Protective clothing.

[Rodd]

There is a UK programme on at the moment where a reporter travels around with medics. They just attended an accident where a motorbike rider ran into the back of a car. The rider thought that he simply had a dislocated knee. He actually had an 'open book' pelvis (pelvis folded flat due to torn ligaments) and a badly broken leg. What's interesting is that the medics said that the rider was better off because he had been wearing fully protective clothing and his trousers had acted like a splint, held his leg together and prevent a spiral fracture. He would have been in a much poorer situation if had of been wearing normal trousers or worse still.. footy shorts!

[rustyEB]

My term for anyone riding a bike in stubbles and a singlet (or equivalent)  is a "Grafter"

Haven't had an off yet but everyday someone tries to spoil  that record.  Pretty sure skin grafts are not pleasant so I'll always dress for the ride.

[Bikebear]

My dad had a crash on his XL250 years ago and suffered a greenstick fracture to his ankle, the emergency staff were pleased to see he had full length boots that held his ankle together until he was brought to the hospital. They had to cut the boot off but it saved a lot of problems. If he'd been wearing loose fitting boots he probably would have suffered much worse injuries. That was the last time he rode a bike as well, I bought that XL250 off him just a month or so later.

[TAZZIEBAZ]

We were called out to a motorcycle accident one night a couple of years ago where a rider who was visiting from NSW was travelling through Taranna at approx 70kph when a wallaby jumped out of nowhere right in front of him, he went straight over the handlebars and landed face first on the bitumen. We know he landed face first because of the gouges on his visor, which fortunately for him was down at the time. While we were cutting off his leather jacket I recall thinking at the time what a mess his face would have been in if he had been wearing an open face helmet. He had a broken clavicle (collarbone) and a few other minor injuries, and it made a mess of his bike, and most certainly stuffed up his holiday.............but, at least his face was intact!!

[HOFFY]

My young fella was 17yrs old, app brick layer and worked all day in shorts, singlet and slip on work boots and roda a 250cc trail bike home from work only putting on hiis helmet.

Jammed on the front brakes doing about 60 and went over the handlebars.

Broke his right thumb and left wrist. Not a real problem.

He claimed the worst part of the crash was when the nurse used what he called a wire brush to scrub all the gravel out of his road rash down both legs shoulders and arms.

Helmet was a wreck.

Every time I ride, I think of his injuries and even in 40 deg heat, still wear my jacket, gloves and protective pants and boots.

[jwm]

I'm a great believer in ATGATT. All the gear all the time.