As an instructor I review with new riders risk factors that can and cannot be controlled. Automobile drivers are one risk factor we cannot control versus things we can control such as increasing our visibility or following distance etc. Another point I like to underline is one of the reasons motorcycling gives such pleasure is because “you’re out there”, you become part of the scene--you ride amidst an environment that’s ever changing around you. This has direct effect upon you unlike in an automobile where you’re more of an observing participant contained behind a pane of glass.
With that said, being part of your surroundings includes its mood and this was much the case this past Thursday night in downtown Toronto.
I had planned to take a friend on my “famous” Toronto City tour by scooter—when underway at rush hour, the Toronto subway system broke down and chaos hit the streets. I contemplated cancelling our plan of heading through the city because of its jammed up frustrated mood-- cars and cabs were frozen as thousands of pedestrians tried to find a way home after a long work day.
Even when en route to my friends’ home, I experienced a bout of road rage! A fellow in a supped up pick-up truck after much effort at illegal speeds and traffic manoeuvres (I realized after the fact) pulled up beside me at a red light, crudely threatened me while blatantly cussing me off! Evidently, earlier, I had cut him off. He couldn’t look me in my eyes, I think maybe because he thought I was a guy and felt embarrassed at behaving so inappropriately to a woman, or maybe it’s because it took him six city blocks to catch up with me! My response to him, nonreactive "blanco".Nonetheless the city tour by scooter went on and we ventured downtown which ended up being not so bad—we were on scooter, an urban advantage. Later however, while course-plotting through traffic jam after shocks, a taxi cab in front of me hit reverse and managed to drive itself up onto my front fender. I caught him in time, luckily, resulting in surface scuffing of my fender. I asked him how it could possibly be that he didn't see us?
Indeed you’ve got to be calm, and mentally prepared for the ride around us—particularly in an urban environment.
1 comment:
Hey Vicki was great to stumble across your blog. Im a Kiwi girl down here in New Zealand and ride a Kawasaki ZX14. We have a local internet forum group called Kiwibiker, and Im a mentor in the group. Ive been riding off and on for 22 years and motorcycling is a passion in my vains I never want to loose. Its harder these days, with more traffic to deal with and faster cars. We've learned to take it to the track in the last couple of years for the real fun, wish I had cottoned onto that years ago. These days there are 'track days' which are non competitive and great fun. We are looking forward to a brand new track opening next year reasonable close to home (mind you nothing is too far away in this country) which has plans to attract the World GP by 2011. Looking forward to reading more on your site and connecting with other lady riders around the world.
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