The brain is a fascinating organ. Everything from split-second reaction times to fight-or-flight instincts are hardwired, and even if you've never been confronted with a fight-or-flight scenario, your brain will instinctively know what to do should the need ever arise.

I ride motorcycles, and anyone who's a fellow rider knows that things can happen in a fraction of a second that could mean the difference between life and death. I've had idiot drivers swerve across FOUR lanes of interstate traffic in apparent attempts to knock me off my bike, yet in less than a second, I instinctively knew to jam the brakes or punch the throttle just in time to avoid a collision. Same story with animals running crossing my path, elderly drivers pulling right out in front of me, potholes, etcetera. When I see these things, my initial reaction is to panic and freeze up, but then my brain takes over and makes me lean the bike to one side or the other, and narrowly escape disaster. Been riding some sort of motorized bike since I was 10 years old, and been riding sportbikes for nearly 10 years now. Only one wreck to date, which was my fault, and a gazillion close calls/near misses... and counting.

Cool thread, by the way.

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