Did you read and agree to the contract …or just get on and ride?

I remember being told a long time ago that most weddings fail because the participants fail to understand and actually agree to the contract upfront.  In other words, going into the agreement they don’t actually think there way through the fact that their life is going to change, that they have to give up things, like late nights out, that they are going to have to contribute most of the money they now use for their own pleasure to their children.  So when all these pressure come to bear instead of saying, “Ok, I agreed to these terms, I need to make this work” they feel like they are missing something, instead of what they have gained and feel unfairly treated.

THE POINT?

Well the point is that so many of us ride motorbikes because its fun, but how many of us read the contract, acknowedged the risks and costs, both real and potential.  How many of us accepted those risks and agreed to their presence in our riding lives?  Before agreeing to the contract?

So you need to understand you DID agree to a contract, the fact you didn’t consider the implications is like signing an unread contract once you throw your leg over the bike

This thinking about “The Contract” is because on a ride recently a rider was seriously injured and through no fault of his own.  I think it shook us all, the extent of his injuries and makes you step back and consider the terms of our contract.  The risk we accept as part of our CHOICE to ride.

I went through the same process, it was quite a shock, but then I possibye went through a slightly different process.  I have already spent time looking at the clauses of my contract with my sport and this gave me a frame work to re-evaluate if the risk clause was worth the joy and sense of freedom I get back in return, the reward side of the contract.

For this reason, possibly my thought processes were a little different to some.  I was not wildly trying to put it all into context.  I had a context, all I had to do was re-measure my agreement and check if anything had changed  that might make me want to re-write the contract.

I ride because I love it, I get a sense of fun, freedom, community and excitement from my riding and in return I accept the risks and possible consequences involved.  But the terms of my contract with riding are for me to set and I have already in the past re-written my contract.

After an accident that left my right arm good only for partial use and full of metal pinning it together I decided to dial back the way I rode, no more racing and very little silly behaviour (when was the last time you saw me wheelie or stoppie?).  Its a valid choice that, for each of us, balances the return against the risk.

I have noted one of the riders that was with us has decided not to venture out into rain again, he has in effect re-written his contract and has made a conscious decision to forego the joys of riding if they coincide with wet weather.  Its valid.

I have re-evaluated my own contract and decided that I will continue to ride when it is wet, but only if there is enough joy to be found to reward me for that risk and if I do crash and injure myself? Well that was always part of the contract and I had taken that into consideration when I signed it!!

Have you made a conscious agreement with yourself, a contract about your riding and the potential costs.  If you get it wrong one day will it just be payment time and something to work through or will you feel robbed as if it never was part of your agreement with Motorcycling.