Hermione: “Feels strange to be going home, doesn't it?”
Harry: “I'm not going home... not really.”
These lines from the movie ‘Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone’ almost capture the feeling of what it is like to ride back from an event. All it takes is just a whiff of that motorcycling atmosphere out there that has your heart and soul pinned by a 30,000 pound and 1440 feet USS Ford’s anchor!
Whether it's the diverse array of motorcycles filling up the parking lot, engaging in spirited discussions about bikes with friends, or simply exchanging a friendly wave with a passing motorcyclist on a deserted stretch of road leading to the event, these experiences have a way of deeply resonating, undoubtedly bringing a wide grin to your face.
But hey! You gotta do what you gotta do! Ride back home towards that malevolent Monday that calls you with a smug, evil smile!
Mastering the Ride: Elevating Awareness with your Internal Radar
First things first.
As I mentioned before, there's absolutely no doubt that your essence will still be immersed in the vibrant array of colors from the event, even as you journey halfway home. However, the primary demand from both your mind and the situation is heightened awareness. Therefore, cultivating this awareness during both your time in the saddle and when you're off it on your way back is paramount. Think of it akin to the radar system employed by fighter jets. While their systems are intricate and provide a comprehensive understanding of their surroundings, you can approximate a similar process mentally by consistently observing the stimuli from your environment, then analysing and constructing your personal internal radar of your surroundings. Though it may seem intricate at first, the beauty lies in the fact that we naturally engage in this process while walking. The key, when riding, is to acknowledge, refine and cultivate this internal mode of cognition, which can significantly enhance your ride along with the right riding gear to make it both swifter and safer like appropriate riding jackets and riding gloves.
Once this 'radar system' is developed, mastery of the ride becomes second nature. Yet, it's essential to be patient and dedicate time to its development and practice.
Ever heard of ‘Mark One Human Eyeball’?
It all begins with the fundamentals, the traditional inputs. These are what construct the remarkable 'Mark One Human Eyeball,' creating a highly efficient system. This system demands care, ongoing maintenance, and constant calibration, including the use of corrective lenses when necessary. The environment plays a crucial role in refining and adjusting this system continually, with factors such as other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, road obstacles and more contributing to its development.
One of the key tools for evaluating your surroundings is the rear-view mirrors (RVMs), so it's essential to ensure they are properly adjusted and clean. While concentrating on the road ahead is important, maintaining awareness of what's behind becomes increasingly crucial as your speed increases, particularly when faster motorcyclists are approaching from behind. The point is, there may be someone faster than you accelerating from behind.
Important!
At times, you may experience a gut feeling while on the road, a sensation of unease without clear reasons. This feeling stems from your brain's remarkable ability to subconsciously recognise past hazards or risky situations, which we consciously interpret as 'instincts'. It's important to heed these instincts, taking necessary action such as pulling over, taking a break, or seeking input from others. These actions help keep your awareness sharp, utilising your peripheral vision as an additional source of information.
The human eye proves invaluable, particularly at the periphery of its field of view, where it excels at detecting subtle movements. For instance, it can catch the subtle sway of a headlight crossing the road you're driving on, the slight turn of a parked car's wheel toward the road, or the presence of a bus parked alongside or near a bus stop where a pedestrian might suddenly appear. Therefore, maintaining a strong focus on the center of your peripheral vision can significantly enhance your overall visual awareness. Consider how effortlessly jugglers manage their craft without constantly monitoring each object they juggle; instead, observe how their gaze remains fixed on the central point of the performance.
Leave, don’t live!
Like I said earlier, fighter jets have insanely fast on-board computers sensors that are always in sync and keep giving inputs, but you have something that is as amazing (if not better) as that entire package put together, your brain. I try to set a couple of modes when I am riding. This helps me prioritise everything after I analyse the inputs coming in constantly. So, I get an input, I rank them, store them until I am in that situation and then off, I leave them. This helps me paint a 3D picture in my mind at a point, whether it is while approaching a toll plaza or exiting a village, I basically have everything in my mind that is around me. The situation I am in right now, is matching the 3D picture I have in my mind. Is that truck going to take a U-turn, who is in the left lane? (They need that much space) Is that pedestrian on the divider going to cross depending on how many vehicles are there behind me? Will that car showing the right indicator on the other side try a quick right turn in front of me? Those two flashing orange lights ahead of me are of a roadblock or a broken car parked? Is that a pothole up ahead or just black backpack lying on the road? Oh! There are a lot of them!
Orientation
Okay, a constant switch from highway to village to highway again with a couple of tolls thrown in takes a toll on orientation of your overall mental tune and eats up a lot of energy and the crave is indefinite (because it uses more energy than any other organ). Of course, it does not come easy. But you might crank it up and down as needed, but your awareness gets tweaked here, even if it is by a notch. The best proof of this is when you get into a village on a highway and your awareness changes.
Recognising these different levels of awareness and its requirements and continuously changing or switching them up and down can again improve your brain’s riding ‘software’. And this is where the ‘taken for granted’ phase hits you, regardless of what kind of rider you are, even if you prefer off road bike tyres. So, if you are a newbie, you're welcome! If you are an experienced bloke who has clocked thousands and lakhs of kilometers, you know what to do. And don't forget to invest in high-quality gear from trusted brands like Reisemoto for a safe and enjoyable ride.
Now get out there and ride too! Ride safe!
- Vishal Joshi , Expert Motorcyclist & Blogger
Image Credit : Miopía, hipermetropía y astigmatismo con solución | Dr. José Nieto (blefaroplastia.es)
