The Moscow Rules

[toEleven]

In the course of my daily reading I came across The Moscow Rules, a set of 40 guidelines apparently for clandestine operatives. With motorcycles seemingly pervading my every thought, I found it intriguing how many of them could be applied to riding, rather than tradecraft. The rules I found easily applicable are in bold, my comments are in italics.

1. Assume nothing.
2. Technology will always let you down.
   I wouldn't literally expect something to break on every ride, but it's worthwhile to realize that it may fail and one needs to be prepared to survive in that instant.
3. Murphy is right.
4. Never go against your gut.
5. Always listen to your gut; it is your operational antennae.
   I'm not entirely convinced on this one. Following popular terminology, 'survival reactions' aren't necessarily the best course of action on a motorcycle. Where you are in your skill development may change your gut response in meaningful ways.
6. Everyone is potentially under opposition control.
7. Don’t look back; you are never completely alone. Use your gut.
8. Go with the flow; use the terrain.
9. Take the natural break of traffic.
10. Maintain a natural pace.
11. Establish a distinctive and dynamic profile and pattern.
12. Stay consistent over time.
    Being predictable and consistent may help other drivers safely deal with your presence on the street. On the track, this is closer to riding the racing line.
13. Vary your pattern and stay within your profile.
14. Be non threatening: keep them relaxed; mesmerize!
    Calm drivers can be dangerous. Agitated drivers are even more dangerous.
15. Lull them into a sense of complacency.
16. Know the opposition and their terrain intimately.
    Observe and evaluate other traffic. Keep an eye out for cell phones, food consumption, makeup application, and any other distractions you might see. The RoyalJordanian videos often posted by akima are good examples.
17. Build in opportunity but use it sparingly.
    Have an escape route, but don't put yourself in a position that requires its use.
18. Don’t harass the opposition.
19. Make sure they can anticipate your destination.
20. Pick the time and place for action.
    On a ninjette at highway speeds, this could refer to passing other traffic. More generally I picture intersections and yielding the right of way because it's safer, not because its right.
21. Any operation can be aborted; if it feels wrong, then it is wrong.
22. Keep your options open.
23. If your gut says to act, overwhelm their senses.
24. Use misdirection, illusion, and deception.
25. Hide small operative motions in larger non threatening motions.
26. Float like a butterfly; sting like bee.
27. When free, In Obscura, immediately change direction and leave the area.
28. Break your trail and blend into the local scene.
29. Execute a surveillance detection run designed to draw them out over time.
30. Once is an accident; twice is a coincidence; three times is an enemy action. (taken from Ian Fleming’s novel Goldfinger)
31. Avoid static lookouts; stay away from chokepoints where they can reacquire you.
32. Select a meeting site so you can overlook the scene.
33. Keep any asset separated from you by time and distance until it is time.
34. If the asset has surveillance, then the operation has gone bad.
35. Only approach the site when you are sure it is clean.
    Intersections again. Clean meaning free of dangerous traffic (e.g. cars running red lights or rushing through a changing yellow).
36. After the meeting or act is done, “close the loop” at a logical cover destination.
37. Be aware of surveillance’s time tolerance so they aren’t forced to raise an alert.
38. If an alert is issued, they must pay a price and so must you.
39. Let them believe they lost you; act innocent.
40. There is no limit to a human being’s ability to rationalize the truth.

What unlikely things have you come across that seemed applicable to motorcycling?

P.S. I may just be crazy. It's hard to judge one's own sanity.

[JohnnyBravo]

Everything and nothing