So..... I'm working in the garage, need a bolt from the hardware store a mile away. Side streets or a 35 mph main highway.
Wearing jeans, T shirt, sneakers.
Do I need to gear up for the 1 mile ride?
A helmet, gloves, and maybe a jacket would be what I would choose to add.
Otherwise, I would just take the car.
Occasionally, I'll skip the boots and mc pants for a very short ride...........but I never ride without a helmet (state law), armored jacket and gloves.
1 mile?? Not worth all the effort and time of gearing up. Better off just walking over there, it might actually take just as long to do so as going ATGATT on a bike. Pus healthier, easier on the enviironment
JMO
I don't get what you're asking? You can ride your bike in a bikini top and speedos for all anyone cares. It's a personal decision. Like asking what kind of oil to run....in the lawnmower.
[image: View Post]YoshiHNS, on 28 August 2012 - 06:09 PM, said:
I don't get what you're asking? You can ride your bike in a bikini top and speedos for all anyone cares. It's a personal decision. Like asking what kind of oil to run....in the lawnmower. My question was "Do I need to gear up for the 1 mile ride?"
That's OK that I didn't make myself clear to you.
Others seem to have understood the question and their replies are appreciated.
[image: View Post]CharlesW, on 28 August 2012 - 05:38 PM, said:
Had a tough time deciding where to post this.
So..... I'm working in the garage, need a bolt from the hardware store a mile away. Side streets or a 35 mph main highway.
Wearing jeans, T shirt, sneakers.
Do I need to gear up for the 1 mile ride?
A helmet, gloves, and maybe a jacket would be what I would choose to add.
Otherwise, I would just take the car.
[image: View Post]CharlesW, on 28 August 2012 - 06:17 PM, said:
[image: View Post]YoshiHNS, on 28 August 2012 - 06:09 PM, said:
I don't get what you're asking? You can ride your bike in a bikini top and speedos for all anyone cares. It's a personal decision. Like asking what kind of oil to run....in the lawnmower. My question was "Do I need to gear up for the 1 mile ride?"
That's OK that I didn't make myself clear to you.
Others seem to have understood the question and their replies are appreciated.
Yosh's reply was quite sensible. Your question can not be answered by anyone else but you. it's up to you to decide what to wear and when. If you want to throw on a helmet and ride the mile in Tshirt and sneekers then do so, if you want to get on a full set of leathers, boots, helmet, then do so. No one decision is right or wrong. You must make these decisions on your own. Others will only tell you what they do.
[image: View Post]Tamworth, on 28 August 2012 - 06:30 PM, said:
[image: View Post]CharlesW, on 28 August 2012 - 06:17 PM, said:
[image: View Post]YoshiHNS, on 28 August 2012 - 06:09 PM, said:
I don't get what you're asking? You can ride your bike in a bikini top and speedos for all anyone cares. It's a personal decision. Like asking what kind of oil to run....in the lawnmower. My question was "Do I need to gear up for the 1 mile ride?"
That's OK that I didn't make myself clear to you.
Others seem to have understood the question and their replies are appreciated.
Yosh's reply was quite sensible. Your question can not be answered by anyone else but you. it's up to you to decide what to wear and when. If you want to throw on a helmet and ride the mile in Tshirt and sneekers then do so, if you want to get on a full set of leathers, boots, helmet, then do so. No one decision is right or wrong. You must make these decisions on your own. Others will only tell you what they do.
And that's basically what I was asking.
Based on those answers, I will make my own decision.
I live in a small town (pop 1000) with little traffic and where everything is a few minutes away, except that there are large hils at either end of town. So I've started riding my dirt bike, DR350, around town in shorts, t-shirt and sandals. My safety gear consists of a dirt bike helmet and gloves. I figure it is an acceptable risk. If I rode my bicycle (or had a scooter) I would be wearing the same thing going about the same speed down the hill. For riding outside of town, it is full gear without question.
You have to decide what is an acceptable risk for you.
[image: View Post]auggius, on 28 August 2012 - 06:58 PM, said:
I am ATGATT, or at least I was.
I live in a small town (pop 1000) with little traffic and where everything is a few minutes away, except that there are large hils at either end of town. So I've started riding my dirt bike, DR350, around town in shorts, t-shirt and sandals. My safety gear consists of a dirt bike helmet and gloves. I figure it is an acceptable risk. If I rode my bicycle (or had a scooter) I would be wearing the same thing going about the same speed down the hill. For riding outside of town, it is full gear without question.
You have to decide what is an acceptable risk for you. Good comparison.
I'm with Beck on this one. Walk to the store, unless what you have to get is going to be too big and/or heavy to carry, then take the car. If it was just a bolt, walking would have been my choice. Whether its a 65 MPH, 35 MPH, or 15 MPH road, it's a road and there are these objects on roads and they are large and dangerous, so it's up to you how you dress for one mile or several. Personally I found that it's the times that you don't do something you normally do, is when you find out the hard way why you should have. And Yoshi, I use castrol GTX in my mower!
[image: View Post]woobie, on 28 August 2012 - 07:02 PM, said:
No you don't need to gear up, as long as you are willing to accept the risks and the results if something were to happen during that 2 mile ride. :fing02: Any time you ride, you have to accept those risks.
ATGATT will help in most cases, but it certainly doesn't make you invulnerable.
Nope. I understood fine. You asked: "Do I need to gear up for the 1 mile ride?" The answer to that is a resounding NO. You don't NEED to gear up or down. Everyone has a different opinion. It's a personal choice, weighing the risks to advantages and alternatives. From the above, people do differently, and none are in any way wrong.
It's a decision that one should make on their own, to be simple.
Helmet, Jacket,Gloves, Jeans, and Sneakers for around town.....I'd never wear shorts on the bike for any reason. But that's my personal choice. When younger I never wore a helmet, but now I'd never go farther than around the block without a helmet.
I got hit within 2 miles of home, AGATT feetsies took the brunt so glad I was wearing boots. I don't know - I agree with everyone else, your personal choice, I have run to the store and am so used to running with all gear that I felt naked when I forgot gloves. It's all up to you, but just remember who is in charge of the bike, YOU! Who cares what everyone else thinks, they don't pay your medical bills!
I ride from 12,000 to 15,000 miles a year and most of it is on back roads for time periods that justify the time it takes to dress properly. For those rides I wear Kevlar lined pants, strap-on knee/shin guards, Icon boots, helmet, gloves, armored jacket (leather, textile or mesh).
Due to health issues, the walking is not an option and my errands are usually run in a car. One of the reasons being the time needed to dress for the ride. I decided that a helmet and gloves take virtually no time to put on and might be sufficient for the few short in town trips. An armored jacket probably isn't much more effort.
[image: View Post]Oh6PearlVFR, on 28 August 2012 - 08:43 PM, said:
I got hit within 2 miles of home, AGATT feetsies took the brunt so glad I was wearing boots. I don't know - I agree with everyone else, your personal choice, I have run to the store and am so used to running with all gear that I felt naked when I forgot gloves. It's all up to you, but just remember who is in charge of the bike, YOU! Who cares what everyone else thinks, they don't pay your medical bills!
Interesting. My sneakers probably are my main point of concern. If I put on boots, I just as well wear everything else, too.
Maybe I'll just stick to the car for in town trips.
If I'm taking the 35mph route a mile or two I'd just throw on the gloves and helmet, probably some hiking boots and a jacket depending on the weather. I look at it from a bicycling perspective, you often do 15-20mph, occasional 35-40 down hills, in little more than spandex underwear/t-shirt and those hair nets called cycling helmets. I stay off the high speed highways unless properly armored.
I was talking to a friend of my brother in laws at the pub on Saturday. He owns a Triumph Bonnie/Scrambler, goes to the beach for a swim, wears shorts, T shirt & thongs. ( ok it's only a few kays), so when I roll my eyes, he comes back with what he wears when he goes for a long ride. I say "Whats the difference?". That's the point, there isn't any. I hear so much crap about what people are going to do when they have an off, how their going to roll blah, blah. You may just end up being a pile on the road, but the Reality is, most of the time your a rag doll, you might scoot down the road on your head or your arse, less than a second of scraping down the road & its already through the dermal layers, if its an elbow, knee or fingers, it going to be bone. None of the people I know, ride their bikes at walking pace. At the very least, wear a helmet gloves, boots & a jacket. Jeans, (well you can get very good Kevlar ones). And if you have all the the gear on, turn that trip down the road into a hour ride. beats spending your day sitting in a causality ward.
For me it comes down to the very fact that there are factors outside of my control. I may consider myself a great rider, however I do not have control over the other drivers on the road, wildlife or freak accidents of nature. It doesn't matter how careful I am, there are risks.
Time and distance away from home of a ride are really irrelevant - an accident doesn't take that into account. Something can happen one block away from home or 10,000 km away from home. The statistics that show accidents are more likely to happen near home do have some truth to them - people feel "safer" when they are close to home and shift their attention away from their ride and what is happening around them.
Regardless of where it happens, if something happens I will feel very stupid knowing that decent gear is hanging up in the closet at home. It only takes a couple of minutes to gear up, and in my opinion those minutes are well spent.
When it comes right down to it the cow is dead and doesn't need its hide any longer, and I still have a use for mine.
Come on guys, stating the Obvious "freedom of choice" etc. doesn't adding much to the discussion... :sleep: Much like the late night bar room question...who is smarter Spock or a computer? Saying that Spock isn't real...well duh!
In response to your thread topic, I wear all the gear that I can easily layer on top of my street clothes. So that pretty much means everything except pants. Besides the convenience factor, short trips at (relatively) low speeds will offer primarily 'impact' injuries (as in hitting the ground). The pants (I think) are most effective for the abrasion injuries from long slides down the road and/or high speed rolls.
Oh yeah, in case you're thinking 'why not layer pants as well" I prefer leather gear and I don't ride a Harley, so chaps are out of the question :tongue: ...
Brian
PS. While slightly up the food chain from 'oil threads', ATTGATT threads are known to invoke ahh...enthusiatic responses...
I got hit by a minivan a 1/10th of a mile from my old house (blind sided me due to the tree line from her driveway). Small community in the mountains, clear, sunny Saturday morning that has almost no traffic, and I was doing 20 mph. I was fully geared up and still took an ambulance into town, limped for two weeks, stitches in my elbow and my bike was totalled.
So ATGATT for me. I can still count on one hand the number of times I haven't ridden with full gear on and I always felt uncomfortably exposed. Even when I ride with jeans on I put on my leg armor underneath. But that's just me. :happy:
Oh...and on a side note that ride also proved loud pipes don't save lives. The oblivious cager was completely unaware she had run someone over until she got out of the van and saw me lying in a ditch with my bike wedged under her rear bumper. :rolleyes:
I feel exposed and very uncomfortable without at least boots, gloves, jacket and helmet.
If I have to take a short ride to the store, I'll take a car or walk. Too lazy to deal with the gear.
[image: View Post]marriedman, on 29 August 2012 - 10:46 AM, said:
I think the real question here is "Who only rides a mile?" I know I always take the long route no matter where I am going.
I do. As I said in my previous response I live in a small town. Even when I drive to the arena for hockey it's only a 2.7 km drive, and that's at the other end of town!
My "commute" to work is down a long hill to the "business centre." It's 1.2 km, or a 10 minute walk down and 15 minute home. I've ridden my dirt bike a few times and I'll loop around the block to bring my commute up to a mile, give or take. I think having a scooter would be a great way to get around, especially for shopping trips to the market or going home for lunch. Would I gear up for a scooter? Probably not, even though it is essentially a small motorcycle. And to those who say walk or take the car, I was that guy - in the city. Riding without full gear is a risk that I find acceptable given my circumstances.
I respectfully but totally amd completely disagree with all of you that equate riding a 20 lb. bicycle with a near 500 lb. motorcycle, and how that relates to whether you wear boots or not, or any other gear for that matter. My question to the OP (although it's probably none of my business, but you opened yourself up to criticism), how are you healthy enough and strong to control the 500 lb bike and not be able to walk a short distance? Re-read and saw that it was a mile each way. I would (and do) ride my bicycle.
[image: View Post]2thdr, on 29 August 2012 - 04:07 PM, said:
I respectfully but totally amd completely disagree with all of you that equate riding a 20 lb. bicycle with a near 500 lb. motorcycle, and how that relates to whether you wear boots or not, or any other gear for that matter. My question to the OP (although it's probably none of my business, but you opened yourself up to criticism), how are you healthy enough and strong to control the 500 lb bike and not be able to walk a short distance? You're right, it's none of your business.
2 miles is a short distance?
Not when you have Rheumatoid Arthritis and have the associated pain 24 hours a day.
One way I handle it is not walking any distance and not standing for any length of time.
Boots, gloves, helmet, jacket, always. I generally were some sort of jean or kevlar type jean. If is it cooler, I will wear my riding pants. I live in MI and they just rescinded the helmet law. So, now, no legal requirement to wear a helmet. My kids came up with a new road game this summer vacation. It's similar to Beaver, Slug Bug, etc. They call it "Ding-Dong." Every rider they see without a helmet is a "ding-dong" and a point. It was a fun game......at other people's expense.
Ride Safe
PS. My 9 year old son wanted to call it "Idiot." Mommy veto'd that. I kinda liked it, but, not the best example for me to set.
Ooh. Just read the last two posts. Riding a 20lb bike at 22 mph is nothing like riding a 600lb 150hp sport motorcycle. The risks are different. I don't care if anyone is offended. Also, as someone who has triumphed over a rheumatic disease that lives with me for the rest of my life....two miles is a long damn ways. Like a marathon. Going to the mailbox and back was a major achievement at times. Riding a motorcycle is a joy I could still enjoy when I was sick (not at my worst, I couldn't even lift my head off a pillow at my worst). Autoimmunities suck. However, for most of it, I could still ride a motorcycle. Again, I don't care who is offended. I am not offended myself either.
[image: View Post]interceptorrider, on 29 August 2012 - 06:20 PM, said:
Boots, gloves, helmet, jacket, always. I generally were some sort of jean or kevlar type jean. If is it cooler, I will wear my riding pants. I live in MI and they just rescinded the helmet law. So, now, no legal requirement to wear a helmet. My kids came up with a new road game this summer vacation. It's similar to Beaver, Slug Bug, etc. They call it "Ding-Dong." Every rider they see without a helmet is a "ding-dong" and a point. It was a fun game......at other people's expense.
Ride Safe
PS. My 9 year old son wanted to call it "Idiot." Mommy veto'd that. I kinda liked it, but, not the best example for me to set.
Many of us call them "crayons".
[image: View Post]vfrurknee, on 29 August 2012 - 10:57 PM, said:
[image: View Post]interceptorrider, on 29 August 2012 - 06:20 PM, said:
Boots, gloves, helmet, jacket, always. I generally were some sort of jean or kevlar type jean. If is it cooler, I will wear my riding pants. I live in MI and they just rescinded the helmet law. So, now, no legal requirement to wear a helmet. My kids came up with a new road game this summer vacation. It's similar to Beaver, Slug Bug, etc. They call it "Ding-Dong." Every rider they see without a helmet is a "ding-dong" and a point. It was a fun game......at other people's expense.
Ride Safe
PS. My 9 year old son wanted to call it "Idiot." Mommy veto'd that. I kinda liked it, but, not the best example for me to set.
Many of us call them "crayons".
Wow... That is the perfect name for them! I am using that from now on!
Crayons. Nice. For some reason in the states, motorcyclists wave at each other like we're brother's or something. I can appreciate the "brotherhood" aspect of riders, however, other than that, I may have nothing in common with them. I know there are a lot of web conversations on "the wave." I decided a few years ago to stop waiving. I will nod my head though. I WILL NOT WAVE OR NOD AT A RIDER WITHOUT A HELMET. It is beyond me how you could get on a motorcycle without a helmet. Oh, if I crash at 25 mph on my road bicycle, I get road rash. If I crash at 25 mph on my 600 lb motorcycle, I can get a lot worse due to the weight and inertia of the bike, road position, odds of conflict with a vehicle, etc. I've been hurt on both.
[image: View Post]marriedman, on 30 August 2012 - 08:22 AM, said:
[image: View Post]vfrurknee, on 29 August 2012 - 10:57 PM, said:
[image: View Post]interceptorrider, on 29 August 2012 - 06:20 PM, said:
Boots, gloves, helmet, jacket, always. I generally were some sort of jean or kevlar type jean. If is it cooler, I will wear my riding pants. I live in MI and they just rescinded the helmet law. So, now, no legal requirement to wear a helmet. My kids came up with a new road game this summer vacation. It's similar to Beaver, Slug Bug, etc. They call it "Ding-Dong." Every rider they see without a helmet is a "ding-dong" and a point. It was a fun game......at other people's expense.
Ride Safe
PS. My 9 year old son wanted to call it "Idiot." Mommy veto'd that. I kinda liked it, but, not the best example for me to set.
Many of us call them "crayons".
Wow... That is the perfect name for them! I am using that from now on!
I had the same situation the other day. I wore gloves, shoes with ankle protection, an armored jacket, and a helmet - bascially all gear except for the jeans. I felt somewhat exposed, but not so bad. The worst part was when I had to stop at the light and watch the cars and trucks approach from behind in my mirrors . . .
[image: View Post]Beck, on 28 August 2012 - 06:01 PM, said:
1 mile?? Not worth all the effort and time of gearing up. Better off just walking over there, it might actually take just as long to do so as going ATGATT on a bike. Pus healthier, easier on the enviironment
JMO
Beck
95 VFR
Even better suggestion... buy a bicycle. Way more efficient and cooler than walking. :fing02:
On the way into work today, saw a girl on a CBR down in an intersection, pink helmet, pink gloves, tee shirt and jeans and no other safety gear. I did not see any movement, the first police had just arrived, it was a 35mph zone, but I have no idea what happened, but no one ever plans to wreck.
One downside to not riding ATGATT is the inevitable yellow jacket sting in the middle of your thigh at speed. This causes immediate diversion of attention from the road ahead to the offending bastard of a flying insect embedded in your thigh. This has a secondary danger of releasing one hand from the controls of the motorcycle to remove the attacker and continue along your intended path. Adding insult to injury, the little SOB leaves his stinger in your skin even after being swatted away; thus increasing the amount of localized pain by a near-exponential amount... damhik. :unsure:
This also applies to those of you that ride bicycles as well...
[image: View Post]advcyclist, on 30 August 2012 - 02:40 PM, said:
One downside to not riding ATGATT is the inevitable yellow jacket sting in the middle of your thigh at speed. This causes immediate diversion of attention from the road ahead to the offending bastard of a flying insect embedded in your thigh. This has a secondary danger of releasing one hand from the controls of the motorcycle to remove the attacker and continue along your intended path. Adding insult to injury, the little SOB leaves his stinger in your skin even after being swatted away; thus increasing the amount of localized pain by a near-exponential amount... damhik. :unsure:
This also applies to those of you that ride bicycles as well...
If I had to guess, I'd say you speak from experience :laugh:
Cursed insects! And on top of insult upon injury, they may outlast us as a species. I trust you were able to keep it together after your encounter. Thanks for the warning.
[image: View Post]MaxSwell, on 30 August 2012 - 03:17 PM, said:
Cursed insects! And on top of insult upon injury, they may outlast us as a species. I trust you were able to keep it together after your encounter. Thanks for the warning.
Safe riding
Terry
Luckily, yes. This particular encounter happened just before the turn into my office parking lot. I have had to pull over on the side of a busy road before though, just to remove the offender from inside my helmet. I gave all the passing motorists quite a show doing the dance of trying to get my helmet off as quickly as possible in as safe a manner as can be expected on a road shoulder. That time was a bumblebee and felt like a lugnut thrown at my head.
As serious as it was, that is a pretty funny picture of you dancing. I've had a bee in my bonnet and am familiar with the dance moves. Mine came in through a partially open face shield. No hard impact.
Today, I timed how long it took me to add Kevlar jeans, knee/shin guards and motorcycle boots. Helmet, jacket, gloves would be standard.
I was wearing regular jeans and sneakers when I started.
To remove what I was wearing around the house and change to the Kevlar jeans, add the knee/shin guards, swap the sneakers for the boots took slightly over 4 minutes.
Maybe if the trip is worth riding, it should be worth less than 5 minutes to feel better protected.
I never realized how little extra time was involved.
Hey, it became an interesting discussion and a lot of opinions were shared.
(Since I spent all that time getting dressed, I had to go for a 2 hour ride to justify it.)
If you can afford it, consider getting an Aerostich - 30 seonds - and you don't need to change street clothes for riding clothes. That's my usual safety gear when I am not riding in a tshirt around town. So yes, I should and I could easily gear up for these short rides but I prefer not to.
I may not have much more to add to what has been said... but heck - always have an opinion...
Yes we all make our own choice.
For me, speed and proximity are not factors in chosing because;
a) I just can't predict when lightning is going to strike - never know when or where an accident will happen, nor what the characteristics of it may be, and
b) even a "slow" accident isn't going to go well wthout some gear on. Everytime someone gives me a hard time about suiting up - and some do - I just think how well my jeans would hold up in even a 15 mph slide across asphalt - not too good.
I ride to work (3 kilometres) with gloves, jacket, high-vis vest and boots and mostly wear jeans (obviously helmets are not optional here). That's a risk I'll take since it is a short distance on residential roads. Anything farther than that in the city or a real ride and I wear my riding pants and all the gear. If it's a real pain to get geared up for a short ride I just take one of our other vehicles.
Hmmm....I'd think that this thread would have died already...C'mon guys!, 1 mile!! :pissed:
I'd rather worry about all that garbage drifting in from Japan lately..... :rolleyes:
[image: View Post]Beck, on 30 August 2012 - 07:34 PM, said:
Hmmm....I'd think that this thread would have died already...C'mon guys!, 1 mile!! :pissed:
I'd rather worry about all that garbage drifting in from Japan lately..... :rolleyes:
Beck
95 VFR
So... The hardware store doesn't have the bolt and the trip to Home Depot is 3 miles each way.
Will that make you happy?
As far as the garbage drifting in from Japan, that's totally out of my control.
Hopefully, people that have the expertise to handle that problem will do so.
Friend from another motorcycle forum just went down on his road pedal bike. Rear tire went flat on a fast down hill section. Spandex did nothing to save his hide. He's pretty rashed up where the road wore through his shorts. All I can say on the subject is to do your best to always protect yourself well on your motorcycles. I never felt more stupid in my life than the last time I rode my vfr with shorts and sneakers to my kids game. Dumb invites disaster.
for a 2 mile round trip I would wear helmet, gloves and jeans...I know they say most accidents happen within 3 miles of your home but we moved five miles away a few years ago so we would be safer.
[image: View Post]CornerCarver, on 30 August 2012 - 09:45 PM, said:
I know they say most accidents happen within 3 miles of your home
Something I've never gotten either. Of any accident I've been in, car or bike, I've never been within 30 miles of my home. I suppose alot of that statistic has to do with people living where they work, shop, and play. Many people don't travel as much so any accidents they would have are close to home, as well as more crowded cities where people live.
[image: View Post]advcyclist, on 30 August 2012 - 02:40 PM, said:
One downside to not riding ATGATT is the inevitable yellow jacket sting in the middle of your thigh at speed. This causes immediate diversion of attention from the road ahead to the offending bastard of a flying insect embedded in your thigh. This has a secondary danger of releasing one hand from the controls of the motorcycle to remove the attacker and continue along your intended path. Adding insult to injury, the little SOB leaves his stinger in your skin even after being swatted away; thus increasing the amount of localized pain by a near-exponential amount... damhik. :unsure:
This still happens with ATGATT too.........just in the neck. Then when you get to work and your occupational nurse gives you some Benadryl, you can't keep your eyes open during meetings the rest of the day.........I should have just turned around and went home for the day. :schla15:
[image: View Post]Beck, on 30 August 2012 - 07:34 PM, said:
Hmmm....I'd think that this thread would have died already...C'mon guys!, 1 mile!! :pissed:
I'd rather worry about all that garbage drifting in from Japan lately..... :rolleyes:
[image: View Post]Rufrydrsc2, on 31 August 2012 - 06:22 AM, said:
[image: View Post]CornerCarver, on 30 August 2012 - 09:45 PM, said:
I know they say most accidents happen within 3 miles of your home
Something I've never gotten either. Of any accident I've been in, car or bike, I've never been within 30 miles of my home. I suppose alot of that statistic has to do with people living where they work, shop, and play. Many people don't travel as much so any accidents they would have are close to home, as well as more crowded cities where people live.
I think the law of averages is responsible for this as every excursion begins and ends in this radius. Factor in complacency in a familiar area and the propensity to focus on other things on the return trip and it likely goes up. I tend to cool it as I get closer to home. No pressing my luck. No hero riding. I commute every day on the VFR so my odds are up there already.
My one crash on the VFR was on a return trip from Angeles Crest Hwy. I remember thinking, as I slid to a stop in the break down lane watching my bright shiny VFR slide like a waxed hockey puck on ice away from me and under a stopped car well ahead of me,"Really? I worry about all that sport riding I do in the mountains and this is where I crash?" I locked up the wheels braking for traffic but this time I was in the center of the lane and the road slime was wet and I got no feedback that the wheel was locked until my helmet made contact with the asphalt. Split second. Not even enough time to get a full swear word out.
I've learned to brake much better since then. Very smooth and progressive braking especially in emergencies. Never hesitate to steer the bike away from the impending collusion. Never accept hitting something or running off the road even when it seems inevitable. Develop your skill set and you won't have to test your riding gear as often.
[image: View Post]VFR Capt.Bob, on 31 August 2012 - 12:45 PM, said:
I've learned to brake much better since then. Very smooth and progressive braking especially in emergencies. Never hesitate to steer the bike away from the impending collusion. Never accept hitting something or running off the road even when it seems inevitable. Develop your skill set and you won't have to test your riding gear as often.
Very Wise Words. Your experience parallels mine on several levels. Most of my "incidents" involve panic braking while leaned over. And when you least expect it...
And I have needed my gear a lot. (Blush). There is no alternative to ATGATT for me. And I'm alive to state that because of the gear.
[image: View Post]YoshiHNS, on 28 August 2012 - 06:09 PM, said:
I don't get what you're asking? You can ride your bike in a bikini top and speedos for all anyone cares. It's a personal decision. Like asking what kind of oil to run....in the lawnmower.
This comes up a lot, and I'm not trying to troll or judge, but over here (Oz) we have a 3rd party insurance system paid for by riders as part of their vehicle registration... It covers injury costs associated with vehicular accidents... This premium has more pressure applied to it every time a rider goes down, more so when one goes down in shorts and a t-shirt... So basically the more people risk, the more pressure applied to said premiums, the more I have to pay to keep my bike on the road...
So, I guess my take on this, in Oz, is I CARE...!!!
Someone I knew in PA (no helmet law) saw a pic of me and bike on FB and asked me how I could wear all that stuff - she said helmets were too heavy and blocked your vision, jackets and gloves were hot etc. Couple weeks later she posted about how her and her husband were hurt doing 15 mph in a group toy run when someone wasn't paying attention and hit them from behind and they went down. She had a mild concussion and under went 6 months of physical therapy for a messed up shoulder. A few weeks later she posted an RIP about a couple who lost control doing thirty or forty on an on ramp and went into the ditch. Slow speed accidents can hurt just as bad as high speed ones. And I have to believe that insurance costs what it does because insurance companies often times have to pay out for people who do dumb - yet legal - things. Remember when people bitched about being forced to wear seat belts? Airbags? Get over it and wear the gear or take the car.
[image: View Post]dalesvfr, on 01 November 2012 - 08:57 AM, said:
Someone I knew in PA (no helmet law) saw a pic of me and bike on FB and asked me how I could wear all that stuff - she said helmets were too heavy and blocked your vision, jackets and gloves were hot etc. Couple weeks later she posted about how her and her husband were hurt doing 15 mph in a group toy run when someone wasn't paying attention and hit them from behind and they went down.
I wonder what (if any) response you had to your FB friend after they posted about their incident? I'm afraid I would have had to throw it back in their face.
I never commented. I did comment however when she posted that her husband shot a fox so their cat could go outside. I said the fox had no choice but to be outside and the cat could stay in. She unfriended me. They continue to ride sans helmet I'm sure.
I got a real sick feeling in my stomach the other day, I added up all the money I spent on safety gear! All total it was well over $5K, that could have paid off my bike and then some. I will admit that some of it was "experimental", meaning I wanted to try it out to see if it was for me or not and some was "duplicate" gear i.e. different color Kevlar lined pants, and some of it I don't wear anymore as I bought a better fitting replacement. The one thing that I know, is no matter how hot, warm or cold it is, I should now have an outfit to fit the weather as well as me. Being in So. Cal we don't get much cold weather so a majority of my gear is meant for the "warmer" temps but I do have a few items that should suffice if it gets a little cooler. Personally I do not buy the "it's too hot" or "I can't see" excuses, there are so many different brands, styles and features in safety gear that you should be able to find something that will work for you. Hell an open face helmet is better than no helmet IMO. I'll ride in a full leather suit, albeit a vented one, even in 80F degree weather if I think I want the extra protection. Yes, I have cooler/lighter gear for warmer temps, but I feel safer in the leather outfit, especially if I am out sport riding. So I sweat a little, I can easily replaced those loss fluids, it's a lot harder, not mention costlier, to replace blood or plasma though. I don't like to soap box and I believe in "to each his own", but to not use safety gear at a minimum level is a little like playing Russian Roulette, you may have more chambers in the gun, but there's still that one bullet in it. This is just one rider's opinion.
And Dalesvfr, I agree, that was the fox's home too! Shame
Sorry to dig up an old post but I thought this fit with this 'ATGATT?????' post. Yes, another reason in support of ATGATT. Yesterday I was going to test ride my Duc after doing some carb adjustments and as I was heading out of my complex, I hit a patch of water and down I went! It was a slow speed low side and caught me totally off guard, I thought the path I was on I was going to miss the puddle. Figuring I was just going around the block (literally) I still put on my gloves, Kevlar jeans, boots, textile jacket, and of course my helmet. I came out relatively unscathed, my Duc suffered some damage, a broken rear brake pedal and cracked upper fairing is the majority of it, along with some scratches but I already found a brake pedal on eBay and should be on its way, I just need to find a place to get the body panel taken care of. I have a little soreness on my right hip and knee which is what hit the ground, but other than that, just the usual mental anguish.
Ouch! Sorry about your mishap. You are right though: one can drop the bike amywhere ang get hurt, even though it's just around the corner or three blocks away.
I hope you can have it fixed and that she looks like new again.
C
Recent personal experience says to gear up. 11-27-12 started 8 mile trip to work. It was a little cool so decided to wear work pants and the trip home would have been warm so I left off the kevlar jeans. About half way to work I had a driver turn left directly in front of me, crossing my lane. I was able to avoid all but her rear bumper. After a short ambulance ride I was diagnosed with 5 broke ribs. A broken scapula. A pneumothorax (Punctured lung.) After some amazing care I was released from the hospital on 12-8-12. The end result was Shoie RF1100 scrap from major impact and scrapes. Oh the pinlock shield was broke and gone. Cortech jacket has 4 holes in it. Tourmaster Soluutions2 boots destroyed. Backpack had nylon webbing broke. Workpants cut off by EMTs. They were FR rated. I was rashed on both knees (no kevlar) I have yet to see my bike and all the gear I wore was trashed. BUt performed as expected... I am well pleased with ATGATT and except for the slip with the kevlar pants was well satisfied with the performance of all gear. Yep I vote to wear the gear. The one failure I had was a failure to apply kevlar to my knees.
End of thread · 91 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 14 Dec 2012
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