View Full Version : Alittle Rant Here...
Hello everyone,
Firstly, I don't want to offend anyone in this statement as I think some stereotypes will be used.
As some of you know, I went south to Montana, USA for a vacation last week. It seemed as though everywhere I look people couldn't get the riding gear thing through their head. One extreme to the other. I would see a couple riding (Alot of pillion passangers down there) their cruiser in full leathers, boots, and gloves. But they are not wearing helmets!? :shock: :? So if they go down atleast they will have a nice corpse? What is with that? Then the other end of the spectrum. A sportbike rider that is wearing a good full-face helmet in sneakers, shorts, and a short sleeve t-shirt...?! ](*,) Not once, did I see a rider with the full deal. I will stick up for the sport bike crowd and say they were better than the cruiser. So odd that you see a guy on his bike with his helmet strapped to the tail section. I don't know what they are thinking, my analogy of a helmet is that it's your seatbelt. Now, I don't think this is just prominent in the USA, it just seemed that since they don't have a law for lids it's seems even worse. I know many people up in Canada don't wear proper gear. Me and my friends included at times, but this was bad....
Mitch
SVeeedy Gonzales
04-08-05, 07:23 AM
The only people who do it are the ones who've never fallen off without the right gear on. Once they do, they usually learn. If they survive/ever return to biking.
For most people the odds are so small that they'll have an accident whilst not wearing the right gear, they take the risk and they get away with it. Just like the guys who seem to know it's safe to overtake on blind bends, or weave in and out of rush hour traffic at 100mph+ because they "know" what the other drivers/riders are thinking :roll:
They'll learn...
Supervox
04-08-05, 07:47 AM
I guess that's just one of the reasons, according to a friend of mine who's an ER nurse in Florida, that in hospitals throughout the US, bikers are referred to as 'Organ Donors' !! :(
So odd that you see a guy on his bike with his helmet strapped to the tail section. I don't know what they are thinking
Helmet law differs from state to state, if they cross the border of a state which requires a helmet they would need it there to put on.
One question I would ask is what's the training like over there? Do you have to take any form of official instruction? I think with a lot of us here who did our direct access courses had it stressed to us about how important the right kit is...
Could that be the difference?
Either that or the sheer volume of people to the amount of space here means we're more likely to come a cropper so most of us wear decent kit... :?
Partsboy
04-08-05, 10:01 AM
Don't fret. These ppl are just participating in Darwins natural selection process.
Biker Biggles
04-08-05, 10:16 AM
Don't worry too much about it,it's called freedom and our parents/grand/great-grand parents fought and died for it in their thousands.Cherish it and don't let anyone persuade you it aint worth defending.Many non bikers think we are deranged for riding the things at all irrespective of what we wear.Its about individual choice.Personaly I allways wear the gear.
21QUEST
04-08-05, 10:29 AM
Don't worry too much about it,it's called freedom and our parents/grand/great-grand parents fought and died for it in their thousands.Cherish it and don't let anyone persuade you it aint worth defending.Many non bikers think we are deranged for riding the things at all irrespective of what we wear.Its about individual choice.Personaly I allways wear the gear.
Amen
Cheers
Ben
have to say I just shake my head and ride past these days, occasionally issuing the word muppet under my breath.
Having gone down 4 times this year, 3 due to faulty bike and one due to a huge van suddenly appearing in my path I KNOW how important gear is, not just for helping with impacts but also saving your skin on a slide. One look at my lid from the van accident and I know Id have brain damage given the force that I landed on my head had I not been wearing a lid.
But at the end of the day its a persons choice and some people are only going to learn the hard way.
Though I think the fazer rider on the a13 I saw last night in shorts t shirt and no gloves was only surpassed by his girlfriend on the back in shorts tshirt flip flops no gloves and handbag hanging off of left shoulder... :roll: :?
And on a road where cars freely appear from nowhere crossing your path, as do mad pedestrians and cars who pull out regardless.... :roll: :?
Take a trip to Italy down the south and it is worse....a lot worse! Dads and mums riding scooters with lil kids on the kick panels without helmets or anything.....most of the bike and scooter riders there ride without gear and u only see a few with the right gear on.
[quote="lynw"]
Having gone down 4 times this yearquote]
:shock: I would quit riding while i was still alive if i was you.....
halfway
04-08-05, 12:02 PM
I guess its all about calculated risk. Some people are convinced they're skilled enough to avoid a crash. The rest of us realize that sometimes it doesn't matter how good you are. My friend went down last week, got hit from the side by someone who got impatient waiting for a light and decided a U-Turn was more effective. Didn't see my friend on his 02 SVs that he'd had for all of 2 days, was on his way to get the bike inspected. Luckily he was wearing jacket/gloves/helmet and got away with some bumps sprains and bruises, the bike didn't fair as well *moment of silence*
As for licensing requirements, I think that will vary state by state, I only know NY. You go in and take a 20 question written test, 16 correct is passing and I don't really know how you could fail. After that you get a learner's permit that lets you ride within either 1/2 or 1/4 mile (sorry I forget) of a buddy that has his license. At that point you can go take the road test whenever you want.
I opted to take a weekend training course ( http://www.msf-usa.org/ ), about 8-10 hours of classroom and 12 hours of riding, they issue both a written and riding test. At the end you get a waiver so you can skip your road test for your license, and you get the 10% defensive driver insurance reduction. It was pretty pricy but I'm a better rider for it. Plus I'd rather practice my low speed maneuvering on their bikes, not my pretty 03 sv. Got my road test waiver in the mail today so I'm off to the dreaded dept. of motor vehicles to get my full license, it'll nice to be riding legally!
After that you get a learner's permit that lets you ride within either 1/2 or 1/4 mile (sorry I forget) of a buddy that has his license. At that point you can go take the road test whenever you want.
What's your buddy going to do if your 1/2 mile away!
Carsick
04-08-05, 01:22 PM
After that you get a learner's permit that lets you ride within either 1/2 or 1/4 mile (sorry I forget) of a buddy that has his license. At that point you can go take the road test whenever you want.
What's your buddy going to do if your 1/2 mile away!
What did your DAS instructor do when he was 1/2 mile away?
halfway
04-08-05, 06:30 PM
What's your buddy going to do if your 1/2 mile away!
About as much as he'd do if he was a hundred feet away I'd guess. Its a strange law but really the only motorcycle version of having a licensed driver with you when you learn how to drive a car. At least they don't want them on the back of the bike.
busasean
04-08-05, 07:37 PM
Don't worry too much about it,it's called freedom and our parents/grand/great-grand parents fought and died for it in their thousands.Cherish it and don't let anyone persuade you it aint worth defending.Many non bikers think we are deranged for riding the things at all irrespective of what we wear.Its about individual choice.Personaly I allways wear the gear.
couldnt agree more! it doesnt bother me at all what people choose to wear cos at the end of the day they are the ones that are taking the risk! and if they're taxed,mot'd and insured then so what if it costs the taxpayer(me) money,they're entitled to the treatment.
Having gone down 4 times this year
:shock: I would quit riding while i was still alive if i was you.....
given youre going to have an accident at some point, how about you give up now? :evil:
or shall I just give up life now cos its too dangerous and Im not getting out of it alive? :roll: :evil:
out of interest do you know anything about my offs this year? Ive questioned everything about my riding to find out that I had a mechanically faulty bike - despite being assured it was fine and hence me getting back on each time only to come off again.
None were my fault, all low speed and I was geared up and THAT was the point I was making ie if I wasnt geared up Id have been badly injured without question.
Godikus
04-08-05, 07:57 PM
I've been waiting all night for you to read that :lol:
Carsick
04-08-05, 07:58 PM
I've been waiting all night for you to read that :lol:
Did you hide behind the sofa as well then?
Godikus
04-08-05, 07:59 PM
I've been waiting all night for you to read that :lol:
Did you hide behind the sofa as well then?
you know it
Barty_b0y
04-08-05, 08:08 PM
well said mitch
just think when you got your first bike and fell at at 2 mph
we still bruise and batter even though we are older
some just think they are invincible though i guess
Steve W
04-08-05, 08:16 PM
...behind the sofa and with my head hidden in my jumper...
Anyway, back to the plot... I can never get clear whether I think it's a good idea or not we're forced to wear lids in the UK. At one level its obviously a sensible thing to do but so are a lot of things which are not compulsory e.g. wearing proper footwear... I've probably never recovered from having to bump start a Bantam D14/4 every morning and being stopped one morning for not having my helmet on by some PC with not enough to do as I ran up and down....
It seems to me if people are allowed to kill themsleves at my expense smoking then why can't I do the same on my bike?
I've been waiting all night for you to read that :lol:
:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
Sorry. Still got someway to go with dealing with the stress of this year.
7 weeks to court date with van man, still nothing from his insurers.
Stress is already building up. Damn this isnt good. :cry:
Godikus
04-08-05, 08:27 PM
I've been waiting all night for you to read that :lol:
:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
Sorry. Still got someway to go with dealing with the stress of this year.
7 weeks to court date with van man, still nothing from his insurers.
Stress is already building up. Damn this isnt good. :cry:
Maybe time to go for a while again... :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
aww if i could reach id offer you a hug! Try not to let it get too ya, and please don't leave! the place wouldn't be the same without your wisdom! 7 weeks and then one less thing to worry about, and things can look up :wink:
Still recon all you need is a TV :wink:
Aye, kids these days, nae lids, nae leathers... shockin'
Biker Biggles
04-08-05, 08:37 PM
Is that right ,you have no TV?Now that I respect.I only wish I had the nerve to get rid of mine,but I fear divorce would result.The most mind numbing socially corrosive invention ever IMHO. :o
Carsick
04-08-05, 08:42 PM
Is that right ,you have no TV?Now that I respect.I only wish I had the nerve to get rid of mine,but I fear divorce would result.The most mind numbing socially corrosive invention ever IMHO. :o
I only just got a tv myself. Got given it. I don't have an aerial, of course, I have just plugged it into the computer so I can watch movies.
I'm just glad my grandad has a tv license, so I don't need to worry about that crap.
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