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Oof. How does one advise anyone on that issue? My brother in law was in a very bad bike accident several years ago. A car pulled right out in front of him without even looking. I bought his smacked up bike and fixed it up. He said he'd never ride again. Now he's got a Harley Road King. I don't know.

One bit of advice from posters above that I agree with, if you are feeling too concerned while riding, you might find other avenues for your recreation. Riding should be a joy. When it quits being that for me, I will move on.

Recently, I increased my life insurance and put together a living will so my wife won't try keep me alive with machines if my head gets smacked in and from there, I try to ride alert and with confidence and I really love it. I understand my risks and I accept them. Something tells me I'll be riding when the bike is too big for my old frail body to hold up.
 
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When it is time for you to stop riding, you will know it. My wife and I love riding. She can't go on long trips due to some physical limitations but we really like going out for half day trips. I sometimes think she likes climbing on the back of the Wing more than I like riding. We have had close calls (usually with cars.) We have had conversations about selling the bike, but we agree that right now, it is still time to ride. I hope that she can keep getting on the bike for a long time.
 
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I look at my bike (trike) every day and wonder what my next excuse will be to get on it. I actually don't need any I just go. I have never had any other thought but to ride as much as I can and when I can. Now, my wife, she doesn't see it the same way as I do, she still calls it a vehicle. But she never stops me from riding, if she doesn't want to go that is OK too with both of us. I'm also 67, I really don't think I will ever have that feeling, it will come all of a sudden when it does and it will not be because I didn't want to.

Your decision is yours alone. As you said when you are on the bike you don't have those thoughts butif you do have them while riding, that means you are being distracted, and that is not good. Ride safe, ride long:action:
 
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I don't believe in the "when its your time to go" theory. The concept of having limited number of heartbeats and then you leave this world regardless of your actions is absurd. Chance favors the prepared mind. Many people die as a result of accidents. Accidents are preventable in almost every case. The "time is up" deal is archaic at best.
 
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Yes, I do think about not riding after close calls with cagers. I feel fortunate to have only been clocked once by a cager a couple years back. I commute into the inner city about 15 miles each way daily on a bike. As long as there is no snow on the street I'm riding. Been doing that for the last 18 years. Last week, Wed Thur and Fri I had close calls with cagers. I was pretty disgusted and shook up by the time Friday night rolled around. I didn't ride Saturday. Went out for a few hour ride in the country Sunday with a couple of buddys. It was instant recharge.

I guess you would have to be suicidal to not think about quitting from time to time. I read some of the inspiring responses to your post and other stories on this board and I hope I never change my idea of what a scooter store really is.
 
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I keep going back and forth with the same thing. I was in the saddle 8 hours today and some of it was heavy traffic. Sometimes I catch myself not paying attention for a few seconds and that is very dangerous. It is really crazy out there. I am 63.
 
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:(I think of those things before every ride. I also take the lesser travelled roads when possible. I'm lucky to have very little traffic here, I fought Phoenix and San Diego traffic for years, some of which were behind the wheel of a rescue, or fire truck in Mesa Az. AZ1500 can attest to the Phx. traffic. Atlanta is about as bad as it gets. Just do what you can to ride well and safe. When it's time to put away your gloves, you'll know. Either way, it's up to you to ride or not. Good luck with your decision. jimsjinx:waving:
 
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I too think about it every time I get the bike. The big problem really is that everyone calls it an accident, not so most of the time, I call it Dangerous Driving, Reckless Driving & don't give a crap if I run over the guy on the motorcycle driving, It should be a Crime and treated as such, with the driver arrested:X .

I witnessed an accident where a guy in front of me hit a women running across the street, he did not even slow down, than as the poor women is bleeding badly laying in the street, the driver says to someone nearby, it's her fault and no big deal (I HAVE INSURANCE).

I went to court for 6 months as a witness to burn that jerk.

Those are the drivers that scare me:shock:, Lock them up, some jail time may help. suspend their license for a year or two.
 
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I am approaching 69, been riding since I was 16, looking to go on the Montrose trip (1800 miles), sure I think about these things, that is until I mount up, then the aches and pains disappear and I concentrate on getting to where I am going.
 
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Chas,

I want to thank you for starting this thread. I've not been on my bike since Saturday. I lost a good friend to a motorcycleaccident that morning. To be brief he simply lost control....Don'tknow why.... It just happened; for nowwe are waiting on the autopsy report to see if he had a hart attack. But that is not why I am responding here.

No one can answer this question for you.... You have to decide this for your self.

What I want to thank you for is simplyasking the question because with out knowing it I've been wondering the samething. And thanks to you and those who haveposted here,I've realized that Robin died doing something he loved; cruising with friends oohing and awing over every ones' new trinkets, Laughing and talking about past rides, planning the next adventure.... Just doing all the things we who ride enjoy.

Thanks for helping me realize that thisguy is not ready to give it up.
 
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Charles,

at 52, you are way too young to give up something that gives you so much pleasure.

Why not just readjust the way you ride? Take another MSF course just to top up your skills a bit.

Preplan your routes to minimize any undue risks, and only ride as long as you are comfy. Start feeling tired a bit, find a hotel, or throw up a tent. Relax, and enjoy the day.

Tomorrow is another day, to be enjoyed to the maximum that we can pull from it.

Mardonna and I are already planning our escape routes. Short ones to be sure at first, but longer as we slide into the groove.

I'll buy you a steak dinner if you show up in Montrose, how's that? :waving:
 
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I can relate to your thoughts about whether to continue to ride or not..I try be real about the dangers and minimize them...I try not to ride through town during peak traffic, ride smart and slowly, keep distance from cagers as much as possible, stay out of blind spots and don't ride like a 17 year old kid on a CBR 900....won't give it up...focusing on the issue will ruin the experience if you are constantly afraid of what might happen...I do know riders with 100K miles without mishap....here if FL it is easy to get to back roads with little to no traffic....if I lived in NYC, I'd walk....
 
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I may get flack for this, but I think you should park it for a while.. You got to get you confidence back.. You get out there with a 1/2 frame of mind you could be your own worst enemy.. If you think for a second you can't do it, you won't..
Take a safety course or do some of the things suggested.. Get you confidence back to 100% before you back out there..
 
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I don't have any doughts about my riding skills, just doughts about other drivers. When I am riding, I enjoy the ride. In fact when I am driving in a car, I imagine what it would be like right that second out there beingon a bike.



This morning my wife and I were driving in a car in a parking lot. A lady pulled right out in front of us, we were 10 ft away! We stopped in time to prevent a fender bender. My wife didn't blow the horn. We are not horn blowers per say. I told her this morning, we need to turn in to horn blowers, we have to wake people up! The person that pulled out in front of us didn't even see us as we stopped. The other person just kept driving. She never knew she pulled out in front of us.



If I were on my bike and that happened, I would be all over that horn!
 
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