When you join the military, from your first induction in to the barracks to washing your genitals in front of a drill sergeant, every order is pre-empted with the word ‘GO!’ Or ‘GO! GO! GO!’ The idea being that when it comes to the crunch, that you need to run across mine-infested territory or jump from a plane or kill someone who’s dark skinned and happens to be sitting on a lot of oil, you won’t hesitate. The ‘GO! GO ! GO!’ has been so instilled in you, that you won’t think. You instinctively do. Which is so unlike real life.
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Have you ever thought to yourself as you and your handlebars start to apex over the front wheel “Let go of the lever!” It only makes your fingers tighten more round the brake, your brain’s safety system is about to smash you in to the ground.
In fact my brain makes me crash a lot. My other brain, that is: the smooth-riding, brave, tech-riding part of my brain seems to have less control than my other brain. Slowing down on approaching things, where momentum would help. Deciding at the last minute, at the top of transition, that it doesn’t want to take off. Being frightened of perfectly safe wet roots with the drop to the right. All nothing to do with me, but with it.
So I’m going to retrain myself. If you’re sharing a urinal and the man next to you shouts ‘GO!’, then I’m sorry, it’s probably me but it’s high time I took some control.
