My wife was watching the news today, and saw the IRL guy get killed at the Homestead race. She is giving me the serious guilt trip now. I crashed at homestead coming off the back straight and broke my ankle. Now she's going crazy saying I could have been killed. "Do you want to make me a 30 year old widow, and the baby to grow up without a father."
Is anyone else go through this?
No man I must be one of the few lucky ones. The only thing I get is "You can't spend anymore money." But I just bought two sets of tires anyway. ;D
No more money is a given in my house. I have to do side jobs, and OT to fund my addiction.
Try reminding her of the unconditional love you both have for each other.
QuoteQuestion first, have you been into racing before you met her? Then it might be easier for me to try and answer it. Try reminding her of the unconditional love you both signed up for when you met.
No, but my job is working on high voltage (up to 138,000 volts) equipment. I make pretty good money, but she doesn't ask me to quit my job. I've been doing that since after I met her too.
I ask Paul for a certain $$$ amount each paycheck for the family bills. Anything over that is his to play with.
Dawn
Although he always seems to fit new guns hunting supplies in with the 'family bills.' ::) Oh well, I can't say much when he bring home supper. ;)
Yikes......The Balancing of Domestic Issues!
The easy answer is you could be killed by a bus tomorrow on your way to work.
The long, involved answer is:
-Are there other issues?
-How involved in your racing is she?
-Does she ride?
-Ummm, are there other issues?
My story is simple. I've been riding since 1989. (Long before I was married.) After marriage I started doing track days; the wife noticed a huge change in my street riding; I was much slower/safer. The wife got into sport by getting her own bike. (We took an MSF class together. Fun!) I started racing because the street was so dangerous & track was so much safer. The wife goes to races where we have a great group of friends. Then she started corner working with me, cause that was a great perspective. Then she took a race school & now does track days with me from time to time.....She sees how safe the track is compared to the street.
In closing, I've been life-flighted from a car crash on the street & from a bike crash on the track; you can get hurt (or killed) anywhere.....Only you can assess what risk is 'right' for you. Just make sure you work with your wife to find the balance that makes your home life good.
Good-Luck,
QuoteNo, but my job is working on high voltage (up to 138,000 volts) equipment. I make pretty good money, but she doesn't ask me to quit my job. I've been doing that since after I met her too.
Sorry I changed that.
Your job sure seems like the risk factor is both on and off the track. Most of life, in my opinion is taking a risk in the first place.
I also bet I know what would really make her feel better, but I can't go into details here, hehe. :-X
I don't know about everybody else, but I feel a lot safer on a bike than in a car (racing that is). I've done both car and bike racing and it seems the cause of most injuries / deaths in car racing relates to not being able to separate from the machine and hitting something. It certainly seems to bear itself out as more car racers die than bike racers. I'm not including the crazy mofo's that race around walls ... like over in Ireland of course, just normal road course racing.
You may also want to tell her that life insurance agents don't really consider it too much. I had one tell me that it didn't even matter.
Ultimately though, be happy your wife cares for you. When I was married the trouble with racing only centered on money, not my safety... now I'm divorced.
My wife was like, "That sucks."
My Mom, on the other hand.... :o
I just got the whole speech from Vic's mom about how if we were ever to have kids that kids need you and that you shouldn't be going out trying to kill yourself every weekend and all of that. I would so much rather him be at the track then out doing stuff on the street. At least I know that medical help is only a min or two away at the track. People should realize that things happen, people fall down, but not everyone gets hurt and not everyone dies. Can anyone really say that they do not expect to fall down and get hurt at least once racing. It could be as little as a bump or as bad as...it just depends.
the girlfriend can't say much, she races too. ;D
Quotethe girlfriend can't say much, she races too. ;D
Lucky Bastid!
My wife would much rather me ride at the track, than the street. I forgot to mention she is 5 months knocked up and she goes through these emotional swings from one minute to the next. I don't think she really wants me to stop. I just bought a "new" race bike, and she didn't really have too much of a problem, other than spending more money.
Like I said, I know what will do it.
It involves your tongue and the alphabet, when you get to T, don't stop, LOL, and that's coming from a women's view what would make me feel better. ;D
I get way more nervous about Stumpy out on his road bicycle for hours on end with the crazy drivers out there than I ever did about him on the track.
If he still had a street motorcycle, I'd be extremely nervous about that. I trust the people he's on the track with (for the most part). I don't trust regular street drivers.
And death comes when it wants. I've really had a wake up call this week when my co-worker died in a house fire a couple houses down from our own home. He was only 22. Makes you really want to make sure you are living life to it's fullest.
Heather
I dont have a wife or girlfriend so pretty much I get no crap. However, my parents saw the crash in homestead and they live in homestead, they were just giving me alot of shit about it.
You know what the risks are once you get on the track.
my wife is nervous... thats normal, she says her "acceptance" of my racing will change when we have kids. She prefers me on the track vs the street so I am not sure where that leaves me when the stork comes...
It is DEFINATELY something to talk about in depth! Discuss concerns that both of you have, concerns about racing and actually concerns about not racing! I have basically given up street riding for 8-10 weekends at the track... fair trade off in my mind.
We are currently building a new house which will stretch our finances a bit more, and with potential for some kids (we have "pulled the goalie" ;D) Its something that I will have to have another talk with her about. Maybe take some time away from racing while she is all pregnant and emotional (not stereotyping...if you knew my wife you would get it) then ease back into it. Maybe I could take a year off and come back as a yella plater and win all kinds of championships... ::) naaaaaaaaaa I still wouldnt be fast enough :-X but regardless... talk about it! communicate... its kinda like changing your oil. Its cheap, easy, and doesnt take alot of time, but you would be suprised how many people simply dont do it often enough!
tim
LOL!
More T, more capital Teeeeeee!!!!
My wife was worried from the start since she didn't know me when I raced back in the '80's. She refuses to go to the track because she is afraid of seeing me wreck and die, as she puts it. I took her on a WERA weekend when I wasn't racing and just about every one of my buddies wrecked and they had to fly out one rider. This didn't do much for her confidence and niether did mr wrecking the next race weekend. I've since taken up MX & SM to go with the RR so now she just worries all the time. She deals with it and doesn't say anything, but she did take out a rather large life insurance policy on me.
Quotebut she did take out a rather large life insurance policy on me.
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QuoteLike I said, I know what will do it.
It involves your tongue and the alphabet, when you get to T, don't stop, LOL, and that's coming from a women's view what would make me feel better. ;D
She can hardly keep me out of that. I do the Spanish alphabet, almost the same as the English, until you hit the "rrrrrrrrrr" I think she likes it. Thanks for the woman's veiw, I like the view from where I'm at too. ;)
Am I the only wife who gets depressed when there isn't any racing going on? Racing doesn't bother me.
Barb I am not quite a wife yet but yeah I do miss racing alot! I miss the fires and the people and the pit bikes and the sunburns and the food and well just about everything. I even miss getting woke up by "Good morning race fans tech and registration open at 7:30." Although I do not miss boat racing at Blackhawk. :) I guess that you just have to have a special person to be able to take it. I am more worried about Vic when he's out on the street than at the track.
Riding on the street is definitely more dangerous than being on the track. Well, we just have to hang in there, only a few more weeks until Road America!
I can't wait, although freezing my ass off is not something that I am looking forward too. Can't wait to take the LC school at the first Blackhawk though...
QuoteShe can hardly keep me out of that. I do the Spanish alphabet, almost the same as the English, until you hit the "rrrrrrrrrr" I think she likes it. Thanks for the woman's veiw, I like the view from where I'm at too. ;)
I keep asking myself, Where have all the heros gone? I need one too. ;D