Quote:
Originally Posted by Seadog1967
Why would the 61 age equate to being a new rider??? Crap can happen to any rider any age any experience. Sometimes Sh*t happens that you have no control of no matter the skills or experience.
I hate seeing any kind of wreck but more so bikes well bikes and semi's. I hope the rider recovers ok.
By the way the only reason I asked about your comment on the age factor was cuz I'm 61 also.
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I think he was simply wondering if he was an older rider who had been riding for a good number of years or someone who got into it later in life.
It makes a difference in that an older rider combined with lack of experience would add slower reflexes to the learning curve. Let's face it, our bodies slow down a bit as we age. We can't physically react to things the way we used to. As a result, experience becomes more vital. Without it, we're limited simply to good judgment, and that often comes with experience...and the circle continues.
In addition, someone with many years of car driving experience may tend to feel more confident than they should when transitioning to a bike ("I've been driving for years and never had an accident" type mentality).
Also, safety courses tend to skew relatively young or middle aged. You don't see a lot of 60+ folks taking them (not that they never do, it's just rare). It begs the question of whether older riders that are new to riding are assuming they don't need to take a safety course. After all, they've seen it all, haven't they?
Finally, a lot of people get into activities after retirement they can take part in with a spouse, such as riding. Now you have an inexperienced rider with with slightly slower reflexes riding a larger displacement bike with a passenger. This isn't exactly stamp collecting we're talking about. Talk about getting a licking when you make a mistake...
I'm not trying to say older riders are unsafe, nor am I endorsing the idea that this particular rider was new to the hobby. It's just yet another possible reason for a single-vehicle accident involving someone who, at first glance, appears to be experienced, was riding a cruiser (a bike that lends itself to taking it a bit more easy) and riding with a passenger (usually an incentive to ride more carefully) rather than a kid on a rocket who finds himself having too much speed to burn off when he enters a curve too hot.