Things I learnt with my first car

[tommyardin]

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I know its off topic but the thing ive learnt with my first bike ( over last 6 months)  is the amount of crap dangerous or just inconsiderate car drivers, the good ones Ive observed are probably just bikers in cars I always acknowledge the cars that you can tell are biker considerate, then I put the hammer down ha ha. well treat it like a chainsaw good advice :lol

but going back on topic for me in 1990 was don't fall asleep at the wheel :z ie pull over, fence post thru windscreen car looked like a tank, lol, luckily no injuries to any 3rd parties.
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[size=1em]Sounds like you had a very lucky escape with the post through the screen, people have been javalined through the chest and seat back by that happening. [/size]

[size=1em]My falling asleep believe it or not was on a BSA Bantam 175cc in 1965. I was working as an apprentice bricklayer and saved up £17 to buy the bike, it needed stuff doing to it but was rideable, I was so excited about having the bike and being able to work on it that I stayed up two nights running working on the bike in the shed and working on the building site through the day, I had gone about 60 odd hours without sleep, [/size]

[size=1em]it's now early on a Saturday morning in 1965, bright sunny day bike looking good, rust removed from the chrome wheel rims and handle bars chain adjusted and lubed, plug and carb cleaned (Amal Monoblock) red paintwork scrubbed and polished, leopard skin elaticated plastic seat cover in place, you get the picture. Leg over the seat and I'm off to ride to Guildford, about 16 miles, I could not get what I needed at Pascals Motorcycles of Guildford so back on the old Billy Bantam heading across the Hogs Back to Farnham, I recall seeing the set of traffic lights on the bridge about 300 or 400 yards ahead of me just outside Farnham the next thing I knew was being about 15 foot from a stopped Morris Countryman and I was still doing about 55 mph (flat out) with cars crossing the bridge towards me I yanked every thing on and tried to go up the inside of the Morris, I punched the backlights out of the near side of the car with my fist wrapped over the front brake lever, ended up scattered up the road and within 45 minutes found myself back in Guildford again this time in the A & E ward. I sometimes think to myself how the fuck did I managed to fall asleep ridding a motorcycle, no crash helmet or gloves, finances did not stretch to that and it wasn't required by law. [/size]
[size=1em]Sleep deprivation is a powerful force.[/size]
[size=1em]To this day I still have a small piece of glass in one fingers and slight impairment[/size] of movement in that hand.