The Law Office of Paul Gargiulo, P.C. presents Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully

A column dedicated to your riding survival

After The Fall

I was sitting about mid-way up the seats at Turn 15 at the Circuit of the Americas when we saw rider Brad Binder lose the front wheel and slide into the gravel, basically knocking him out of contention this day. The corner workers speedily got to Binder who was already picking up his KTM and then – to our surprise - they began to push Brad who bumpstarted the GP machine and rooster-tailed gravel as he got back onto the circuit and rejoined the race.

Way in last place, but undaunted and looking for any points there were to be had.

For the rest of the race and especially when he passed us on the post-race lap he got a standing ovation, and certainly, his stock rocketed in my mind.

Crashes, or what Space X would call RUM (Rapid Unseating of Motorcycle), happen all the time in professional racing. Seeing what Newton’s Law, gravity, and the ebb and ow of the tides of traction do to speeding race machines is amazing and sometimes scary.

Yet, if they can, these guys get right up and right back on.

In between laps, when the volume of the race lowered enough to allow conversation, I casually mentioned that … “I nd I always ride with a bit more “enthusiasm” after watching MotoGP on any Sunday.”

A gentleman a few rows ahead of us heard this and turned his head and stated, “Ain’t that the truth?! Me too – Sometimes I have to remind myself there are no gravel run-offs and just trees and guard rails!”

Our entire section all began to agree – as MotoGPitis seems to be a universal syndrome that many of us have after watching the very best riders in the world do what they do so well.

We ain’t them. Not one of us.

Sure, some of you (not me) are superb riders – but you are not Rossi, Bautista, or Alexander.

Next to me this day was my friend Laurie. In addition to being an avid motorcycle rider, she is an MSF Coach, an avid horsewoman, and a long-time ski instructor too.

Laurie is a very well-rounded lass, and has a unique way of looking at things and taking away from them thoughts that others miss. It is the teacher in her… I see this with Shira’s sister and my nephew, and other educators as well.

As our section began to have a back and forth with the fact that many ride at a brisker pace after race day, Laurie pointed out that on the slopes, they see far more drastic accidents after the Winter Olympics and the weeks following them.

It is also a fact that there is a distinct rise in single-vehicle motorcycle incidents after MotoGP, World Superbike, or going to a MotoAmerica Weekend.

Why is that?

Well… there is a reason. Restraint. Or, lack thereof.

My friend Reg Pridmore, riding instructor extraordinaire, has a Recurrency Checklist. #3 on the list is “Demand concentration, discipline, restraint, and accuracy.

Although they all are important, I want to pull out just one of these.

Restraint. Def: A measure or condition that keeps someone or something under control or within limits.

There has never been a CLASS session with Reg and GiGi that they and their instructors had not warned us all about the need for “restraint” during the nal session. Laurie would concur – the last run of the day is where skiers get stupid… and hurt.

Much like the fact we made a few issues back about the nal few miles to your home is where so many unfortunate incidents occur.

It’s easy for me to write this, at my desk, watching MotoGP practice in Spain on my laptop – but I need to strongly remind myself regularly that DO as I say, not as I do – is unacceptable.

Sometimes I think it would be good to have corner workers at each turn to help after the fall I never want to have. ,