frightening rocks

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ibicker · #1 Post by **ibicker** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:04 am

cleared off from work early yesterday and had a great run down to Brighton. On the way back took as many back road as possible and had a wonderful time.
I was somewhere near Dorking when I flew around a long sweeping corner and suddenly bang centre of the road was a bloody rock about the size of half a brick. By the time id clocked it and the brain had said "fock" it was directly in my line. I was probably doing about 50. I hit is square on the front lifted about a foot off the ground both my feet came off the pegs I think it clipped the back wheel too as I felt another bang. the front came down and i had to fight to get it back straight. I came to a quick stop. My pants were full! scared the bejesus out of me. Drove home very very carefully. Can see any tyre or frame damage. Steering feels ok.

Just made me remember how cocky we get riding these things and how little it takes to mess up.

on that cheerful note have a super weekend of falco fun guys!!!

Ian

Falcomille · #2 Post by **Falcomille** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:47 am

Ouch! Just shows we can't see round corners yet!

D-Rider · #3 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 9:03 am

Well done to save it !

Yep gambling it's clear round the bend, predicting what dozy drivers are going to do - it's all a bit of a lottery .... even if we get better at predicting some bits of it we are never working with complete and reliable data.

Just double-check that front rim - you don't want to take any chances there.

Cheers

Samray · #4 Post by **Samray** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 9:31 am

Well held.

Closer than usual eye on the tyre pressures in case the seal is damaged?

Syltiz · #5 Post by **Syltiz** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 2:48 pm

I often do Dorking to Brighton - same colour scheme as you too. I was out by Godstone this morning in the horrible weather.

D-Rider · #6 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 4:33 pm

Syltiz wrote:I often do Dorking to Brighton - same colour scheme as you too. I was out by Godstone this morning in the horrible weather.

Horrible weather? It's been a stonking day here

Fausto · #7 Post by **Fausto** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 5:26 pm

Sounds like you were lucky to stay on there. Well done!

I believe there is some theory that if you look at something you want to avoid like this then you will likely hit it. Best to look beyond or away from it

Of course with only split seconds available who is going to look away ?

Samray · #8 Post by **Samray** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 6:26 pm

Target fixation?

Nooj · #9 Post by **Nooj** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 6:28 pm

Never ride faster than you can see.

finn · #10 Post by **finn** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 7:18 pm

Next thing will probably be that the black Falcos go by the speed of see.
Took a trip to Belgium today, and some of the motorway had holes the size of a Volkswagen Golf..really not good that you have to pay more attention to possible potholes than to traffic.

D-Rider · #11 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 7:30 pm

Nooj wrote:Never ride faster than you can see.

That's OK - I can see really quickly - something like the speed of light

Nooj · #12 Post by **Nooj** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:28 pm

Never see rider than you can fast.

Chabby · #13 Post by **Chabby** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:54 pm

Fausto wrote:Sounds like you were lucky to stay on there. Well done!

I believe there is some theory that if you look at something you want to avoid like this then you will likely hit it. Best to look beyond or away from it

Of course with only split seconds available who is going to look away ?

I've noticed this changing lanes.
If I look at a catseye ahead I invariably hit it.
So now I look between them..............simple really.

Samray · #14 Post by **Samray** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:13 pm

Target fixation is a process by which the brain is focused so intently on an observed object that awareness of other obstacles or hazards can diminish. Also, in an avoidance scenario, the observer can become so fixated on the target that they will forget to take the necessary action to avoid it, thus colliding with the object.

This is a common issue for motorcyclists and mountain bikers. A motorcycle or bicycle will tend to go where the rider is looking; if the rider is overly focused on an obstacle (puddle of oil, tree, branch, banana peel, small child, etc), the cycle can collide with that object simply because of the rider's focus on it, even though the rider is trying to avoid it.

The term "target fixation" may have been borrowed from World War II fighter pilots, who spoke of a tendency to want to fly into targets during a strafing run. For instance, it is believed that a previous head injury to Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, caused the famed flying ace to develop that process that caused him to disregard proper caution and become an easy target for Allied forces to fatally bring him down.

Target fixation may also refer to a phenomenon where a skydiver may forget to pull the ripcord because he or she is so focused on the landing area.[1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETT39gPGCps&NR=1

Nooj · #15 Post by **Nooj** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:31 pm

It's really cool how the bike follows the eye: The eye sees, the body follows, the bikes hits the line decided upon (or the object fixated upon!).

I'm currently relearning the Falco after riding the Fazer all winter. The Fazer's really vague with its lines and steering and takes a lot of physical input to get it to go where I want it to, whereas the Falco totally tracks where I'm looking increadibly precisely.

I find the Falco currently feels horrible going into corners because i'm constantly trying to over steer it as I'm used to the Fazer's behaviour.

When I really get into the ride forget to make an effort to steer the Falco it's all makes perfect sense again. Wierd, innit. Another few hours out on the Italian and it'll all feel perfectly natural, then the Fazer will feel slow and crap again