By Dr. Donald L. Green, 22 February, 2022 (a Twos-day)
Riding a motorcycle gives a physical and emotional feeling unlike any other form of transportation and movement, one that “if you have to ask about it, you wouldn’t understand.” The wind pressing against our bodies and smells of the places we ride, a closeness to the road, the world, and other riders create a craving to get out there and do it again. Most of us have clear mental pictures of the internal happiness formed by those extraordinary rides. Our souls are calmed and rejuvenated enough to push through another day of hard work to get back in the saddle to become one with our machines again.
We remember great rides because we operate in the zone, managing the factors that come our way in the environment, the road, and the machine. When problems arise, we adjust the ride by using our previous experiences, avoiding the sometimes hazardous situations. All of this works nicely for a thinking rider. But what happens when it doesn’t?
What doesn’t work well is jumping on a motorcycle without considerable thought and little experience. Riding in traffic on the street can require a lot of sound judgment and maturity. Bringing this forward is not meant to demean anyone; however, knowing is half the battle, and learning takes foresight and sound reflection. Insight of riding in traffic can be experienced in many ways, driving a car or truck, reading safety literature, taking a riding course, talking with other good and safe riders, or being cautious while learning how to manage motorcycle controls in a secure environment. The bottom line is riding a motorcycle takes a commitment to ride well and, more importantly, return from the ride to loved ones – safely.
We can improve our ride through a well-thought process called reflection. Reflection is no more than thinking through how we ride and then working towards improvement in our decisions. Thinking is instrumental to riding well – before, during, and after. Thinking during the ride is called reflection-in-action and can be extremely valuable to respond to hazards based on our previous experiences before we need to react to them without thought (Schon, 1987). The challenge is comparing what we already know (a mind-map) to what is currently happening (the present circumstance) and responding appropriately (Thorndike, 1928). Reflection-in-action is thinking during our ride using predictive adjustment of action compared to reacting to a current situation as it happens, growing in knowledge and experience enough to modify your mind-map. Changing behaviors lowers risk and helps us enjoy the ride with far less fear of negative consequences.
The most capable motorcycle riders ride the streets and roads within their personal limits, leaving a significant safety margin to respond to hazards instead of reacting with old thoughts or what some uninformed Monday morning quarterback has told them to do. Those who cause hazardous situations while riding beyond practical limits are dangerous to themselves and others without considering other drivers and riders on the road. Displaying such un-thinking behavior should be entirely unacceptable by other riders willing to be socially responsible on the street.
Riding within personal and posted limits using reflective thinking will ensure our continued success in riding. Success creates unforgettable memories and assures being able to share the pure joy of motorcycling with our loved ones and maintain internal happiness for ourselves.
References
Schon, D. A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. Sand Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Thorndike, E. L. (1928). Adult learning. New York: Macmillan.
