Is it me orrr???

[b_who]

Orrr are there a ton of squids running around nowadays
Rode home from work and counted a total of 14 ppl with just a helment, saw 2 with shorts and wife beaters. Its only 85 today too

Ive ridden with just a helment and gloves be4 but thats when i rode my bike home from the dealer, a whole 3 miles. That was the 1st and last time.
Is it cuz of it being "riding season"(which is pretty much year a round here in southern cali) that all these kind of riders are popping up?

 

[yfz6r]

There will always be people riding in ways we don't believe are correct. There are a ton of squid threads on this forum

 

[FlyZ6R]

Come visit Florida bro! We have an overwhelming surplus of squid here.
:squid::squid::squid::squid::squid::squid::squid:
They don't even wear helmets! I see more people in tank tops, shorts, and sunglasses (to stay legal) than I see people with at least SOME sort of gear on (helmet or gloves or long sleeves/jacket or pants or high top shoes/boots or...).

Calamari anyone? :squid:

 

[Fulkon]

I see a ton of squids too, only about 1/10 of the people I see have jackets or helmets on.

 

[Captain_Kev]

Every warm, sunny day here in Boulder, a staggering amount of college douchebags hop on their supersports in just sunglasses, shorts, tank top, and sandals (seriously, how the hell do you ride in sandals???), complete with terrible body position and big egos. Even if they're the best riders in the world, they're surrounded by distracted cagers who could end their lives with a simple lane change. All we can do is shake our heads...

 

[CrazyCawi]

I think every squid out there deserves a nice gentle lowside to make them understand the importance of gear before it results in the end of their lifes. I have ridden with just glasses to the grocery store at the top of the hill(less than a mile) and hated it. I rode home one time without a helmet or jacket(the day I bought the s40 for the wife). It sucked so bad my eyes got so dry and constantly watering out the corners. People who do it are trying to be a fashion statement, and I think the color in season for them is blood red.

 

[Detrich]

tis the season for hamburgers i guess... i'm up in the canyon every weekend and i see tons of SQUIDs. some ppl in shorts, some ppl no gloves, almost none with elbow or knee guarsd. heck, one guy even no shirt just a SQUID vest on a gsxr... i hope that they ride safely and don't crash up there...

sigh

 

[bakkenlab]

Every warm, sunny day here in Boulder, a staggering amount of college douchebags hop on their supersports in just sunglasses, shorts, tank top, and sandals (seriously, how the hell do you ride in sandals???), complete with terrible body position and big egos. Even if they're the best riders in the world, they're surrounded by distracted cagers who could end their lives with a simple lane change. All we can do is shake our heads...

same here up in foco, you see the squids that love popping wheelies and riding without helmets or jackets.

To me i feel freaking naked when i ride my bike without gear, it just doesn't feel right and i get all paranoid

 

[b_who]

came across this right now, just a reminder to anybody on here still riding without gear ENJOY!!!

i remember being a lil kid and eating it on asphalt and how much it stung, this has got to be like 1000000 times worse lol


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lucErtFVtpc&feature=related]motorcycle crash and aftermath - YouTube[/ame]

 

[alaskanflyboy]

While I myself am ATGATT, I don't necessarily count those without gear as squids. I find squid to be more an attitude than an attire. It just happens that a lot with the squid attitude also seem to have the same uniform. Just like how not all guys wearing shades at night, a white cap cocked to one side, and a pink polo with popped collar revealing their tribal and Japanese tats are douche bags, it just turns out most douche bags like the look.

To me, it's a free country and if they are comfortable without it, it's ok. I'm not, so I wear gear. I also smoke a pipe and occasionally cigars, and hear the same sort of stuff: "I'm just waiting for you to get lung cancer" or "you should see those pictures of black lungs". My typical response is that I just enjoy it. So I guess when it comes to gear, I afford people the same liberties.

 

[Hoops 09Raven]

Yep, B... I seem to be seeing quite a few out there lately as well. Whats weird is that the weather has cooled down last couple of days. I would have expected that last week.

 

[Crocop43]

I usually wear all my gear except riding pants.....but I don't go around racing ethier am I making a mistake? I mean sometimes if I'm just running to the store....less then 2 miles I'll just throw on helmet and gloves and go ....

 

[Jots S.R.M.C.]

I ride with a mix of gear..

Sometimes I ride in shorts.. Sometimes I ride in just my MC Cut

I wear a helmet- however i have gone without it a few times..

I believe every person has there own right to wear what they want..

is a Squid someone with just a helmet and shorts? No

A squid is that dickhole swerving in and out of traffic without looking wearing just a helmet, or no helmet.. Or ALL Gear

Generally when im not wearing a helmet ill be on a cruiser.. going to return a redbox- but that doesnt meant I cant die.. You can die from a 3 foot fall ...

2 of the best riders I know died while wearing there helmets.. One of the accidents- the helmet caused it.. Visor got caught on a root sticking out as my friend was sliding through a median.. caught his helmet and broke his neck..


Everyone has there day with there maker.. be careful who you call a squid.. To me someone that blatantly drops that term doesn't know his hand from his glove.. I've ridden long enough to see it all..

But for the record.. any ride.. I wear full kevlar reinforced pants, riding boots.. Not "racing" but aggresive icons.. Helmet and a well padded jacket.. I have a variety..


But I do occasionally go without gear here and there

 

[FlyZ6R]

I'm pretty new to the motorcycle world so maybe I'm overly conservative, but I always wear a helmet, jacket, gloves, and some sort of long pants (not riding pants, just jeans). My shin guards are my personal "optional" gear. If I'm making a short trip to the store or something like that I won't wear them, but if I'm going to be on the freeway I wear them.

That's just my own preference. Everyone is certainly free to ride however they want. However, when driving down the interstate and about 20 people randomly blast by me at 100+ with absolutely no gear on I shake my head and say a prayer for them. The lack of judgement in those cases is "squid worthy" for me, I don't care how good of a rider they are. They can't stop that cager from cutting in front of them, or that semi from blowing a tire, etc.

 

[Spunky99]

It's funny how summer really kicks in around August September in CA. It's squid city here right now.
Wait till fall hits and 80% will be off the streets again.
What I have noticed is there are a ton of Harleys with the ginormously large and wide batwing fairings with little short windows all over the place.

 

[iSpoolin]

Ah, i see 95% of riders around here in shorts and tshirts. People are dumb, we just have to live with it.

 

[redprodigy35]

My grips feel funny without gloves.
My shifting (now that I have gone to A* boots) is weird without proper footwear.

I've never actually taken a ride without a helmet or jacket.

I actually like the fact that this all feels "off" to me. It encourages me to be comfortable with the gear I have come to accept.

What I don't understand is...

How can someone view those graphic threads (that even we, have on here) and ride without gear?
Do you want to experience scrubbing of tissue to remove debris?
(I just recently had a surgery with an open wound healing process-- removal and re-application of guaze daily... Close enough for comparison. It hurt like a mf'er!)
Do you want to see just how fast skin tears @ 20+ mph?

I Don't.

I just literally half gag when I think about it. It makes me nervous. Here I am @ work just shifting in my chair when I run it through my mind....

 

[Deleted member 9794]

....
I just literally half gag when I think about it. It makes me nervous. Here I am @ work just shifting in my chair when I run it through my mind....

...and that sir, is what separates, riders from squids.

Call it Darwinism, natural selection, or just plain common-sense*.


*please note: common-sense is not common

 

[Jots S.R.M.C.]

Ok.. Why do motorcyclists use the term squid?

Well let me answer that.. The life of a squid is "Seldom" over 3 years-

So I guess we name people squids at our discretion because we don't think they will live long..

That meaning.. a rider- that apears to ride with no due care for himself or others is a squid.. ( in my opinion )

Safety gear doesn't really matter... Statistics about how much more prone you are to "Road Rash" or "brain damage" ?

Lets be blunt.. We ride 2 wheel bikes.. At high speeds.. With nothing around to protect us.. No Door, No Roof, No engine etc.

The chances of us surviving any extreme wreck.. Is Minimal.

Do we survive such wrecks? On occasion.. - So is someoen riding in shorts going to kill you? No.. no gloves? No... Flip flops? No..

Helmet? Maybe.. More so than not..

Sorry, it just annoys me how people are so free with the term squid.. I condone unsafe riding and habits... especially when they have there bright shiny new bike, all new gear and been on the road a month.. It's just silly to me.. call me crazy..

anyways. use the term how you want.. but know what it came from.. and really the truth in it..


and like osmeone said.. group of 20 people passing you at a extreme speed with no gear.. THATS A SQUID..

But just saying.. that one guy crusing right by ya in a tank top and shorts - May be a racer.. with the best habbits in the world. but today doesn't give a f@#$.. hes wearing a tank top and shorts.. is he a Squid? No..


Edit: I put a lil too much time in it. I'm not trying to argue, correct, or make anyone look dumb.. Just kinda stress a point... Were all in it for the fun... Yes its always fun to point and laugh.. But not EVERYONE is a squid.. But there are SQUIDS.. and they end up in the news every day.. and they are the reason our god damn insurance is so high

 

[Mr Citrus]

Took my new overpants for a ride today, felt great!