Words of Wisdom From David Hough - Part 4
Q: What drew him to this endeavor? How do you see your
accomplishments? How have these efforst influenced the rest
of your life and what sort of legacy do you plan to leave, want to
leave, think you will leave? (submitted by Ran B.,
Wilmington, DE)
A: I think most of the serious riders who are spending their time on motorcycle safety are reluctant volunteers. We'd just as soon be out riding, but we recognize the need, and we're suckers for saying "OK". Of course, once you get involved--as a club safety coordinator, or an instructor, or the administrator of a training site, you get the constant feedback of seeing riders gain skill, or coming back to you and saying: "Do you remember me? I was in your class back in 1986. You've probably saved my life three or four times." That encourages you to say "yes" to teaching a class next weekend, knowing you'll have to cancel your planned ride. And it keeps encouraging you to maintain your certification and stay involved.
I know more than a few motorcycle enthusiasts who have spent much of their lives teaching and writing. I don't think any of us thought about leaving a legacy, other than seeing motorcyclists get more skilled and smarter in the future. Of course, many of us get burned out, or get discouraged by heavy-handed administration, or simply don't have the physical energy any more.
I remember the last class I taught. I had gotten up at about 5am to get to the training site, set everything up, taught the classroom, coached the range exercises, signed the completion cards, and filled out the paperwork. Then I had to pick up the cones, put everything away in a container, find dinner somewhere, and make the 3-hour commute home again. I was so dog-tired I stumbled on the stairs and fell on my helmet.
Q: What are some of the formative experiences and training that led to you giving so much to the safety field? (submitted by Bob S., Saratoga, CA)
A: I happen to have a good mind for graphics, so when I started writing motorcycle skills articles, I had some skill in producing graphics that would communicate what was needed. I spent 36 years at the Boeing Company, mostly developing graphics for engineering and training organizations. So I've had the advantage of learning a bit about how pilots are trained, and I've realized that driving airplanes and driving motorcycles have a lot in common. I don't know where the drive comes from. I just write one more article, and deliver one more seminar, and the list gets longer and longer.
Q: What is the tallest thing you've jumped over while riding a motorcycle?
(submitted by Krishna V., Seattle, WA)
A: That would probably be my ego. OK, I'm not into jumping motorcycles, but I did drive my dual sport sidecar rig in the Los Angeles-Barsto-Las Vegas desert ride one year. We were making good time across an angled plateau heading into Las Vegas, when I realized there was a dry wash ahead. There was no time to slow down, so we flew off the edge into the wash, plowed straight across, and slammed into the other side. The leading link compressed so far I heard the knobby tire zzzing on the underside of the fender, and then we were launched. I suppose we flew all three wheels in the air for 40 feet or so. Sorry, I don't think the jump was higher than 3 or 4 feet, but I sure remember it.
Stay tuned for more wisdom from David Hough!
A: I think most of the serious riders who are spending their time on motorcycle safety are reluctant volunteers. We'd just as soon be out riding, but we recognize the need, and we're suckers for saying "OK". Of course, once you get involved--as a club safety coordinator, or an instructor, or the administrator of a training site, you get the constant feedback of seeing riders gain skill, or coming back to you and saying: "Do you remember me? I was in your class back in 1986. You've probably saved my life three or four times." That encourages you to say "yes" to teaching a class next weekend, knowing you'll have to cancel your planned ride. And it keeps encouraging you to maintain your certification and stay involved.
I know more than a few motorcycle enthusiasts who have spent much of their lives teaching and writing. I don't think any of us thought about leaving a legacy, other than seeing motorcyclists get more skilled and smarter in the future. Of course, many of us get burned out, or get discouraged by heavy-handed administration, or simply don't have the physical energy any more.
I remember the last class I taught. I had gotten up at about 5am to get to the training site, set everything up, taught the classroom, coached the range exercises, signed the completion cards, and filled out the paperwork. Then I had to pick up the cones, put everything away in a container, find dinner somewhere, and make the 3-hour commute home again. I was so dog-tired I stumbled on the stairs and fell on my helmet.
Q: What are some of the formative experiences and training that led to you giving so much to the safety field? (submitted by Bob S., Saratoga, CA)
A: I happen to have a good mind for graphics, so when I started writing motorcycle skills articles, I had some skill in producing graphics that would communicate what was needed. I spent 36 years at the Boeing Company, mostly developing graphics for engineering and training organizations. So I've had the advantage of learning a bit about how pilots are trained, and I've realized that driving airplanes and driving motorcycles have a lot in common. I don't know where the drive comes from. I just write one more article, and deliver one more seminar, and the list gets longer and longer.
Q: What is the tallest thing you've jumped over while riding a motorcycle?
(submitted by Krishna V., Seattle, WA)
A: That would probably be my ego. OK, I'm not into jumping motorcycles, but I did drive my dual sport sidecar rig in the Los Angeles-Barsto-Las Vegas desert ride one year. We were making good time across an angled plateau heading into Las Vegas, when I realized there was a dry wash ahead. There was no time to slow down, so we flew off the edge into the wash, plowed straight across, and slammed into the other side. The leading link compressed so far I heard the knobby tire zzzing on the underside of the fender, and then we were launched. I suppose we flew all three wheels in the air for 40 feet or so. Sorry, I don't think the jump was higher than 3 or 4 feet, but I sure remember it.
Stay tuned for more wisdom from David Hough!
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