I was in conflict. Despite having seen the incident with my own eyes. I was personally sensing and judging that something was not true and simply wasn’t happening. with a very large degree of probability. Convinced that Neil wasn’t going to survive which may have been a 100% probability. Then to hear Neil say on the radio in his native Yorkshire,” I’m alright Martin. I’ll carry on”.

This surprised me somewhat. Or I was once again in a state of disbelief. Which was a total surprise to me.  Neil descended Duncton Hill having lost some pace and gained some composure. Then came the left-hand bend at the bottom of the hill and the spectacular stunt riding exhibition that was to come.  Neil was passing the oncoming traffic on the offside of the bend. Outstanding, I thought, I couldn’t do that, I thought. ‘Boogar’!

Remis of me to allow him to continue after Act 1 scene 1 I overtook him and found a place to stop and debrief him. Out came his packet of cigarettes and we both had one. I didn’t smoke then but felt obliged to take it up again as a way of thanking the lucky stars for Neil's well-being. 

He was so embarrassed that he couldn’t help but start giggling, which opened the flood gates of relief. I started giggling too otherwise, I might have cried. However, I pulled myself together and attempted to be professional.                                          Giggle is another sound word to describe a type of laughter. Giggling usually often comes from a feeling of embarrassment or shame. It’s a very distinctive sound, almost like little bubbles originating from the back of the throat.                                   This led to chortling. A particularly happy or pleased sound made with a strangled technique from the back of the throat. It sounded as though Neil was trying to say the word ‘chortle’. This, in turn led to me, bursting into laughter. Bursting shows that I wasn’t expecting to laugh but did anyway. Bursting emphasises more the reason for my laughter rather than the type of laughter.

I couldn’t help myself. I began howling. Another good sound word to describe the sound of laughter. It suggests that whatever caused the laughter is either so funny or so extreme that my laugh has come out sounding like a mating call of sorts, the same way a coyote or dingo might howl to attract attention or to laugh out loud. I glided straight through ‘in stitches’ and out the other side into sobbing. Uncontrollable sobbing with laughter, where breathing becomes confused with yodelling. Bodily fluids were leaking from our eyes, nose and gob.                                    “Neil, you great plonker” said I, almost unable to breathe “As if that motorcycle circus wasn’t bad enough, just look at the state of me” The important point was that Neil survived. He had taken it on board and learned from it. Which was a positive.      Right up to the point he did something else that was positive.  

At this point, I interrupt Martin's story to add some pix which seem very fitting.

In fact they show that such mishaps can happen not only to anyone - but to one of the best of Motorcyclists - namely Sammy Miller! 

Jon Stone

So, to finish off Martin's Tale