In message , Mary Fisher
writes

"Bob Mannix" wrote in message
...



Hmm. You might wear leathers if you had seen what happens to clothes and
skin at even a 30mph slide on tarmac!

I have - I've come off push bikes at 20 mph in shorts and sustained nasty
injuries. There's no way I'd wear thick clothing on a push bike in heat
though. We have to take some risks. I've sustained nasty injuries just
falling while walking.

It's true the easily seen ones tend to be expensive. You can get cheaper
leathers and use a high-vis jacket though.

We have the hi-vis ones, they are padded and very tough.

They are very effective protection. I saw a young person belting through
town on a scooter wearing just shorts yesterday - made my blood run cold
to think what he would look like after a fall.

Yes. But see above.

Mary


I used to be a licensed DVLA instructor - taking the mere mortals out on
their 50's / 125's and issuing their CBT's, or training them up for
their full test.

I think the "what can and does happen when you fall off" talk was the
scariest for all of them. The statistic of losing 1mm of skin and bone
for every 10 mph of speed when sliding down the road was the clincher.
"Look at your own knuckles" I used to say "and work out if 30 mph is
sustainable for you". "1mm just for sliding, now add in the impact
factor" (this all being part of the talk to encourage them to wear
"proper" protection whilst riding).

I think they'd have rather been trained by Edward Scissorhands :-)

Saying that of course, the bike is still the best way to go. Fun, fast,
danger, mortality, injury, yes all of them, but I still prefer the bike.

Incidentally, their was a study some time ago (no reference sorry) which
suggested that the most invisible setup was a big white bike with the
rider in flourescent clothing (ie local plod). Don't know what came of
it though so I could just (once again) be talking shee-ite.
Someone