "Right, two falls in two rides.. maybe if I go at 30mph something will happen and I'll lose my grip." or "Maybe if I brake at a slightly too high or too low level, I'll fall" and so on.

I don't know if this is just me. lol If you guys ever get times when you get quite a lot of fear (a little bit is good, I think) then what do you usually do to "get over it"? I know that I probably won't fall when coming to a stop at a roundabout when coming off a dual carriageway (as once happened in the wet) and that I probably won't fall on every single turn or brake I do, but, it's just going through my mind sometimes that I will, and it's pissing me off. lol

Thanks folks, and I apologize for another newbie "I'm scared!" type post that I always do. -.-
 
Fear is something began my journey of facing years ago with Parkour. I *love* the philosophy of Parkour's approach to fear. I feel it's very healthy, and many of the principles cross over into motorcycling, but would just use different terms (like, for example, "target fixation").

Here's a link to a classic article on fear that's been a big help to me. Hope it helps you. I would just say "ditto" to everything in here:
http://www.americanparkour.com/learn/ar ... ncertainty
 
Any circumstances srounding the crash other than just randomly falling off?

Could be something up with the bike as easily as it could just be a lack of confidence.
Only way to move on the second point is to buy some good gear and keep at it.

Although I will say this time of year is definitely not the time to start riding.
 
One tip: Ride your bike a lot.

Just go out and ride it, and ride it often and for a good distance each time, from what you've said so far I reckon you've done less than 200 miles on your bike. That's not enough to be confident yet.

MORE MILES = LESS FEAR.
 
Friz said:
Although I will say this time of year is definitely not the time to start riding.
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+1 to this.

Also from the pictures you posted on here of your bike.

From my point of view it's not the best 125 to be learning on, compaired to say;

YZF 125r
YBR 125
CBR 125
Rs 125
CG 125

These are your more typical 125 bikes and more people would start on these due to there riding postion. I recall yours' being a 'Crusier' ? High bars?

Comming from my Rs125 - my SV 650, the Rs seemed like I was sat on it, the SV on the otherhand feels like I'm sat in it (More Planted in the centre)

+ 1 to what Dave said also, More Miles under your belt the more expericance you have.

I've always been told, you ride in the bad weather and your friends don't & one day your out and the bad weather hits. Who has the better experiance, who will know how to react when in a situation & you'll read the road alot better, you know the difficulties of riding in the bad weather.

Even if your only going to the shops, go the long way to he shops, go to anothershop a couple more miles away. Hope this helps
 
Friz said:
Any circumstances srounding the crash other than just randomly falling off?

Could be something up with the bike as easily as it could just be a lack of confidence.
Only way to move on the second point is to buy some good gear and keep at it.

Although I will say this time of year is definitely not the time to start riding.
Click to expand...

Well, with the one that happened a few days ago, it was a car that I was following, it then stopped on the left side of the road. I went to go past it on the right, and without indicating or anything, did a U-Turn *as* I was passing it. I just jammed on the brakes and fell, if I didn't then I wouldn't have hit the sod (who also didn't stop, though a car behind me told me to chase the bastard down. lol)

And yeah, I'll get back on my bike sometime after Christmas, considering that I'll have new trousers and knee-pads after then, and besides, it's damn cold and wet out now. I know I need to be more aware, and I'm trying to work out how I could have prevented the fall (I thought I could've swerved, but then I'd just have swerved into the front of the car. lol) It just freaks me out how I can be going at a good pace and then *BAM*, I could just be done, so to speak.

Thanks for the replied erry'body. I'll check out that link now, Laurie! I never knew you did parkour!
 
Thats the cars fault, what they did was illegal and it was just unlucky that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sometimes theres nothing you can do except drop it and hope for the best. At least you didn't crash into the back of them, or that would be a huge insurance cost on you...
 
its ok to have a little fear but you want confidence but you want to still have respect for the bike and the power you have. The only way to get over the fear is to concur the fear its self. Ride long and ride safe
 
xXxDarkKnightxXx24 said:
its ok to have a little fear but you want confidence but you want to still have respect for the bike and the power you have. The only way to get over the fear is to concur the fear its self. Ride long and ride safe
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TO DEFEAT FEAR, YOU MUST BECOME FEAR!!
 
Chessecake94 said:
xXxDarkKnightxXx24 said:
its ok to have a little fear but you want confidence but you want to still have respect for the bike and the power you have. The only way to get over the fear is to concur the fear its self. Ride long and ride safe
Click to expand...

TO DEFEAT FEAR, YOU MUST BECOME FEAR!!
Click to expand...
Well put! Couldn't have summed it up any better hahah :lol:
 
Analyse the crash. Was there anything you could have done differently? What would you do in the same circumstance next time?

If there's anything that you can change, or an area you need to work/get training on, then do it!

Other than that, get back on ASAP (I know it's a cliche) and just take it easy and ride at your own pace. You WILL have The Fear for a while, but you'll get over it and maybe even learn something from it.

I had a similar situation filtering when a car sped out into a u-turn directly in front of me, and I had a pretty big one. The way I see it, even if I'd have been filtering more slowly (I was already going slowly as it was January and dark) it still would have happened the same, so it didn't really get to me too much, although I probably did filter a little slower for a while.

My worst for fear was when I hit a fallen telephone wire, which went across my throat, and I was slamming the brakes on expecting it to tighten and take my head off at any moment. By some miracle I stopped in time - but for months afterwards I'd duck/cringe every time I passed that spot....

It'll always fade as long as you ease yourself back into things, and you'll enjoy it again sooner than you think! :)
 
NastyEvilNinja said:
Analyse the crash. Was there anything you could have done differently? What would you do in the same circumstance next time?

If there's anything that you can change, or an area you need to work/get training on, then do it!

Other than that, get back on ASAP (I know it's a cliche) and just take it easy and ride at your own pace. You WILL have The Fear for a while, but you'll get over it and maybe even learn something from it.

I had a similar situation filtering when a car sped out into a u-turn directly in front of me, and I had a pretty big one. The way I see it, even if I'd have been filtering more slowly (I was already going slowly as it was January and dark) it still would have happened the same, so it didn't really get to me too much, although I probably did filter a little slower for a while.

My worst for fear was when I hit a fallen telephone wire, which went across my throat, and I was slamming the brakes on expecting it to tighten and take my head off at any moment. By some miracle I stopped in time - but for months afterwards I'd duck/cringe every time I passed that spot....

It'll always fade as long as you ease yourself back into things, and you'll enjoy it again sooner than you think! :)
Click to expand...


ouch not fun that



that said I'm still very carefull where I was rearened infact I'll sometimes gun it to get more distance between the car behind me. Getting better now though
 
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