ANDYVH
New member
Got your attention perhaps?
That title is one of my beliefs about riding, "its all MY fault, first." Why? Because really I am the only one capable and responsible for making any changes in my riding attitude, riding habits, riding skills, riding choices, I am the FIRST one to make any headway towards improving my riding situation.
NOT other road users. NOT car drivers. NOT legislators. NOT laws. NOT ABATE or the AMA. ME FIRST. NOT law firms certainly. All they do is clean up the results and claim big cash prizes (for their clients?). US first as riders must do the most we can to always ride our best ride, first, before we can expect anyone else to really respect us and look out for us.
Here in Wisconsin, May is Motorcycle Awareness Month. Wisconsin is fairly aggressive and progressive when it comes to motorcycling. Perhaps because of Harley, Polaris, S&S and numerous other motorcycle companies here in the Badger state. Yet, every May I kinda cringe inside when I see the typical media public awareness "Watch for Motorcycles" announcements. Its become as regular and routine as the trees budding out new leaves in spring. Sure its a nice campaign, no one is offended, no one looks anyone in the eye saying, "yeah but, what are YOU personally doing about it?"
So I wonder. What's the attitude amongst us largely "sport touring" riders? Do we have a different attitude about riding and rider responsibility than the rest of our riding breathern? Personally, I'd like to see a focus on us the riding public, to challenge ourselves to take on the responsibility of reduced risks of riding FIRST on our selves. I have always felt, the crash itself (there are no "accidents") is WAY too late to do anything about the results. But, its all about what was done, what wasn't done, what could/should have been done, BEFORE the crash that makes all the difference. Avoidance is the goal, NOT expecting someone else to do it for us.
That title is one of my beliefs about riding, "its all MY fault, first." Why? Because really I am the only one capable and responsible for making any changes in my riding attitude, riding habits, riding skills, riding choices, I am the FIRST one to make any headway towards improving my riding situation.
NOT other road users. NOT car drivers. NOT legislators. NOT laws. NOT ABATE or the AMA. ME FIRST. NOT law firms certainly. All they do is clean up the results and claim big cash prizes (for their clients?). US first as riders must do the most we can to always ride our best ride, first, before we can expect anyone else to really respect us and look out for us.
Here in Wisconsin, May is Motorcycle Awareness Month. Wisconsin is fairly aggressive and progressive when it comes to motorcycling. Perhaps because of Harley, Polaris, S&S and numerous other motorcycle companies here in the Badger state. Yet, every May I kinda cringe inside when I see the typical media public awareness "Watch for Motorcycles" announcements. Its become as regular and routine as the trees budding out new leaves in spring. Sure its a nice campaign, no one is offended, no one looks anyone in the eye saying, "yeah but, what are YOU personally doing about it?"
So I wonder. What's the attitude amongst us largely "sport touring" riders? Do we have a different attitude about riding and rider responsibility than the rest of our riding breathern? Personally, I'd like to see a focus on us the riding public, to challenge ourselves to take on the responsibility of reduced risks of riding FIRST on our selves. I have always felt, the crash itself (there are no "accidents") is WAY too late to do anything about the results. But, its all about what was done, what wasn't done, what could/should have been done, BEFORE the crash that makes all the difference. Avoidance is the goal, NOT expecting someone else to do it for us.