No. 1 son came round the other night to borrow the sat nav. He told us he was thinking about getting a motorbike again and the conversation turned to protective clothing. He still had his helmet and boots, and a decent pair of bike gloves, but he didn’t have a jacket. Now, I hold a motorbike licence, but it’s been a few years since I rode one, because what with the fibromyalgia and thyroid problem I walk around half asleep most days and that’s kind of dangerous on a bike. So I said he could try my jacket to see if it fitted him, them being unisex and all, and it did. In fact – wouldn’t you know it – it looks better on him than it ever did on me. It’s a black and yellow textile Akito Jacket with lightweight body armour and it made me look like a benevolent wasp. He, on the other hand, looks rather dashing.
‘Wow, it fits!’ he said. ‘Are you sure I can have it?’
Me: Of course, if you promise me not to kill yourself in it.
No. 1 Son: Oh, you want me to die naked?
Me: No … I …
No. 1 Son (interrupting): I suppose being naked on a bike would help with the dying part. Only I have a feeling it’s illegal – after all, I wouldn’t be wearing a helmet.
Smartypants.
If he does kill himself, naked or not, I’ll be really pissed. But he’d be better off wearing the jacket. That way, if he merely topples off gently going round a corner, he might not break his collar bone like his father did.
I treated too many motorcycle accident patients in my time, and while the greater majority of them were the result of stupidity on the part of car drivers, there were still too many of them that exercised an even greater degree of stupidity on their own. (i.e. no helmet, no leathers, etc.) There was a guy I worked with from England who was an all-weather rider, even sometimes in the winter. In the hottest summer weather, he ALWAYS rode in full leathers, as this was what he was taught to do. There were a bunch of guys at my station that rode, and the variation in safety was amazing, and this from paramedics no less. The less safe guys seemed to always be the guys that rode “crotch rockets,” as opposed to the larger, touring bikes.
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Yep, that’s the way we were taught. We all learned at the same school, and our instructor was very much on the same page as you. I didn’t ride in leather, but I rode in cordura or similar, always wore boots and gloves and helmet. The helmet is a legal requirement here anyway, but I’d have worn one anyway. I saw a nasty accident when I was a teen. A guy was riding a bike on a country road on a hot day, wearing only shorts. That’s right, ONLY shorts – he was riding barefoot! He came off at quite a low speed, but he lost a lot of skin. No serious injuries, but sheesh! That taught me quite young that it’s wise to wear the right stuff.
No. 1 son is not a crotch-rocketeer. He’ll probably get a commuter.
Aaaaaargh riding barefoot! I wonder how I’ll feel when either of my kids decide to do what I did perfectly safely for most of the time. One thing me putting my life at risk but I’d be terrified if they do.
Cheeky bugger talking about riding naked without a helmet! LOL
Thank goodness for my full protective gear and lead lined boots so that when I had the biggest impact with a vehicle pulling out of a side road without them looking, not a single bone was broken.
Just last year I finally gave away my leathers on Freecycle …. had them for 20 years and still in good nick and they looked amazing on the skinny woman who picked them up. Made me feel good.
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Doris – I know. You want to say ‘don’t do it!!’ but you know you have to let them, providing they do it as safely as possible. You just can’t keep them safe from everything and they need to live.
He has a very quick wit – well, they both do! I love it.
Good to hear you wore proper protective stuff too! – and that it saved you from some serious damage. It’s not infallible of course, but it really helps!
A benevolent wasp! LOL!
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You know, my hubby is constantly pestering me to get on his Kawasaki Vulcan with him. It’s a gorgeous bike and rides very smoothly, BUT – is he nuts? I have had 3 spinal surgeries so far and don’t want another one. Wearing a 3/4 helmet lets too much wind hit me in the face. Wearing a full helmet is too hard on my neck. And if we crashed? God only knows what that would do to me.
Peace – D
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Momma – I think you are wise to refuse, with that catalogue of problems. I was afraid the full face helmet would hurt my neck, but it was OK for me. That’s a very individual thing. But after three spinal surgeries, I think you would have to be either extremely stupid, or have a serious love affair with biking to do it. Just my opinion – but, it seems, yours too!
he’s got a quick wit, that lad of yours. LOL
He certainly has, Jeni! As my grandmother used to say, he’s so sharp he’ll cut himself.
Eeekkk…new lid, new lid! They deteriorate so quickly even when not used
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Well, yeah. I shall remind him of that!