They should know better!

[mogster]

Ok so here in UK the weather is improving & more bikes are on the road. After only a few days of Spring sunshine the idiot "summer bikers" are already out. By that I mean those that get too hot wearing gloves/leathers/boots etc.

Now I realise laws are different as are climates elswhere but working in surgery I do feel strongly that bikers should protect themselves.

Today I was particularly annoyed when I saw an escorted rider under instruction on main town roads, who was wearing jeans/trainers/soft gloves. The instructor was wearing full winter kit!

But hey they all had reflective bibs on so were safe!!!

I'm really tempted to contact the training school & berate them.

What do you think?

[jstark47]

I'm about to leave work and ride home 31 miles. It's 9:30 pm here, I **should** have left hours ago. But I'm a project manager and today's status report day.

It's 42F out. I'm sure glad I have all my gear, else I'd be FREEZING on this ride I'm about to do. Got my electric jacket too, on top of everything else. I have no idea why people ride without gear, never have understood. For me, comfort and safety are intertwined. I feel comfortable when I feel safe. To paraphrase forum member Thumper, I'm too old to be bouncing down the pavement unprotected, should the unthinkable happen.

Gotta run. Will be back later - when I'm safe home with a beer.

[JVRR]

I think first off, for a training school, people are not going to own gear. Unless it is some sort of advanced class. Motorcycles are a relatively affordable hobby to get into, I would not have taken the MSF class if I had to show up with $1,000 in motorcycle gear.

Secondly, anytime you get onto a bike you are accepting a huge risk. If you can't live with that and become obsessed with safety, that's fine, but don't push it on other people. I'll never make riding in shorts a habit (and have never done it ) but I won't promise when/if Summer hits I'll never make a quick run to the store in a pair of shorts.

Safety is as much about being prepared as it is in your head. Wearing good gear is not going to make up for scanning and good riding practices. I don't climb on my bike expecting to crash- because then you can sure bet I will.

[mogster]

You make good & fair points JVRR. I do agree being prepared is as much mental as physical & don't mean to suggest we all should conform to some sort of uniform law.

However I do feel that a training school should take every opportunity to advocate safety & that includes appropriate gear. Ok they maybe couldn't supply trousers/boots for every trainee but surely gloves would be a reasonable idea?

Some might say it has nothing to do with the training school but would that also apply to helmets? Just say a trainee turned up with an unsafe helmet (helmet req by law in UK) should the school say "well it's you risk"?

I am posing these points as questions rather than dogma. All comments are valid.

[JVRR]

Ah, well when I did the MSF class here I was told long pants, heavy jacket, boots that cover the ankle, and full-finger gloves. Very flexible/easy to meet requirements, and they did check 'em at the start of both days. Yes seems weird they would have a class and not even make people wear gloves!