ATGATT? Really?

[Gustave]

I was thinking about getting some more protective gear in the form of pants, for some long distance trips. So I started reading these forums a bit.

As far as I can tell, it seems I'm FATED to drop my bike in a horrific accident, and if I don't have ATG, I'm hosed. It's not a matter of if I do it, it's just WHEN!

Which I find totally baffling, actually. In my neck of the woods, I NEVER see anyone in protective gear. Seeing anyone in a helmet is rare! In fact I've only ever met one person that SAID he wore ATGATT. My MC instructor in the course I took before I could get my license up here. He was a police officer full time, and instructor on the weekends, so I honestly didn't expect him to say otherwise.

The instructors up here actually are happy if they just get someone to wear a helmet. I've gone helmetless a couple times, but I never liked it. I learned to ride in Panama, while I was stationed there, and had no choice but to wear one, so when I moved up here, I tried it, but felt weird. I think it's the same with ATG.

I also wear a jacket 90% of the time. I used to ride to work in a shirt and tie, though. Now that I think back to that, that could have been horrible.

I actually HAVE had one accident, though. When I was in Panama, while learning to ride, I put my bike in a ditch. That was 22 years ago, though. So maybe I've already had my fate handed to me??

Maybe I'm not taking this seriously enough. Maybe I have a death wish. Or I'm a masochist, and don't know it. Or maybe it's that we just don't hear from the people that DON'T have accidents, and we only hear from the people that do because they want to spread the word on how important it is to be safe. I have no idea, really. Just throwing something out there.

I do know I want to find a replacement for the gloves I lost, though!

 

[Mellow]

Not sure I know your question.

It's a choice... you can choose to wear some, all or no protective gear.

You may never have another accident... ever, which is a good thing... however, if you just have one more.. do you want to have the gear on or take a chance? again, up to you. I choose to wear ATGATT but I'll never criticize someone for exercising their right to choose not to.

 

[FOG]

AGATT, Doctors orders! I am severely allergic to pavement, it could me a severe rash that will last a lifetime.

 

[teglasscock]

To quote a line from Dirty Harry: "Do ya feel lucky?" IMHO it's all about the level of risk and the consequences if things don't go as planned. You can do things to minimize (or maximize) both. It's all up to you.

I'm an Aerostitch fan, so I'm planning to get the Darien pants... promised myself to lose some weight first

I have a couple of pairs of the Arborwear pants and like them. You've probably already checked out Draggin Jeans.

FWIW, I had my worst spill one of the few times I rode without a jacket or gloves. Took most of the skin off my palms and under my forearms. Very painful and not pretty at all, I was an oozing mess, and it took several weeks to completely heal. So even though I do everything I can to minimize the risks when riding, I'm ATTGAT to mitigate the consequences.

 

[hojo in sc]

I'd rather sweat than bleed.
I dress for the fall, not the weather (sort of).

 

[Imrubicon]

Not sure I know your question.

It's a choice... you can choose to wear some, all or no protective gear.

I choose to wear ATGATT but I'll never criticize someone for exercising their right to choose not to.

Mellow this is the best Advice as in some of the fanatics will be chiming in here soon


Its our choice and whichever choice you make is the right one for you

 

[treemuncher]

ATGATT is just another insurance policy. I can not stand to take off time from work. If I have a get-off, I want every chance possible of a walk away. ATGATT improves those chances and reduces my risk of injury.

Same to me as wearing job specific ATGATT when I run a chain saw. Keeps me in the win column longer. And YES, chain saw chaps do work...they saved my leg!

 

[Al_b]

As Mellow answered first, it is up to you and most of us on here won't criticize you for the choice you make.

Hopefully, the message from this board isn't that you are fated to have a horific accident as we all do our best to avoid that by riding defensively and looking out for crazy cagers. The only inevitability that I see as a recurring theme on here is that sooner or later, you will have a tip over if you're riding an ST. Protective gear doesn't necessarily help in that instance as it is mostly your pride that get hurt. :

However, if you do have a get off - even at low speed, would you prefer to be wearing shorts and a T-shirt or protective, padded clothing? I started riding with minimal protective gear, but I've added better quality gear as the years went by because the thought of skidding along the pavement with bare skin scares the h*ll out of me.

 

[Gustave]

AGATT, Doctors orders! I am severely allergic to pavement, it could me a severe rash that will last a lifetime.

Love that answer!

To answer Mellow's comment, it's not so much a question, although there was one in the title, as a comment. I was just looking for feedback on how people feel about ATGATT.

What you said about not criticizing someone's choice is how I feel, but not so much treated up here when I wear a helmet. As I said, it's rare that you see someone wearing one. And I get the occasional curious comment why I do. Since I'm in the minority here, I'm the one not following the crowd, so I'm the one treated sorta differently. Some of the old timers won't even talk to me cuz I wear a helmet. They just scoff at me. Still, with some of the stories I've heard, I'm going to wear my helmet.

I don't mean to bend to peer pressure, though. I'd like a good set of gear. I have a jacket, although it's leather, it has some good pads in it. I've had it a while and I like it. It actually got better when I lost weight.

I was actually thinking about getting overpants, rather than the jeans route. Jeans didn't seem to me to offer protection, even the kevlar ones. First Gear Textile Overpants seemed decent, and sorta within budget. With the added bonus, I can wear them to work and be able to take them off without a changing room. We only get a couple warm months a year, so having two pairs of pants on wouldn't be too horrible. You can even wear them alone.

I think I might start another thread asking about pants, though. Maybe the jeans will be fine to prevent the need for skin grafts. I don't know much about them, and there's no one around here to ask who isn't out to make a buck.

Anyway, keep up the comments about your thoughts on ATGATT. Maybe I just need some good role models in my peers.

 

[roginoz]

I'm not as evangelical as some on this site. I always wear a helmet and gloves. I almost always wear a jacket. If it's ungodly hot, and I'm not going to be in the sun long enough to burn, I'll sometimes skip the jacket. (I spent most of today in a mesh jacket, but I'll probably ride to the ballpark in a T-shirt this afternoon.) I generally wear jeans, unless it's cold enough to warrant overpants.

Everything we do is risky, and one has to balance risk with other factors. If you wanted to be perfectly safe, you'd sell the bike and ride the bus.

I have no quarrel with those who espouse ATGATT, so long as it's a free choice, or with those who may be a little less safe for the sake of comfort. If people want to go helmetless, it's their business, too. (If they're my friends, I advise against it. If I don't care about them, I urge them to sign their organ donor cards.)

 

[Gustave]

The only inevitability that I see as a recurring theme on here is that sooner or later, you will have a tip over if you're riding an ST. Protective gear doesn't necessarily help in that instance as it is mostly your pride that get hurt. :

Did that already. Some scary stuff for me, too. Had a hernia at the time. I couldn't do squat about it except look at it and want to die. I was no where near home, but fortunately, someone saw me, and stopped to help.

 

[Al_b]

Mellow added a tip over counter that you can update in your User CP information. Some of the real veterans on here are counting in the double digits. After the first couple of times, you grow a little more hardened to the embarrassment and practice your techniques for lifting without causing back strain (or hernias).

 

[Gustave]

Mellow added a tip over counter that you can update in your User CP information. Some of the real veterans on here are counting in the double digits. After the first couple of times, you grow a little more hardened to the embarrassment and practice your techniques for lifting without causing back strain (or hernias).

I was too embarrassed to put in my tip over counter number. However, I did have another tip over after I got better. My technique stinks! And that was after I read how to do it! My understanding is you do it like a weightlifting squat. Except, my legs are so long, I had a hard time getting under the bike. It was on a sandy loose surface, and it kept sliding, so I was pushing the bike around! Bad news. Oh, well. Maybe I'll get to try again, some day. Or hopefully not.

Didn't realize I there was a ATGATT forum, either. Guess I need to learn the forums a bit better. There are a LOT of sub-forums here!

 

[WilliGoat]

I am ATGATT more and more of the time. I have a mesh jacket and pants for the warmer months, and did start weaing the mesh with my textile jacket when it was cooler. I got to thinking that I was just wearing my ABUs, jeans, etc and Gore-tex overpants and figured I may as well weat the mesh until I get some leather for the winter and textile for the cooler months. That and the AF Operational Risk Management program got me thinking more and more. Most of my gear is Joe Rocket, just started out with that brand when I got my old Connie and kept building my wardrobe. I do have an Alpinestars leather jacket I use in winter and will plan on adding the pants to match this winter.

I did the same as Gustave, tried going with no helmet when I had my first bike. So has no helmet law so I figured I would give it a try. Did not really thrill me, especially with no winshield and after two trips over the state line, decided it was not for me. With the way my visor looks most of the time during this season I think I made the right choice.

I also agree with Joe, another persons choice is their's and if they are comfortable with shorts and a tank top I wish them luck.

As far as accidents, I have only run wide on a couple turns and headed onto the shoulder, once on my first bike and the next time I was on the Connie after I had not ridden in several years. I know it was target fixation on the Connie and like most things like that I learned from it. Luckily both times I kept the shiny side up and rode away with only my pride hurt.

 

[RCS]

I wear Motoport air kevlar jacket and pants, full face helmet, gloves, calf high boots every single ride. To each his own.

 

[Blue STreak]

Jeans: Will they, or won't they, protect in an accident?

The common wisdom, reinforced by "tests" conducted by companies like Aerostich, is that jeans are worthless, and will shred within seconds upon contact with pavement. I don't think they're that bad. I've seen a couple of people crash in jeans, and come out with only fairly minor tears in the denim. BUT, even minor road rash is something I'd prefer to avoid, and the higher the crash speed, the more likely they're going to tear, I think.

I still wear overpants when I ride. It only takes once to regret, perhaps forever, not wearing protective gear.

 

[TMUS]

Yes sir, ATGATT for me, no way I'm going to risk it.

 

[Gustave]

Jeans: Will they, or won't they, protect in an accident?

I was referring to the Kevlar jeans like someone else linked earlier. The draggin jeans I think they're called. They're supposed to help, but if I ever did go down, I don't think it would be enough.

I'm not really looking at them any more, though. You actually commented on the other item that I AM thinking about getting in the other forum, though, so thank you.

 

[Gustave]

Thank you both for your stories. Interesting in your view that it's actually selfish if you don't wear gear. Even in my case, I'd only impact two dogs, but that's still something I wouldn't want to do to them. I'll be ordering the overpants shortly. I always wear the helmet and jacket, now. I need to get a replacement set of summer gloves. Mine disappeared last summer.

 

[dduelin]

In my state I see many riders with no helmets. I always wear a helmet and wear earplugs or noise canceling earbuds on fast or long rides. How does wind rushing over a bare head sound compare to levels in a helmet? I was briefly behind a HD with loud pipes today at 50-55 mph. I had ear plugs in and I could still hear his loud pipes pounding my eardrums. Isn't it really loud with open pipes and no ear protection?