Safety Gear..Discuss here

[The ferret]

"while I lingered over the post button"

Lol and who among us hasn't faced that dilemma? ...as well as the back button just to skip the whole post you just spent 20 minutes typing out, but after re- reading think it not so wise to post

Btw here's the sig line of a member of another forum I find amusing


"If it ain't fun, I don't do it...
No worries,this parachute opens every time..... "

I love that skydivers wear little half helmets...like that could help in a 200 mph free fall into mother earth.

[Pterodactyl]

(12-04-2014 06:19 PM)The ferret Wrote:  "while I lingered over the post button"

.......... but after re- reading think it not so wise to post

Oops! Are you trying to tell me something? Don't worry, I can take it.

Cheers mate.

[The ferret]

no... That was a personal reference

[EmptySea]

I read most and skimmed the rest of this thread. Not sure that I agree at all with any argument that since a taxpayer may have to pay for our injuries, that we should therefore be required to wear safety gear. That logic leads to the concept that motorcycles should be banned all together. However, we can go round and round on that and it's unreasonable to assume that laws will change anytime soon to mandate gear, even helmets. Which leads me to the helmet/seatbelt comparison that I really want to talk about.

A MSF instructor and Illinois State Motorcycle Trooper I met this summer had and interesting point on this subject. He favors seatbelt rules, but not helmet rules because, he says, the seatbelt not only protects the wearer, but also prevents him from becoming a projectile and injuring someone else. He is a crash investigator and says that many many people are injured by an unbelted fellow occupant's head or other body part striking them. The motorcycle helmet really only protects the rider and it's his head. I am not sure that I even ink seatbelt usage should be mandatory, but I found his logic compelling.

[OldF7Guy]

IN the state of Kentucky, we have seatbelt laws but no helmet laws. I wear my seatbelt 100 percent of the time and I wear a full face helmet 100 percent of the time. ONe is the law and one is my choice. The vast majority of folks here in Ky on 2 wheels dont wear a helmet. I am torn on this issue a little.

I want the goverment out of my life and off of my back and I dont want to be told what to do. On the other hand, a law to wear helmets may save some bikers. Education is the key imo. When I was 21 I was a wild man redlining a cb650 on every shift. I was a total idiot. Im not sure if I could have been taught anything at that age Above 25 I could have and maybe the laws could reflect that.

I dont have a good solution and just reflecting back on my experience. I think some of us old farts have some responsibility to try to mingle with young guys and share experiences and encourage safety and responsibility. I flat out understand the temtation to open up a sport bike but it needs to be done at a track under controlled conditions with all the gear on. JUst my 2 cents and its really only worth 1 cent if that.

[CIP57]

(12-04-2014 10:07 PM)OldF7Guy Wrote:  When I was 21 I was a wild man redlining a cb650 on every shift. I was a total idiot. I think some of us old farts have some responsibility to try to mingle with young guys and share experiences and encourage safety and responsibility.

Don't let them ride with me

All kidding aside times have changed. Back in the late 60's and 70's we would ride dirt with no helmet, if someone had one on he would look kinda weird. We also never wore a helmet when riding a bicycle, now when you ride on the street or bike path you get look at kinda strange not wearing a helmet. So, times have changed from when we where kids. I would say I wear AOTGSOTT

I personally feel better with full leathers on the street. I don't always wear them, sometimes a pair of jeans feels comfortable in the summer. I do have a light weight Joe Rocket mesh jacket with inserts, don't think it would do much good but it may help.

We look at the sport bike rider thats riding fast, 90% are in full gear, either 1 piece or 2 piece leather suit, if they low side or high side there much better off than the casual rider with no gear doing the speed limit.

[Houtman]

I think that a lot of people do want the Government of their back but want that same Government (the tax payer) to pay for their medical bills because they did not want to be told to have medical insurance.

[Capo]

I wear most of the gear most of the time. I'll sport an open face lid or go unarmored for a short ride to the beach, store or to warm a bike up. But I generally wear armor in a jacket and riding pants along with my full face helmet.

I'm in favor of mandatory helmet laws. I understand the freedom of choice argument, but I choose to not care about that. Each state and the federal government has the right to make laws, and I don't agree with a good number of them, but I follow them. But even if my state didn't have a law regarding helmet use, I'd wear one.

The insurance angle is tricky. I don't smoke and I'm not obese, so when I see an obese smoker with self- inflicted diseases getting a million dollars worth of medical treatment, I tend to clench up a bit. If a helmet less rider hits a tree and is on insurance- paid life support for 10 years, I suppose I'd be a bit bitter as my premiums help cover that. But, insurance is designed to spread the risk, so I suppose it's in line with modern society.

Lots of vitriol and hard line feelings around this subject, I'm just glad we're discussing it reasonably rather than implying the other guy is a fascist/socialist/mother trucker as would happen on so many other forums.

[Houtman]

He is not ? .......

[DGShannon]

(12-03-2014 07:03 PM)Randy B Wrote:  

(12-03-2014 04:28 PM)DGShannon Wrote:  And again, we must say, "no helmet"! All the gear, all the time.

OK.....I get that helmets save lives. Mine probably saved mine earlier this year, but I am getting really tired of seeing all the preaching about gear. We are all adults here and are reasonably capable of making our own decisions.

I fully support freedom of choice, so please feel free to skip over all my posts if you find me so offensive to your personal taste. I know I skip your signature line, that offends me.

"They've got so many caveats built into that "offer" that Jesus Christ couldn't qualify for it if God co-signed"

Like you, I have opinions. We all do. I expressed my perspective in regards to the guy in the video. Don't see your name mentioned anywhere. The fact that you somehow chose to associate yourself with the habits of the guy in the video, and my related comments, is on you.

You have some special right to "rant" your opinion about how I (and others) should not express theirs? As recently expressed in another thread to Tortuga, everyone should feel free to go elsewhere if they don't like what goes on here. Guth/Ferret also reserve the right to toss anyone out.

Guth/Ferret? - If I don't fit in here, and need to go. Just say the word.