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Re: Hit by car -- only 16 days old!



My condolences Bill. I've been reading with some delight your adventures with
Jewel. They correspond pretty closely to mine. But keep up the great attitude,
and I'm sure you'll be back on the road soon. Ever vigilant! - the
motorcyclist's credo.

I was quite amazed when I took my brother-in-law for a ride this weekend, and as
we slowed done from a rush though some fast bits, a few hundred yards ahead a
Miata pulled out to pass a truck, both coming towards me. I slowed down quite a
bit, he dawdled. I raised my hand in a questioning gesture, and all three of us
passed abreast of each other, me in the bicycle lane, the Miata firmly in my
lane, and the truck and camper in his. I was astonished (yet still prepared that
this moron wasn't going to get out of the way) that he made no effort to either
get past the truck, or drop back into his lane behind it. I often feel that
having made it through my youth on a motorcycle, I must have learned a thing or
two about a thing or two. And one of those things is to always expect the
unexpected, or in motorcycling terms, expect other drivers to do whatever will
be the worst for you. After a while, your eyebrows raise when someone does
something incredibly stupid, but you are not forced into a major execution of
changing velocity/direction.

When I think back to my first real motorcycle (some of you will grin at this), a
Suzuki X-6 Hustler. I think the Royal Enfield Interceptor was the only thing on
the road that was faster (spec-wise that is) to 60mph. I used to miss second
gear a lot. I'd jump on the throttle, and slide along the seat (rearwards),
unconsciously lifting my toe enough so that when I shifted to second, it always
went between 2nd and 3rd, accompanied by that 2 stroke shriek as the engine
over-revved. The bike was fast, and whatever handling characteristics it did not
possess, I more than made up for with gobs of youthful exuberance and sheer
stupidity. Yet I survived. So now, I am usually very conservative in my everyday
riding, and carefully pick the spot, the time, and the road condition before
wicking it up a bit.

Murphy's Law has many applications in the motorcycling world. Stay safe, be
aware, you can still have fun.

Paul Master
Red 99 Sprint ST "The Flash"
East Bay - San Francisco Bay Area



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