cougar8000
Well-known member
Mike, Just to clarify. It wasn't me. I was not teaching Bob. I just found that post on another forum.
It’s important to mentor new riders, but to what extent?
- Thread starter cougar8000
- Start date
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Kevin Daly
YES I ran the fatty over!!
Although I am the FNG on this fourm, I too have been riding bikes for decades. My parents hated bikes and would not let me get one until i was 18 (then they couldn't stop me). A 78 400 Hawk; I kept it at a friends house and my parents forbid me to even bring it by the our house. The point I am starting to make is that there are those of us who will ride bikes; nothing will stop that. If you all think about it, as most of you bought your first and subsequent bikes, you always got the best bike you could afford (best being defined as fastest); kids today are no different. And hey, now that you can buy anything (well for the most part) look at what you have; a freaking monster by 1980 standards.
The reality is that the reason why you and I are old AND on this fourm (sic. still alive), is partly becasue we were lucky and partly because we were perhaps just a little wiser, slower and put a bit more effort in to thinking, reading and otherwise practicing. And did I mention we were just a little bit lucky? Biking is a deadly dangeruous sport. I have known 2 guys who were far better riders than I that died on bikes over the years; very James Dean, those two. On the other hand, the statistics dont lie; it is the inexperienced and those without helmets that suffer the greatest losses; so we can contribute to reduce that effect; just getting a helmet on them!
As a professional teacher, my first and only advice to people who are thinking of getting a bike (especially 40 somethings) is: "if you can live without it dont get one; if you can't, don't buy your favorite bike first buy one to learn on." Perhaps it only serves to add to the mistique to say "dont get one" but I dont think so. Once the bike is bought, however, the die is usually cast and I think at this point I have learned enough from my mountian biking racing days In Tucson to tell bike new riders "you cant learn from me by trying to keep up. I usually had to take those guys to the ER (Sorry Ed, Kevin and Ryan). New riders have to explore technique alone at your own pace. Someone can watch you and give you pointers(thats great) but this is really best done by professional instructors; you wouldnt want to learn open heart surgery from a butcher even though he knows his way areound a sharp knife and know anatomy.
And in fact I think that the only real advice you can give new riders besides the usual stuff, like wear a helmet and dont push yourself, is take a class, read books and if you cant get to a track (which i havent done myself in probably 20 years) try techniques in a good parkinglot at low speed (dont we all still practice skills like panic breaking). Beyond this I think we are risking being broken hearted like the poor guy who wrote that tragic story. The fact is that the guy who wrote that story, laments the mistake he made; he taught the kid by showing off his skills. It may have been easy for him but too inspirational for an inexperienced kid who thought by the end of a day of keeping up that he had it. But that said, it really wasnt the mentors fault, he was the unwitting dupe of his protoge who was too eager to go too fast; he probably would have followed anyone, he probably never really had a chance.
-now I'm going to have a beer and hope for a sunny day tomorrow!
The reality is that the reason why you and I are old AND on this fourm (sic. still alive), is partly becasue we were lucky and partly because we were perhaps just a little wiser, slower and put a bit more effort in to thinking, reading and otherwise practicing. And did I mention we were just a little bit lucky? Biking is a deadly dangeruous sport. I have known 2 guys who were far better riders than I that died on bikes over the years; very James Dean, those two. On the other hand, the statistics dont lie; it is the inexperienced and those without helmets that suffer the greatest losses; so we can contribute to reduce that effect; just getting a helmet on them!
As a professional teacher, my first and only advice to people who are thinking of getting a bike (especially 40 somethings) is: "if you can live without it dont get one; if you can't, don't buy your favorite bike first buy one to learn on." Perhaps it only serves to add to the mistique to say "dont get one" but I dont think so. Once the bike is bought, however, the die is usually cast and I think at this point I have learned enough from my mountian biking racing days In Tucson to tell bike new riders "you cant learn from me by trying to keep up. I usually had to take those guys to the ER (Sorry Ed, Kevin and Ryan). New riders have to explore technique alone at your own pace. Someone can watch you and give you pointers(thats great) but this is really best done by professional instructors; you wouldnt want to learn open heart surgery from a butcher even though he knows his way areound a sharp knife and know anatomy.
And in fact I think that the only real advice you can give new riders besides the usual stuff, like wear a helmet and dont push yourself, is take a class, read books and if you cant get to a track (which i havent done myself in probably 20 years) try techniques in a good parkinglot at low speed (dont we all still practice skills like panic breaking). Beyond this I think we are risking being broken hearted like the poor guy who wrote that tragic story. The fact is that the guy who wrote that story, laments the mistake he made; he taught the kid by showing off his skills. It may have been easy for him but too inspirational for an inexperienced kid who thought by the end of a day of keeping up that he had it. But that said, it really wasnt the mentors fault, he was the unwitting dupe of his protoge who was too eager to go too fast; he probably would have followed anyone, he probably never really had a chance.
-now I'm going to have a beer and hope for a sunny day tomorrow!
madmike2
Shtirrenuppenmeister
Yep...that was pointed out to me by OrangevaleFJR. Uhm...early morning, old age and drug-reduced memory receptors all conspire to reduce my reading comprehension. :dribble:
CAJW
Well-known member
Sad story, one repeat is too many. About all we can do it ride by example, recommend closed courses for above 70% riding, encourage and use proper riding gear and don't ride with em' if they don't listen. If you've gotten any shred of respect from the newbie they'll at least think about you refusing to ride with them and hopefully change their ways. If not when the inevitable happens, at least you'll have a clearer conscience.
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