07-19-2006, 10:14 PM
It just all seems a little backwards to me. Situational awareness is VERY high priority when working your way up through HPDEs. Certianly more important than being fast is being safe.
And before we get into an off topic pissing match, let's just say for arguement's sake that tracking a car is just as dangerous as tracking a bike. And racing a car is just as dangerous as racing a bike. I hate to break it to you bike guys, but scratched paint or locking up tires and ending up in the grass aren't the worst thing that can happen to a car on track. Lifting on whatever last turn there is before the pit wall and hitting it sideways still going 100MPH or losing your brakes in T1, rolling in the sand and hitting the wall are at least as life threatening than any track related bike accident. Most of the times I see bikes in races go off, the guy tumbles, the bike tumbles, and he's hopping back up to get on it before he loses any more positions. Sweet! When a car loses it at that same speed, it's most likely going to hit something. Sure, it sucks flying through the air with nothing around you, with the risk of the bike breaking your limbs, but the advantage of having far less momentum is a HUGE advantage.
I can only assume, and I can agree with the fact that there's more to think about on a bike since your body is half the equation. And breaking traction is more dangerous. And I'm sure it's pretty overwhelming your first few times out. The question I'm asking boils down to situational awareness though. Doesn't a proffesional bike racer have lots of it? I bet he knows when and who is behind him at all times. Mirrors or not (and I'm sure they'd love a mirror, but I'm guessing it's only for aerodynamic advantages), he's using developed peripheral vision to stay aware of other riders, and I DO see them take a glance back now and then. At the same time, he knows what the bike ahead of him is doing, and has brain left over to look for flags, assess changing track surfaces, and even scan for hot chicks in the crowd. No different than a proffesional car driver. Not only is it a safety issue, but how else are you going to come up with a passing strategy and avoid being passed yourself?
So from day 1, safety and situational awareness is high priority. You don't move up (or you're at least not supposed to) if you're using 100% of your brain to keep the car on the track. And not only is it good for HPDEing, but it's assumed some of these guys might want to race, so it's best to develop it from the get go. And it's a nice skill for the street too! So why wouldn't a bike guy in a school want to do the same? Build good habits from the start? If 150MPH is overwhelming, then I'd say slow the hell down! Right? No? I can't imagine it matters what you're tracking-- car, bike, horse, snowmobile, you don't add speed until you have brain left over to handle it. You don't just ignore everything else and go balls out, you'll just end up proving to yourself that yup, tracking a bike WAS dangerous. I hate this wheelchair. Tracking a bike or car is dangerous, but aren't you interested in making it less so?
I guess the lesson is, that's just the way a lot of bike schools are, and I should avoid them. I'm leaning more towards buying a Blast until it bores me, I can push it 100% on track and still do some amatuer birdwatching.
And before we get into an off topic pissing match, let's just say for arguement's sake that tracking a car is just as dangerous as tracking a bike. And racing a car is just as dangerous as racing a bike. I hate to break it to you bike guys, but scratched paint or locking up tires and ending up in the grass aren't the worst thing that can happen to a car on track. Lifting on whatever last turn there is before the pit wall and hitting it sideways still going 100MPH or losing your brakes in T1, rolling in the sand and hitting the wall are at least as life threatening than any track related bike accident. Most of the times I see bikes in races go off, the guy tumbles, the bike tumbles, and he's hopping back up to get on it before he loses any more positions. Sweet! When a car loses it at that same speed, it's most likely going to hit something. Sure, it sucks flying through the air with nothing around you, with the risk of the bike breaking your limbs, but the advantage of having far less momentum is a HUGE advantage.
I can only assume, and I can agree with the fact that there's more to think about on a bike since your body is half the equation. And breaking traction is more dangerous. And I'm sure it's pretty overwhelming your first few times out. The question I'm asking boils down to situational awareness though. Doesn't a proffesional bike racer have lots of it? I bet he knows when and who is behind him at all times. Mirrors or not (and I'm sure they'd love a mirror, but I'm guessing it's only for aerodynamic advantages), he's using developed peripheral vision to stay aware of other riders, and I DO see them take a glance back now and then. At the same time, he knows what the bike ahead of him is doing, and has brain left over to look for flags, assess changing track surfaces, and even scan for hot chicks in the crowd. No different than a proffesional car driver. Not only is it a safety issue, but how else are you going to come up with a passing strategy and avoid being passed yourself?
So from day 1, safety and situational awareness is high priority. You don't move up (or you're at least not supposed to) if you're using 100% of your brain to keep the car on the track. And not only is it good for HPDEing, but it's assumed some of these guys might want to race, so it's best to develop it from the get go. And it's a nice skill for the street too! So why wouldn't a bike guy in a school want to do the same? Build good habits from the start? If 150MPH is overwhelming, then I'd say slow the hell down! Right? No? I can't imagine it matters what you're tracking-- car, bike, horse, snowmobile, you don't add speed until you have brain left over to handle it. You don't just ignore everything else and go balls out, you'll just end up proving to yourself that yup, tracking a bike WAS dangerous. I hate this wheelchair. Tracking a bike or car is dangerous, but aren't you interested in making it less so?
I guess the lesson is, that's just the way a lot of bike schools are, and I should avoid them. I'm leaning more towards buying a Blast until it bores me, I can push it 100% on track and still do some amatuer birdwatching.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a van is a good guy with a van