Going to races/riding alone?

lumpy790
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11594
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York, SC, USA
Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 1:28pm
I don't get to ride that much since moving here to Charlotte (little time, old, slow and out of shape) so I have not met or made friends with many local riders......and when I ride or race I always go alone which always worries me if I crash and get hurt..........and I often travel to races far away from home........alone. My wife stays home as she does not like going to the track.

For example......This Friday I am headed up to Buds Creek for the weekend to the kick off of the Youth MAMA Mid Atlantic Motocross Association season......they have some classes for us non youth also. .....and am going alone.

I am also planning on hitting several of the Pro nationals this year.....including the first 2 rounds in Cal, High Point, Buds Creek & Steel City......any one in the South East / Charlotte area want to share expenses and go to some really cool races?

Any South East Pro riders need a wrench for the nationals??? I have many years of National & SX wrench experience!
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Moto East Mag
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Arlington, VA, USA
3/17/2009 10:57am
It might not help your pre-race nervousness, but take a sheet of paper with contact info of a relative or friend (like cell #) and put it on the dashboard of your truck or something. If something happens, they can usually determine what truck is yours.

I make new friends every time I go to Budds. I'd be happy to pit with you at any races this year. I do the MDRA series and most Budds races.
lumpy790
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York, SC, USA
3/17/2009 11:39am
Thanks .......... thats a very good idea.
jeffmc134
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USA
3/17/2009 12:42pm
It might not help your pre-race nervousness, but take a sheet of paper with contact info of a relative or friend (like cell #) and put...
It might not help your pre-race nervousness, but take a sheet of paper with contact info of a relative or friend (like cell #) and put it on the dashboard of your truck or something. If something happens, they can usually determine what truck is yours.

I make new friends every time I go to Budds. I'd be happy to pit with you at any races this year. I do the MDRA series and most Budds races.
more people should follow your lead on how to use this forum. well done.
teggers
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Winter Park, FL, USA
3/17/2009 12:44pm
I always alert someone pitting near me where my phone is and to please check if I don't come back after a moto. Most of the track owners will go to your pit if you are out and do the investigation for relatives. Leave your keys on the car seat and your phone in a conspicuous place.

I always see who has an extra driver at the track and ask if they will get my truck home on long trips. Shawn Skinner (and Dad - Virgil) got my trailer home one year.

The Shop

Adam43
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WF
3/17/2009 1:02pm
IMO going to the races, and even riding alone is one of the stupidest things a person could ever do. I have a track in my own backyard and I won't ride it unless there is SOMEONE around. It's just too risky.

Nothing wrong with going to the races alone if you're meeting up with friends or what have you, but relying on the kindness of strangers to take care of you and your shit while your being carted off just seems ludicrous.

72kiteboarder
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90 MILES SOUTH-ISH, FL, USA
3/17/2009 1:05pm
Adam43 wrote:
IMO going to the races, and even riding alone is one of the stupidest things a person could ever do. I have a track in my...
IMO going to the races, and even riding alone is one of the stupidest things a person could ever do. I have a track in my own backyard and I won't ride it unless there is SOMEONE around. It's just too risky.

Nothing wrong with going to the races alone if you're meeting up with friends or what have you, but relying on the kindness of strangers to take care of you and your shit while your being carted off just seems ludicrous.

Come on, Tell us how you really feel.
anyday
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Location
Newry, IE
3/17/2009 1:09pm
mx guys as you know generally look out for each other anyway but man i,d never ride alone thats like scuba diving on your own, hope ya meet a few buddys to go ride with,
Farva
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USA
3/17/2009 1:19pm
Had a friend ditch school and his other buddy was supposed to do the same to go ride. The other buddy pussed out and the kid ended up breaking his Femur alone. After I heard I decided it best to not ride alone.
SPYGUY
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USA
3/17/2009 1:19pm
If it were me, I'd be looking for a new wife.
Moto East Mag
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Arlington, VA, USA
3/17/2009 1:37pm
I won't ride alone with nobody around, but I have gone to many races by myself. I don't think its a big deal. It beats staying home.
lumpy790
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Location
York, SC, USA
3/17/2009 2:04pm
Riding locally is not an issue. I ride at pay to ride places with people there...or at a friends house but he wont go to races. Its traveling to races 400-600 miles away that gets me a bit nervous.
anyday
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Newry, IE
3/17/2009 2:08pm
lumpy790 wrote:
Riding locally is not an issue. I ride at pay to ride places with people there...or at a friends house but he wont go to races...
Riding locally is not an issue. I ride at pay to ride places with people there...or at a friends house but he wont go to races. Its traveling to races 400-600 miles away that gets me a bit nervous.
400 to 600 miles away gee thats further than the whole length of our wee green Island lol,
Sonny
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NYC, NY, USA
3/17/2009 2:08pm


Dog Tag Flash Drive make a digital copy of your insurance card, ID, and doc. file with contact info
peelout719
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Ogden, UT, USA
3/17/2009 2:11pm
SPYGUY wrote:
If it were me, I'd be looking for a new wife.
i had a girlfriend that didn't like going to watch me anymore. i broke up with her for that reason only. true story.

about the wife thing though, i have a lot of older friends and their wives refuse to take any part in their racing. sad deal.

ps... to the original poster... NEVER ride alone! ever! even if there are people at the track when i'm there, i won't ride if i dont have a friend there with me. hope you can start building a fan base that will travel with you, because that's scary.
Old Mate
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Sussex Inlet, AU
3/17/2009 2:25pm
SPYGUY wrote:
If it were me, I'd be looking for a new wife.
I reckon most guys would be happy to have a wife who wants to stay home and lets you go away riding every weekend. Your first post should do the job for you,meet some people at budds and hook up for future rides.
3/17/2009 2:36pm
I was on a weekend dune trip with a group of 4 of us. 2 guys where broke down at camp and 1 didn't want to ride. I was on my own, wanted to go for a quick ride in the dunes not far from the entrance and take it easy. Had a great 20 minute ride and decided to stop a minute and chill. Then when I tried to start back up, it was getting dark, I turned on my headlamp and blew a fuse. Shit. I put in another fuse and pop, there goes that one. No more fuses and I'm fucked. It wont start. It's getting dark and I'm 1 mile from entrance in the sand dunes. Almost in a panic, then pure luck would bring a group of riders close to me and flagged them down. They towed me back to the camp and all was well....I wasn't hurt (other than my pride) but it was a helpless feeling broken down all alone in the dunes.
Never again will I ride alone.
3/17/2009 2:43pm
Way back in the day I got off at a dirt track at a Dodge City Kansas dirt track some friends loaded up my stuff in my van and drove it to the hospital, i ended up with a fracture of lower lumbar 5 and they wanted to fuse it I said no checked myself out of the hospital and drove back to so cal and my own doctor. Thinking back it was pretty dumb to go alone but sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do.
flarider
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Daytona Beach, FL, USA
3/17/2009 2:53pm
This is why we made those emergency helmet/visor decals
Cygnus
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Hanover, CO, USA
3/17/2009 2:59pm
I have owned my track for 2.5 years and have never ridden alone, ever.

I am going to start tomorrow. I won't ride the MX track just the GP track. I gotta get in shape for a HS on April5.
3/17/2009 3:00pm
A sticker for your helmet visor with your name, any allergies ect., and contact info for a friend or family member who could notify everyone --- or a piece of paper taped under your helmet helps solve some issues while riding or racing at tracks that are public.

I never have/will ride or go racing alone if I'm not meeting someone there. I have been at a race where the people I had met had a rider get hurt and leave, I talked to the guy pitted on our other side, gave him my fiance's phone number and told him to call her if anything happened.

I had a buddy go out woods riding alone and crashed into a rivine. He was a few miles out and he couldn't get his bike out. He was out there for quite some time before it was almost dark and we found him.

I figure it's just not worth it. Luckily I have a fiance that is willing to go racing with me if no one else is around to go, and I have thankfully found people to practice with often.
3/17/2009 3:01pm
I don't think I have ever been to a track where people weren't willing to help out if something happened. A lot of people have to practice by themselves. Either nobody would come with them, they have a strange work schedule, or they are new to the area. The list goes on. I'm not advocating going out on a trail or track where there is no one else around but at most pay to play tracks, there should be someone keeping an eye on things.

Another useful thing we found was to have an EMERGENCY CONTACT number listed for each rider on the release. Not necessarily their home #, but one where someone could be reached.
MxDaD324
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Mechanicsville, MD, USA
3/17/2009 3:38pm Edited Date/Time 3/17/2009 3:43pm
THESE ARE GREAT TOO IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION... http://www.medsticks.com/

trick121
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1200
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Location
Redondo Beach, CA, USA
3/17/2009 3:52pm
I have a sticker on my inner visor with all my contact medical information...sort of like the ones Dave made for everyone after RC crashed.

At least you have wife someone can call..in case of an emergency.

WhipMeister
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5260
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8/15/2006
Location
Big D, TX, USA
3/17/2009 3:59pm
I stopped riding alone after getting launched over the bars by a kicker WFO and auguring head first into a tree (with my CR landing on top of me) at dusk. I was heading back to the rig to load up and go home just after everyone else had left.

I was really, really lucky because I was actually able to shake it off, get up, get the bike loaded up and get out of there. Got my bell rung pretty good and was beat to hell, but that was about it. I was shaking all the way home. If I'd been as messed up as I should have been, I'd have been laying there probably all night. My GF knew I had gone riding, but had no idea where. The impact scraped about a silver dollar sized hole right through the helmet shell. Looked like someone had taken a bench grinder to it.

I also have a label on my helmet with critical information printed on it.

Being at the races around a bunch of other people is another thing. Just let someone else there know you're lone wolfing it.
3/17/2009 4:27pm
flarider wrote:
This is why we made those emergency helmet/visor decals
You beat me to it, I was about to mention those...Wink
lumpy790
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York, SC, USA
3/17/2009 5:51pm
SPYGUY wrote:
If it were me, I'd be looking for a new wife.
Looking for a new wife is not an option.....took me to long to get her back!

See the 1st picture below......she took it back when she went to the track every week.....while we were in high school in late 70's-80's! She still had the pictures.

After a couple years of college we had gone our separate ways and 27 years later.....The HD was in the parking lot of our wedding reception and much to my inlaws dismay......she said lets go! She has her own Virago street bike.



cjmx
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Lakewood, CO, USA
Fantasy
3/18/2009 7:49am
flarider wrote:
This is why we made those emergency helmet/visor decals
great idea. where can I get one of these?
huck
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17024
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Mountain Home, AR, USA
3/18/2009 8:02am
The last time I went to a race by myself...I drove home almost 2 hours with a broken leg in 3 spots. My friends at the track helped me load everything up, but there was no way I was going to the little hospital where the track was. I just called my wife and told her to meet me at the ER... those calls go over SO well... Pinch
txmxer
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Weatherford, TX, USA
3/18/2009 8:07am
flarider wrote:
This is why we made those emergency helmet/visor decals
cjmx wrote:
great idea. where can I get one of these?
x2
flarider
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Daytona Beach, FL, USA
3/18/2009 8:08am
flarider wrote:
This is why we made those emergency helmet/visor decals
cjmx wrote:
great idea. where can I get one of these?
I think I still have a few
Send a SASE to our address and put a note in there requesting the emergency helmet stickers

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