Is it just me ?

[peterb]

First bit of sun and suddenly tarmac wont strip the flesh from your bones apparently, the number of people out in shorts and flip-flops even on the motorway is staggering!
I worked in a Hospital as a student in the Bike crash ward, if people had seen what i have it would scare the s**t out of them. It cant heal as its all gone, bones ground away at speeds under thirty !
Is it just me, but the number of things beyond your control that can lead to a spill are infinite on any road. You dont see the paris-Dakar boys or Rossi on a hot day in a pair of Speedos, Sure its hot but not as hot as it will get sliding down the road for sixty metres in a vest!
Still maybe it is me but dont give the do gooders any more ammo !

[Dilbert]

No, it's not just you, the same thought occurs to any rational intelligent person (and AT riders), I once left my gloves off and came off my moped at about 20mph on gravel, I passed out when the nice lady put the lint soaked in dettol to my right palm

I get slagged off for wearing power ranger leathers with hiprotec inserts, but I'd much rather scrape a cows hide than my own.

unfortunately you don't learn till you've tried it/ seen the results, it's called experience.

[faantjie]

It's not you. Every commuter I saw in London on a bike was in shorts and a T-shirt today. All the couriers were fully kitted up which must say something. A friend of ours came back from a holiday once having come of a scooter at 15mph. She was on crouches for two months and had to undergo skin graphs on her foot thanks to flip flops and shorts.
They don't know what they miss when you take off you're gear and that cool breeze blows over you.

[squirrelciv]

Yep, the tee shirt crown are out in Cardiff too
Will admit to riding in just combat trousers, but I always wear boots, gloves, helmet and jacket, and the combats are only worn for short comutes. Daft logic I know, but I put it down to risk assessment. If I have to walk about when I get to where I'm going and wear the combats I ride really, really really defensively and tell myself it's like when I was a youngster and denim was considered safety equipment.

[peterb]

We all make do with denim etc on a short hop to town and hope for the best but gloves jacket boots etc are the norm for me with leathers on anything more.Sometimes it can be like trying to ride in a blast furnace not a pleasant experience but stop and cool down , got to be better than years of skin grafts!
Cant see the fuss over leathers etc matching or otherwise, you got em wear em none of my business frankly, as you say better to get up and be able to walk away !

[cabbage2404]

I have to disagree, surely it's freedom of choice.
I've been riding for 23 years and over that period have come off a number of times, sometimes my stupid fault sometimes not, the best(worst) one being a head on with a bint in a metro !! Hospital job .

Motorcycling, as we are all well aware is a fundamentally risky lifestyle/hobby/business, and i enjoyed my ride to the shops to get a 6 pack yesterday in weather that was hotter than Rio !
Just as i've enjoyed riding many miles in the Southern France heat over the years.
It's like everything in life, you weigh up the pros and cons of any situation then make your choice.
And at least we still have the choice!!

Just my 3 Sheckels worth.

[DaveS]

Somewhere on the site I have some pics from a friend who's an A&E consultant which show what can happen.

I always tend to be over protected, and sweat buckets.
Having said that its a choice and its about riding appropriately for your level of clothing.
The problem is that people don't..... they will ride in jeans and t-shirt, and not ride extremely defensively.

I think BMW may have got it right with their air conditioned clothing, although I guess its bloody expensive.

[Slimie]

Somewhere on the site I have some pics from a friend who's an A&E consultant which show what can happen.

I always tend to be over protected, and sweat buckets.
Having said that its a choice and its about riding appropriately for your level of clothing.
The problem is that people don't..... they will ride in jeans and t-shirt, and not ride extremely defensively.

I think BMW may have got it right with their air conditioned clothing, although I guess its bloody expensive.

So long as you replace that sweat and rehydrate completely all you're doing is what my Missus's's's's magazines call "de-toxing" so its A Good Thing!

"Just off for a ride dear"
"Oh no you're not"
"But it's for the good of my health, Darling, I'm de-toxing"

And don't forget the red wine when you get in, just for health reasons of course!!

Cheers
-Simon

[Jenna]

my other half is an ex courier and is very much the 'you must be 100% protected at all times' type, me on the other hand being a sun junkie (and blonde) would wear a bikini if i could get away with it.

I guess there has to be both an element of freedom of choice but also a very large helping of responsibility!.. lets be honest think most bike riders will agree that the majority of offs are not down to the rider but the car that hits them! ( all my 3 major accidents being the car drivers fault!).. so although even me being a sun junkie (or tart as the other half prefers) the least i wear on a bike is a medium weight leather, heavyweight jeans, boots and gloves reguardless of the sun.

At the end of the day I would rather be a bit hot than be in hospital!

[peterb]

Of course its choice, but do i have a "choice" over spending my taxes fixing the brain dead people?To me it just seems so unnecessary, it does not need intervention but can it really be classed as an accident when they are trashed ?