Helmet, no other gear?

[feejer222]

I've never ridden without a helmet.

Make what you want of that.

 

[chornbe]

I'm just saying, if your going to ride without gear, F#@k the helmet. At least enjoy it if you are going to put yourself at risk. I just don't see the point of selectively protecting certain areas and not others. I mean, would you wear a jockstrap that only protected one nut?
End of rant.....

I find *nothing* enjoyable about riding without a helmet. The wind in my face, the bugs slapping me in the face, my eyes watering and the general discomfort of 60mph wind going up my nose... no thank you. I'll never understand the people who ride all the time without a helmet. The bug crud alone would make it horrible.

 

[Wingman]

BTW. In IL the only thing you need to wear according to LEO is eye protection. Other wise you can be butt naked.

Eye protection only in AR if you're at leat 21, helmet and eye protection under 21.

Motor vehicle regs say nothing about clothing, but most officers will take you back to the station with them if you forget to put on your loin cloth. Riders of the fairer sex should consider pasties as well, though less likely to get arrsted for forgeting them in my experience.

I gave up wearing shorts and sandals years ago. Very seldom ride with less than a helmet, gloves, jacket, boots, and long pants.

David

 

[airboss]

Not even golf ball sized gravel did damage to me.

I'd rather go down on gravel than the HARD asphalt or cement, meaning with proper riding gear.

I lived and worked in Japan for 12 years, while gravel, asphalt, and cement are all abrasive and hard on your skin, there is nothing quite as bad as the Japanese habit of mixing dead coral into their paving mixes.

While gravel,asphalt, and cement will sand you down, Coral slices and dices.

ATGATT

 

[Waaane]

Anyone ever visited a TBI unit? When DH was getting rehab for his arm/leg/back injuries, the next hallway had the brain injured patients. Several staff members were surprised to see a motorcycle accident victim that wasn't on the brain ward. These patients are typically strong, fit, previously healthy males. They need four point leather restraints to keep them, and their caregivers safe. If the frontal lobe of the brain is damaged, all inhibition is gone. What goes through the mind comes out of the mouth. It usually sexual in nature. Unrestrained hands will end up either between the legs, or groping the nurses. These patients wear diapers (another reason why hands don't belong down there). Some are spoon fed, others have a tube straight into the stomach. Seizures are often exciting to watch.
Still wanna ride without a helmet anyone?

In just over one month my daughter will be graduating from a Cal State University nursing program with a BSN. Of this i am very proud. But this means among other things that she has now spent significant time in trauma/ emergency wards and TBI units at a South Cal county hospital. I have assured her that I wear proper gear. She has told my future son in law that his choices are to gear up completely...sell his bikes...or not have her babies. Apparently my daughter and The Silver Penguin have seen things that we don't wanna check out. I'll wear my stuff

 

[Silver Penguin]

Apparently my daughter and The Silver Penguin have seen things that we don't wanna check out. I'll wear my stuff

Congratulations to your daughter Waaane. Having been through a similar experience, I know what it takes to get through nursing school.

And yes. We've seen things that most people don't want to see. Other than the traumatic brain injury patients, the most dramatic are the external fixators, especially the halo that is literally screwed into the skull. After DH's recent accident, he was able to have four major surgeries within the first week, to repair his limbs with INTERNAL fixation. Had he not been wearing decent gear, he would have had fixators on both elbows, one wrist and one leg, for at least SIX MONTHS before the surgeries could have been done. As it was, he was only off work for three months.

Despite having seen the bad stuff, I still choose to ride. I mitigate my risks by wearing good gear for every ride, riding sober, taking classes, reading this wisdom (!) expressed here and heeding the gut feeling that sometimes says today is not the day to ride.

Jill

 

[frayne]

Tis nothing more than a matter of personal choice and complying with the local state regulations.

 

[SMC]

:dribble: I guess, for me, as I get older (maturity?), I realize the fact that I am not invincible.

I understand there is no one else to cover the mortgage, car payments, gas, electricity, insurance, phone, tax assessments, retirement and 401K accounts.

I have come to the grim reality that the body just doesn't heal as quickly.

Being a realist, yet unwilling to give up so much a part of my appreciation and enjoyment (motorcycling) in life, I have done what I can to protect myself as best as possible so that I can continue this form of my expression and freedom as long as I can.

I wear a full face helmet, motorcycle boots, jackets with protective armor at the shoulders, elbows, forearms, back and made of a non-polyester material that will not melt into the skin when pressed into an extended slide; i.e.; high denier ballistic nylon, leather or air mesh kevlar. If not driving to work I wear protective pants with all the protective padding too.

I guess that is my present to myself and my mature version of CYA?

 

[Thug]

Sound's like there are some perfect candidates for the Darwin Awards!

If you have to ask the question I would suggest respectfully, you shouldn't be riding.

 

[UweRoss]

The topic here was "Helmet, no other gear?" wasn't it?

I think there is some logic to it. It strikes me that a helmet is about the only piece of gear which is likely to save a a rider's life. Other gear exists to prevent pain and suffering, but the injuries it will prevent are unlikely to be life-threatening.

Readers should not take this to mean that I advocate Gixxer-squid fashion. I'm ATG 98% of the time, and probably 99% of the miles. But it does make at least some sense. My son will be 15 this summer. When he is old enough, I'll bust on him if he doesn't wear gear, but I'll take his keys if I catch him without a helmet.

-Uwe-

 

[05fjrman]

BTW. In IL the only thing you need to wear according to LEO is eye protection. Other wise you can be butt naked.

Where's Radman when you need him? ATGATT for me. In the colder months, it's the windproof Teknik and Joe rocket lowers with windproof gloves, Tourmaster boots, and my Arai. In the summer, it's Joe Rocket armored mesh jacket, Icon Hooligan pants, Belstaff gloves, same boots and helmet. I get hot, but as the saying goes; " dress for the crash, not for the ride".

 

[keithaba]

The topic here was "Helmet, no other gear?" wasn't it?
I think there is some logic to it. It strikes me that a helmet is about the only piece of gear which is likely to save a a rider's life. Other gear exists to prevent pain and suffering, but the injuries it will prevent are unlikely to be life-threatening.

Readers should not take this to mean that I advocate Gixxer-squid fashion. I'm ATG 98% of the time, and probably 99% of the miles. But it does make at least some sense. My son will be 15 this summer. When he is old enough, I'll bust on him if he doesn't wear gear, but I'll take his keys if I catch him without a helmet.

-Uwe-

I agree, but while the injuries may not be life threatening, they are life changing. Imagine going down at 70 mph in shorts and a t-shirt vs. decent gear. Your talking about life long deformity. You will likely scrape not only the skin, but the muscle off as you slide on the concrete. Your feet and hands would particularly suffer. Without gloves and boots, your fingers and toes grind down to stubs.

 

[NoCage]

Sound's like there are some perfect candidates for the Darwin Awards!
If you have to ask the question I would suggest respectfully, you shouldn't be riding.

I'm reminded of a quote I heard sometime back... maybe on this or the previous forum. If you don't think you need to wear a helmet, then you probably don't.

 

[radman]

I'm gonna start a thread with nothing but photos of carved up bike riders, with audio of the screams wherever possible. If we're gonna keep doing this "ATGATT" or die, or worse, lets really get graphic. In fact, if we really work at it, we can dissuade anyone from ever taking up the sport, which would be ideal. Just think of all the anti-skoot groups that would jump on board.... :glare:

 

[keithaba]

The point of this threat wasn't supposed to be ATGATT as much as point out how odd it is that some people wear a helmet, but no other gear at all.

It's like they put the helmet on and say, "Now I'm safe."

It doesn't make sense to me to wear the helmet, with no other gear. If you want to ride without gear, go for it. Not a problem to me, just silly to wear the helmet, and nothing else.

Save your head, screw the rest of your body!

 

[radman]

The point of this threat wasn't supposed to be ATGATT as much as point out how odd it is that some people wear a helmet, but no other gear at all.
It's like they put the helmet on and say, "Now I'm safe."

It doesn't make sense to me to wear the helmet, with no other gear. If you want to ride without gear, go for it. Not a problem to me, just silly to wear the helmet, and nothing else.

Save your head, screw the rest of your body!

And you can bet the clowns wearing a helmet and nothing else think anyone who doesn't wear a helmet is an idiot. The whole gear thing has taken on an aura of absurdity. I saw someone on a Zuma, the smallest one, the other day near where I work wearing a Stich and a full face helmet and boots going flat out at 35mph. I see guys on 200mph capable bikes with a baseball cap at the requisite doofus angle, and the helmet dangling from the bikes rear.

We have our favorite gal

We have the minimalists

The media and well meaning folks as well have convinced a multitude of potential riders that a helmet is the key to invincibility, with the "was not wearing a helmet" quip that always accompanies bike accident reports, as if it would have warded off all harm during that 120mph t-bone.

Be honest now-those who occasionally ride without a helmet, like a quick run to the store-but generally wear one on any trips of length-do you feel more vulnerable, and if so, do you tend to ride more conservatively as a result when lidless? I know I do in these situations. The phenomenon is real, so are the stats that people, helmeted, Stiched, and booted, still get whacked while riding, still break bones and lose skin in get offs, that skill and common sense while riding are still the best defense on the road, as opposed to idiocy and mega gear.

 

[mdisher]

I too get aggravated by the folks who continually preach and hound on ATGATT like it's the second coming.

I didn't think that was his intention either.

I try to be ATGATT as much as most of us, and to this day I have never ridden without a helmet or a jacket of some sort. No I don't always have the best shoes on, or the best pants on. I wear a helmet because I always have in the dirt and elsewhere, and honestly I feel naked without it. I see others without and I think:

*Damn they are dumb

*Hrm, they look kinda comfy.

*Maybe it wouldn't be sooo bad, I'm only going...

About that time something like a rock or a big ass bug hits me in the face shield and I change my mind rather quickly. And of course there is also the noise and wind to deal with, damn, well most cruiser and non helmet wears just don't go that fast *usually*.

Obviously ATGATT is a good idea, it increases your chances and there's no shortage of folks who can attest to it's effectiveness, especially in non-impact related accidents.

The fact is every accident has the potential to be life changing, geared up or not. All it takes is the right circumstances we all know that.

I still don't wear a helmet when riding a horse even though I know it's probably a very good idea. (My kids however must always wear them).

I wish I could afford the best protection but the bottom line is I can't, and neither can a lot of people.

People are people, leave it be.

 

[Sherman]

Call DCFS

 

[RonBB]

Helmets Always Save You! Never Say Always!

 

[Thug]

People are people, leave it be.

Why leave it be? maybe if all this talking spreads and borrows into the thick skulls of the poeple who don't wear ATGATT, which has a flow on effect....less accidents, less money spent on such accidents, less money spent or fixing these people from these accidents, less taxes spent on such accidents and by default more to be spent on other things (you thought I was going to say pay less taxes...Yeah as if!) less pain and angst for their family and friends...I'd say (and I do) ask someone (generally a young tool) why they are not wearing their gear whether you know them or not, at least you had a go....maybe, just maybe you might change the occasional bilegerant mind.