Everyone's always talking ATGATT

I went to a motorcycle crash last night. A guy was sitting in traffic when the car behind him rearended him. The impact lift his bike in the air, a K1200LT (not a small machine), and sent the rider flying a little way. Luckily for him, he landed in some bushed on the side of the road.

As i stood there talking to him, I asked him about his riding apparel. I wasn't lecturing him in any way. The guy was 60 years old and honestly, should know better. I asked him how long he had been riding. He said since before I was born. I'm 48, so who knows if that's the case. Then he went on to tell me that he used to race motorcycles, blah blah blah. I was just sitting there thinking, "Ok, I'm sorry, but you sir an an idiot." He was wearing a leather jacket, not a riding style one though, just a fashionable style one. He had no gloves and was wearing jeans. I tried to tell him how luck he was. I also told him that I was rider and wouldn't go out unless a had my gear on.

The funny part was, there was another older guy that walked up. He had a broken arm, in a sling as well. He asked if the rider was ok. I said they were all fine. We spoke for a few minutes as well. He said his arm had been broken in an m/c crash. He said he was wearing full leathers and still suffered from some pretty serious road rash. He asked what the rider was wearing. I pointed to him and said he was looking at it. He shook his head and said, "He's lucky, and he's an idiot." I felt vindicated after that comment

Some folks know so much that you cannot teach them anything.

Redfish Hunter said:

Some folks know so much that you cannot teach them anything.

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Much less rare than finding a pearl in an oyster, sometimes RFH opens his mouth and a gem rolls out.

....................even when you feel the need to speak to them about ATGATT, at the end don't you just feel that all you did was add more hot air to global warming.

Some people have 1 year of experience that they have repeated for 48 years.

There are none so deaf as those who will not hear.

You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think.

Wife and I are gear people, helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, but often jeans, not armour pants. So that's ATGSTT, I suppose. Smart? Not very, but it's a personal choice regarding risk management. I have cruiser friends (Harley and metric) whose idea of proper gear is a correctly tied bandana and fingerless gloves. I don't presume to lecture them. It won't do any good, alienates friends and acquaintences, and is truely a waste of time. So fuck it, I say. We'll wear our gear (all of it, or most of it) and keep riding.

I doubt I'd ever call someone an idiot because they weren't suited up. I'd say that if they weren't wearing a helmet, but jackets, pants, boots, are your choice. Your example here is bad, the guy wearing no gear doesn't get hurt, and the guy that was has a broken arm

You only live once, protect yourself as YOU see fit.....

To each their own i guess. I am a Helmet, Jacket, Boots, Gloves, and usually Jeans. Jeans aren't ideal but their better than shorts.

ATGATT always...It's how I roll

A few states may have had it right for a while, you could legally ride without a helmet as long as your drivers license was stamped showing the rider as an organ donor.

I've road tested jeans and can say that even good, heavy jeans aren't much different than shorts.

Up here in NERDS country almost everyone that rides with us are ATGATT, even for short runs.

"Say, if you knew with absolute certainty you were going to crash tomorrow, would you wear gear that day?" And, what makes you so sure that today isn't going to be that day?

JustinNck1 said:

To each their own i guess. I am a Helmet, Jacket, Boots, Gloves, and usually Jeans. Jeans aren't ideal but their better than shorts.

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If you are interested in protecting your leg skin and think jeans will do it...they won't. Jeans shred almost as soon as they hit the asphalt. If you are not going to wear armored pants...(and why wouldn't you)...at least wear some Kevlar jeans.

ionbeam said:

A few states may have had it right for a while, you could legally ride without a helmet as long as your drivers license was stamped showing the rider as an organ donor.
I've road tested jeans and can say that even good, heavy jeans aren't much different than shorts.

Up here in NERDS country almost everyone that rides with us are ATGATT, even for short runs.

"Say, if you knew with absolute certainty you were going to crash tomorrow, would you wear gear that day?" And, what makes you so sure that today isn't going to be that day?

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I never knew the day I crashed that I was going to crash that day. Alan, I remember your quote from an old CYCLE Magazine editorial piece in the 70s...who probably borrowed from someone too. The saying still makes its point.

I recall a few years back heading up Hwy. 14 to Elk City in Idaho - all curves for 50 miles. Brother and I got behind a pokey pirate so as soon as we could we dispatched him and left him in our wakes. We got to town and stripped off some gear and had a break. After while the pirate rolled up glaring. He proceeded to berate us for our riding - "too fast 'cause there's a lot of deer on that road." Ya, well, he was wearing a T-shirt with sleeves cut off, a doo rag and jeans. Oh, the irony!

Big Sky said:

I recall a few years back heading up Hwy. 14 to Elk City in Idaho - all curves for 50 miles. Brother and I got behind a pokey pirate so as soon as we could we dispatched him and left him in our wakes. We got to town and stripped off some gear and had a break. After while the pirate rolled up glaring. He proceeded to berate us for our riding - "too fast 'cause there's a lot of deer on that road." Ya, well, he was wearing a T-shirt with sleeves cut off, a doo rag and jeans. Oh, the irony!

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Yes, very true and I'm an ATGATT guy, but you have to ask yourself... What would Hunter do?

Pterodactyl said:

Yes, very true and I'm an ATGATT guy, but you have to ask yourself... What would Hunter do?

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Guess im one of those idiots. I wear a helmet, jacket, gloves and my work boots. Some days in the south ga weather I lose the jacket. If im hitting any twisties I suit up or cooler weather.Ive been riding street bikes for 22 years and dirt bikes when I was a kid. I work for the fire dept so ive seen people lose there lives in full gear and shorts/t shirt. Seen broken bones in and out of gear. I dont judge. I see it both ways. Hell, when I had my hardly I lost the helmet when ever I could and loved it. Flame away.... haha