Why we crash

[andyvh1959]

Worth a review.

https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...a200900a240614

I like that the title is not: Why motorcyclists have accidents.

Its a matter of attitude. There are very few, real, "accidents". A very high percentage are crashes. And a good percentage of crashes are avoidable. An example of an accident happened to a friend of mine and his wife on a tour in the Smokies. As they rode under an area of large trees, a huge branch broke off and landed on them and their bike. It was perfectly clear day, still air, just the wrong place at the wrong time. Totaled his Harley. Seriously injured his wife, states away from home.

Some will say, BS, not all crashes can be avoided. True, not ALL crashes. But a very high percentage of crashes CAN be avoided. Some will say, "there was nothing I could do." True, in the context of crashing, there is little you can do during the crash. Its all what you do, don't do, BEFORE the crash that really matters.

[The Black Knight]

Originally Posted by andyvh1959

...True, in the context of crashing, there is little you can do during the crash. Its all what you do, don't do, BEFORE the crash that really matters.

[andyvh1959]

If we all learn from others who have crashed, by REALLY analyzing the crash, we can build our SA to avoid those situations later. It is not enough to say, "car turned left in front of me, or car took my lane, or car didn't yield my right of way", and many others. To just blame the other road users really does no good at all, because it defers us from learning why the event happened in the 1st place.

Think of the stats; most crashes occur at 35 mph, most crashes occur within a few miles of home (meaning familiar routes, intersections, traffic patterns, lighting conditions), most crashes are vehicles turning left in front of us or pulling out into our path. HOW is not in large part a fault of the rider? We know all these factors, and yet it happens time and again. HOW does the rider ride into his/her own issue? Unless we take a harsh critical viewpoint to a majority of crashes we learn nothing and make no changes to improve our own riding situation.

Decades ago I took on this attitude, to blame myself 1st, to analyze my issues harshly for what I brought to the issue, to review all the issues of traffic and environment that could cause an issue, and my traffic issues largely disappeared. I'm not perfect or infallible by any means, nor do I excuse all the idiot drivers out there. I can say in 30 years+ I have not had a car "suddenly" turn left in front of me or pull out and take my lane.

[The Black Knight]

[GeorgeHouston]

Crashes can be avoided if you have some safety travelling tricks but some sudden incidents are totally unavoidable.

[andyvh1959]

Its not safety tricks, it always comes down to rider skills. And skills that keeps the rider from riding into a crash event are key. True, a SMALL percentage of sudden incidents are unavoidable. But a LARGE percentage of events that LEAD into a crash are in the control of the rider. Any rider that feels "its gonna happen and there is nothing I can do about it is right" and unfortunately could be dead right. Any rider that feels "its all up to me FIRST to do whatever I can from riding into a potential issue" is also right, and will likely survive for many decades with very few issues and learning from the ones that do happen.

That attitude has served me very well for 50 years of riding. Not to brag, but in 45 of those 50 years I have never had to rely on panic reaction skills to avoid a crash. I learned LONG ago that I was the main reason I had issues in traffic. I changed my attitude, got training, constantly working on my skills, became a trainer myself. If something happens to me in traffic I AM THE FIRST ONE TO BLAME.

[The Black Knight]