[junkbonds]

I wear Motoport armored gear plus an air bag vest with a full helmet.

I was riding with several friends this morning.

One failed to make a left turn. Cut it wide, went on the grass shoulder, corrected, high sided and went 15 feet through the air. She was riding right behind me. She is a very experienced rider so I don't know why this happened. Probably just chit happens eventually to all of us.

You can see her helmet. The helmet saved her life. She was unconscious.

You can't see the scrapes on her back or her hip. She will survive but take a while recovering.

I know I would feel the landing but my gear would save me from the scrapes and broken hip.

Of my gang I am the only one who wears full gear. I do not mean to preach here but I am saying good gear saves a world of hurt.

 

[hogcowboy]

She may have hit a patch of fine sand. I hit some yesterday. I got lucky.

 

[BWB75]

Thanks for sharing. I hope she recovers smoothly. Glad she was wearing a helmet, at least.

 

[Doc Samson]

Ouch! Yeah, wish her a speedy recovery!

To each his/her own. I almost always wear full gear (90%) but will very occasionally forgo my armored jacket (heat) or armored pants (commuting to work). My "always" list is: helmet, real gloves, and boots. If I am riding without either the jacket or pants, I am extra careful of those around me and refrain from any hi-speed stuff...

 

[Miss Mercedes]

Hope she makes a very speedy recovery! <3 That right there is a testament to helmets.

The same almost happened to me once. Tried to turn left, bike didn't really comply. Thankfully I did complete the turn in the nick of time. Looked back at the intersection and found it covered with fine gravel...

 

[hogcowboy]

Too bad she wasn't wearing that airbag vest. I'd like to know how it works in the real world and not some testing. I do hope the scraps and scratches don't cause her too much pain. I know I was sure glad I was wearing full gear when I went down. I bet she feels the same.

 

[mike721]

Wow, glad she was wearing her helmet and will recover.

 

[Porky]

I'm glad she will be okay BUT- those painted tupperware salad bowl 'helmets' are close to worthless:surprise:

Her guardian Angel was riding with her:angel:

DOT approved my Arse.:surprise:

Sam

 

[dcstrng]

Goodness -- sure pray for a speedy and complete recovery. I've always hated helmet laws, and always worn one even when I didn't have to (go figure -- not sure what that says), but since I seem to have a get-off every 4-6 years, I've usually worn way more protection than some riders -- almost always leather, and have been using more and more armor now that my bones have started showing signs of being less flexible...

-- Larry

 

[Retired Guy]

Unfortunately this happens to too many riders and they know the pain she is feeling. Many will ride again, some won't. I hope she heals up rapidly and doesn't have any lingering physical problems and that is my wish for her. I'm glad she was wearing some gear.

 

[junkbonds]

She is worse than I was expecting her to be.

She is still in the trauma unit. Has a concussion and just had surgery for internal bleeding to go along with the scrapes, back ache but no broken hip.

 

[Jo6pak]

That's a tough one for sure.
If you ride long enough, you'll se someone go down. Some are lucky, others not so much.

Hope she makes a full recovery.

 

[Critter]

Concussions are never good. Helmet did not properly protect her head. Thoughts and prayers her way.

 

[SteveCB500F]

Dang, so sorry to hear this. I hope she pulls through this without any lasting effects. She must've hit something that caused her to lose traction (fine sand, some sort of fluid or lubricant from a car/truck). Someone with that much experience doesn't high side for no reason at all.

I'm like you. I'm in full gear every single time I ride (including a Helite air vest). It's not as hot as everyone seems to think as long as you're rolling. When you stop it warms up a bit but otherwise you've got a 50 MPH fan blowing on you the rest of the time.

Thoughts and prayers for your friend. :thumbsup:

 

[hogcowboy]

She is worse than I was expecting her to be.

She is still in the trauma unit. Has a concussion and just had surgery for internal bleeding to go along with the scrapes, back ache but no broken hip.

Oh that's too bad.:crying: Hope she pulls thru and has no lasting effects.:thumbsup:

 

[tlay]

If more people could see some of the accident victims of motorcycle wrecks they would wear the proper gear including a helmet! I was on a volunteer fire department for 7 years. We went to a lot of motorcycle accidents. A lot were fatalities! Some of those could have survived if they had to proper gear.
I myself survived an accident while flying a powered parachute. One of the tubes from the aircraft frame broke and hit my full face helmet at my chin. It glanced off and hit me just above my eye. If I didn’t have the helmet I would have been killed! Unfortunately I broke a lot of bones including my back but I am still here and still riding!!
And an old saying goes, if you have. $20 brain wear a $20 helmet, if you have no brain, wear no helmet!!?

 

[junkbonds]

And an old saying goes, if you have. $20 brain wear a $20 helmet, if you have no brain, wear no helmet!!?

That was from Bell helmets advertising in the 70's.

 

[hogcowboy]

I was a volunteer firefighter as well. Yup, you get to see some nasty stuff and just hope someone doesn't chuck. Because if that happens, it's timeout for everyone to. Weird how that happens but saw it many times. I agree. People should see this stuff at least once. I wasn't even riding yet when I saw my first. Cali is/was, not sure which anymore, mandatory helmet state. But even if it wasn't, I would have started riding with a helmet. Brains on asphalt isn't something you want to see but I saw it way too many times. I really think it might change some if they got to see the results of being macho. I don't think I'd be here if not for the helmet I was wearing when I had my crash. As is, the sudden stop at 70mph and resulting concussion was bad enough. Certainly glad I wasn't macho man back then.

 

[texasguy]

Wow, glad she is ok and hope she has a speedy recovery. Might actually look into a vest like that

 

[vito]

I've been riding for over 35 years, and as a former MSF Instructor I always tried to practice ATGATT. But as I get older (I'm now 76) I find that I am less and less able to tolerate high heat and still enjoy riding. I added Baker Wings to my Goldwing so that I can deflect more air upon me which would be blocked by the fairing, and I now wear a Klim mesh jacket which while armored allows as much airflow as any jacket I have ever owned. But when it gets really hot, the jacket gets stuffed in the side case and I ride with just a t-shirt or a nylon long sleeved tee shirt made of nylon that allows maximum airflow while still giving some protection from the sun. Heavy gloves get replaced by "fingerless" gloves I bought at the local HD dealership, and riding pants are replaced with just denim jeans. I still always wear a helmet, boots and gloves, although it might be a 3/4 helmet instead of a full faced, "shorty" shoe boots instead of calf high real boots, and the aforementioned fingerless gloves.

For me, riding is for the pleasure of it. If I just need to get somewhere, I have two cars that I can use and go there in air conditioned or heated comfort depending on the weather. So while I understand the advisability of ATGATT, I knowingly accept some degree of greater risk of injury so as to still enjoy what I am doing. Fortunately for me, I actually find wearing a helmet more comfortable than not wearing one. I hate the feeling of my own hair blowing all over my face, and of the sun making me squint because of no helmet. My one and only "accident" in all these years of riding happened when I was in helmet, gloves, high books, leather jacket and jeans, and the injuries I suffered would have happened almost regardless of what I might have been wearing, other than an airbag vest. I broke several ribs, which led to complications and almost killed me, but at least the rest of me was protected by gear and I lived to ride again (although I did miss a few years after that incident).

No matter what you do, the reality is that riding a motorcycle is inherently more dangerous than driving a car or truck. But a lot more fun as well.