Story by Doug Westly
Editor’s Note: This story was originally published the Feb. 2018 edition of the MSTA Florida Chapter newsletter, The Florida Gator Tale. The story has been edited to match the MSTA website’s style.
We were scheduled to head out on a ride yesterday morning, and at the last minute I decided to cancel it. I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be on two wheels. Motorcyclists often use their passion for two wheels as an escape from everyday life. Riding can help clear our minds, take our focus off of frustrating daily issues, and just generally make us feel better. Sometimes, however, it is those very issues that may (and should) preclude us from putting on our gear and getting on a bike.
Have you ever noticed that your riding reflects your current feelings or state of mind? If you’re happy and content, you find yourself singing inside your helmet? (Yeah, I do that. It’s not pretty…) On the other hand, if you’re frustrated or angry, does your riding become more intense? Our physical riding skills and capability are dependent on a number of factors. Training, experience, frequency of riding, recent riding time, bike type, condition and riding environment all play a part in how we ride. However, our mental capabilities and specifically our state of mind also have a large impact on how we ride.
Even though we may use riding as an escape from our daily routines, if we’re not in the right mental state to focus on our riding, AND our emotions may get the better of us while we’re on the bike, then it may be a better idea to not strap on a helmet and go roaring off onto the public streets. The question becomes…how do we know when it’s not the right time to get on the bike?
I’m not a psychologist, and I am certainly not qualified to issue hard and fast guidelines about when or when not to get on a motorcycle. On the other hand, here is my personal approach to the problem. If I find that I am not looking forward to riding just for the enjoyment of being on two wheels, then I start questioning my motivation. When I realize that I’m thinking of the ride as more of a task than a pleasure (other than for work), then I start to wonder if I’m doing the right thing by going for a ride. If I am upset about an issue, and the focus of my thoughts is the issue rather than the ride as I start getting ready to head out, then I know I’m distracted and shouldn’t be on the bike.
The bigger challenge is not only recognizing that you’re not focused on the ride, but actually making the decision not to ride. It’s easy to say “I don’t care. I’m going to ride.” It’s a lot harder to make the decision not to ride.
Safe motorcycling means being focused on your riding. You can’t be distracted by other issues. You can’t allow your emotions (other than being happy and carefree!) to rule how you ride. Being a safe and responsible motorcyclist means knowing when to make the decision not to ride, no matter how nice the weather is, or whether or not your riding group expects you to be there.
Know when to say no…to yourself.