Photo Credit: Lockk9 TT
In the photo, the rider missed the line and his calculations were off. But when things go wrong he climbed up the slope as if it was a bank. If he forced the bike to stay on the tarmac it would be uncontrollable and crash. So he aimed straight for the slope, instead of trying to recover. This was a split second decision. It would have been too late if he tried to think about it. That movement came from his experience and instinct.
How riders save speed wobbles? When a speed wobble happens and the bike becomes uncontrollable, rider’s next movement of what’s best to save will come naturally. He can’t calculate or think his decision at that moment. If he tries to think he would crash. All his experience and instinct will guide him through in these situations. To recover this single moment he must spend his whole life in theory, knowledge, training and experience.
Any driver/rider could face these conditions. Even in street. There could be a time you must decide whether to brake or accelerate. Only the driver can understand this.
Especially, downhill will make you to take split second decisions. These decisions must be taken without a hiatus. Not without a slight hesitation. There is a saying,
“A driver can be wrong, but cannot be unsteady or shaky”.
In the end when you analyse you will understand that these things are pure logic. They are only logical decisions. But they come naturally without thinking with your training and experience level. Theory, knowledge, data behind these decisions will come to your brain instantly and analyse every possible scenarios. You don’t think the logic. But they come super fast. And you don’t even know that. They all work together inside your head and let you take the split second decision.
What’ll you do when the car is going to spin? What should you do to stop it, or should you let it fully spin, or should you make it half spin 180 degrees?
What’ll you do when the chasing driver pushed from behind in a corner in order to overtake? Not pushing hard enough to spin, but to throw you off balance for a moment so he can overtake. It’s a dirty trick. But it happens. Even so often in professional circuit. RWD cars are defenceless against that kind of push right after the turn-in when the car is unstable. At times how do you recover?
What’ll you do when the other driver pushed from side wile accelerating in corner in order to force you off the road? Especially taking advantage of a 4WD car or a heavy body. In a likelihood situation if there is a curbstone and you force the car to stay on the tarmac it would have hit the curbstone and bounced back uncontrollably and crash.
What’ll you do in a side press like above with nearby guardrail? Would you run? Or use cornering speed to dodge it by releasing the side G force to absorb the impact? If you follow the basics of slow-in fast-out, you will crash at that situation. Instead you must sacrifice the exit speed for a higher entry speed. Then only you can use the guardrail for your advantage which your opponent intent to crash you. To do that you must see the opponent’s moves before he plays.
Do you think it’s easy? Not with all the theory and practice in the world you can do it; without achieving a calm mind. Instead of resisting you must remain open to fear and anger, and let them go by.
Split second decisions don’t come every day. But when they do you must be prepared so you don’t flinch at such dire circumstances.
Thank you.