smokinjoe73

There is nothing more ponderous than how when the state doesnt mandate it people take it as the right thing to do. I freak our every time I travel to NH and see all the states along the way with gearless riders.

E.Marquez

When I grew up riding., learning.. it was around racers and other sport bike riders of the 80's and on.

Those people i saw, learned from, then later rode with wore helmets, jacket, gloves... every time they got on the bike. I "knew" cruisers, the Harley crowed and others often did not wear gear,, but it never really occurred to me not to, as all my friends and mentors did.

How you came to the motorcycle life, who you watched, learned from grew up around has a lot IMHO to how you view and approach wearing gear.

Just my observations based on many riders I've had close contact with over the last 10 years in the Military and civilians as well.

mikstr

People who ride without protective gear (notably helmets) are merely proving to everyone that they have nothing (ie. brains) to protect, call it practical Darwinism. It's akin to playing Russian Roulette, albeit with better odds and a less certain outcome. Having the right to do something does not oblige one to do it. There is no law (that I know of anyhow) against drinking gasoline and yet I have no ambition to do it.....

HRCA#1

I was in PA for a year in 2009 and was shocked by helmetless riders there. I was born and lived there till 1984, I was riding when the original helmet law was passed. It didn't matter to me and my friends cause we already wore them. I hadn't realized PA had dropped the requirement but I can assure you all of my friends who like me are all ex racers still wear theirs.

This young ladies video should be forwarded to anyone you know that thinks otherwise.

E.Marquez

Id ask you to consider... why people smoke cigarettes.. drive drunk, Smoke Meth, or do any number of other things commonly understood to be a bad idea. ....

Many times it is the culture that surrounds them,, the upbringing, peers.

You are a product of your environment, yes people evolve beyond that environment but it takes a life altering experience most times.

My point is.. I have found, many times.... they really just do not know better... it's what they were taught.. what they saw others do, and they have no or limited experience to show them why it's not a good idea.

mikstr

People often adopt bad or dangerous behaviours initially due to lack of information. However, at some point, your intelligence and common sense should kick in and steer you clear of such ill-founded habits. Granted in the case of addictive substances like cigarettes, this is more difficult due to the physical complications of dependency. However, in the case of riding without proper gear, continuing the practice when the dangers of doing so are evident to anyone whose mental age exceeds 10 is, in my view, inexcusable. Sorry, just my point of view. If one is not able to change this type of behaviour in the face of insurmountable and painfully obvious evidence, he/she is either mentally deficient or of such weak character that image outweighs self-preservation. Either instance is a recipe for disaster....

E.Marquez

I agree mostly.. I think where your still off a bit is in your assumption that all "mentally deficient or of such weak character " have either the same experiences, available information you do, or you THINK they have seen, read, learned.

I agree, IF a person has the available information and STILL chooses to ride in shorts, flip flops and a T shirt (sorry, forgot the bandanna) ... Then yes, mental midget characterization apply s

mikstr

Considering we don't live in the Third World and the vast majority of kids in North America have grown up around bicycles, I think it's safe to assume most have had spills and likely skinned their elbows, knees,.... Making it more universal yet, how many people have never tripped up while running (or walking for that matter) and had bruises as a result. This, to me, is all the info you need. Anyone not able to extrapolate from the above to riding a motorcycle without protection is either a dunse or a poser.

In the case of more complex and less evident situations where the harm doen is more discreet or invisible, a case can be made for being not being aware. However, in light of the example above, there simply is no excuse.

Now, I don't wish the kind of hurt or injuries suffered by the young lady in the video on anyone. However, some people seem destined to end up there for the reasons given above.

cheers

smokinjoe73

I just had to ask one guy I knew who got an R6 what he was thinking when he pulled up with shorts and flip flops (in NYC). His response.......I dont plan to crash.

So yes, it hurts my feelings too and yes I sternly berated him.

autoteach

I suppose you folks always wear condoms too?!

mikstr

Using that logic, I have to wonder how many people set off in the morning thinking, "You know, today would be a great, no, no, make that a FANTASTIC, day to crash".....

mikstr

too busy juggling running chainsaws to think about it.......

autoteach

how are you...where does she...

NHSH

That took an interesting turn...

HRCA#1

Weird is more like it!

Wolverine

I'll get the train back on track..

I wouldn't think of riding w/out gear & all of it. In fact my wife has learned to tolerate my borderline addiction to getting better protected.

Thanks for the share, I posted it on a local riders page. Hope it can make some people realize the risks they take.

CrankenFine

My personal favorite oxymoron as it applies to safety gear on a motorcycle:

"Never give advice;
The wise don't need it,
and fools won't heed it."

-Benjamin Franklin

mikstr

I may have to use that one

thanks!

E.Marquez

Nope, not for the last 23 years.

And yes, even though I take a chance having unprotected sex with my wife of more then 23 years... I would not be ignorant enough to ride without gear, each and every time I ride, dirt, street or track.

To each his own... if someone wants to ride in a t shirt,, have at it.. just not with me or anyone I ride with. And expect NO offer of feelings or assistance when your in for your third skin graph, nor tears at your funeral.

If you care not for yourself, I care less then that about you.

(NOTE: "you, your, yourself" as used here is not directed at any person in this conversation)

mikstr

we have another winner.... I like it!

FWIW, I am not uncaring (the exact opposite is true), I just have no patience for stupidity.....

E.Marquez

To a fault, im the same way..

But things like riding without gear, and then wanting me to care when you have roadrash over 40% and your left foot is missing... Nope, don't care.

Smoke 2 packs a day for 10 years.....not going to get a lot of sympathy from me if your still smoking the day you get your diagnosis of stage III lung cancer.

autoteach

Hey,
you make a good point. I never drink or smoke. I think those of you that do are idiotic and have **** for brains. I can't imagine how you could be so dumb, but I admire your efforts in setting new records...

Oh, sorry, I will get off my righteous soap box.

matt365

I'll chime in on this one... I can't agree more with Mikstr. E.Marquez makes good points as well.

I look it as removing undesireables from the gene pool. Some people just don't want to listen, and nothing we say is going to change that.

I've got more money invested into bike gear than I do in clothing... most of my closet is leathers.

2 piece leathers
one piece
6 pairs of gloves
4 helmets (5 if I count my dirtbike lid)
3 pairs of boots
2 jackets
The list goes on... I'm sure most of you are the same.

Thumper

I always ride is gear. When sport riding full leathers with race boot and gloves and back protector. Of course a Snell approved helmet. When i commute to work i settle for textile jacket and pants over street clothes and same gloves and helmet leaving the knee pucks and back protector at home.

I do a lot of group riding and the minimum gear required for someone i will ride with is at least a jacket, boots, gloves, helmet (required in TN thank goodness) and jean pant. I am not riding with the group or you if you are not dressed at least that well because i don't care to be the one scraping you up off the asphalt when you rip your self to pieces. If someone shows up un-prepared and the group is okay with, i just find somewhere else to ride for the day.

NHSH

+1 Funny... similar list except I have 4 jackets and a full off road Thor/Alpinestars gear as well. My wife just complained recently that it takes too much closet space... well, how about all your shoes... that was not excepted well... had to move my gear to a temp rack for now

nath981

for the first 10 years i rode, none of us wore any protective gear, often rode impaired, raced a lot, did crazy **** and some of us fell off yearly. 3 killed and 1 lost use of arm and 1 amputated leg out of hundreds of riders in our area, none of which would have been prevented by wearing gear. Who knows why?

you could die wearing all your gear or live forever wearing street clothes, but at least it feels better with the gear on in terms of probabilities....to each his own.

Squid