The importance of protecting the rest of you

[Edbear]

How do you choose which rides you're going to have an accident on?

Absolutely! Statistics show most accidents occur within 20km of home! Even a low speed off is most likely gonna hurt!

[scumdog]

Absolutely! Statistics show most accidents occur within 20km of home! Even a low speed off is most likely gonna hurt!

True dat!

But then the statistics DON'T mention that for a lot of people the major amount of riding/driving IS within 20km of home....

[Squeak the Rat]

Trust me, even relatively minor head injuries suck.

Apart from anything else it's hard always being 10 posts behind in a thread.

[Disco Dan]

Bear in mind Jeff that most accidents happen in a pretty tight radius around either the place you start your ride from, or your destination.

thats right, usually the 'quick trip up the dairy' - 5 min from you home is the most common time for accidents!

When you nip up the road for bread or milk or smokes or whatever, it is very tempting to just throw on your helmet and gloves and go...

Wear all the gear. All the time.

[Trudes]

Everytime I go on a long trip on my bike I ride fairly well the whole way until the second to last corner on my way home, I always run wide on it, or just about fall off going down my driveway.(Just some pointless info for you all)

[ceebie13]

Everytime I go on a long trip on my bike I ride fairly well the whole way until the second to last corner on my way home, I always run wide on it, or just about fall off going down my driveway.

If you're like me Trudi, it's cos I'm usually busting for a piss!

[bluninja]

True dat!

But then the statistics DON'T mention that for a lot of people the major amount of riding/driving IS within 20km of home....

Funny that; all my daily rides start within 20km of home and end within 20km of home Perhaps I should catch a bus and collect my bike 20kms from home to avoid the majority of potential accidents.

On a slight tangent.....Motu said that wearing all his gear restricted his movement....so which is safer...lowering the chances of crashing? or increasing the chances of walking away from a crash unscathed. Perhaps coccooning ourselves in more protective gear means some people believe they can go faster and take more risks cos they're protected.

In an ideal world we'd have both, but given it isn't we have to compromise. Sometimes wearing less (restrictive) protective equipment may help to keep you shiny side up.

Final word on accident stats....my only crash was 70kms from home...I'm a statistical blip...an individual...I don't crash like everybody else.

[Ixion]

I wonder if anyone has ever thought of fitting motorcycles with an ejector seat. If things go pear shaped, just pull the handle, and - whoomph, you're up and away, clear out of danger, floating gently down again on the built in parachute, completely unscathed. Add a lanyard and you can be ejected automatically.

There, now! The way of the future.

[bluninja]

Sounds awesome. Just don't have an accident in an underground carpark....and be careful where you're pointed on monos and stoppies....be a bit embarrasing to be shot backwards through the screen of the car you've just passed on the back wheel.

Hmmmm lowsides could be a tad interesting on a right hander.

[Motu]

Some teething problems can be expected,however we are working through them.Unfortunatly we have also worked through our supply of test riders....

[Lorax]

Here is a bear proof suit . That'll protect you. No hinges can move more than your body's hinges can. Seen them on tv. Bloody hilarious shit!

[Finn]

I can't lift my arms above my shoulders,my neck has limited movement and can hardly move at the waist.

It might just be old age setting in.

[MD]

You only HAVE to wear a helmet thanks a law passed due to 12 year olds riding 750s with no brakes and spaghetti frames in the '70s.

Oh thanks Jim, blame me!
And for the record my part was to ride and crash test those 750s - I didn't design or build them to crash.

On the protective gear subject I think impact is our biggest enemy nowadays. Modern gear near enough eliminates the abrasive damage but nothing short of an ejector seat or zorb bubble as suggested will every save us hitting a lamp post at anything above 50kph. An ejector seat would atleast ensure we get a good view before we hit the top of the lamp post- the 5m fall to the ground wont be to kind though.
I think there have probably been many lives lost where jumping high off the bike might have avoided the death causing solid impact.
The ejector seat with a mini parachute sounds silly but think about it. Where is safe space when you are about to crash into something..can't go under a car, left or right of it..what's left.. upward

[kevfromcoro]

I wonder if anyone has ever thought of fitting motorcycles with an ejector seat. If things go pear shaped, just pull the handle, and - whoomph, you're up and away, clear out of danger, floating gently down again on the built in parachute, completely unscathed. Add a lanyard and you can be ejected automatically.

There, now! The way of the future.

ejector seat..i live on the thames coast..its full of pohutakawa trees.if i ejected my self out here..i would be in a tree,,head first...hmm ,,might work on a beach..wouldent want to do it in queen street.....might end up on the sky tower...good thought though...regards KEV

[davereid]

On the protective gear subject I think impact is our biggest enemy nowadays. Modern gear near enough eliminates the abrasive damage but nothing short of an ejector seat or zorb bubble as suggested will every save us hitting a lamp post at anything above 50kph.

Dead Right !

The debate over Helmets and other gear has raged for years ! I'm old enough to have ridden legally without a helmet, and I admit that I've done a few illegal miles without a helmet too.

When helmets were introduced we were promised massive saving of lives etc etc, none of which occured.

The reality is helmets are a FINE idea - they are great at keeping bugs out of your eyes, they keep your head warm in the rain, and if you scrape down the road on your chin you get to show your buddys your helmet marks, instead of your facial scars.

But if you whack your head on a lamp-post the helmet may offer less protection than you think. The Helmet protects against impacts by giving you an extra inch of decleration time. Thats it. Thats all it can do.

Its useful for only a very small range of accident speeds, as the injuries that damage the brain result from the brain rattling around the skull - not from "split open heads".

So - Wear your helmet, its a fantastic tool for improving your survival chances. But DONT COUNT ON IT. - Ride around every corner expecting a Cow, Tractor, puddle of oil or a lost 4 year old to be right in your way.

The bigest safety tool is not worn, its your skill and your wits !