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There I was, my company’s “temporary” untracked aviation safety officer, purposely speeding on my motorcycle after work. Worst of all, I was right in sight of my company! Looking back more than a decade later, I have to shake my head and ask, “Why would I do such a stupid thing?”
I was driving my usual route. Since I didn’t have physical training that morning, my commute was during daylight hours, which I figured would be much safer. I had no idea what danger lay ahead.
As an outdoor enthusiast, I spent a lot of my free time enjoying the ocean’s beauty, above and beneath the endless emerald-blue waves. Little did I know I would soon face death more closely than I could have ever imagined.
As avid Jet Skiers, my wife and I have been riding on the water for nearly 20 years. We each have our own Jet Ski and consider ourselves to be very skilled riders. We learned, however, that complacency and overconfidence in your abilities can trump experience.
We planned to head out early on a Friday morning as soon as rush hour was over. The night before, I inspected my bike to ensure everything was good to go. The oil looked good, both tires were properly inflated, and I had my extra glasses, rain suit, a change of clothes, enough tools to almost tear the bike completely down, tire plugs, air compressor, hammock and blanket.
During a recent trip to Acadia National Park in Maine, I learned a few valuable lessons: I am not as smart as I thought I was, and following established rules and policies protects me from harm. These lessons, although embarrassing, later saved me from greater harm in a different national park and may have prevented a tragic accident in my unit a few weeks later.