The Cocky Kid Said, "I Don’t Need to Study Math, I Am Going to Be a Professional Motorcycle Racer"

by revolvebeetle

Mathematics is important to any profession that you might choose, that I can clearly guarantee within a very high probability – using mathematical statistics of course.

Over two and a half decades hence, I was on the race track at Willow Springs waiting for an up-coming race in the division just under the professional division, and as all of us over-testosterone young men were sitting there, I listened to another rider brag about how he’d quit school, and now planned on becoming a professional motorcycle racer.

I told him that wasn’t a very smart way to play it.
But you can’t tell anyone who races motorcycles that, because, at that age, what the heck we are all invincible right? Nevertheless when I challenged him to the point, the young cocky kid said;
“I Don’t Need to Study Math,” I am going to be a Professional Motorcycle Racer within a year, and I will have a sponsor soon, maybe after this race.
”
Now mind you this kid was good, although I wasn’t intimidated, after all I planned to win the race, hell, that’s why I was there, not to get second place, but first.

In hindsight here is what I should have told that kid that day;
“Motorcycle stopping distance is something relevant to motorcycle racing right.
Well, so too is acceleration, and the mathematical physics which go along with it all.

If you don’t pay attention, you’ll be sorry.”
You know what he crashed coming out of turn 7 and took out two other riders that day, no not me, I was able to place second that day, and I am certain the first place rider had studied math, and his fast reflexes on top of that enabled him not to get caught up in that accident.
Okay so, let’s talk about the math involved here shall we?
At 120 mph, the approximate speed he ate it, the bike travels over 44 feet if your reaction time is 0.

25 seconds, it takes those top race bikes 405 feet to stop if you are at a maximum deceleration, the all that takes over 6 seconds + the 44 feet, oh are you starting to see why you need to study your math my friends?
Look here is the deal, you better know the competition, you better know your math and you better get a feel for the bike and track, otherwise you’ll end up like the cocky kid who quit school and ended up against the hay bales with a broken femur bone, broken collar bone, and broken ego.

Not to mention a $15,511.

00 totaled race bike, $120,678.

00 worth of medical bills, and out of commission for six months.
So, tell me, can you use your math skills to add up what it’s going to cost you if you don’t study math?
Yep, the moral of the story is, stay in school, and study math!
Then you can go out and conquer the world!