Target fixation, rain and failure to negotiate a curve :(

[Water Warrior 2]

Keeping in touch with bike and practicing is the best way to avoid an oops. Years ago a good friend of mine was on a first ride in the spring. Somebody yelled "Do a wheelie." He was an excellant rider but the winter rest period overwhelmed his reflexes. 18 months later he was finally off his crutches. That was a lesson learned the hard way.

[Water Warrior 2]

Just read this elsewhere. Target Fixation: looking at what you are afraid to hit.

[greatmaul]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

Just read this elsewhere. Target Fixation: looking at what you are afraid to hit.

Exactly. Same thing happened last night just for an instant. I was going a tiny bit wide on a right hand curve and in a moment of fear I looked at the guardrail on the opposite side of the road. In just that brief moment I realized that not only was I looking at it, but I was now heading for it, so I quickly switched my mindset, looked into the turn and made it effortlessly. I never even left my own lane. I'm really glad I realized what was happening and fixed it right away.

In the "Ride Like A Pro" video, the Motorman shows this repeatedly... that even if you're trying to do a u-turn for the riding test, if you look at the white line even for a second to see if you're going to hit it, in that second your path changes to drive right towards it and you end up not having enough room to make the turn.

[Water Warrior 2]

Looking at the white line means you are looking down. Looking down is the last thing you want to do while doing slow parking lot practice. With practice a rider knows where the wheels are and never needs to look down. You will ride safer and smoother with a lot less pucker moments.
Riding over pavement cracks or railroad tracks is a good way to learn where the front and rear wheels are without breaking the overall view of the street. Once you can feel the size of the bike and it's length things get a lot easier and safer.
In a related thought, ever see a person who can't manuever a cage. Simple remedy. Walk around it before you drive it. Get to know it's size. Look at the front/rear overhang and remember it. Look for RR tracks just like a bike rider will to judge the wheel base.

[greatmaul]

That's a good point. I haven't really got the feel for the whole size of the bike and where the wheels are at all times, but I get your example of how really checking out a car's size can make it so much easier to maneuver.

[JWR]

greatmaul, I am going to give you a drill to use.

Use your head like a turn signal, but to set it in motion, lift your head up, then down to level, then turn your head into the corner.

If you are in S curves do it again to cancel the right turn , then your head and eyes are already up and level to go the other way.

Do this off the bike, while in the car, anywhere you can practice.
I promise this will make your brain work with your action much better.

Motion=reaction...

If it don't work for you, please come back and tell me.

[Water Warrior 2]

Sounds like good drill. Gonna try it tomorrow while truckin around.

[greatmaul]

Originally Posted by JWR

greatmaul, I am going to give you a drill to use. Use your head like a turn signal, but to set it in motion, lift your head up, then down to level, then turn your head into the corner.
I promise this will make your brain work with your action much better.

That sounds great JWR, I'll start doing that. I can see how that will definitely help make the head turn a completely automatic part of turning.

[JWR]

One thing I forgot. Look between your shield and mirror.

[greatmaul]

Ok, I've tried it and I like it! I noticed that I tend to look where something is interesting. Usually, it's where I"m going, like through the curve, but if I see something scary, like a big rusty metal guardrail on a rain slicked road, I tend to look at that and the bike goes there. When using the head turn signal drill, I'm forced to ignore whatever might be interesting (rabbit, side of the road, big truck) and look through the turn. That helps me actually make the turn so I don't have to worry about said truck.

Not that I'm completely ignoring a truck or a rabbit, I'm just not looking at it while I'm trying to negotiate a curve. If it drifts into my lane, even more reason not to stare at it, but to instead stare at where the escape route is.

before this, since I usually look through the turn anyway, I thought that was good enough, but now I know I wasn't looking by habit, but because I was interested in it. I want the head turn to be an absolutely automatic, unbreakable habit. Thank you for helping me with this.