ATGATT

[rustynail]

Just last weekend a friend of mine went down with his wife on the back of the bike. They were in South Carolina. They're non ATGATTrs... You see where this is going.

They were struck by a small pickup traveling at a good clip 45mph+

They're both scraped up pretty bad and the wife had a bad concussion. I don't know if it will convince them to take more protective measures.

You make your choices and then you roll the dice. Some people ride nearly naked their whole life without an accident and others who wear ATGATT get killed.

I'm a firm believer in the big three: calf high boots, armored jacket with spine protection and a full-face helmet.

[Scotty1981]

Too bad she didn't include anything about covering the legs. In which case, she's MTGATT.

She said wear full length abrasion resistant pants. Right after that she said wear an abrasion resistant jacket. Sounds like she put the same weight on protecting the legs as the upper body to me.

Maybe I missed it but how fast were they going for the wind to rip her off the bike? Could obeying the speed limit have prevented this accident? More to it than just wearing gear.

[Scotty1981]

Just last weekend a friend of mine went down with his wife on the back of the bike. They were in South Carolina. They're non ATGATTrs... You see where this is going.

They were struck by a small pickup traveling at a good clip 45mph+

They're both scraped up pretty bad and the wife had a bad concussion. I don't know if it will convince them to take more protective measures.

You make your choices and then you roll the dice. Some people ride nearly naked their whole life without an accident and others who wear ATGATT get killed.

I'm a firm believer in the big three: calf high boots, armored jacket with spine protection and a full-face helmet.

I was looking for an open face helmet, perhaps I should rethink that. I do have an armored jacket but it's a Honda jacket lol, left over from my previous ride. Gloves also, don't have any armored or abrasion resistant pants though, need to look into that.

[gurock]

About a month ago I was riding home on the I 90 at 1:30 AM in a heavy rain storm on my Yamaha FJR doing about 60 MPH and couldn't see a piece of truck tire on the road. The piece of truck tire caused me to slide and have a low side get off at about 60. At the time I was wearing full gear and a rain suit, titanium mesh Speed & Strength jacket, kevlar lined jeans and a Shark RSR full face helmet. As I was going down there was this thought (I guess I'm going to die. Luck prevailed as there was no traffic to run me over and I was in the center lane with plenty of room to avoid body contact with the concrete median wall. I rolled and slid until I stopped near the shoulder of the highway, felt for all my parts and stood up somewhat soar but OK. My rainsuit was shredded and my helmet had a large scrape on the side, but my remaining gear and skin were OK. Without the gear my head would have hit the concrete at speed where the helmet scraped and my skin would have shredded like the rainsuit. Instead a couple of guys in a truck helped put the FJR on it's wheels, I told the cop they called that I didn't need an ambulance, got on my bike and rode home. The bike damage was paid well by insurance and I had a soar left shoulder for a few weeks.

I need to add that I have 30,000 miles on a Silverwing, close to 25,000 miles on a Burgman and 12,000 miles on the FJR, so while I don't claim to be the king of experienced riders, I'm not a novice. Accidents can happen without warning, that why we call them accidents, and anyone so aragant that they think it can't happen to them is nuts. IMHO

ATGATT I owe it limb if not life. In Illinois we have no helmet law and it seems that there isn't a day that I don't see many riders in street clothes without any helmet.

[Daboo]

Well said! The rider who didn't have the gear on wouldn't have been able to write about their experience.

Chris

[Gbjbany]

Every time I read her story, I'm riveted to the words.

I have to be honest - i stopped reading as soon as she said she slipped back ... i foresaw what was going to happen and im just too squemish to even read about it

I am agatt because i hate pain of any sort , i used to play rugby in the late summer and if you tackled someone you could say goodbye to your skin and that was enough pain, so road rash - no thank you.

I dont think i have great gloves and am trying to get some ghood mesh ones now (another thread on this in Riding gear) cos im just using thin leather gloves

Anyway - Im glad someone posted this link so i can donate and support the message

[Daboo]

When my youngest daughter was like 10 yrs old, we went bicycle riding. We were in the gravel parking lot before hitting the paved trail when she slipped. She couldn't have been going over 2-3 mph yet, but when she fell her knee dug into the gravel. I keep thinking of that and how she was crying at the time...and also knowing how bad it was going to be when we got to the hospital and they started picking the gravel out. It is gut-wrenching to see this as a parent.

She's a junior in college now...and still has the scar. And that was at less than 3 mph.

Chris

[Scotty1981]

What are some cheap yet effective hot weather pants and jacket?

[convertfromVespa]

When my youngest daughter was like 10 yrs old, we went bicycle riding. We were in the gravel parking lot before hitting the paved trail when she slipped. She couldn't have been going over 2-3 mph yet, but when she fell her knee dug into the gravel. I keep thinking of that and how she was crying at the time...and also knowing how bad it was going to be when we got to the hospital and they started picking the gravel out. It is gut-wrenching to see this as a parent.

She's a junior in college now...and still has the scar. And that was at less than 3 mph.

Chris

Injuries can happen at any speed.

I broke a wrist and an ankle falling off a bicycle that was almost standing still. No ATGATT while on the bicycle.

[rustynail]

I know a guy who took a pop rivet to the forehead loading his bike in an enclosed trailer. Now he wears his helmet when loading his dirt bikes.

[convertfromVespa]

Lesson learned.....

[v8eyedoc]

I know a guy who took a pop rivet to the forehead loading his bike in an enclosed trailer. Now he wears his helmet when loading his dirt bikes.

Holy Crap..........!!!!!!! How did tht ever happen.???????

[rustynail]

Just low ceiling height and a bunch of rivets exposed around the roof supports...

[v8eyedoc]

Just low ceiling height and a bunch of rivets exposed around the roof supports...

WOW......!!!! That sounds very dangerous...! What kind of trailer.?? the brand name.??? I think I would be inclined to sue the "*Banned Word*".....!!!!

[MacDoc]

Just as an offset - this is a quote from a major European study...

Protective clothing
The motorcycling community is safety conscious and the riders have purchased protective clothing worth hundreds of millions of Euro. In principle, FEMA supports the voluntary use of protective clothing, but two major concerns must be taken into account, namely comfort and cost.
FEMA recognises that the use of protective jackets, trousers, gloves and boots is uncomfortable to the extent of being unsafe when weather gets really hot - the explanation why not even the motorcycle police officers in southern parts of Europe, riding officially marked police motorcycles, are using protective clothing!

http://www.motorcycleguidelines.org.uk/ ... AGENDA.PDF

I ride as conditions indicate - from squid to full armour...and let others decide their own comfort level.

[Comanche]

Just as an offset - this is a quote from a major European study...

Protective clothing
The motorcycling community is safety conscious and the riders have purchased protective clothing worth hundreds of millions of Euro. In principle, FEMA supports the voluntary use of protective clothing, but two major concerns must be taken into account, namely comfort and cost.
FEMA recognises that the use of protective jackets, trousers, gloves and boots is uncomfortable to the extent of being unsafe when weather gets really hot - the explanation why not even the motorcycle police officers in southern parts of Europe, riding officially marked police motorcycles, are using protective clothing!

http://www.motorcycleguidelines.org.uk/ ... AGENDA.PDF

I ride as conditions indicate - from squid to full armour...and let others decide their own comfort level.

Good points - to each his own.

In my case, I ride in deep south Texas. Right now the average daily high temperature is 97f (36c). I commute, which I think is far more dangerous than recreational riding out on the highways. Because there are so many people with their head down looking at their phones or putting on makeup or driving stupidly fast because they got up late, I choose to wear the whole kit - kevlar mesh jacket, kevlar mesh overpants, full helmet, kevlar gloves and boots.

Yep - its expensive - and by the time I get home, the inside of my helmet is damp - but I'm worth it!

[NoDak Rider]

After about 47+ years of riding, my stock answer to the question "Why do you wear all that stuff when it's so hot" has been "it's so much easier to take off the helmet, jacket, and gloves than all those bandages when I get home."
We all want to get somewhere, even if it is just for fun. And I do firmly believe riding bikes has ingrained being a more careful, alert, and safety-minded driver. I can't always drive the scooter (or one of 2 H-Ds we have) and while driving my GMC I put that mindset to use. I haven't had the radio on in the pickup for going on 4 months now, and I love listening to the quiet and hearing other vehicles around me for a change. Try it for a week. No commercials, "music", or 'this candidate or that candidate is a crook and a cheat' . I am liking it more and more. Undilluted attention to driving.
Enjoy the ride.
Nodak Rider