Why don't folks wear gloves when they're riding?

[Romeo]

Been doing a *lot* of driving around CHCH lately, and I've seen 30+ motorcyclists over the last week. And out of the lot there were only a handfull wearing adequite gear. The weather's hot, but wearing a t-shirt, shorts and sandals can turn even the most minor off into a serious hospital stay. Speaking of sandals, who the fuck would be so retarded?

For instance, I saw one guy on a new GSXR 600(?), Alpinestars jacket and no gloves, what's the deal with that?

Strict Nazi gear laws ftw.

[James Deuce]

Burn them too!

[Taz]

It's called freedom of choice people.

[magicfairy]

It's called freedom of choice people.

I don't get to pick how ACC spends my taxpayer $$$. Damaged hands put most people off work.
But I think its more of the "won't happen to me" philosophy.
I suspect glove wearing increases dramatically after a hand shredding accident.

[spookytooth]

Some ppl wear what they like or dont wear because its there choice.

[madandy]

It's called freedom of choice people.

Darwinism then? make helmets optional too.

[nadroj]

Some ppl wear what they like or dont wear because its there choice.

Yep but the pissing off bit is it is at our expence when they bin. We collectively need to get the message accross to them to keep our ACC premiums to a reasonable level.

[Bikernereid]

Jesus are you mad, I just got back to Blighty and my God it is effin freezing!! I am surprised you didn't get frostbite and lose your nose!!

I had to ride a road bike with a dirt helmet the other day - sans goggles! Not recommended in the British winter if you hope to exceed 60mp/h.
Yes, this speed can be achieved once you have negotiated the High St!
The sheer fashion faux-pas of this bike | helmet combo means it should be banned!


ain't nowt wrong with jandals! Leave them alone, safety nazi!

[spookytooth]

i dont condone not wearing the rite gear,but i doubt acc levies would ever come down no matter what.Acc is just another or the governments thieving hands in our pockets

[sels1]

Bugger the safety nazis, I'm in the 'freedom of choice' camp. Everything in life has a risk, and you weigh risk vs benefit in everything you do. If you fall off your bike on the highway wearing insufficent protection, then you are the one who will suffer and the Darwin theory kicks in.

Sometimes I will ride my bike in shorts and t shirt, but only when I consider the risk is low - what I call the "pushbike scenario" ie if its a route and speed I would travel on a pushbike (think lycra and a pudding bowl helmet and >50k)
then on a motorbike with superior brakes and acceleration, headlight on and full face helmet, I am a damn sight better off than a cyclist - and nobody seems to complain about them not wearing enough gear.

[Coyote]

I have a friend who is clostrophobic (sp) and cant stand to wear a full face helmet.... so they wear a open face helmet with a visor.
Are you saying that they shouldn't be riding their bike at all, when they love riding?

I used to be like that. Couldn't have the strap done up tight cause it felt like it was choking me. I got over it eventually. I'm now at the point where I think "where's my helmet" whilst looking through my visor

Blonde? Me?

[DUCATI*HARD]

[QUOTE=Ixion;1385486]An excellent idea. But a much better one would be to ban all those dreadful noisy "sportbike" motorcycles that those people race around on.

My friend Doris was innocently minding her own business, going along the road (and she's a VERY careful driver, never goes over 70kph), and one of those dreadful things raced by her at an absolutely suicidal speed. She never even saw it coming

thats because the old barstards count on us to look for them,ban all nana cage drivers!!!

[vifferman]

As for helmets check the 2nd pic

Interesting!
I've hit my helmet on the road once - 'your ' pic said only 02% of impacts are in that area (right visor cutout). I tellsya - it was a very minor impact (basically the same as falling off your bike at standstill), but gave me minor concussion and headaches for three days.

As for not wearing gloves and other stuff - it's HOT, y'know.

[vifferman]

...and don't get me started on the scooter commuting office folks

Oh.
I was hoping to get you started.
Can I just get me started instead?

A couple of years ago, I was communtering to work in Ponsonby, when I witnessed a scooterist collide with a car. (His scooter collided as well). The car's windows were a bit obscured by mist'n'dew, and the dumbarse driver thought "STOP" meant "slow a little, stop reading the paper and eating toast, and go if you feel like it".
The scooterist was well coordinated: he was wearing black shorty helmet, black shades, black jeans, black denim jacket, black t-shirt, and um... brown leather jandals. He was actually not too badly fuktover - just sore knees and a very sore looking area on his lower back, the size of a small dinner plate.

I, on the other hand, felt a real pillock standing there in ALL the gear (leather trou, leather/textile jacket with armour, armoured boots, gloves, fullfae, etc.

[vifferman]

ain't nowt wrong with jandals! Leave them alone, safety nazi!

Actually, there is something wrong with jandals - they need to make them with a toe-pad for changing gears.

I wrote off my first bike wearing jandals. T-boned a car at about 60km/h, somersaulted over the roof, landed on the hard, unforgiving tarseal.
I wonder what happened to those jandals? I think some bastid stole them while I was grovelling on the road.