Scruit Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Talked to a biker today - he saw me pull up on my vstrom and saw my gear (air jacket, back protector, overpants, gloves, boots and my Shoei modular helmet)He asked me about the back protector and why I wore it. He told me that if I was to wreck at any serious speed then I would die anyway so the gear is not worth it. He noted that I had patched of sweat from the back protector (didn't get a chance to tell him I only got sweaty under the back protector because I had to stand out in the sun for 20 mins in full gear 5 mins before he saw me).So then, to try to further convince me that gear is not needed, he told me he'd been riding for 35 years and has never needed gear; "And I've wrecked 12-13 times with no gear and I'm still here..."Well, I'm convinced... (Should I really be taking safety advice from a guy who's wrecked 12-13 times?)I told him that I ride an average of 7k miles a year and have been riding since I was 17 (20 years ago) and have never been down on the road. Never needed the gear yet, and I hope that every penny I spent on this gear turns out to be a waste of money... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTM Brian Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Let me guess.He was on a Harley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted July 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Dunno, he caged it that night. "The sweat will dry itself. The road rash is yours to keep." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTM Brian Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I would rather destroy a $1,000.00 + dollars in gear and have a better chance of keeping my skin on my bones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTM Brian Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I just don't have any illusions that it will protect me from a head on with a semi. Some folks think gear is a cure-all for riding. That's an illusion and old-fashioned stupidity.Same here. If I get hit by a truck I want to be dead instead of living without a life.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swingset Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I love the "I've been doing this for XX years" rationale that nogatt guys lay on you. As if how long you've been living without a fire extinguisher has jack shit to do with what will happen when there's a fire...or could possibly negate the need for it.Delusional people, who have built a wall of flimsy excuses for their fashion choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadTrainDriver Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 (edited) I'd have figured you to be much older than 37...Huh. Edited July 13, 2012 by BadTrainDriver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaCinci Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 A cyclist friend of mine was hit by a truck last year. Punctured his arm, broke his collarbone and some broken ribs. He had a small patch of pretty severe road rash on his shoulder. He said of all the injuries, the road rash is the one that kept him up nights because of the pain and discomfort. That was a bit sobering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kritz Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Delusional people, who have built a wall of flimsy excuses for their fashion choices.That pretty much covers it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbot Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 i only wear gear because it's slimming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrown57 Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 i only wear gear because it's slimmingThis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHill Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 A cyclist friend of mine was hit by a truck last year. Punctured his arm, broke his collarbone and some broken ribs. He had a small patch of pretty severe road rash on his shoulder. He said of all the injuries, the road rash is the one that kept him up nights because of the pain and discomfort. That was a bit sobering.As my rash was healing the hair in my arms became ingrown in the scabs....every time I moved it was like slowly pulling duct tape off, then putting it right back on to do again. Getting comfortable at night was horrible, and my road rash was minor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conn-e-rot Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Wait you're only 37? I would've guessed mid 50's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted July 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Wait you're only 37? I would've guessed mid 50'sNot even close. Now get off my lawn y'young whippersnappers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaCinci Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I feel old now...hitting 40 next month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swingset Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 As my rash was healing the hair in my arms became ingrown in the scabs....every time I moved it was like slowly pulling duct tape off, then putting it right back on to do again. Getting comfortable at night was horrible, and my road rash was minor.Yup. Rash sucks. I'm healing from some on my side and arm from a mountain bike wreck - caused by tree bark no less, but it's just as painful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jester_ Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 i only wear gear because it's slimming Mine does the complete opposite, probably because of all the shit I have in my chest pockets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_some_dude Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I wear full gear, but also have a airbag jacket in hopes that it will help take some of the impact. Sliding doesn't scare me, impact does.I'm not against a rider not wearing gear, I'd love to not wear gear. But for me, not worth the risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrown57 Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I wear full gear, but also have a airbag jacket in hopes that it will help take some of the impact. Sliding doesn't scare me, impact does.I'm not against a rider not wearing gear, I'd love to not wear gear. But for me, not worth the risk.Agreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drc32-0 Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 (edited) April the 27th 2003 I high sided on 555 about 1 mile north of Portersville.The left side of my helmet was spider webbed and my ballistic nylon jacket was shredded on the left shoulder and upper back.I broke my collarbone,bloodied my spleen and brused my optic nerve.No road rash.Everything was completely healed in about two months.I'm not a doctor,but I don't think it would have been that way without the gear.I always tell these no gear guys what I just wrote and then I tell them that I really don't care what someone else thinks of what I wear when I'm riding.Not all wrecks are catastrophic,most are survivable...been there,done that. Edited July 13, 2012 by drc32-0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted July 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 +1 on how cool it would be to ride with no gear needed.Unfortunately, we live in a world of locks and burglar alarms and house alarms and car insurance and life insurance and health insurance because crap happens that we can't control and you're either ready for it or you're not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTM Brian Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Unfortunately, we live in a world of locks and burglar alarms and house alarms and car insurance and life insurance and health insurance because crap happens that we can't control and you're either ready for it or you're not.Quote Worthy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Scruit, were you going south on 21 yesterday around 3? Think I passed you coming the other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruit Posted July 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Scruit, were you going south on 21 yesterday around 3? Think I passed you coming the other way.Nope. I hang out on 23, not 21. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokey Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 With that many wrecks the old fart should've stopped riding a long time ago. Of course he probably never ventures far from home, many drops might even be in his driveway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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