Developed a skilz drill for freeway practice

[Toecutter]

I'm not sure how the freeways are set up in your neck of the woods, but around here, the lanes are marked with white dashed paint lines separated by about an equal-length unpainted section that has a wide, rectangular two-sided reflector in the middle of it. The reflector is white on the facing side, and red on the back, to hopefully warn wrong-way drivers.

Anyway, I decided that when changing lanes, I don't care for hitting those reflectors as long as it's safe to avoid them, like when there isn't much traffic around me and the road surface is dry. However, I soon found out that trying to avoid them was hit-and-miss, until I figured out to quit looking at them and trying to go between them. Now, I pick the spot I want to cross, usually in the middle of one of the white dash lines, and got immediate positive results. It's been a fun game to pass the miles on the freeway, and hopefully my brain will learn to look where I want to go, instead of looking at what I want to miss. The "You go where you look" thing seems fundamentally simple, but I seem to have had some issues trying to look where I want to go, instead of looking at what I want to avoid. In the never-ending quest to always make it home, I hope this little drill will help me do the right thing when I have to rely on reflexive action instead of deductive reasoning.

I'm not saying anybody else should attempt this. Jus sayin' it seems to help me....

 

[Texan]

Good idea. I like this.

 

[DELETE-PLEASE]

I been doing that just with painted lines. DEFINITELY tough for me to learn, but I've gotten better and now it's kinda fun. Especially when I was driving 200 miles one way on a highway to meet the girl of my dreams every weekend. The end of the trip was worth it, but the trip itself was BOOOORRRING!

Alexi

 

[Fred W]

I play a similar visual "game" on the secondary roads too. Often you'll come to an intersection and the crosswalks will be marked by a series of long rectangles , 8"-10" wide and the width of the cross walk (~6' long) painted stripes spaced apart 8"-10". Traffic approaches these rectangles, known as a "zebra" crosswalk marking, from the narrow end. Here's some examples of what I'm talking about:

A rider has the option of riding down the length of a painted rectangle or one of the spaces. Since the highway marking paint provides far less traction than asphalt, especially when at all wet, I generally prefer to avoid the white paint if possible and stay on the black asphalt.

But intersections are no time to be staring down at the pavement, so it's important to pick your spot quickly, aim for a space and then lift your eyes back up immediately to scan for errant motorists and hazards. Picking your spot means looking at a space, not looking at the white lines.

 

[Intech]

The "look where you want to go" concept is tough to train yourself to do, but what a payoff in ride enjoyment when you do. You know its working when you go into a downhill long sweeping curve doing around 70 MPH and hear that distinctive sound of the peg scraping and your reaction is "COOL!"

 

[06FJRider]

Over on this side, we have a road (MA Rt2 East - West) where they did something similar over sections that they have recently paved this year... but because we tend to have snowplows on the road in winter, they recessed the reflectors creating a shallow but long potholes in the lane dividers. Definitely gets your attention when you cross one as you change lanes!

I agree - Definitely a great practice tool! Luis

 

[Grumpy]

Old dirt riders axium, Never look where you don't want to go!

 

[MotorToad]

Been doing this for decades, before I was riding, even. It's the one thing that's more fun in a cage than a bike. (But it's on the interstate so it really doesn't count!) I also learned later that my ridiculous, smelly brother and I developed the same little game independently.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Old dirt riders axium, Never look where you don't want to go!

+ 1 -- AKA: "B.F. Rock Syndrome" :blink:

 

[Fred W]

Old dirt riders axium, Never look where you don't want to go!

Is that the same as Never don't look where you do want to go? :blink:

 

[exskibum]

I just thought it was my obsessive compulsive nature that had me always seeking to avoid those dashes and raised markers. :huh:

Sounds kinda like a zen exercise you're describing, Toe, and a good one -- if I understand correctly.

Been doing this for decades, before I was riding, even.

Same here to an extent, but I *think* its origin was in running gates as a kid, and skiing glades and bumps. You have to carve a turn outside the gate in a precise spot, so I guess the gate becomes the marker/obstacle you are not focusing on. Or between the trees. Or on the crest or transition between bumps instead of that big hole between them. Kinda like Toe described, you must see/feel/focus on your line, and maybe that's the zen of avoiding the obstacles.

Speaking of a zen exercise, there was a funny rumor I finally discovered the full story about not long ago. (Don't be trying this on a motorcycle.) A guy I knew and occasionally skied with 3 decades ago was known for his sometimes unusual training techniques. (I skied with his room mate, a co-worker, 4 or 5 days a week one year.) He died in April 2008, and the story got posted by the guy who witnessed it.

After the first snows in the fall, a number of us would hike a couple hundred yards south off I-40 near the summit of Rabbit Ears Pass to ski some steep chutes. We'd sidestep or boot it up, then ski up some moguls to train on. Good conditioning exercise and early season skiing for the rabid. The story goes that another of the group (Rusty) headed over there one day, and when he got there, Little Jack was already there, alone . . . skis, boots, poles, his usual painters hat, but otherwise buck naked. Rusty asked him WTF was up with that, and Jack just said "this way, I can't fall." I don't know if anyone EVER saw Jack fall, and that was reiterated by Rusty and Doug (Jack's room mate) in some of what was published in obits and newspaper stories after Jack's death. I sure never saw him fall, but he was the very best skier I have ever known or seen.*

Anyway, tying that back to Toe's exercise, Jack was setting up risks that he wouldn't pay attention to. He was finding and focusing on the mental space and physical space between the risks. Kinda like what I think I read in Toe's exercise.

_______________________

* [SIZE=8pt]Little Jack was THE zen master -- unusually calm and somehow different in how unaffected he seemed; one of the nicest and most humble guys you could meet. He was also the world pro mogul champion for 3 years in a row, dominating the Midas sponsored world tour from '75 - '77. RIP, Jack.[/SIZE]

 

[Grumpy]

Old dirt riders axium, Never look where you don't want to go!

Is that the same as Never don't look where you do want to go? :blink:

Maybe closer to Always look where you want to go?

 

[Fred W]

Old dirt riders axium, Never look where you don't want to go!

Is that the same as Never don't look where you do want to go? :blink:

Maybe closer to Always look where you want to go?

Damn you Grumpy!! Where the negativism?

 

[Cigar Mike]

You will quickly discover that once you have identified the line that you intend to take, that you will not need to look down. Keep your head up and concentrate on where you want to go. It is amazing how you will be able to put the bike on its intended line. It is automatic for me after 40 years of offroad riding.

Cigar Mike

 

[Fred W]

You will quickly discover that once you have identified the line that you intend to take, that you will not need to look down. Keep your head up and concentrate on where you want to go. It is amazing how you will be able to put the bike on its intended line. It is automatic for me after 40 years of offroad riding.
Cigar Mike

But Mike, how will you know which cigar to enjoy? It is not nearly as intuitive as the proper line. And, for some damn reason, whether I look at my cigar or not doesn't have any bearing on how well I enjoy the cheroot.

C'mon, share. We all need to know...

 

[HaulinAshe]

Old dirt riders axium, Never look where you don't want to go!

Is that the same as Never don't look where you do want to go? :blink:

Maybe closer to Always look where you want to go?

Damn you Grumpy!! Where the negativism?

It's the new and improved Grumpy, Version-2.

 

[madmike2]

Anyway, tying that back to Toe's exercise, Jack was setting up risks that he wouldn't pay attention to. He was finding and focusing on the mental space and physical space between the risks. Kinda like what I think I read in Toe's exercise.

I'm glad Bob posted this so I could read the other's responses. I've been working on this very technique for a couple of years now and I thought I was the only compulsive personality here. :blink:

It's great mental exercise to go along with the other goals: picking the late apex, lane positioning for every perceived threat, etc., etc.

 

[Khunajawdge]

Uhhh?

I think Toe is onto a good thing, don't get me wrong. Those who have chimed in are to be respected for their opinions = all of them.

My target fixation "thing" is different (maybe?). Let me describe.

When I ride to work, I head into the sun = heading east. Out of my driveway, the route is a relatively straight shot for approximately 6 miles on a 2 lane road (traffic both directions), before I make a single left turn (north) and run into town.

My pavement distraction is caused by the morning sunlight. No, I don't look right at the sun (when it is out). I do however, enjoy(?) the sparkles on the pavement. I can't really say that I target fixate on them, as they are going by too fast and there are way too many of them, but they are distracting enough to give me a pause of concentration and that's not so good. I have trained myself to scan to the horizon, below the sun's direct light in order to stay on a easterly heading in the early AM. It works well, as in the past I have found myself in a drift toward the center line or the shoulder on occasion. I "think" I have some form of Astigmatism when it comes to heading into billions of sparkling lights?

 

[user 213]

If you're having issues getting this concept down, (looking where you want to go), pick up a cheap mt bike and go ride the dirt trails in your area. Especially up hills on single track. Just like the dirt biking, if you look at the rock, you're going to hit it, so you quickly learn to look at the path you want to take, rather than the obstacles in your path. Bonus, your speeds are much lower and you're often alone when you biff. Way less painful than dirt bike or street bike biffs. Same instincts at work though.