Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84Winter 2014 | IRON BUTT MAGAZINE  me, so I’m leaning towards a tactful, but curious, “I wonder, exactly, how sharing your story of someone else’s mishap is helpful to me?” and encouraging them to have whatever thoughts they might have but to refrain from actually uttering them. At the IBA International Meet in Denver I was engaged in a conversa- tion with a friend who had also been in an accident, albeit more serious than mine. He shared that a fellow rider had inquired if it had changed his rela- tionship with riding. The question was genuine, caring and non-judgmental. It wasn’t ‘will you stop riding?’but ‘will this change how you ride?’Instead of a snarky reply, it caused him to pause and reflect more deeply. After evaluating all the fac- tors in his life that mattered to him, he realized that yes, it had already altered his riding habits but not his desire to ride. In my case the answer is that so far it hasn’t changed anything. My internal dialogue has more to do with how traumatic events are pro- cessed, and the way the system can actu- ally work against figuring out the truth. Police officers ask everyone to describe what happened, often within minutes of it occurring and with little regard to injuries or pain. Insurance companies want the same information as soon as possible. But the victims and even those who cause the accidents can only pull together their best guesses from their limited awareness. Initially those memo- ries are just bits of images, feelings, and thoughts, and it is only as time passes that they consolidate into a coherent story of what actually transpired. That process can take days, weeks, or even longer. Yet the system is set up to hold everyone accountable for statements made before full comprehension occurs. If the police don’t ask the right ques- tions or take the time to understand the full picture, who will advocate for what actually transpired? No matter the type of accident, this process needs revising. I imagine it would stop a lot of headaches down the road. I am truly thankful I am fine and that I will ride again. But this accident was another reminder that as motorcyclists we need to be constantly advocating for ourselves against the assumptions of others, including the police. We also need to stop feeling the urge to defend our decision to ride to those who don’t get it. In the meantime, I’m just waiting for the next person to share their story so I can try out my new response. Lynda Lahman is the author of “Two-Up: Navigating a Relationship , Miles at a Time” and, ”From Iron Lung to Iron Butt: Riding Polio Into History.” Her latest book, “The Winner’s Mind: Strengthening Mental Skills in Athletes,” was recently released. “ Unfortunately, our experience in New Jersey turned quickly from having a delightful ride in easy flowing traffic to being tossed to the curb at the bottom at an unremarkable off-ramp… ” Premium Motorcycle Tours ayresadventures.com 877-275-8238 AYRES ADVENTURES Asia Africa Europe Australia New Zealand North America South America South America What better way to show your pride as one of the “World’s Toughest Motorcycle Riders” www.ibaestore.com Gear for the World’s Toughest Motorcycle Riders eSTORE Motorcycle Riders” “World’s Toughest Motorcycle Riders” Motorcycle Riders” Motorcycle Riders” Motorcycle Riders” Motorcycle Riders” Motorcycle Riders” Motorcycle Riders” Motorcycle Riders” Motorcycle Riders” Motorcycle Riders” From mugs, keychains and hats, to t-shirts and books, it can be found at the IBA eSTORE