I tend to leave my motorbike parked on long weekends. You would think that a long weekend would be a perfect time to pickup and go but the volume of traffic on the roads as everyone heads to their great escape is just an accident waiting to happen. I have heard at least one report of a motorcyclist dieing on the highway, the driver of the car apparently never saw them. News reports say that more than 3000 tickets were issued this weekend, 2200 of them for speeding. In total there were 2 fatalities. Now even one fatality is too much but only 2 over a July 1st long weekend is not bad. Still, I am not disappointed that I didn't hit the highways, though even if I had wanted to I couldn't thanks to some teen rebels who enjoyed July 1st a little too much, but that is a topic for another day (and I needed some new skins for the bike anyway).
As motorcyclists it is ( or it should have been) drummed into us from day 1 that the only person we can depend on on that road is ourselves. Car drivers don't look for us, and therefore don't see us. Pedestrians think we are all Evil Knievel (okay, my age is showing), and that we can manoeuvre our bikes around their stupid actions no matter what. Barely a day of riding goes by for me that this is not re-enforced and I think may explain on some level why many bikers have a somewhat limited, but expressive vocabulary.
I only wish that I had applied my motorbike driver training to my life because when it gets right down to it, the only person we can depend on in life, just as in motorbike riding, is ourselves. We can not count on those around us to know what we are doing and where we are going, or even how fast we want to get there. Even if they do know our path there is absolutely nothing stopping them from throwing themselves in your way. We quite simply have no control over the choices of others or how they choose to influence our lives. All we have control of is our own choices. We can plan ahead, be vigilante in watching for those that will throw obstacles in our paths and try and anticipate their actions, and prepare as best we can, but inevitably the accident will come.
Those are my thoughts from the road today. Keep the shiny side up and don't depend on anyone but yourself - on the highway or in life.
Take a moment and check out our new link to Akasha Forge & Foundry.
Although I agree that we can only control our own choices, I don't look at others as "throwing themselves in my way" or "throwing obstacles in my path". I choose to view others as fellow travellers trying to deal with their issues and make their way in the world.
ReplyDeleteTo allow people's [potential] behaviour to control my attitude or behaviour (by putting up my defences and expecting them to get in my way) is to give them power that they don't need or deserve. I choose to view those in my life in a positive way, rather than a "every man for himself" manner.
I can't control others, but I can choose to control myself.
Dude that's a hard ass attitude but it is great to see you have your forge up and running again. Great web site. Does this mean your ex finally returned all your farrier and blacksmithing tools?
ReplyDeleteNo Anthony - Larry won't say it but I will. Tammy Thompson only took she never gave a thing. Larry is starting completely over from nothing. I think his ex would have preferred to see him die in the streets like some of the horses she cared for.
ReplyDeleteWow...your beloved motorbike was vandalized?? How cruel people can be. But at least you are unharmed as the two fatalities were not as fortunate as you. Great blog!!!
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