Fear and Panic are two different states of the mind. The beauty is in the effect that they have on a person riding a motorcycle. I shall use examples from my experiences to explain what I mean.
Fear is an entity which lurks in the background, as a result of past experiences. It keeps a check on the rider; it prevents a person from making irrational decisions. There are many external factors that govern fear, for example, you should be cautious on city streets when compared to your attitude on a closed track.
Racing drivers are a special breed. It is said that they have this capability; they have no fear of what's up next. It is the reason they can take calculated risks. They are mentally capable of accepting some amount of risk when they are riding on the track without letting fear interfere with their thought processes. This doesn't mean that they are rash drivers on city streets. Most of them have been through a couple of crashes, and they know the consequences of falling off a bike or crashing a car.
Panic is the product of a change in external factors that might result in a disaster. It is said that a person becomes a better rider after a few falls. Falling off a bike does not imply that you are a better rider after a fall. Most of what you learn is through incorporating techniques into your style and practicing them religiously. But it does contribute to your riding style and I shall explain how.
Riders learn how to deal with panic after a fall or two. The first few situations of bother almost always result in accidents. Gradually, you learn to suppress the panic that sets in when you realize that you might crash. In situations like these, you need to think straight to retain control of your motorcycle and make split second decisions. Once panic sets in, it is almost impossible to recover, as all decisions are clouded by a rush of blood to the head. After a while, you realize that all you need to do is control the panic that sets in as a result of how we are genetically wired, and things will be better. You might still crash, but the decisions that you make before you crash will be spot on and will save you a lot of trouble.
It is difficult to explain how you suppress panic; people deal with it in their own way, I guess. The point is that it can be done, and that is what makes a person a better rider.
To sum it up, the difference is that Fear prevents stupid mistakes and controlling Panic helps you make better decisions.
Fear is an entity which lurks in the background, as a result of past experiences. It keeps a check on the rider; it prevents a person from making irrational decisions. There are many external factors that govern fear, for example, you should be cautious on city streets when compared to your attitude on a closed track.
Racing drivers are a special breed. It is said that they have this capability; they have no fear of what's up next. It is the reason they can take calculated risks. They are mentally capable of accepting some amount of risk when they are riding on the track without letting fear interfere with their thought processes. This doesn't mean that they are rash drivers on city streets. Most of them have been through a couple of crashes, and they know the consequences of falling off a bike or crashing a car.
Panic is the product of a change in external factors that might result in a disaster. It is said that a person becomes a better rider after a few falls. Falling off a bike does not imply that you are a better rider after a fall. Most of what you learn is through incorporating techniques into your style and practicing them religiously. But it does contribute to your riding style and I shall explain how.
Riders learn how to deal with panic after a fall or two. The first few situations of bother almost always result in accidents. Gradually, you learn to suppress the panic that sets in when you realize that you might crash. In situations like these, you need to think straight to retain control of your motorcycle and make split second decisions. Once panic sets in, it is almost impossible to recover, as all decisions are clouded by a rush of blood to the head. After a while, you realize that all you need to do is control the panic that sets in as a result of how we are genetically wired, and things will be better. You might still crash, but the decisions that you make before you crash will be spot on and will save you a lot of trouble.
It is difficult to explain how you suppress panic; people deal with it in their own way, I guess. The point is that it can be done, and that is what makes a person a better rider.
To sum it up, the difference is that Fear prevents stupid mistakes and controlling Panic helps you make better decisions.
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