Risk Management Magazine

I have always been an advocate for motorcycle mentorship programs. The lessons I’ve learned from fellow riders and the reinforcement of positive riding habits have been useful on more than one occasion. The event I share in this article is a perfect example.

Rush hour was a chaotic mess. Instead of a steady flow, vehicles were clumping in groups and coming to a stop in unpredictable patterns. Eventually, the cause became apparent. Up ahead, dump trucks and other heavy machinery, as well as groups of road construction crews, were working on the highway.

Without warning, a strong gust of wind lifted the bow straight up and, in a blink of an eye, I was looking at blue sky. The boat spun 90 degrees before the front end dropped and I realized I was headed straight for the riverbank still running wide open. I had enough time to release the tiller arm, grab the sides of the boat and hang on for dear life.