Falling down: a phobia and a possible explanation

As we know, Elly is terrified by motorcycles and, when forced to confront the object of her fears, does what she always does and angrily refuses to enlighten herself. For years, I've thought that she got dumped by some biker and hates the sort of machine he rode off on, girl with dangerous body language in tow. The problem with that is that there is a far simpler explanation: Elly's exaggerated fear of injury. It seems to me that at some point in her early childhood, she fell off of something and hurt herself and is convinced decades later that if she isn't protected by a metallic cocoon, she'll just get hurt again. The proof of this is the number of strips that have Elly watching someone do something moderately risky or daring and almost wetting herself in mindless terror.

Of course, there's also an element of unenlightened self-interest making her decisions for her. The logic seems to be:

1. If Liz rides around on that awful motorcycle, she is sure to get hurt very badly owing to not being surrounded by metal.
2. I will get stuck caring for her and will have noooooo help and noooo time to myself.
3. WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!

As for why she won't get on a bike and see that it isn't guaranteed bloody death, she seems to be thinking:

1. If I get on the horrible motorcycle, I'll get horribly injured.
2. Since my family is ungrateful, they will either leave me to die or squeal in outrage because I cannot work and work and work while in a body cast.
3. WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Simply put, the Pattersons have to endure a lot of insane crap from a wet blanket because said pill fell on her arse on her first and only time skating.