Motorcycles

[hamsamich]

Mat,
I started riding at 33. With a wife and two young children I'm sure you can imagine how poorly this went over! I try to take the same approach you mention. I basically assume that any vehicle I am sharing the road with may do the least favorable thing for me at any moment and try to be as best prepareed for it as I can.

There are some interesting numbers you can check out as far as crashes, etc. You are far less likely to be involved in a fatal crash if you
a) Are riding a 'cruiser' rather than a sport bike
b) Are a licensed rider as opposed to just having a permit

I'm not sure where you live, but I can tell you that living in the NYC area riding can be quite a challenge at times. The main thing to remember is that you are NOT in a car! There is not a single documented case of motorcycle vs. car where the motorcycle wins! When someone is doing something dangerous just get out of their way and let them go on their merry way.

Enjoy the ride!