ATGATT - How true this is!

[ReigN]

Hey all, just a simple thread on why the above is so true as I found out yesterday. Not looking for sympathy etc but just letting to acknowledge how important ATGATT is...

(If you don't wanna read the dribble please proceed straight to the GOOD PART where the point of my post is, Churr)

As a major newbie biker I try and read up as much info on the safety aspects of riding, do's and dont's and so forth however never really thinking it'd happen to me...WRONG! Yesterday morning on my work to work, with gorgeous weather, dry roads and 2 weeks into riding and commuting, I managed to find myself cut-off/up by a stationary truck and ended up suiciding on Victoria St. Basically, story goes, coming down College Hill Rd and connecting onto Victoria St, 2 cars on the left waiting to move off from the lights, 7+ in the right lane waiting to turn into franklin rd, the middle lane was clear so I proceeded to roll through at 50k-60km thinking what a sweet run (normally busy down this stretch in the CBD) almost get to the lights when the stationary truck waiting for the green arrow, in the right lane must've got impatient as he just swerved out to change lanes only to swipe/hit me as I was riding through the same lane! WTF I thought...instinct got me on the horn, trying to pull left and next minute (insert onomaetopeias here >>> %!#*&@*#<<< ) lying on the ground next to my bike sliding a little way! Fuck this, sump had cracked I think as I was trying to lift bike up and off the street out of traffics way only to find ankle was screwed...arggh...passer-byers managed to give a hand lifting my lady onto the footpath luckily and away from traffic. Truck dude stopped and was apologetic as he didn't see me was going to make him eat my helmet but seeing as we were both ok and noone was seriously hurt I felt sorry for him. Swapped details etc and bike is home in a not-so-ridable state and now the waiting game for his insurance company to fix my bike!

The GOOD PART:

Closer inspection of my gear found that only my jacket and small backpack had scuff marks on them from sliding on the road. Oil on boots and pants were ok and helmet still in tact as I must've slid on my left side. All in all was riding around in jeans(my only non-protective clothing) before-hand whilst waiting for my pants to come in the mail and when I did finally get them I managed to superman off my bike the very next day!!! It goes without saying peeps but ATGATT is so important, I see some of these "cool" cats riding around town with their mean kicks on, suede jackets and shit thinking I wanna wear my "cool" gears whilst riding too...BULLSHIT, so glad I had all my riding gears on and heeded to the survival skills tips page of this forum...so basically, to the all helpful people/threads up in here I'd like to say...THANK YOU, otherwise I don't think I'd be here to say otherwise

End.

[jaymzw]

Cool man! Great to hear your okay now. And deffinitely happy to hear you were adhering to the ATGATT that so many people around here bleat on about. It is definitely worth wearing it all.

Got any pics of the bike?

Onomatopoeia, what a stupid word, with such a stupid spelling

[The Stranger:Me]

I hope you have one of these.

[breakaway]

but seeing as we were both ok and noone was seriously hurt I felt sorry for him.

Just wait till tomorrow morning when you will be so sore you won't even be able to get out of bed.

[bogan]

Hmmmn, this may be a silly question, but how much gear is all the gear, oviously it depends on the person, for my 5km commute at 50kmhr, i rock my jacket gloves and helmet, with jeans and sneakers. I also own decent riding pants and boots, do you think i should wear them too? Ive had an off with my commuting gears before, got a wee scar on my knee but otherwise fine, is that normal or did i just get lucky?

[caseye]

Isn't it obvious? ATGATTT means just that.We had a guy drop his baby last night, bike a few scratches, Nothing!.Had all the gear on.
Please, even for a 5 km ride, take the time, it can and most often is the difference between sore and dead! it's that simple.
on Ya ReigN, pleased to hear, a good post and well worth us all remembering.

[Ecclesnz]

Sorry to hear you had an off, however glad to hear you are okay and that the gear worked for you.

I guess for me I have to ride STGATT (some of the gear...).

I have a leather jacket that I now wear while riding. I have gloves (4 diff pairs) I always wear while riding, I have a helmet I always wear and well I guess that is it.

I have steelcap sneakers I wear to help protect my feet and I have to confess on my legs I usually have trackpants or my work pants.

At this stage I expect the ATGATT enforcers to be running me out of town. However while I would like to wear some comfy riding boots I can not. Up the outside edge of my right leeg I suffer from stasis ulcers. This means I am nto able to wear anything much taller than a shoe. Although I am currently browsing different bike retailers and tardme looking for "riding shoes". Now I know my ankles are at risk if I have an accident and come off.

I have spent a while trying to find pants that will fit, unfortunately I have short stumpy treet trunk like legs and have very little chance of finding off the shelf pants that fit. I am saving to try and get something made to fit however.

Now does that mean I have any less right to ride that those in full squid suits?

DOn't get me wrong I doubt any answer posted here would stop me riding but it's something that has been on my mind for a while.

Yes parts of my body are more at risk in event of an accident and that recovery costs might inflate our ACC levies, but then I tend to ride like a nana. I see those posts on here from those who do ride ATTGAT who are almost denouncing those who don't ride in head to toe leather/cotton wool. Some of those who have also made boasts of riding at remarkably high speeds, or almost treating public roads as a race track, or riding long distances on one wheel or...... well you get the idea.

Does it not seem somewhat hypocritical to claim those who don't ride in gear should not be on the road unless thay get full gear, then ride in such a way that a decent off and your gear will not necessarily save you?

Personally I don't care what you wear when you ride, within normal reason of course. If you choose to ride in shorts, sneakers, t short and helmet, more fool you. Any sort of off will result in possible serious injuries.

If you wear enough leather to give Julian Cleary a case of the shakes then good for you.

Yes, those who ride without all the gear can wind up requiring a lot more to be spent on acc for recovery. But probably so does the squid who comes off at 70 in a corner who slides straight into a barrier and breaks 5-15 bones.

Well there goes another wall of text from me. Sorry.

[Dave-]

this much true!

from here ----> .










to here ----> .

because truth has weight.

[Lunchbox]

I would say, replace the shoes.. ive heard a few nasty incidents where riders toes have been cut off by the steel cap in the shoes when they've bailed/crashed. Personally im for ATGATT but thats from personal experience , just wear what you think is enough and just keep riding

[Sparrowhawk]

I have steelcap sneakers I wear to help protect my feet and I have to confess on my legs I usually have trackpants or my work pants.

At this stage I expect the ATGATT enforcers to be running me out of town. However while I would like to wear some comfy riding boots I can not. Up the outside edge of my right leeg I suffer from stasis ulcers. This means I am nto able to wear anything much taller than a shoe. Although I am currently browsing different bike retailers and tardme looking for "riding shoes". Now I know my ankles are at risk if I have an accident and come off.

Dude, there's always this sort of thing

[crazzed]

now put it this way if ATGATT meant lower ACC levys would you not go out and buy the gear. think about it.
people that dont wear ATGATT should be shot.

[Ecclesnz]

now put it this way if ATGATT meant lower ACC levys would you not go out and buy the gear. think about it.
people that dont wear ATGATT should be shot.

So if ACC promised to lower acc levies if bikes were restricted to 55/110km/h you would go get your bike restricted?

[Ecclesnz]

Dude, there's always this sort of thing

Unfortunately that link didn't work, but currently looking at something like these
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-234388861.htm

[sil3nt]

Unfortunately that link didn't work, but currently looking at something like these
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-234388861.htm

That's what i need! Wonder if they will be good for working in.

[Gman71]

I also own decent riding pants and boots, do you think i should wear them too? Ive had an off with my commuting gears before, got a wee scar on my knee but otherwise fine, is that normal or did i just get lucky?

a few years back, before i started riding, i was first on the scene of a biker who got cleaned out by nice wee Asian lady (wearing white gloves), driving a RAV4 with bullbars.

The clever guy was wearing sneakers, probably because it wasn't far to work.

Imagine this: get a big grunty knife, and start cutting from the rear of your foot, (just between the ankle bones and your heel), and start cutting all the way along up through your foot and towards your toes until you are about 2/3rds of the way along, until the bottom of your foot just hands off like a big slab of rare beef.


wear your boots you fucking knob.