What a strange thread.
I don't have anything new to contribute, but I'd just like to say I applaud the intent and content of MBB's original post, and his actions. Well done, Sir!
If you ride with inadequate gear, you're a dickhead. And I agree that it's a shame that so may bikers do, and that our ACC premiums are so high (although it could be argued that much/most of that is a result of other driver's faults, not how much safety gear we choose to wear.)
However (but!) I am opposed to the creeping spread of Rules'n'Regulations To Protect Us From Ourselves, and a BIG fan of personal responsibility. Down with the bureaucrats. They'll be in the second wave of people up against the wall, probably just before 'agents' of all kinds. (Except secret agents, of course. We need more derring do.)
If you choose to risk not wearing all the gear, that's your problem. WHile I usually wear all the gear (about $2-$3k worth), sometimes I choose not to, for short trips or whatever. Several times while doing so, I have had an incident. So fucking what. None of those times was it my fault the incident occured, but the scars are my fault, and I accept responsibility for them, regardless of who caused me to end up on the road. It's my life, and I have some rights to live it as I choose, as long as it doesn't adversely affect others. In my case, none of my injuries caused significant boosting of ACC expenditure, as I eschew help unless REALLY needed. I have had others that did: one was when I was wearing all the safety gear I could have, and needed physio (fat waste of money that was) for my leg. Short of a suit of padded metal armour, nothing would have made a difference. The other accident was at home, in the safety of my gargre. Despite many, many years of using very dangerous tools, riding bikes, being a hoon, and suffering very little for it, that was probably my worst accident in some ways, and was caused by my socks.
So there you go.
Socks should be banned.
Dunno what the fuck my post was about, but I thought I'd join in anyway.
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