Everyone who is related to me, stop rolling your eyeballs, it wasn't that kind of chance.
The weather on Sunday was iffy.
I looked out of the front door at the weather, and it was raining enough so that I would be rather wet when I arrived at church, so I drove.
Since my first stop is Starbucks, I found that it had stopped raining when I came out with my coffee. I decided to take a chance and change to my motorcycle. Home is on the way to church anyway.
Well, it didn't exactly rain, but there was enough 'sort of rain' and enough spray on the road that my pants were a bit wet when I arrived.
Well, I was taking a chance anyway.
But on another note, I have been thinking about a Darwin Award that I read.
It can be found here.
The story:
Wascally Wabbit
2008 Darwin Award Nominee
Unconfirmed by Darwin
Snowmobiles and alcohol are a dangerous mix. Then came the rabbit.
After a day spent partying and racing snowmobiles in the wilderness, a group of snowmobilers were headed back to their cabin, when up popped a jackrabbit! They gave chase. Several collisions were narrowly averted, and so all the snowmobiles backed off... except one.
This snowmobiler kept his eye on the quarry and rapidly closed in. The rabbit darted aside to save itself. The snowmobiler closed in again. The rabbit ran toward the road, where there was less snow. Trying to ram his rabbit before it crossed the road, the man accelerated to Mach 1.
But the rabbit had other ideas. It darted into the culvert beneath the road. Witnesses stated that the snowmobiler never even braked. There was a metallic crunch as the accelerating vehicle rammed into the culvert, followed by a blast that shattered the snowmobile into a thousand bits.
This brand of snowmobile had a fuel tank mounted in front. The culvert admitted the tip of the snowmobile, then cut into the cowling, spilling fuel over the hot engine. The body of the snowmobiler was blown twenty feet back into the field.
The rabbit's whereabouts was unknown.
One of the things that I remember from Basic Rider Training is "Target Fixation".
I remember because it was a rather fascinating concept - you go where you look (so look through the turn)
It has been explained to be many times by motorcycle training professionals that motorcyclists need to ride their own ride.
The dude on the snowmobile was not riding his own ride, and was fixated on the rabbit, not the path of travel.
Yeah, I know that the rabbit was not on a path anyway, so there was no real path, but the temptation when riding is always rather strong to just follow the person in front of you.
This story kind of makes you think twice about that.
Ta!
Balisada
Interestingly, one of the exercises when we do high speed motor cop training is to have them pair up and chase "rabbits". The rabbits are instructors who can ride bad lines fast. The cops chase the rabbits and an evaluator chases the cops.
ReplyDeleteThe objective is to teach the cops to not follow the bad lines. It's easy to get sucked into doing just that. The cops have to ride the proper lines to protect themselves during the chase.
Very intersting exercise.
Cool story!
P.S. What does the pastor think about having a "Rebel" in the parking lot? :)
ReplyDeleteActually, it was that very exercise that you wrote about, that popped into my mind as I read the article.
ReplyDeleteWell, the Bible does say that we are not to conform to the world, so he should be thrilled that I have taken to "Rebel-ing":
Romans 12:2 -
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
You know, some of the most surprising people at church have mentioned to me that they used to ride a motorcycle.
And I think that the pastor rides a Harley. I have a picture of my Rebel sharing a parking space with a Harley and I believe a Shadow.
For some unknown reason, motorcycles at church fascinate me.
Balisada