Re: [ST] A bit of perspective...

["Chris Harwood" <Chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nate

I'm truly sorry about your bereavement.  It often takes events like
that to realise fully how special some people are.  I know you're not
over it yet but some time have a look at the other people who are still
around you and try to appreciate them as if it were not forever. (I hope
that doesn't come over as supercilious).

It has everything to do with motorcycling because that is by no means
the safest way to travel OR enjoy oneself.

Sometimes we enjoy riding too fast or on one wheel - if we have to, we
should only do that when we don't threaten other people's well-being.

If we're old enough we might consider advanced rider training - I have
been out with the Met Police here in London under a headily subsidised
training/assessment scheme called BikeSafe http://www.bikesafe.co.uk/  I
would recommend that to any UK riders.  It can be a fun day and very
cheap when I did it.  You can still ride at the same speeds afterwards
but hopefully safer for you and other road users.

I am also a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists
http://www.iam.org.uk/ since 1975 (car only) and may take my bike
test with them soon.  The IAM has a frumpy image here but actually does
a good job in promoting good road sense as do The High Performance Club
http://www.hpc.org.uk/ , The Royal Society for the Prevention of
Accidents http://www.roada.org.uk/ and others.  The cost can be a lot
less than the price of a race can.

We can also press governments for better education all round as an
alternative to penalisation,  that way more people can enjoy their
hobbies with less tragedy.

On the Triumph subject, I think the smooth power delivery, excellent
brakes, good cornering ability etc. are very relevant too.  They have
kept me rubber-side down, wooden-side up through most of my recent
learning years (at least when other people have been around).

God bless

Chris Harwood
00 RS

>>> nate@xxxxxxxxxx 07/03/2005 14:37:54 >>>
LiSTers,

I debated long and hard on whether or not to post anything about this
as 
it has precious little to do with motorcycling, not to mention
Triumphs. 
  But in the end talking (or typing) about it seems to help.  So either

hit delete or bear with me.

Last week should have been wonderful.  I should have been in St. Croix

enjoying the company of my fiance along with two close friends who live

there.  I should have been celebrating my 29th birthday.  I should have

been happy.  All of that came to an abrupt end when I learned last 
Friday night 10 minutes before leaving for the airport that my best 
friend of 24 years had lost his wife in a skiing accident while they 
were on vacation in Jackson Hole.  It is quite possible that you heard

this story on the news this week.  It has gotten national media 
attention because the youth who struck and killed her with his
snowboard 
has been charged with manslaughter.

I do not care to debate the merits of the charges or discuss the
tragedy 
in her death but rather to use this incident as a reason to continue 
doing the things that I love and to spend less time worrying about that

which I have no control over.

Heather was an amazing person.  She meant so much to so many people and

did so much for others with little thought of herself.  She will be 
missed by all who knew her.

So make sure you do something today to make it worth living.  Doesn't 
have to be a big thing, just something.

Nate
00SprintRS

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