What makes your arse pucker?

Too often we riders never discuss our fears, we think that the fear makes us less of a rider than the next guy or that others might think we are idiots for feeling the way we do about something.

But I think talking about our fears, sharing our arse puckering moments can help us all be better riders.  You might say something in just the right way that finally a light alb goes off in my head about a challenge or situation that I need to learn...dialogue, sharing - that is some important and powerful stuff!

This is July, Motorcycle Safety Month, the SINGLE MOST DANGEROUS month of the year for riders.

People are on vacation, the roadways are busy, filled with tourists lookylooing at the animals grazing in the National Parks, or deciding last minute that they are pulling into a motel that is across two lanes of traffic, or driving so fast to get somewhere to relax that they forget the journey is part of the vacation too and they put others at risk.

Top that off with all of the truck traffic moving the goods across this country that we all need to run our lives and businesses with, often times, they are on tight time schedules and some go so far as to push other motorists to drive beyond their ability or get run over...

The Road is filled with dangers of all kinds; from our fellow motorist, game, road and infrastructure conditions, weather conditions, road debris and flying debris...

But testing ourselves, facing our fears is also part of what riding a motorcycle is all about.

It's about testing our own metal, finding out what we are made of and celebrating the ride, the feeling, the freedom, the empowerment...the courage, the strength, the tenacity, the love. It's all about honing our skills and growing as people.

There are things that scare the absolute bejeebers out of me...things that cause my arse to pucker, things that I put all of my focus on when I am dealing with them...

Like passing a semi.

Often times when I am in a group riding situation, I find myself riding with riders who never consider what would happen to them if the tread came off of one of those trailer tires or what if a brake pot exploded.

My fear comes from having been a passenger in my father's semi as a kid for hundreds of thousands of miles over about a 12 year period and seeing first hand the destruction that can be caused by recapped tires, of seeing and feeling what it was like when a brake pot literally exploded and seeing  the shrapnel that flew everywhere.

When I ride with others and it comes time to pass a semi, I wait until that other rider is in front of the driver tires (the front tires) of the truck before I begin to make my move.  I want to get around that vehicle as fast as I can and if that means going 10 over to do it, so be it, I am NOT going to hang beside a semi trailer with all that potential shrapnel around me any longer that I absolutely have to.

There are a ton of situations that can cause one's arse to pucker, the arse really is the smartest organ and instinct/danger information translator in the world.

When your arse puckers, you'd best be on your game, danger is imminent!

So, what causes your arse to pucker up when you are riding and what does it feel like to overcome that fear or that obstacle?  I would LOVE to know!

If you'd like a chance to win a $50 Tim Horton's Gift Card, and you are on Facebook, search for Belt Drive Betty  and submit your best safety tip to the #RideAnotherDay Contest on my Personal Page!

Look for this photo to enter the contest at:

Have a fabulous day and please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and please consider wearing good gear!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider