Gentle Reminder, ATGATT (NSFW, sorta.. not bad though)

[redwing-2001]

If risk factors keep adding up, the danger is higher.

Therefore, be the best rider you can be, and wear the gear.

Ride to conditions. If you are tired, its dark and cold, its heavy traffic etc, go slower.

I ride with and without gear, when I'm without some gear I automatically am that much more cautious.

I noticed that police tend to pull over the people with less gear on more often as well ?

Depends what you want from riding I guess, if you are happy to putt around slowly with no gear or up to a certain basic skill level, that's up to you. If you want to be a good rider with high skill level, you'll need to wear gear in order to feel more comfortable to improve at a greater rate.
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There's been studies on this anyway, if people feel safer, they automatically go that much quicker up to a certain risk level. There's a real topic on this covered in the science journals, mainly to do with cars (I forget the name of the topic right now). Basically, the people automatically move up to a faster comfort level in a better car with better tyres over time, they don't just go "ok, this new speed limit is easy now in this car, I'm happy now", they will always push to the next limit they feel safe at. I'm sure there's a German word for it.

Over here, in the MSF Advanced RiderCourse, we use the term Risk Offset. Basically, if you increase your skill level and increase your risk taking, you haven't gained anything.

 

[buzzbomb]

If risk factors keep adding up, the danger is higher.

Therefore, be the best rider you can be, and wear the gear.

Ride to conditions. If you are tired, its dark and cold, its heavy traffic etc, go slower.

I ride with and without gear, when I'm without some gear I automatically am that much more cautious.

I noticed that police tend to pull over the people with less gear on more often as well ?

Depends what you want from riding I guess, if you are happy to putt around slowly with no gear or up to a certain basic skill level, that's up to you. If you want to be a good rider with high skill level, you'll need to wear gear in order to feel more comfortable to improve at a greater rate.
----
There's been studies on this anyway, if people feel safer, they automatically go that much quicker up to a certain risk level. There's a real topic on this covered in the science journals, mainly to do with cars (I forget the name of the topic right now). Basically, the people automatically move up to a faster comfort level in a better car with better tyres over time, they don't just go "ok, this new speed limit is easy now in this car, I'm happy now", they will always push to the next limit they feel safe at. I'm sure there's a German word for it.

That's some interesting points you bring up. Because I am confident in my gear protecting me from abrasion, I do take some corners on the way to work, faster than I would otherwise.

Also, because I'm geared up, I am more willing to push the bike in the corners, when I'm running the twisties. There's no doubt that with me personally, being geared up has helped improve my sport-riding ability.

There's another side to that coin, though. I'm also safer in mundane, everyday situations. I know that, but it doesn't change the way I ride in those situations. I'm just more confident, knowing that the stupid cager who is going to cut me off without warning, won't hurt me nearly as much as if I were all squidly.

I personally don't think riding more cautiously because one isn't wearing gear is much of an answer. If that's all there was to it, we could all just ride cautious and accidents wouldn't happen. Being a cautious rider is just good sense. Expecting the fact your being cautious to keep you from getting in an accident is not.

 

[buzzbomb]

Personally, I think most everyone's argument here is pretty valid, and the following is directed at no one in particular:

There's a point on this thread that's been missing about preaching ATGATT: What if we didn't?

Some of you may be thinking "Well so what, I'm not going to listen anyway, and at least you'd be quiet!" Granted on both counts. It's not going to happen, though. You see, I personally can't stand it every time I read of a rider down, who could have been saved from (more serious) injury if only they'd been wearing some inconvenient, armored clothing.

Why do I care? It doesn't matter. The fact is that I do. The occasional mention of the fact I wear gear would have little to no positive impact. Unrelenting preaching on the subject is the only effective method available. So that's what I do.

1. The most skilled, safest rider on the planet can still go down. We are not the most skilled, safest rider on the planet, ergo, we can still go down.

2. Even in a minor accident, serious injury can occur.

3. Although nothing is going to protect a motorcycle rider from damage in an extreme accident, wearing full gear helps to mitigate the damage that will occur.

4. In the majority of minor accidents, those being accidents in which there is little to no body to object impact, and most damage is caused by abrasion, full gear can actually prevent any serious injury at all.

If you don't believe those four simple statements, I think you're deluding yourself. If you agree with those statements, then it's one thing to say you accept that risk, and it's your life you're living. That's true.

It would be another thing entirely if you were part of a motorcycle community, our forum, that never told you that jeans are nearly useless, and if you're wearing shorts you might as well be naked - or if those facts were only mentioned quietly in passing, and so were ignored or quickly forgotten.

The preaching may be irritating at times, but it sometimes works. If you are the person who will never ride ATGATT, then you won't. But still, be thankful for the ATGATT preachers. Even if you personally disagree with the message and/or method, at least there are people out there who care passionately about educating and protecting their fellow riders. That's gotta be worth a little irritation at having to read another ATGATT post.

I find myself alone. No "Thanks." What gives? Somewhere, in my postings concerning the unassailable logic of ATGATT, did I go too far? Are there no other riders who agree with my ATGATT posts? I could swear there were "Thanks" at the bottom that are now gone.

If you disagree, then man up. I'll toss my stuff at you, and you do the same. May the best argument win. If you agree, then darn! Toss me a bone here! A little support goes a long ways and helps the new rider to recognize that I'm not some left-field zealot who's preaching some strange philosophy no one else agrees with.