Advice: Actions create reactions

Actions create reactions

The laws of physics are quantifiable and irrefutable. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. You pull the brakes on, and the planet slows down beneath your wheels. You roll on the throttle and earth vanishes behind you. You steer the bike and the scenery opens up in the direction you're heading.

Each of these actions (braking, accelerating and steering) generates force. Each force creates its own series of reactions. For example, when you accelerate, for the wheel to move, the earth must move underneath it. The question is: what is moving, the bike or the planet? Of course you'll all say that it must be the bike that's moving, but what if your only viewpoint is of being on the bike? Is it moving, or does the earth move around you? It's all a matter of perspective really. That is, it depends from what view it is measured. If you consider the motorcycle to be your stable (fixed) point, then for the wheel to turn, the earth truly does move. Alright Mr Philosophical, what are you rambling on about? Stay with me...

When you are riding, your viewpoint of the actions and reactions that happen on the motorcycle are based purely on your view of the world at that point in time. What you see is based on its relationship to you and the forces at play - speed, direction, lean angle, G-force etc. The decisions you make will be based on what you see. Therefore you are the constant in all the equations you make.

Unfortunately, everyone else has a totally different viewpoint. From an observer's point of view, you are very much the object that is moving. Their actions and reactions are based on a totally different set of circumstances. They are experiencing their own issues with speed and direction, whether they are riding or just standing still. Therefore they are the constant; you are the variable.

I spend much of my life at racetracks (are you jealous yet?) and from time to time, one rider will come into contact with another rider. Unfortunate, but it happens. I have had the 'pleasure' of talking these situations through with the riders to ascertain exactly what took place. Often there are two totally opposing views from the riders, which are then 'reconciled' with an on-bike instructor or corner marshal's take on proceedings. It never ceases to amaze me just how varied these views are.

Normally both riders play the 'victim' card, blaming the other for the incident. Even when the overtaking rider (who by the way is always to blame as far as I'm concerned) admits he/she was behind, they find some reason to justify their position. They may be at fault, but they didn't cause the situation. Sound familiar?

The only counsel that can be really be trusted is that of the objective observer. While I do listen to each 'story', in the end it's the instructor or the marshal that provides me with the clues to what happened. Even after this is explained to each of the 'victims', they will often argue the point. The question must be asked: why? That's easy - the quantifiable and irrefutable laws of physics only count when you can put them into a picture. That picture always has you in the middle of it. Why? Because that's where you are!

When you were a toddler, the universe revolved around you (did I mention I have a 16-month-old daughter...). We've all seen the tantrums that take place in local shopping centres while distraught parents try to teach the child that the universe does not revolve around them. When the tantrums cease, we all are convinced that the child now knows its place. Wrong! They just hide it very well. They didn't learn that the universe operates independently of them; they learned that when they make a point of the way they see it, mummy and daddy didn't like it. The tantrums stop, but they still know, and so do you, that the universe really does revolve around you...

Good luck with your riding.

Steve Brouggy is the owner of the

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