Funny story I heard (MSF trainning)

[buildit]

I have no idea if this story was true or not but it is one of those funnies I heard when I first started riding. Plus it's a good way to convince friends to wear gear.

A Sgt in the US army (I believe he was a MP) was posted in Turkey. As a experienced rider and having experience trainning others he was utilized to teach a MSF style class for locals who worked on the base and wanted to ride their motorcycles onto the base. Since the base is technically US property they had to take the class to be able to do this.

Well his first day was a packed class of very hairy, very gruff looking, locals who all had been riding their bikes for years and felt this was a total waste of time. They also showed up with not a bit of proper riding gear despite the fact the rules, just like MSF classes here, required a helmet, jacket, full length pants, ankle high foot wear and gloves.

He scolded them for having no gear and showed several videos of accidents in the US where riders didn't have gear on. They all seemed determined to continue riding with no gear in particular NO Gloves! When he asked why they replied "wearing gloves made you less than manly and they had big caluses from the hard work they did and would not need them".

So he asked them, "what is the natural reaction when you fall?" They agreed it is to extend your hands to catch yourself. He then asked "what would happen to your hands if you did this while riding at say 60kph?" They agreed it would probably tear every last calus off their hand resulting in them being to sore to do anything with them. He then asked, "If you can't use your hands who will wipe your asses if you crash?"

They had full gear and gloves on the next day.

Edited September 15, 2009 by buildit