Yep, luckily I learned this early on in my riding days. After clipping a car at 30mph and breaking my foot in three places (and having to spend a month in crutches) cause I was wearing trainers I decided then on I wouldn't go anywhere again without proper gear. My Sidi's have saved me from worse damage on more than one occasion since!
No gloves can be bad enough too.I nearly lost my right hand in a smash where my hand became trapped under the tank of my fs1e.It wore through the back of my glove which were suede/leather work gauntlets.The doc said I was lucky to come away with some skin left, the gloves saved my hand.Todays gloves have kevlar etc to protect the knucke and back of the hand, these weren't available in 1985.
I think its an age thing too, with the absence of knowing their own mortality. Our lass moans about the gear i make her wear for her scooter and cried when i tried to make her wear textile trousers in fact she nearly gave up riding 'cos i wouldnt let her go out without a textile jacket, but i had to back down this wasnt helped by the CBT instructor saying that the only legal requirement is a helmet. She came off her moped at 30 a few months ago and slid down the road. She was wearing a thick jacket, but asked earlier in the day if she had to wear the bike gloves, luckily she lost the argument and was glad afterwards as they saved her hands from being torn apart by the tarmac. I think the moral there is to push them from being too fashion conscious to at least wear the bare essentials as you dont choose when you're gonna need them.
To be honest matey, we can all probably look back and realise we did the same things, started riding in the 70s with a passed down lid so big at 50 it was bobbling around and twisting, no gloves, denim and Doc Martens, forget tax and insurance, too expensive. A couple of spills, and it hurts as we all know, eventually you learn, but kids of today are no different than we were then. Then every holiday in Spain or Greece used to hire bikes and ride around in flippies and shorts, and yes there were some injuries you see that made you wince, but did you cover up? of course not, as said above its about ideas of mortality, the difference is as we get older we just have a bit more learning curve to fall back on than they do. Like Muffking, I can advise my kids until I am blue in the face, but you can see the shutters come down in their eyes after a while, eventually the penny drops, you just hope its not them that becomes the example.
Maybe they should make proper boots, gloves, trousers and jackets a legal requirement, just like helmets? My wife is a nurse and has had to deal with motorcycle injuries, she would agree
I saw that picture related to a completely different story, to do with someone being bitten by a snake.
Your right Ratser, nothing to do with bikes or boots. Its Bear Grylls producer who was bitten by a snake. Horrendous outcome!
Not nice but could do with a Warning on the title for the squeamish which I will add But to add People only have to wear a lid to be legal. stupid I know but that's it, people have to make their own choices good or bad
I agree if they can make a law for seat belts in cars why not protective gear on bikes. Also I think quads should have to ware helmets
Trouble is that if you bring in a law where does it stop? Annual tests on clothing? Max age for hemets? Jackets and trousers must zip together a'la track days? Compulsory Hi-Viz? Ear plugs?
To be honest if it saves lives or limbs then is it not worth the extra hassle, it would get rid of all that shite eBay leather that's as much use as a tracksuit as leathers would have to be approved for road like helmets are
I broke one of those bones kicking a wall in my temper, its interesting to see the bone without the flesh. Other than than this pic has no real value because its always someone else and it will never happen to me, right?
also need armor for cyclists and the lemmings that walk out in front of traffic. how many more lives and injuries would that prevent.
When leaving the house we should all be wearing suits made from bubblewrap. Just to be on the safe side.
i remember years ago attending the bike show at NEC. They had 2 guys on a safety stand. One had leathers gloves boots full helmet etc - full kit. The other had shorts tshirt flip flop and helmet... Which one was illegal ???????????????????????????????????????????? The one in the full kit.......................................he had a dark visor ......................................... the law is an ass......
Many years ago I got called to what was reported as a motorcycle crash. When I arrived the bike appeared to be undamaged but was lying on the floor with the rider also on the floor alongside. Long story short, the chain had snapped gone through the crank case and because he was only wearing trainers had cut through his ankle like a knife through butter. I found his bloodied foot and trainer about 60 yards back up the road. The rider initially felt nothing, it was only when he lost drive, stopped and went to put the side stand down did he realise that there was something wrong as he was unable to feel the side stand, and as he lent it over, it just continued going over. Unfortunately, they were unable to re-attach his foot, but had he been wearing boots, whilst it would have possibly been badly bruised, it would have at least healed and he would have kept his foot attached.
