Raging Bikeaholic

The recent accident really served to confirm, to me,  that concern for safety trumps concern for comfort anytime.  I’ve always gotten incredulous looks and weathered lots of snickers when I’m riding, since I outfit myself as if the phrase “dress for the slide, not for the ride” were printed on the inside of my visor.

While others wonder what kind of goof would wear top to toe heavy safety stuff in hot weather, I’m constantly amazed by how little others wear.

I guess it all started way back in my early 20’s while in the Canadian Air Force as a medic. (Medical people all seem to have reservations about motorcycles since they see the aftermath, not the joy of riding). Within the space of one summer, I had one friend lose an acre of skin when his front wheel went screwy on the highway, and another end up in a coma for many months when he drove his head into a concrete wall while learning at low speed in a mall parking lot. The first was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. The second was just learning so no helmet was “necessary”

Enough of those sort of incidents … seeing the aftermath show up in my ward, or being on ambulance duty when we had to pick someone up … really made me appreciate my skin, my bones and my noggin.  So, as is usual whenever I ride – even the daily 7 short miles to work, I dress the same. OK, so I’m not a fashionplate … but I don’t have to try and match accessories, or spend time choosing matching clothes.

Sturdy riding boots with thick rubber soles and thick leather shafts.  Check.

Aerostitch Roadmaster one piece riding suit in cordura and kevlar, with high visibility stripes.  Check

Gauntlet leather gloves that cover any skin left exposed by the suit.  Check.

Full face or convertible helmet.  Check.

End results of encountering a slide, while dressed for a slide:  The boots — not even scuffed, that I can see.  The suit — extremely muddy, and the cordura is abraded through in several spots on the right rear side on a line from below my hip to below my armpit. The strap used to cinch the waist on that side is almost torn off. But, from my review of the condition, nothing that can’t be repaired by the “factory” for a reasonable fee.  The gloves – scuffed and muddy but pretty well intact.  The helmet — pretty well intact. The visor was ripped off, and the lining must be crushed, as I apparently got an impact bruise on my forehead, showing that the helmet impacted the pavement. Bottom line, new gloves and helmet are needed.  Pretty good when you consider I came off the Wing at 45-50mph and slid down a chip-sealed road  before coming to rest in a ditch.

Dress for the Slide, not for the Ride!  I think there’s definitely something to that!