Breaking stereotypes of Risk

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds” said by Albert Einstein. Every one of us must have been thought at least for once in life that I have to travel on motorcycle to explore the world and in return dive deep into our self. Most of us are still doing it and some may even discontinue doing for many reasons. It’s not that we don’t like to do, but may be due some unavoidable chains are pulling us down. I believe the thought process of the society has major contribution for the setback. That is the risk factor, the fear of what if something happens, which arises whenever there is a topic of long rides or even motorcycling for that matter. Let’s break the stereotypes associated with the risk, or to be more precise the risk factor which is deeply embedded into every one of us due to the thought process mentioned above.

Most of us might have come through question from out kith and kin i.e. why do you take much risk travelling on motorcycle, why don’t you just find an alternative for it. It is a common question that has been passed over to them from their dear and near. We see so many accidents happening yet why you choose to ride. Well there is genuine concern for the loved ones. There is no denial to it. There is risk indeed if one doesn’t follow safety precautions which we will look into later. All the issues that have happened may be for not following safety precautions, not having proper riding gear which is a must. Today, we see so many youngsters go out with their motorcycle barely without wearing a helmet. That’s not because they do not want it, but that is because they are not aware of the safety needed, the lack of basic road safety education. If that’s the case of course there is risk in it. The need of the hour is not stopping them to ride but to educate them before giving them the vehicle. There will be no such news, at least with minimal injuries.

A month ago, one small incident took place with me which I want to share. At my home, we have 4 two wheeler which we park inside. The parking space is very narrow that sometimes we may even pull out the stand backside of our house which is always unbridled. It happened that I parked my motorcycle, Dominar 400, backside to my house. But there was a fear that what if, the vehicle may be robbed as it’s risky to keep outside. I used to listen from my mother as a warning daily that it’s risky to keep outside. So I started parking it inside though it was difficult. There was this construction work going next to our door. The contractor was so cheap that he didn’t felt the need to warn us before demolishing the building due to which the compound wall had become weak. One fine stormy day, the breeze was so heavy, the wall collapsed and our parked vehicles were so severely damaged. Boom, it was a disaster.

The point here I am trying to convey is the risk factor. The place which we felt to be safer has turned out to be the most risky. Sometimes, what we think may not be true always. Now I feel we should have parked our vehicles backside to our house which turned out to be no risk zone. So if ultimately there is a risk in what we feel to be safer, riding a motorcycle might not be risky the way we think with proper safety riding gear, basic road sense, and the responsibility of riding. Like they say (which is true), “With great power comes great responsibilities”.

I would like to mention an incident that recently happened to my close acquaint. It was back in 2018, during peak summer time. She had to attend her friend’s marriage the next day and she eventually decided to start early for some preparations. It was around 3:30 PM that day, the time when the heat radiation is at its peaks. She had met with an accident along with her friend as suddenly a car rammed into her motorcycle. Things have turned upside down, she had around 24 stitches to her leg and by God’s grace she recovered. If we observe deeply, due to this incident she developed a phobia of road and of motorcycles. It was so touch for her that she stopped travelling on motorcycle altogether. Before that incident as well, people had always filled her ears with motorcycle and its risks, after the incident, this risk even got stronger by foundation. So when she had to travel on motorcycle she came up with reasons not to ride thinking how risky it is and it would repeat again. But the love for motorcycle is not less. As she slowly with time began to travel on bike and all her assumptions were started proving wrong, that she eventually got into thinking of the risk and fear is actually not true but the feeling of motorcycle is real and fact. She had overcome all her negative thought process and now she enjoy even more doing it. Like they say, when you fall and come back, you will come so fiercely that even failure with turn back itself. This is a small story of my friend which proves courage beats everything. Like Newton said in his Newton’s Third Law of Motion, For Every Action There Is an Equal and Opposite Reaction. Like I said in my previous blog, everything is connected in this world. Try establishing that relationship and nurture the fruitful results.

We might have heard a story in childhood on Chicken Little who is scared of everything and terrifies those around them with their theories. Even after going against the wind, there is always a ‘Chicken Little’ around us, to them the sky is always falling no matter what. So they end up being home or sticking to what is safe, which is actually not and miss out the wonderful way of living life, an art to be happy with motorcycle. When there is risk in everything there is, why don’t we just make it to the top and be a risk averter. It is better that way by just simply doing nothing. A famous Isle of Man TT motorcycle racer once said, “If you think it’s too dangerous, go home and cut your lawn and leave it to us”. Just remember this when a “Chicken Little” appears around you.

Robert kiyosaki said, for winners, losing inspires them. For losers, losing defeats them. If you have ever had any bad experience with motorcycle, try doing the right way this time, you will definitely be awestruck with the result you will come up with. After all, we didn’t walked into this world just like that, we fall, rise and bounce back with more inspiration.

Like I mentioned above, being safe and following basic riding principles is the best possible way to be a risk averter. Let’s discuss more about it in detail in the upcoming blogs. Stay tuned for more details. Until then,

Happy Riding,

Riderwithmettle.