Many years ago, a young lad from our village who fancied himself as a up and coming amateur racer, took his newly built bike out for a blast up the road, was going quite fast but apparently nothing silly excessive, when something went wrong. he came off. His injuries were quite survivable but he was only wearing shorts and jeans, the gravel rash covered his body, he died the next day. Like already been said, its the same as burns. Whenever I see someone not wearing proper gear I always think, if only you were aware....
Had an off at ~50mph in Kevlar jeans, exposing my kneecap and sticking me on crutches for 2 months. A local lad came off in jeans at ~80mph, and much like mentioned in the OP, he subsequently died after his organs shut down from coping with the toxins from all the wounds. Since those I’ll neverwear anything but full leathers, and since had at least 2 100mph+ offs that I have walked away from.
People talk about the slight risk of coming off their bike and the consequences and risks involved. There is a possibility of coming off and doing damage, but the coming off is not a certainty Think of the amount of the population who smoke or who are obese, they are taking much greater risks, and there is a certainty that they are doing their health damage. There are also many more of them in those categories.
I honestly don’t think smoking has any relevance to this other than risk. One is a long term deterioration and a definite acceptance of the consequences, and the other a sudden consequence upon someone who may have been happily fooling themselves it would never happen to them. Personally, I avoid the risk of smoking and being overweight as well. I don’t avoid the risk of riding a motorcycle, however I do everything I can to minimize the consequences of an accident, which could be totally out of your hands. I’m not going to make everyone wear all the gear, but personally I think it is daft not to do everything reasonable to protect yourself. I’m not sure why anyone would argue the case for less protection, regardless of drawing any risk comparisons to anything else.
Did a 50 mile ride on my push bike the other day and clocked 54mph on a long descent with only Lycra for protection. Different mindset altogether, I wouldn’t dream of riding a motorcycle without decent gear on.
That is a bit like saying that the smoking is fine as long as you minimise the risk and only smoke low tar cigarettes with filters rather than giving up all together. If there is such a big risk in riding bikes, then give them up, that will eliminate the risk all together. I will continue to ride in what I like, withing the law, and will make my own risk assessment, I would not tell others what to wear, that is their choice. If I were to go around trying it impose my beliefs of their riding attire, then would be no better than a Jobless Witness.
I’m not sure where you get the idea anyone is telling you what you must wear. All some of us are doing (from experience) is pointing out the consequences are very real and very serious, and can be minimized. What you chose to do with that is up to you. There is no imposition, just opinion based upon bad experiences that most of us wouldn’t want other people to suffer. You are right, it is a risk. You could eliminate it. However it doesn’t have to be an either/or choice of don’t ride at all or ride like an idiot with little protection and take on ALL the risk possible. It is possible (and sensibly advisable) to ride sensibly wearing the best protection, to reduce the impact.
I never said that anyone was trying to tell me what to wear. In 45 years of riding, I have also had experiences, and know people who have died. So don't tell anyone what to wear but call them an idiot if they don't wear what you feel they should wear.
Over Buttertubs and into Reeth but I know the Tan Hill one. I was on the wheel of my mate who’s a large unit !
True, But has anyone done a study to see if smoking a few cigs once a week in a 3 hour period does any harm, or if indeed with such a small time-frame of exposure and 7 days recovery period it does no harm at all, no they haven't so that's how I roll. Same as I wear kevlar jeans with no armour instead of full leather with armour most times, I am aware of the circumstance and try to be safe I got through 30+ years of riding a little too fast on the roads so hopefully I'll be OK If someone gave motorbikes them up then were run over by one, that would be ironic especially those shit silent electric ones
I've just driven across Ibiza in a hire car, from San Antonio to Cala Llonga this morning. There are scooters all around ridden by kids (probably a lot of Brits), and they wear a helmet provided by the hire company, but gloves are not provided, and shorts/sandals predominate. At a roundabout I signalled to turn right in the inner lane, and as I began to filter onto the roundabout, four scooters (two up on each) came up my inside and (ignoring my right turn signal) blithely rode straight across the roundabout. It's easy to see how the local hospital must get a pretty high proportion of injured youngsters with severe gravel-rash, broken limbs or much worse. Darwin's theory of "natural selection" and all that....
I was rep The mention about imposing beliefs making them no better than jobless witness gave me the impression you thought someone suggesting better protection was imposing their beliefs. We all know people that have died through biking. Some unavoidable, but a few of those I know of (including the OP) were almost certainly avoidable, and I don’t think that should be ignored lightly. The final point was badly written and I was referring the the highest risk or riding being an idiot (and) wearing little protection (the far end of the spectrum). However, I do think those that wear little protection are idiots..... that is my opinion and still doesn’t mean I’m telling someone what they have to do.
My pals cycle down from Hartlepool as they like to do 100 miles or so. I’m ok with 50 ish and feel like I’ve been tortured the day after !
