[ST] RE: Crashin Sucks/Feeling sorry...

["Phil and Debbie" <philanddebbie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rick,

Thanks for the kind words - and I hope you can get back to 100%.  Compared
to a lot of people, I only had a minor accident - I suppose some of my
frustration comes from doing what I was told for two months - only to be
told at the end of that time that the doctors had missed a bigger injury
than the broken bone, and I've now got another three months at least of
recovery to look forward to.

you wrote
"Take the time away from riding to heal and reconsider
how important it is to you.  If it is a love and passion, you will come back
to it soon.  If its just a hobby, consider wether you would risk your life
to collect stamps."

For me, riding has never been a hobby.  I took up riding a motorbike at uni,
as a cheap and practical means of transport.  Since that time, I've always
referred to the bike as "transport" and my car, when I've had one as well,
as "the shopping trolley".  I've had various bikes, from a Honda H100 (and
boy, did I look funny on that) to the Sprint ST - the Sprint being far and
away the best bike I've ever had.  I've ridden in snowstorms, had grit and
salt thrown at me from gritting lorries, been swamped in rainstorms and at
the other side of the scale swelterd while riding in temperatures over 45
degrees.  I used to commute 80 miles a day, all year round, between
Blandford Forum in Dorset, and Bath and I could never have managed that in a
car (I'd have gone crazy) - one day, mid winter, I was so cold when I got
home that I couldn't feel my legs - with the consequence that when I stopped
the bike in my driveway, I fell over - my neighbour had to lift the bike off
me (luckily both my neighbours at the time also had bikes).  To date, I've
had three accidents - I fell off when learning, getting slight scarring on
my fingers, when I was doing the long commute I fell off when I braked on a
patch of black ice (no damage to me due to three layers of clothing
everywhere!), and most recently when I damaged my foot and shoulder avoiding
a cage.

To me, the classification of a bike as a "leisure vehicle", akin to a
powerboat or jetski, is anathema.  My bike is my way of getting around, and
this accident is no more likely to put me off riding than would a car
accident put me off driving - I find it odd how many people ask if I'll get
back on the bike again after the accident - I doubt people are asked the
same after a car crash.  I also don't think this accident will make me a
more careful rider - I always prided myself on that - but it does give me an
appreciatiation that you can't beat the odds all the time.  I might try to
avaoid rush-hour traffic more though.

I think what I'll have to learn from this experience is patience - some
things really do take time, no matter how hard you try to push them.

you also wrote
"
BTW, I also learned that pain pills are delicious with a light red wine like
merlot or pinot noir.  Might want to refill that prescription for a rainy
day.
"

Yeah, I found that out on Wednesday night - has a tendency to make you
maudlin though....

Phil


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