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I'm wondering what people think about the immature squids... beginners on bikes in cotton/polyester t-shirts, denim/khaki shorts, and sandals/flip flops/tennis shoes, helmets optional. Just generally lacking the propper riding gear on fast 600cc to liter bikes.

I actually believe the only time I've seen someone ride in proper gear was at a racetrack's drag strip.

I cringe when I see young women in shorts and sandals riding behind the boy friends, its bad enough when you are the one in control and take risks with your own life.

A couple of weeks ago there was a fatal motorcycle crash in my town, the guy had just bought his first motorcycle that day and was racing his buddy at near 100 mph down the busiest street in town. He ran into an unsuspecting driver making a legal right turn and died instantly.

If only somebody will learn from that, but the idiots who need the message probably think that it could never happen to them.

i remember seeing a guy i think about a month ago wearing a polyester hockey jersey... i kept thinkin "crash and slide! crash and slide!" cas polyester will just melt into your skin from the friction. have you seen the brushes they use to get [censored] like dirt and gravel out of open wounds off? its a wire brush. can anyone say ouch!

ouch is right.

Helmet laws may suck but Id rather have my brain intact.

We always go out in full gear...even in the south carolina summer. And I am a person who only owns 3 prs of socks because I hate real shoes.

I don't think just newbies to riding do this. All levels of riders wear inappropriate gear...

We were in Raleigh last weekend, and I thought about this topic. We were driving down US 1/Capital Blvd; a 6-10 lane divided highway that is the busiest road in town. A pack of sportbike riders, 15 of them (I counted) were doing completely idiotic things, weaving around traffic, popping wheelies, taking up the entire 3 or 4 lanes. Not a single one had the proper gear on. One was shirtless. A couple of them had girls up behind them. I was furious and scared out of my mind at the same time.

But then, sometimes even if you're doing the right thing, you get hurt. One of my husband's soldiers just bought a new Harley Davidson Road King. He came back from deployment without a scratch on him, took delivery of the bike, and enjoyed it for 16 days. He was driving down a 4-lane road in the left lane, and a woman driving (with a kid in the car) in the right lane just ahead of him decided to do a U-turn, right in front of him. He couldn't swerve hard enough to the left to miss her, there was a truck behind him on the right, and he didn't want to hit her, so he jinked sharp left and dropped the bike. He has nine breaks in his left ankle and a broken left collarbone. After the accident, the woman tried to drive away before a passerby stopped her.

This man is not a dumb young kid. He had a motorcycle endorsement, was obeying all traffic laws, and was wearing protective gear and additional reflective gear.

Just be careful, as I know you all are!

I too cringe when I see some idiot riding inappropriately attired...when my DH first started teaching me to ride he told me to be certain of one fact: "There are 2 kinds of rider...those who have gone down, and those who are gonna. Everybody goes down." When those fools go down, it's going to be very bad.

ive been told repeatedly that when i get my license to ride motorcycles.. i WILL fall.. its to the point i interupt and say "I KNOW GOD DAMNIT" because ive heard it so many times.
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my boyfriend knows from me a few things about body modification because i am so interested in it. we saw a motorcyclist in khaki shorts, and the guys leg was all done up in tribal tattoos. my bf stated that he would have figured that guy to be wearing protective gear especially because he has body art and he would want to protect that. i remember telling him that if the guy were stupid enough to fall and ruin his skin and tattoo, he'd be regreting and spending even more money and pain in the chair trying to fix it, but that warning wont deter some one into not wearing the gear. that and not every one is into body modification beyond aesthetic reasons and can be anal retentive about the care of such peices of art.

People make choices about their lives every day. The people who choose to wear unsafe clothing while riding a motorcycle are only hurting themselves. So, why do we care about this issue? As long as they are driving safely otherwise (ie not weaving in and out of traffic, driving 90 mph in a 45 zone, etc...) can't we just respect their choice?

Also, living in Florida, I've been paying attention to this issue. I would bet that only about 10% of the motorcyclist population rides in the fully correct attire. Most people wear anything from shorts, T-shirts, & flip flops to T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers. You rarely seen anyone wearing a protective jacket, jeans, and boots. Very, very rarely. It's about 50/50 on whether the person is wearing a helmet. And, I doubt all of those people wearing inappropriate attire have only been riding for 15 minutes. Everyone needs to make these choices for themselves. Everyone needs to decide how much risk they are willing to take on.

Hi Y'all,
I too live in Florida, and do ride with jeans, helmet and boots. Maybe a tank top instead of t-shirt. No jacket in this heat. If its too hot for jeans and boots, I don't ride.
I choose to wear a helmet, eye protection is state law, which I would wear anyway. I don't think I could wear the mascara streaks the side of face on purpose!;)