Question about my crash

[Squint]

I also realize that when you're riding a bike, you can't just not screw up to survive. You also have to anticipate everyone else's mistakes ahead of time, for them, because you're the one who will suffer if they do something stupid.

That's a huge part of staying safe on the roads. Staying out of blind spots is a big one too. When I was doing my first rides with friends, I found it much easier to follow them, so I could just concentrate on riding the bike and not have to worry about lane position, where I was going, etc.

As for the course, in any of the decent ones you will take the skills test during the course. You don't need it before that. I've heard good things about Action or PRS, I took BC Safety Council back in the day but I think they've kinda been replaced by the Justice Institute.

[cpenner]

You've probably heard enough about this already, but here is my advice

1) Take a deep breath. You dodged a bullet with some alert braking response.
2) You probably could use some work on your braking technique. Hard braking does not mean you need to drop your bike. There are 100 different reasons that people drop their bike when they brake, and without watching this on video, I couldn't pretend to list which 5-10 that contributed to yours.
3) You probably could use some work on your traffic management skills. Traffic management on a bike is a LOT more proactive than in a car. Riding in the city is hard work mentally. As you get more and more skilled at the mental aspect of riding, you'll find less and less need for physical riding skills. You'll be avoiding trouble so much earlier on, that you don't need to use radical evasive manoeuvres.

Most important:

4) PARK YOUR BIKE UNTIL YOUR COURSE IS FINISHED. Instructors get very frustrated at times with the bad habits they have to break people who are "self taught". When I took my class, we started in 2 groups. Those who had ridden some form of motorcycle before, and those who hadn't. My group (mostly with dirt bike experience) spent most of the first class getting bad habits beat out of our skull. Do yourself a favour - park the bike until you have completed at LEAST the first half of the course.

I'm out in Langley, so here's the recommendations I give people:
- Action (I'm a 1991(ish) graduate)
- Cyclelogics (my wife is a 2004 graduate)
- Open Road (gets lots of good reviews)

Take care of yourself. Follow your doctor's instructions on healing up the bumps and bruises. And make ICBC work hard if they try to pull a 50/50 on you.

[porsche77]

Might have been a better idea to have used your money to take a rider training course, as opposed to buying a bike and not taking a course because you couldn't afford it.

If anyone I know came to me and said "I'd like to get a motorcycle license and my own bike.."

After ensuring they are serious about it, and not just pipe dreaming.. my instructions would be as follows;

(a) sign up for a rider training school
(b) purchase a full set of modest but quality riding gear

Once completed the course, call me and I will help you find a nice motorcycle at a fair price.

Anyone saying to me...

"Yeah, well... I think I'm going to buy the bike and get the license, and then when I get some money together I will take a course..."

I would tell them that in my opinion, they have the cart before the horse and are doing it all wrong. There is no rush to buy a bike.

If you are a good student, you should be able to go through the school... sign up for a road test... and get your full bike endorsement using the schools machine.

Just my .5 cents.

Ditto!!!
That's the advice i've given each and every person who's asked me about starting to ride.
I took a course and it has not only made me a better rider, but a better driver too. I'm way more aware of my surroundings and hazards now.
But the sad truth is that with we all get complacent sometimes, which an cause accidents, hence i never let my guard down....
The course is one of the best investments i've ever made. I wish they had a one-day refresher course for a few dollars. I'd take it every year...

[porsche77]

You've probably heard enough about this already, but here is my advice

1) Take a deep breath. You dodged a bullet with some alert braking response.
2) You probably could use some work on your braking technique. Hard braking does not mean you need to drop your bike. There are 100 different reasons that people drop their bike when they brake, and without watching this on video, I couldn't pretend to list which 5-10 that contributed to yours.
3) You probably could use some work on your traffic management skills. Traffic management on a bike is a LOT more proactive than in a car. Riding in the city is hard work mentally. As you get more and more skilled at the mental aspect of riding, you'll find less and less need for physical riding skills. You'll be avoiding trouble so much earlier on, that you don't need to use radical evasive manoeuvres.

Most important:

4) PARK YOUR BIKE UNTIL YOUR COURSE IS FINISHED. Instructors get very frustrated at times with the bad habits they have to break people who are "self taught". When I took my class, we started in 2 groups. Those who had ridden some form of motorcycle before, and those who hadn't. My group (mostly with dirt bike experience) spent most of the first class getting bad habits beat out of our skull. Do yourself a favour - park the bike until you have completed at LEAST the first half of the course.

I'm out in Langley, so here's the recommendations I give people:
- Action (I'm a 1991(ish) graduate)
- Cyclelogics (my wife is a 2004 graduate)
- Open Road (gets lots of good reviews)

Take care of yourself. Follow your doctor's instructions on healing up the bumps and bruises. And make ICBC work hard if they try to pull a 50/50 on you.

I took the course with Cycleogics. I highly recommend Randy. He is amazing.

[K-rod]

don't ride in blind spots, don't stay in the same position for any length of time (move through traffic), .

As long as you don't use 'Busaboy's' technique for moving through traffic!!

[vstromgreg]

ABS is a no brainer in today's urban traffic. Steve

ABS pretty much guarantees you don't learn correct braking.

[made Man]

What is proper braking? You stopping in time and not bailing. ABS makes it so that proper braking is you jamming on the lever. Different kind of proper braking.

Ps. Says the guy with a car tire on the back.

[CanaganD]

ABS pretty much guarantees you don't learn correct braking.

I disagree. ABS is the ONLY tool that will allow you to safely explore the limits of traction in all conditions without locking up and falling.

Read: it allows you to go up to, dance around, and beyond the lock up limit of the front tire safely and consistently as the ABS will be able to safely tell you "this is the limit... play below that please".




I dare anyone to practice locking up the front tire without ABS. Scared to do it? Yeah, that's what I mean. Now do that on demand when you're about to smack into a slab of pressed sheet metal.

[Æon]

Just signed up for Pacific Riding School. I'll tell you guys afterwards if and how I would have avoided the crash if I'd had the training then.

Anyway, I just hope they find the guy 100% at fault on this one. Thanks very much for the advice.

[TripleTime]

Which date? I'm in the June 8-10 Advanced Rider one......not sure that's the same one you're in, but maybe we'll cross paths.

[chris0055]

Sorry to hear the story and I'm glad you are OK (Welcome to BCSB).

GS500 is a nice bike (My 1st bike after taking training course at PRS).

Listen to all these members, take the class. I don't think it matters which one you choose, but I'm sure it matters if you decided go or not.

Good Luck!

[Islesfan91]

Just signed up for Pacific Riding School. I'll tell you guys afterwards if and how I would have avoided the crash if I'd had the training then.

Anyway, I just hope they find the guy 100% at fault on this one. Thanks very much for the advice.

have talked to a few people who went through them and enjoyed it, and recommended it. Whether or not you took it before the crash is a moot point, the best thing you can do for yourself now is to take it, which will give you the tools (to keep practicing with) to stay safer on the roads and you'll enjoy the ride a lot more because of it.

if you need someone to ride with to get some practice after your course feel free to hit me up and good luck with icbc

[elevation]

it is very refreshing to see a new BCSB user take good advice and then follow through on it. Not only are you going to learn alot when you take the course but you are going to have alot of fun with it too. Stay safe out there.

[Æon]

Which date? I'm in the June 8-10 Advanced Rider one......not sure that's the same one you're in, but maybe we'll cross paths.

I start next week actually! Pretty exciting. I'm stoked to ride one of their 250cc practice bikes, too. Getting back on my GS500 will probably be the only time the thing ever feels like a big bike!