All The Gear All The Time

[Rebel]

I was looking over there on SD and a thread was started regarding gear you wear.

I'm going to admit, I do not have all the gear. I do wear a mesh jacket with the armor in the elbows, chest, shoulders and back, full helmet, riding jeans with leather reinforcement patches in the butt and knees and knee armor, I have some steel toed boots, no gloves, well, that I've worn, I do have some leather gloves.

I will go on record as being a supporter of the ATGATT philosophy. No it might not keep you from having a life changing injury, but it will give you a fighting chance.

Some people say, well, my State does not require a helmet so I don't need one. To that I say, do you need your head, and those that use a half or 3/4 helmet, do you like to chew your food? How you gonna do it with no jaw? Oh is that nose valuable to you? no well then use that 3/4 helmet.

Fact is a very low speed accident can cause all kinds of damage to the head and body. I'd advise using all the gear you got at all times you ride.

[mrsg]

Sticky please!!!
This is great advise. Do i wear protective gear? Hell no!!!
Why? Because i am a complete dummy.
I am the worst for wearing T-shirt and shorts. I do wear a full helmet. I have been cut off 3 times this year!!! We have i think 5 motorcycles deaths in my area this year from drivers doing rolling stops or running the light all together. Not just in town either.
The world we are living in people have become very lazy drivers! The worst is i was texting and i did not see him!
Guess what i am trying to say please be safe!!

Ray

[montanarider]

I wish I could say all the time. I do own a 1/2 helmet(no law in MT), and a mesh jacket, and a leather jacket. There are times when I like to feel the air, I work in the surgery dept of a hospital so I should know better. The most common things I've seen from low speed scooter and bike accidents are; Missing teeth, broken collar bones, broken arms, dislocated shoulders-wrists-elbows and lots of road rash. Injuries can and do happen, but I think as responsible adults?? it's our choice to make. My biggest safety rule is RIDE SOBER

[dademoss]

i also have to admit i do not wear the gear no helmet,gloves,jacket
i wear sweat pants,t-shirt,tennis shoes, sunglasses (wouldnt want a bug taking my eye out )
now the folks i ride with are good ppl but also hypocrites they wear all the gear all the time but they also always want to meet at a bar before a ride.
the lodge closes at 12am so we are getting ready go one of the ladies is drinkin wine and on her scooter she still had to ride home but had all the gear on
one of the guys was three sheets to the wind he was going to drive 15 miles to go to another bar and drink til close and then ride home but he had all the gear
and they want to harp on me for not wearing it but im stupid and i will take my chances i do not and will not ever drink and ride or drive I drink at home or if i have my wife with me she can drive or vise versa
[glow=red,2,300]LET THOSE WHO RIDE DECIDE[/glow]

[Rebel]

Make no mistake, I do not support laws to force people to wear helmets and other gear. I do though think, and it is just my opinion, that if you do not wear the gear, you are not being smart.

[Rebel]

School buses do not need them because it would cost the government money to put them in there. They do not make laws to cost themselves money, they not not make laws to make sense. Laws are usually made to get votes from special interest groups.

[harrywr2]

Jul 15, 2009 19:02:08 GMT -5 Rebel said:

I have some steel toed boots

I'd prolly lose the steel in the boots. Having the toes reattached once was enough for me.

[Rebel]

Jul 18, 2009 9:47:30 GMT -5 @harrywr2 said:

Jul 15, 2009 19:02:08 GMT -5 Rebel said:

I have some steel toed boots

I'd prolly lose the steel in the boots. Having the toes reattached once was enough for me.

you actually had your toes chopped off by a steel toed boot?

[mrsg]

I can not remember where i hear this but seat belts in buses would cause you more harm then if you where not wearing it.

I could be total wrong but i do remember reading that somewhere.
Ray

[harrywr2]

Jul 18, 2009 14:11:44 GMT -5 Rebel said:

Jul 18, 2009 9:47:30 GMT -5 @harrywr2 said:

I'd prolly lose the steel in the boots. Having the toes reattached once was enough for me.

you actually had your toes chopped off by a steel toed boot?

in a m/c crash....just 5 of them. To be fair...my Shoei helmet cracked in two and Left Turn Larry's car was totaled as well.I hit pretty hard.

[mrsg]

hahaha found it
School Bus Safety Factors

Seat Belts:

Transport Canada sets safety standards for school vehicles at time of manufacture. These standards include high seat backs with energy absorbing padding, seats that are placed close together, and strong seat anchorages. In 1984, Transport Canada conducted research on the use of seat belts on school buses in frontal collisions using the current configuration. It was found that adding seat belts to this system did not increase safety but did increase the potential for more severe head and neck injuries. Transport Canada also tested several other seating configurations, but found no significant safety improvements that did not also involve other safety trade-offs. Given the extremely low number of fatalities involving school bus passengers inside the bus, the addition of seat belts does not constitute a safety advantage.
www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/schoolbus/schoolbus.shtml

[Rebel]

Jul 19, 2009 11:14:32 GMT -5 mrsg said:

hahaha found it
School Bus Safety Factors

Seat Belts:

Transport Canada sets safety standards for school vehicles at time of manufacture. These standards include high seat backs with energy absorbing padding, seats that are placed close together, and strong seat anchorages. In 1984, Transport Canada conducted research on the use of seat belts on school buses in frontal collisions using the current configuration. It was found that adding seat belts to this system did not increase safety but did increase the potential for more severe head and neck injuries. Transport Canada also tested several other seating configurations, but found no significant safety improvements that did not also involve other safety trade-offs. Given the extremely low number of fatalities involving school bus passengers inside the bus, the addition of seat belts does not constitute a safety advantage.
www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/schoolbus/schoolbus.shtml

Sounds like your school buses have better seats up there. All the ones I have seen here do not have high seat backs and do not have padding, but have exposed metal backs.

[jct842]

I wear a full shoei helmet and when weather permits a tshirt jeans and hushpuppies. in cold weather I wear a leather jacket. The way I figure the head is the important part to protect. armor might help with a little road rash but isnt going to make the difference in life or death but in a few cases. John

[harrywr2]

Jul 19, 2009 21:38:50 GMT -5 @jct842 said:

armor might help with a little road rash but isnt going to make the difference in life or death but in a few cases. John

The armor covers bits that don't have a lot of give and or meat on them. Shoulder blades...elbows. Over the ankle boots the same.
Helmet the same..not of lot of give in the head.

The road don't move much..hit it hard..something needs to have give.

I've run to the corner store with flip flops, shorts, T-shirt and 1/2 helmet. Ain't going over 30...zero cross traffic...not gonna crash.
My personal decision.

I was out today on the interstate...someone forgot to put the "caution...abrubt lane edge" sign up....was a bit dicey for a bit...bike can't climb over a 3" edge very well. Stuck between two lanes..wobbling and cars on both sides. I managed it but was in doubt for a bit.

That's what the gear is for...always gonna be some dumbass that forgets something important.

[astroprof]

For a quick 1 block trip to sub shop, I'll wear jeans, regular shoes, a shirt and FF helmet. Longer trip it's jeans, armored jacket, helmet, gloves and good old US issue combat boots. Below 55 around 55 degrees, I add chaps.