You've probably been there, sitting in front of your computer or other hi-tech device, panicking as it seems to have gone bonkers. "All my photos from 2004 are on there! My phone book! It keeps dialing tech support in Bangladesh!"

Ben Spies feels your pain.

On the grid for today's Superbike event, young champion Ben Spies had a tech glitch that almost resulted in him being trampled by a grid full of angry, buzzing Superbikes.

"I panicked on the start. I threw my hand up," Spies explained.

He was able to make the start but had inadvertently moved from his place on the grid as he tried to paddle his way to the grass. He was fifth off the line, but soon looking at a meatball flag for moving off his grid position as the race started.

"I think most of the factory bikes now have launch control," Spies said, explaining what had happened. "I went to turn it on and the thing bogged and I didn't know what was going on or if I had caused it.

'I didn't know what was going on or if I had caused it'. That sounds exactly like a guy talking to tech support after upgrading to Vista, doesn't it?

Afterwards, Spies made a heroic run from twelfth place to finish an amazing second, a ride for the ages.

Technology is becoming a near constant shadow in almost any part of human life in a developed country. GPS in cars, cameras that you swallow, computers everywhere and Superbikes with launch control. Maybe we won't even need riders one day.

Oh wait. Tommy Hayden holeshot the grid and hammered the grid leaving turn one. His launch control must have worked perfectly.

"I don't use it," Hayden said. "I'm probably the only factory rider who doesn't."