My Ladder of Risk

According to my Basic Rider Course Rider Handbook, put out by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, there are risks to riding a motorcycle. I quote: "People take a variety of risks every day, but some take more risks than others. For instance, imagine a "ladder of risk." Picture a tall ladder reaching to the top of a building. For an experiment, would you climb up on the first rung and jump off to the ground? How about the second rung? Third? do you know anyone that would climb up to a rung higher than you and jump to the ground? Some people are higher risk takers than others, but the important point is to think about the risks you are willing to take. Only when you think about the risks of riding in traffic and you manage the variety of factors that happen while riding."

When I got to work today I walked in on a group of grieving people. Their posture and faces screamed grief. One of our coworkers was killed on her motorcycle this morning in Andover. Her mother works with us as well and just found out about her daughter's tragic accident. My coworkers, angels every one, gathered around her. Some fielded calls to family members. One talked to the coroner. Some supported her physically. Others gave her privacy. We work in human services so we know that sometimes the most help you can be is to leave someone alone and stop gawking. I was so proud of the way everyone pulled together to surround this distraught woman with love, concern, and support. I hurried away to my office to put my helmet away so she wouldn't see it. Because we work in human services, we had only a short amount of time to be emotional. To be professional, we had to hold it together, act like things were under control, and suppress our feelings of horror and grief. Our eyes met and our glances exchanged the thoughts we weren't allowed to speak aloud in front of our clients. Today was a very hard day.

Five people told me they thought of me when they heard the news of the motorcycle accident. Yikes. It is not my intention to scare people. I am well aware that riding a motorcycle is risky. I manage my risks by taking precautions I do not ride at night. I do not ride in the rain. I wear a helmet and leather jacket. I go slow and obey all traffic laws. I pay attention. I heard about the rain clouds in the west this afternoon so I chose to leave work 30 minutes early so I could get home before the rain fell. People are killed in motorcycle accidents and car accidents. Pedestrians are killed in traffic accidents too. I feel like I am jumping off one of the lower rungs of the ladder when I ride my motorcycle. I wonder if she felt the same way.

My heart breaks for Tasha. We worked together for a short time last week. She in a flowing skirt looking very feminine, worked steadily and without chatter, seeing what needed to be done and going from person to person offering encouragement and praise and redirection. She was a natural helper. My heart breaks for her family, her friends, and all the people who loved her. I hope they can focus on her life, her beauty, and her love.