View Full Version : Has age changed your attitude?
I just saw this in the 50+ thread:
"Safety has become a bit more important as I've aged and lost my attitude."
I feel I can relate... when I was younger, I rode my bike everywhere... at one 10 year period in my life I did not own a car, even though I could afford it, I saw little reason for it.
As I got older and started raising a family, my wife became concerned about me riding around on the streets... she expressed her concern.
Traffic has become increasingly heavy over the last 30 or so years, and these days the drivers seem very distracted and rather aggressive...
And I seem to have lost much of my alpha dog attitude... I am no longer the "angery young man" I once was. Honking, yelling, bad mannered motorists just seem to reinforce the negative aspects of cycle commuting.
And frankly I just don't feel as "bulletproof" as I once was.
How about you... if you have been cycling for a long time, how do you feel about it these days?
And frankly I just don't feel as "bulletproof" as I once was.
I'm not 50+ but this has happened to me in the last few years.
I still love to commute to work, or at least part way to work.
Traffic and the rare rude driver or inattentive driver didn't bother me when I was commuting to college and they still don't bother me now. I've always been able to bluff my way out of or defuse any potentially dangerous situation.
I'm 49, but look older than I am. I figure no one would want to rough me up and break me, since I look like I may golf with lawyers.
I used to enjoy mountain biking alone, but as with you, genec, my wife expressed concern with this practice so I don't do it any more.
Safety was a concern of mine even when I was young. I was a strange kid, and I guess now I'm a strange adult. Now, though, I know those injuries will take months, instead of days to heal!
In short, I don't think my general attitude has changed that much. It's just tougher to keep the body going!
I'm in my mid-30s. The main change from my youth has been a greater sense of empowerment and a realization that I really do have the same rights and responsibilities as car drivers. I no longer cower near the gutters or ride on the sidewalk to avoid traffic (yes, riding on the sidewalk was dumb but I'm reformed). I trust drivers more -- I trust that they will not run me over if I'm on the street, and I trust that the majority of them to not want to kill me. There may be confrontations from time to time, but as the years pass I tend to also notice the large numbers of nice drivers. In my youth I only noticed the ugly-behaving ones.
Last summer I was at my grandparents' house. One morning my grandfather, who is in his late 80s, mentioned offhand that he had just biked 8 miles around town. As I grow older, I'm realizing the importance of physical activity on health and outlook, and biking is a good way to accomplish that. I hope to be able to bike 8 miles when I'm 80ish.
chipcom
05-03-06, 12:48 PM
My attitude changed about 23 years ago when I almost died. Since then I appreciate each and every day and live life to its fullest. I don't worry about dying, when my time is up, my time is up, so why worry? Everyday is a good day to die and a better day to live!
closetbiker
05-03-06, 02:29 PM
I haven't changed much in the last 22 years. I've learned a bit, but I've always tried to think things through before I do them.
I lived with my wife at 18, got married at 20 and everyone said we were too young, but we're still together, primarily because of our attitude.
My daughter was born with all kinds of medical problem almost 21 years ago and that only reinforced my belief that every day is a gift and one should try to do the best they can with each one., no one knows how long we have.
I've never bought the argument that someone is young and just going through a "period" of stupidity, I never did (well, maybe when I was 12)
-=Łem in Pa=-
05-03-06, 02:50 PM
I just saw this in the 50+ thread:
"Safety has become a bit more important as I've aged and lost my attitude."
My attitude has changed....
I realize the safety you create for yourself is more important than
that created by a helmet or other tangible safety item.
My hatred for cars has gotten worse as society has gotten more uncivilized.
I'll have been riding for 41 years shortly and resignation and patience have tempered
the anger I have for the way things are today.....accepting that which I cant change
helps a little....I suppose my safety issues are only realizing Im just a guy on a bicycle
trying to get to work and adjusting my riding accordingly.
Sounds bleak but I enjoy bicycles more than I ever have. Just going slow, enjoying the
scenery and not needing to make a statement of any kind is very unburdoning.
Helmet Head
05-03-06, 03:10 PM
I have always been inherently cautious, but became even moreso when I turned 40. However, I believe that had more to do with becoming a father than getting older.
sbhikes
05-03-06, 03:16 PM
When I was a girl I would hang over the side of the Grand Canyon to watch my mom squirm, I would swing hanging from my knees on the monkey-bars, I rode the barf-rides at the amusement park. I wasn't a particularly adventurous girl, but I had a lot less fear than I do now.
Something happens as you get older, especially for females, but apparently for men as well. We start to feel our physical mortality.
While I ride a lot less roller-coasters than before, stay away from cliffs and don't swing by my knees from anything, I do still harbor a desire for adventure--or at least a touch of wanderlust. So I get it through hiking adventures, cycling to work (safely), travelling and that sort of thing.
I do tend to get resentful of people who have the nerve to tell me my riding style is too timid, that I'm showing I have phobias or harbor notions about "my place" in the social order of all things traffic. Perhaps it is only that I have reached and surpassed the age of childbearing and because of that feel a biological need not to put myself unnecessarily into harms way. Perhaps I possess too strong an urge to avoid pain, but it's probably why a lot of people have won Darwin awards and I'm not one of them.
And to drive the point home... I just crashed! :mad:
No other vehicles were involved, and I am not hurt except for bruises. I'm gonna be plenty black and blue on my hip tomorrow... Ouch!
But it sure drove the point home that I am not "bulletproof." :(
I'm less aggressive, less physically fit, less impulsive, less argumentatve and less judgemental than I was 25 years ago.
Bikepacker67
05-03-06, 03:52 PM
And frankly I just don't feel as "bulletproof" as I once was.
Which is oddly ironic if you think about it.
If you died in a collision today, you'd have lost maybe 30 years, but back when you were "bulletproof" it would have been more like 60.
I was thinking about this today... maybe the young don't consciously think of themselves as immortal, but rather subconsciously intuit that safety and security is an illusion. We're dreadfully delicate and tragically breakable. But dwelling on that fact only steals the joy of today.
SamHouston
05-03-06, 03:58 PM
God help those that aren't mellowed by aging.
banerjek
05-03-06, 04:11 PM
And frankly I just don't feel as "bulletproof" as I once was.Which is oddly ironic if you think about it.
Not really. Your experience is what helps you realize what's at stake.
Which is oddly ironic if you think about it.
If you died in a collision today, you'd have lost maybe 30 years, but back when you were "bulletproof" it would have been more like 60.
I was thinking about this today... maybe the young don't consciously think of themselves as immortal, but rather subconsciously intuit that safety and security is an illusion. We're dreadfully delicate and tragically breakable. But dwelling on that fact only steals the joy of today.
Interesting thinking... as a friend recently reminded me... "you've seen more sunsets than you are gonna see." This was at his 60th birthday party... I just hit 50 myself.
Still, simple things sure hurt more today than they would have 25 years ago. I would have shaken off that spill I just took a lot faster way back then...
Screw it though... enough being morose. Hell, Keith Richards was just falling out of palm trees in New Zealand...
"I said, Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Hey! You! Get off of my cloud!"
closetbiker
05-03-06, 04:33 PM
I have posted a png. attachment on a thread (post #126) here (http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=174623&page=6&highlight=age+gif), that shows how many more accidents cyclists get in when they are younger and posted a web page here (http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/Products/Analytic/companion/pow/ftorbike.cfm), showing how there are fewer bicycle commuters as they age
The likelihood of cycling to work declines steadily as age increases. Nearly 3% of employed workers aged 15 to 19 cycled to work in 2001, while less than 1% of those aged 65 and over did the same. Among employed males, the decline is more noticeable as the proportion of cyclists travelling to work drops from 4% among 15 to 19 year-olds to 0.4% among those aged 65 and over. The rate among employed women drops from 1.2% to 0.3% for the same age groups.
Mind you, the "Age of Commuters" thread shows that on this board anyway, reveals a pretty even split of ages among commuters.
I've got to think younger riders get into more accidents because of immaturity.
Bikepacker67
05-03-06, 04:52 PM
Not really. Your experience is what helps you realize what's at stake.
Hmmm...
Today is the 6th anniversary of my Father's death at the far too young age of 53 (cancer).
You're right... my experience is what helps me realize what's at stake is TODAY.
I'm not suggesting that one should take foolish risks, but rather that one should never be lulled into the life-stealing belief that they can mitigate all risk.
-=Łem in Pa=-
05-03-06, 05:42 PM
Unfortunately the only way attitudes do change most of the time
is when a person experiences the unpleasantries themselves......
Every male on this board probably has a car crash story from when they
were 16. You can tell someone something over and over but until they
experience it they probably arent going to change thier behaviour. A lot of
people in this forum have already experienced the 'bad' stuff and we ride accordingly.
I can only imagine if some of the concerns posted here were posted over in the BMX
forum how different the comments might be.
sbhikes
05-03-06, 06:02 PM
"you've seen more sunsets than you are gonna see."
Not necessarily. I've not seen many more sunsets because I've been chained to my desk than I might be able to see when retirement releases me.
If I get to retire, that is.
Not necessarily. I've not seen many more sunsets because I've been chained to my desk than I might be able to see when retirement releases me.
If I get to retire, that is.
Thanks Diane... good point. I'll make a point of seeing as many sunsets as possible in the future, just to change that prediction. :)
Blackberry
05-03-06, 06:41 PM
I've been chained to my desk.
Cyclists of the world, hit the road! You have nothing to lose but your chains--and everything to gain, including sunsets, sunrises, and all the good things in between.
I have always been inherently cautious, but became even moreso when I turned 40. However, I believe that had more to do with becoming a father than getting older.
Total opisite of me (like that suprises any one here heheh)
I find as i get older i tend to get a little less tolerant of idocy esp from drivers and just people in general. Like these truth puunks (anti tobaco protesters) I smoke not as much now that im back on the bike. Any how one day one of them got in my face and tried to grab my smokes out of my pocket. I basically todld him if he wanted to be able to hold his sign he had best back off right now. Ive also confronted a couple drivers recently. One guy in a white dodge thought it would be funny to block the cyclist and harrass him (the cyclist was me). Well basically i gave his beat up dodge a beating. Now i did first try to go around the front and he pulled foward and laughed some more. Then i unclips set my bike down and put 2 new dents in his already caved in door. I made sure that the guy thought i was insane.
The other one i was much nicer about and didnt talk to the woman driving the car her self. I was coming down jhonson road at around 25 to 28 mph speed limit by the location in question is 35. Some women in a hurry to get to church passes me far to close to where shes turning (45 maybe 50 feet from the lot) . She had to doge back to my lane to avoid a head on. This caused me to have to break extreamly hard i nearly slammed in to her.
I then pulled in behind her and was going to tell her just how dangerous what she did was. But she didnt want to get out of her car i didnt sit for very long didnt want to scare her to death. So i just went and told one of the people standing at the doors what she did and to pass on the message.
I explained just how life threatingly dangerous what she did was and asked them to please pass it on to her. I heard them talking as i left. One lady said you know what he said is very true cyclist move at supriseing speeds.
In short some times you will be left with out much choice other than confronting some one. Some times you may even need to show force to difuse a dangerous situation. The driver of the truck was very dangerous. He was looking for a fight but instead of letting the fight get to be on his terms i made sure any fight was on my terms.
Btw his expresion was pretty priceless. As he was driving off very slowly he kept his eyes on me and just crossed nice and slow and easy. BTW he ran the stop sign so any crash would have been his fault.
Unfortunately the only way attitudes do change most of the time
is when a person experiences the unpleasantries themselves......
Every male on this board probably has a car crash story from when they
were 16. You can tell someone something over and over but until they
experience it they probably arent going to change thier behaviour. A lot of
people in this forum have already experienced the 'bad' stuff and we ride accordingly.
I can only imagine if some of the concerns posted here were posted over in the BMX
forum how different the comments might be.
Not me :) beleive it or not im 33 years old and just never bother to get my driver licenc. Ie lived at home all my life paying up to 500 a week rent pluss some utilities. See were a old fashion family. Our house is a family home. Its big its old and its got alot of property. By the time i hit 20ish both my parents were already starting to need help to take care of the place so well i just stuck around. When im working i ride my bike to work.
So for me car crash stories maybe me behind the wheel na. Born a ccling comuter and hope to die as such. As for bad weather months ill just hitch a ride with friends or have my dad drop me off at work. If its calling for sunny skys about the time i get off work guess where my bike goes :)
As for the bmx stuff the only time i ever got clipped by a car was when i was on bmx. The driver a old man in a caddy offered to pay for any damages i think i laughed and said somethign to the effect of na looks like your gona be needing all the money you can get. You see this was a bmx with pegs on the wheels big long ones with spiked caps. When he clipped me he got my elbow wich knocked my hand loose but i had good enough control to keep from whipeing out right off. Then his car sucked me in a bit and he then hit my bar end. This lifted my rear wheel off the ground and caused my rear end to swing over to my left in to his car. Driving that nasty spiked pegg in to his mint caddys paint job.
The peg stayed against the car went up over the body line jumped a bit ripped the crhome trim off the front window (thought i was gona flip rear wheel over front in a nasty front flip to hell with endos...)But nope my bike decided it wanted to eat more paint and trim and tail light. So back down over the body line and the peg just dort of stayed on the door molding all the way back to the lovely tail light that had exposed glass (yess glass tail light lenses) and it proceded to pop it out.
Then i ended my terrifing ride in the dry ditch hahah. My dad is a very good body man and when i described the damage and make of the caddy etc he said it probably caused a good 2k to 2500 dolors worth of damage :)
ken cummings
05-03-06, 09:21 PM
My attitude pretty much depends on if I have medical coverage and can afford the deductible. My only limitations are those imposed by the laws of physics ;-).
Bikepacker67
05-03-06, 09:32 PM
My attitude pretty much depends on if I have medical coverage and can afford the deductible. My only limitations are those imposed by the laws of physics ;-).
How very engineerish of you. ;)
buzzman
05-03-06, 10:10 PM
I think I have always had a pretty healthy relationship with risk. Part of me is quite cautious and another part is adventurous. this duality in my personality has been good for keeping me in survival mode in some pretty hairy circumstances. I rode thousands of miles in the 70's (incl 2 trips across the US and 1 across Canada) without wearing a helmet. after losing a girlfriend and another close friend in separate biking accidents (both sans helmet) I started wearing one religiously (superstitiously?). the times I've been off the bike for a while can sometimes make me a little insecure in traffic conditions that I wouldn't even have thought about when I'm riding a lot but once I'm riding regularly again I calm down.
the chicken part of me keeps the wild side in check for the most part and that's the way I like it.
and I don't get into too many stupid interactions with motorists these days- though as I type that I realize I had a pretty immature interaction this past Sunday.
ps to Genec- ouch! :cry: those out of the blue crashes are a not too subtle reminder of our vulnerability. take care and get well.
Peterpan1
05-03-06, 11:48 PM
At 46 I feel different about interpersonal stuff because I just don't carry the same punch I once did. But about cars, or risk in general I feel fine, as far as bicycling is concerned. I had a really bad plane crash which shook me up generally, but I don't think it has affected cycling which is my main reason for renewed interest. As long as I am healthy enough I can continue to do it.
I had a health scare. I rode about 25 miles into town on a hot day, last fall, without water or food in my stomach, and had a fainting spell. Nothing like that had ever happened, and I didn't have a vibrant winter either. So I feel like maybe health is closing in on me. I'm just relating this, cause I know it sounds stupid, and I need to get over it.
closetbiker
05-04-06, 08:21 AM
I just saw this in the 50+ thread:
"Safety has become a bit more important as I've aged and lost my attitude."
If age and attitude have anything to do with accidents, maybe it has some effect.
banerjek
05-04-06, 02:07 PM
I don't exactly have one foot in the grave (I'm 39), but attitudes definitely change with time. For one thing, I decided I don't like to be in perpetual pain so I don't ride nearly has hard as I used to. Just as well, I'm not as fast so not much good would come from the effort. Another thing that slows me down is my riding style is more conservative than it once was.
Also, my tastes in bikes are changing -- the latest addition to my stable was a Cattrike Road. Generally speaking, my attitudes towards most things have mellowed. Still don't like stewed prunes though.
DataJunkie
05-04-06, 02:18 PM
I'm still a hothead. It's under control more so than when I was in my 20s.
Hopefully it will dull as I age. I tend to loose it to varying degrees once every few months. ugh
I'm also realizing I am not immortal and riding with safety more in mind.
If age and attitude have anything to do with accidents, maybe it has some effect.
Where did that chart come from?! It's hilarious.
closetbiker
05-04-06, 03:08 PM
Where did that chart come from?! It's hilarious.
It was from a report prepared for the Insurance Corporation of BC, by Hamilton and Associates on bicycle/motor vehicle collisions in BC for an 8 year period.
It was from a report prepared for the Insurance Corporation of BC, by Hamilton and Associates on bicycle/motor vehicle collisions in BC for an 8 year period.
Was there any correlation to the number of older cyclists that might be on the road?
Or did they magically attribute older cyclists as simply being safer as "the stats show" fewer accidents.
noisebeam
05-04-06, 04:10 PM
Where did that chart come from?! It's hilarious.
Its strange how the M/F lines track so closely to each other the little variations (bumps) that are ~2yr resolution or so. Maybe something to do with sample size or methodology or the like that a statistician can explain?
Al
closetbiker
05-04-06, 04:10 PM
I wish there was some break down as to age of cyclists on the road in BC at the time of the study.
It just notes the ages of cyclists who were involed in collisions.
That earlier link and quote I provided from Stats Canada I would guess is somewhat accurate. More people are younger than older on bikes, but bottom line to me is, the people who get into collisions mostly are people who ride in an unsafe fashion, regardless of age. I would also guess the folly of youth is what keeps one who gets older, safer.
TRaffic Jammer
05-04-06, 04:23 PM
I'm 40 on Sunday, and I think my attitudes have changed.
I'm less likely to drag a driver out through the window, take his mirror off with my lock, or take his keys and stuff them in the sewer and then scrap it out with him in the intersection, old school messenger style-BOIIII.. :lol:
I can articulate why they are being dangerous without being dangerous myself. I credit the kids with helping me with that. I'm much more likely to be forgiving, or giving or the benefit of the doubt I find.
BUT
I'm much more likely now to ride up to his drivers' side window at the posted speed limit with a prefect calm that seems to unsettle drivers to no end, then pass him. Then use my superior skills to show him my butt as I ride away. (keep in mind city traffic...not out of the city traffic ... I'm not THAT fast :lol:)
I got hit this past Sunday and banged up pretty good (may lose some front teeth). After riding fairly regularly for the past 30 years (I'm 56) without having a prior crash involving a car, I don't intend to stop riding. I'll probably be a bit more cautious around other cars, but I'm certainly not giving up riding because of one incident in a 30 year period. In the future I may, however, claim the lane in certain locations despite the fact that there's a bike lane.
My biggest atitiude change since getting older (37) has been almost a sense of regret. I am riding more and more now, and wonder how my life would have turned out had I done more adventuring as a younger man. I wouldn't give up my life now for anything, but I do look back and wonder. Spending the better part of my 20's and my 30's overweight, I wish I had been as avid a rider as when I was a kid.
As for safety, I have had quite a few spills and thrills on bikes and motorcycles over the years, even recently. I don't think I want to change that.
One of these days I will be able to possibly do some touring, something I don't think I ever really considered as a kid. So I guess that's how my attitude is changing, more towards slowing down and enjoying the ride.
I'm 61 and here's my two cents.
As I got older and started raising a family, my wife became concerned about me riding around on the streets... she expressed her concern.
So has mine, but since becoming an LCI and being a regular bike commuter she is a little less concerned. At least I make it home safely from work and weekend rides. :o
Traffic has become increasingly heavy over the last 30 or so years, and these days the drivers seem very distracted and rather aggressive...
TRUE!!!!
I am no longer the "angery young man" I once was.
I'm the opposite. As I've aged and gained cycling experience, some days on my commute I seem like a critical mass of one. @#%&$# cagers. :crash:
And frankly I just don't feel as "bulletproof" as I once was.
No one is ever bulletproof, but being "aggressive" and assertive and practicing VC helps in most "bad" situations.
attitude? age? change?
gawd. if you like riding then just get out there and ride. ride like there's no tomorrow. and enjoy it.
attitude? age? change?
gawd. if you like riding then just get out there and ride. ride like there's no tomorrow. and enjoy it.
No one is ever bulletproof, but being "aggressive" and assertive and practicing VC helps in most "bad" situations.
This is definitely true when it's in tune with the experience you've gained over the years. Without a lot of time in these situations, aggession and assertiveness can be technically misused.
TRaffic Jammer
05-05-06, 07:36 AM
I do find I'm a bit more interested in try to do something to get the actual legal requirements of drivers' back in their collective whats-its. Either in dealing with the police or some cycling rights group. I NEVER would have considered such a tact when younger.
I have definately been enjoying my take the lane field test.
DnvrFox
05-05-06, 08:03 AM
Was there any correlation to the number of older cyclists that might be on the road?
Or did they magically attribute older cyclists as simply being safer as "the stats show" fewer accidents.
It is a statistical fact that no bicyclists 120 years old or older were killed or injured in bicycle crashes the past 10 years, thereby proving that older cyclists are the very safest!
DnvrFox
05-05-06, 08:19 AM
One of the things I have learned (with some difficulty) is that much of the irritating things that happen in life really are of little importance.
When driving I have learned to pull out of the way of a road rage tailgater and wave them camly by.
If someone says something insulting, I can usually just brush it off.
Things like status, ego and the like have become almost totally non-important.
I have learned (dearly) that stress - and my reaction to stress - is literally a killer. I have been able to modify my reaction to stress in a positive way. I have an innate tendency towards "hot" responding, and have learned to tone that down a whole lot.
One of the fun things is getting together with a group of older friends, who are at a stage in life in which they see a lot of humor in other's pretenses and ego trips. We laugh a lot at just plain old life.
And, I no longer really care whether or not I ride 1,000 miles or 6,000 miles per year, and have just recently stopped tracking my mileage. I try to get a couple of hours of good exercise in each day, be that walking, cycling, swimming, weight lifting or whatever - if I can do that, I feel I am doing pretty well.
I wonder what future attitude changes I will have when I reach 67!
LittleBigMan
05-05-06, 08:45 AM
I think as I've grown a little older, I tend to be more laid-back about things. Not that I'm not full of energy and spunk, but I just tend to think things through more thoroughly, having had more experiences to mold me. Being more reflective before acting has led me to be a little less impulsive--by the time it occurs to me to react, I've already seen the end result and decided on a better course of action. It's almost programmed into my computer so it's automatic, now.
So I do think about safety more, take calmer routes more, take fewer chances, etc. I save my energy for hammering and tall hills. :D
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