I t ’ s a worry . It ’ s a worry that according to some recent statistics there has been a notable rise in motorcycle crashes over the past year . I have no issues with the figures and facts they ( the authorities ) have tacked together . So it ’ s a worry . What gets the old mind going is that safety folks have been underlining the stats with terms of advice for people , on two wheels ( and four for that matter ) to ride ( and drive ) to the conditions . To be alert , and be confident that the device you have decided to travel upon ( or within ) is agreeable with your abilities . Because there are many people who are not . They may think they are , but they are not . But this is human nature I guess ... and the staunchly Kiwi attitude of “ I know what I ’ m bloody doing ”. As well as “ she ’ ll be right .” She won ’ t be when the back end takes a slide and it ’ s up to the pilot to deliver the antidote before it all turns to the brown stuff we don ’ t like talking about ( unless you are in the toilet paper manufacturing business ). I have seen some riders out there who worry me . I call them “ potential statistics ” because they do not appear to have the spark for riding on two wheels . It is a talent , I believe . You have to work at it and hone it , and learn by the mistakes ... and we ’ ve all made ‘ em . And there ’ s that grand old saying upon which “ you learn by your mistakes ” and you do ... although in some cases I am inclined to note “ you should ”. In the early years , the young years , of which I struggle to recall now that the hair is greying and the pension dates are noted on the calendar , we young two-wheeled bandits made errors . But we learnt ... I hope . Raining ? Watch the braking . Open road ahead ? Watch the rural gateways . Easy fast , slightly blind , right-hander ? But is something coming the other way ? In my young years I hit three cars . On two occasions it was their fault . The third one was mine . Dopey speed and a sort of Barry Sheene open-road invincibility ( for he was my hero at the time ). I daresay had Barry been able to visit me in hospital later ( it was a big-time bone cracker ) he ’ d have simply shaken his head and muttered “ silly bugger ”. However , in my later years , and I mean from about 35 onwards , I was still fast when required but it was a pace built on practice ... and having been a patient I daresay .