Originally Posted by
Chuck Naill
Using this mentality we would say that speeding in automobiles is justified if one is late. Better to start early or chose another form of transportation.
Two can play at that game. Using your way of thinking we should never drive our cars over 30 mph. That would be much safer for everyone. Better yet, perhaps we should go back to requiring a flagman to walk in front of the car warning people that it is coming. That would trim automobile accidents to zero.
So what's an acceptable speed that I can ride? Is 10 mph too fast? I've crashed at 10mph. Is 5 mph too fast? I've crashed at 5 mph. Perhaps I should just stand still. Or, better yet, I should just stay in bed...or perhaps under it.
Sorry but I'd rather not. I'm not afraid of crashes. Things happen. Best just to learn to deal with it and move along. Beats the heck out of staying under my bed everyday worrying about whether I'll be hurt or not.
Originally Posted by
Chuck Naill
Using bicycle accidents as a learning tool is not only foolish, but goes against any form of rational behavior. A healthy dose of common sense and caution would be the preferred method.
Yes, I agree that some caution and common sense are necessary but too much caution results in too much timidity. If you never push the edges of the envelop, you never find out where the edges are. Even then, the edges of the envelop aren't set in stone and, as I learn more about how to push the edge, the edge moves further away.
Originally Posted by
Chuck Naill
From your account three of your crashes were pilot error regardless of pedal type. I agree with hands on the bars and not putting out hands.
Here's a prime example of how to learn from crashing. People with little to no experience with crashes usually assume that "bracing" for impact is a good thing. It isn't. It only results in breaking the thing you are using to "brace" for that impact. Most people learn that lesson the hard way. I learned long ago that letting the bike take the impact is far better than me taking the impact but the only way to learn that is by actually crashing.