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Getting Old Sucks - Trying To Roll With The Punches
- Thread starter Old HiFi Guy
- Start date
NH-MAN
Addicted Member
I think you should consider it, one fear form not riding a bike is listening to others. I have been riding since I was 11 and never experienced this "because I am on a motorcycle" phenomenon.
I have never had an issue on my bike that was any different from any other vehicle I have driven up to class A vehicles. My 23year old son will tell you the same thing and even though he takes after me and likes to drive fast when he can, he has managed to stay incident free and ticket free whatever he may be driving; you can too.
If one can go through life for the most part "not" sliding vehicles off the road or not getting in fender-benders or accidents a motorcycle will not be a different experience for you. The world is still going to do the same things whether you are there or not (in a particular moment of time) so the mode of transportation changes virtually nothing.
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MuseChaser
Super Member
I have to respectfully, and quite strongly, disagree. The issue with motorcyles (and yes, I rode for decades, including some very long trips) isn't the care the rider takes, the issue is all the other morons on the road from whom you have no protection on a bike. I'm blessed.. none of my close calls ever involved laying down the bike or contact... but the fact is that no one can avoid accidents all of the time, and an accident on a bike is a FAR different occurrence than an accident in any vehicle with four or more wheels.
My own personal eye-opener was coming home at about 1am on a back country road, taking it easy (I have never been an aggressive motorcyclist when sight lines are limited), when a buck jumped out of the tree line to my left, hell bent on crossing in front of me at a dead run, no more than 20 feet in front of me. I remember locking up the brakes, starting to skid, and then the next thing I remember I was past the deer. I was shaking like a leaf. Pulled over to the side of the road, and just sat there for about 20 minutes; I was only maybe three miles from my house, but needed the time. I must have blacked out, but the good Lord took over for a few seconds and saved my life.
My wife used to ride on my bike with me a lot. I can handle hurting myself, but not her. We've only ridden together a few times since that night. I still have my 1984 VF700C.. great bike. Every once in a while I get the urge and still ride. That buck, and cell-phone-users, are always on my mind.
It is, without a doubt, a VERY different experience.
Pio1980
AK Member
I will probably quit when I can't trust my situational awareness.
All the situational awareness in the world isn't going to help you when someone in the right lane suddenly decides to take a left turn into you (exactly how I totaled my VFR750 ten years ago). Fortunately it was around town so we were going pretty slow, and it didn't hurt that his insurance gave me almost 50% more than I'd paid for the bike, but not an experience I would care to repeat!
Getting old may suck but it certainly beats the alternative. I'm going on 80 and have my aches & pains. However, as long as I can keep dragging myself forward I will continue to do so. I try and limit it to a bad hour or two instead of complaining I've had a bad day. Your brain forms thoughts the fastest in the direction you predominately think. Be it positive or negative. That's not my opinion but facts backed up by more than one study. You don't have to be a Pollyanna but being positive more often than negative wont hurt.
Pio1980
AK Member
That's close to how my first big one happened, some one made snap lane change and hard brake in front of me, dropped and fell hard braking at prevailing speed. 5 days in ICU.
Second one braking in turn on sandy patch, dropped, hard fall. Another 5 days ICU.
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You're right. I had planned to retire last April, but the horrendous evaporation rate of my 401(k) gave me pause. I work for a large telecom company, and my boss won't be able to replace me. So he's happy I'm staying. It's a good job and not physically demanding so riding out this downturn won't be difficult.
On the bright side @Ray Gianelli you can continue to contribute to your 401K which will help with your dollar cost averaging of your investments. Also for every year over 62 that you do not claim your Social security benefits, your annual payout increases by 8% per annum. So you got that going for you as well.
Yes it is. Way more cars on the road. Way more distractions than ever before. The level of Rude in this country has increased. And people don't appear to be very smart anymore.
knifeswitch
Active Member
Just on a somewhat related point, when was the moment that you realized/excepted “ HOLY CRAP, I’m old! “?
HB3
Well-Known Member
I pulled something in my leg and a couple of days later it swelled up. No problem, it will go away. When it didn't, I had it looked at and I had a blood clot. The doctor was quite concerned. Everything worked out but now I know to get things checked a bit sooner. That was last year when I was 67. Look at what Al Roker went through. That could have been me. It wasn't my time.
Funny, I haven't gotten there yet. But I remember the first time I realized I was getting older. I was in my late 20's/early 30's and was browsing in a record store. I was going through the bargain bin and thinking to myself "wow, what are all these great albums doing in the bargain bin?". It hit me about a minute later.
Gigantic
A big, big love
I keep wondering how people my age got old…
ejman
Super Member
I keep wondering who the hell is that old fart looking at me from the other side of the mirror when I shave in the morning.
WannaBeHiFi
Active Member
WannaBeHiFi
Active Member
Working from home, I let my beard get to record levels. I was crushing the lakeside recluse look.
Kicked to the curb, looking for work, sweet opportunity popped up. I had two very positive conversations with the recruiter and account exec. Last step before presenting to clients was a pre-interview video call.
LoL. Let's just say the twentysomething recruiter with the dainty ring in her nose should never ever set down at the poker table. Within a half second from going on line, I knew that she was thinking she was interviewing grandpa. Oh, she recovered reasonably well, but I knew that I would not be hearing from her again. And I haven't.
My onery side says that everywhere I go I see purple hair, tattoos, facial piercings, WTF a man ought to be able to grow a beard!.
Couple days later, my practical side went to visit Kat. A lakeside recluse walked in. A distinguished professional with a well-groomed beard walked out.
Got back to the truck my dog did a double take.
Kicked to the curb, looking for work, sweet opportunity popped up. I had two very positive conversations with the recruiter and account exec. Last step before presenting to clients was a pre-interview video call.
LoL. Let's just say the twentysomething recruiter with the dainty ring in her nose should never ever set down at the poker table. Within a half second from going on line, I knew that she was thinking she was interviewing grandpa. Oh, she recovered reasonably well, but I knew that I would not be hearing from her again. And I haven't.
My onery side says that everywhere I go I see purple hair, tattoos, facial piercings, WTF a man ought to be able to grow a beard!.
Couple days later, my practical side went to visit Kat. A lakeside recluse walked in. A distinguished professional with a well-groomed beard walked out.
Got back to the truck my dog did a double take.