Fantastic story from Daniel Meyer

The Dangerous Squirrel.

I never dreamed slowly cruising through a residential neighborhood could be so incredibly dangerous!

Studies have shown that motorcycling requires more decisions per second, and more sheer data processing than nearly any other common activity or sport.

The reactions and accurate decision making abilities needed have been likened to the reactions of fighter pilots! The consequences of bad decisions or poor situational awareness are pretty much the same for both groups too.

Occasionally, as a rider I have caught myself starting to make bad or late decisions while riding. In flight training, my instructors called this being "behind the power curve".

It is a mark of experience that when this begins to happen, the rider recognizes the situation, and more importantly, does something about it.

 A short break, a meal, or even a gas stop can set things right again as it gives the brain a chance to catch up.

 

Good, accurate, and timely decisions are essential

when riding a motorcycle at least if you want to

remain among the living. In short, the brain needs

to keep up with the machine.

 

I had been banging around the roads of east Texas

and as I headed back into Dallas, found myself

in very heavy, high-speed traffic on the freeways.

 

Normally, this is not a problem, I commute in these conditions daily, but suddenly I was nearly run

down by a cage that decided it needed my lane more than I did.

 

This is not normally a big deal either, as it happens around here often, but usually I can accurately

predict which drivers are not paying attention

and avoid them before we are even close.

 

This one I missed seeing until it was nearly too late,

and as I took evasive action I nearly broadsided another car that I was not even aware was there!

Two bad decisions and insufficient situational

awareness all within seconds. I was behind the

power curve.

 

Time to get off the freeway.

 

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