Have you ever noticed.... (a warning!)

[placidfemme]

Actually yes I am I don't make a song and dance about it but if anyone asks,,,. Im old enough to realise that taking some moralistic high ground will get me nowhere,but being open and happy and helpfull will have people wanting your advise.

Thats true, it's always best to play it safe

[inlinefour]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.
It ain't so important what you ride, but rather important what you wear.

[placidfemme]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.
It ain't so important what you ride, but rather important what you wear.

Thank you for getting what I was trying to say in my rant. A few people took it personally and it got totally off topic and out of hand. I never meant to insult anyone.

[MacD]

On the other hand, in my years of riding, I've seen just as much dodgy riding from people on race replica bikes, wearing race replica gloves, helmets, boots and attitude as I have from people in jeans and a t-shirt.

Perhaps it's what's under the gear, especially the helmet, that's the most important feature of a rider?

[placidfemme]

On the other hand, in my years of riding, I've seen just as much dodgy riding from people on race replica bikes, wearing race replica gloves, helmets, boots and attitude as I have from people in jeans and a t-shirt.

Perhaps it's what's under the gear, especially the helmet, that's the most important feature of a rider?

Yeah I know what your saying, and your right, you can't judge a rider soley by what they do or don't wear when riding. I was merely noting my observation from personal experience. I don't look at every rider who doesn't wear gear and automatically assume he/she is a crap dangerous rider. When I see a rider with no gear I assume one of two things... either they can't afford the gear, which is fine... or they don't think they need it (I still treat them with every mannerism that I treat any other rider, I still wave/nod, I still move into a staggered riding position when they are behind me or I am following them and so forth). But when they ride like idiots and risk all the lives on the road around them, just to get one car ahead or arrive where ever they're going 5 minutes faster, when they don't indicated and undertake (my new word lol ) and so forth, then I WILL assume that the said rider is careless, not bothered about thier own safety which brings me to the whole point of my rant...

When I was first learning to ride everyone told me "assume that every vehicle out there can and will move into your space, assume they won't see you, assume that even if they do see you they will still move into your path" and so forth...

So bottom line... And I'm still sticking to this... Be careful when you see bikers without approprite protection, for your sake and for their sake. For your sake because they could risk your life, and for their sake because they are more likely to be seriously injured in the event of an accident (say if they are an asshole rider, and they do to you what they did to me, overtake me in my own lane, scaring the crap out of me, nearly making me swerve into the next lane... now most of you are big burley men... and some of you are obviously aggresive (like the eat shit and die comment guy) so if the same situation happened to you, you might not have moved over, the other biker might have mis judged and smacked into you... causing damage to themselves and possible you.

So bottom line again... yes... SLOW DOWN and MOVE OVER and LET THEM PASS when you see them... for your sake and theirs. Exspecially if they don't have gear. They may (or may not) care for their own safety, so does it really hurt for any of us to take that extra precausion to watch out for ourselves and others.

[inlinefour]

On the other hand, in my years of riding, I've seen just as much dodgy riding from people on race replica bikes, wearing race replica gloves, helmets, boots and attitude as I have from people in jeans and a t-shirt.

Perhaps it's what's under the gear, especially the helmet, that's the most important feature of a rider?

Sometimes a bloody good dose of road rash can do wonders for the life expectancy of a rider. I know it worked wonders for me...

[Mitch]

Thank you for getting what I was trying to say in my rant. A few people took it personally and it got totally off topic and out of hand. I never meant to insult anyone.

When you state your opinion on an issue you make that issue personal.....
It does not suddenly become personal because someone else responds to your comments with their own opinion on what you had to say, or perhaps more importantly HOW you said it.

Wearing good gear is a smart idea HOWEVER if you chose not to that does not make you an idiot!!!!!!

[SPman]

Only time I dont wear all my gear is when I'm pissed and need to clear my head with a quick 160k blast up East Coast Road..and...

Oops!

[Jackrat]

Thank you for getting what I was trying to say in my rant. A few people took it personally and it got totally off topic and out of hand. I never meant to insult anyone.

I get where your coming from,BUT as somebody that drives 10,000 km a month at work I see all the things you talk about and a lot of the time it's coming from people that do have on all the gear and are riding bikes that should indercate they would know better.
As far as taking it personaly,well I don't always wear gear you might approve of,but I've been doing so for over 30 years and will continue to do so.
People like you are reguarly calling people like me stupid,ideot ect ect but I can't help but notice NONE of you ever have much to say in person.
I've worn an open face for all of those thirty odd years an at times I'll wear a light wheight jacket as well,I've even ducked into town on the odd occasion
without my gloves or leather pants.
Maybe that goes against your safty ideals but your just going to have to get used to it,it's still a free country.
To all those that say natural selection will get me,Ha ha,your a bit late,I'm already years ahead of most of you and life just keeps getting better.If any of you 200+ crowd think your going to come off better than me at 110 your bloody kiding your selfs.You can only get so dead and your pushing for it way beyond what I'm doing reguardless of what you wear.

PF,This is not aimed at you as such but your post has raised an issue I'm very aware of and get real tired of hearing about.
Cheers,stay safe.

[Drew]

Having gone through, and read the whole thread again, two things spring to mind
1: Back pedal much, do ya placid? You say in the first post, that if they aren't wearing the gear, treat them as a threat to your safety, then later on, you say that you never know what to expect, gear or no. Now I'm not too sure how to make this a positive reply, but here goes. Great, briliant, super!
2: The other thing is, you don't seem to take criticism very well, why are we not allowed to disagree with what you said? Is that not why we all do this? To voice our many different opinions, and debate to our hearts content. All I am saying, is that is totally arrogant, for you to dissmiss me as an idiot, (and a negative thinker,) simply because I spoke out against, what I still regaurd as a personal attack on me, and anyone else who is less fortunate than you.
Grow up and get a clue!

[Drew]

GO THE TRASH's[/QUOTE]

Fucken A!
You might be able to tell, I don't like being looked down on. I dont think anyone deserves it, so consider this my crusade against snobbery!
Rock on!

[mikey]

Says mr "ill be right on the racetrack with sneakers and jeans"
overzealous perhaps a little but the points are valid.

an did i crash? noooooooo... so i could of been going quicker, without all that shit arse gear on

GO THE TRASH's

Fucken A!
You might be able to tell, I don't like being looked down on. I dont think anyone deserves it, so consider this my crusade against snobbery!
Rock on![/QUOTE]

an FUCK THA MAN