Are there exceptions to ATGATT?

Once when I was 32 years younger I was visiting a college friend in Long Bch CA. We were 5 blocks from the beach. Silly 19 year old. Got on my CB900 Custom with a passenger who weighed at least 220.

A sudden stop from a car pulling out causes a highside at about 3mph. Buddy jumps off and just steps away, didn't fall down. I try to save bike......only wearing flip flops, suit and sunglasses. Bike was only scratched..........I was a lot scratched. The crew was still going swimming in the salt water, I couldn't not go. Dang salt water hurts.

So, I am MTGATT. Always got the skin covered some how with helmet, gloves, coat.

And you crazy Canuks better be wearing something to keep the Bees out of places..... ;-)

T
 
I wore ATGATT yesterday when I went out just to work on my bike. Well, I wore at least my tourmaster padded pants.
Put in a Blue Sea fuse box under the rear seat and I guess I was thinking about gong for a ride after I installed it. The ride never happened.
I faithfully wear my gear all the time.
I just count my lucky stars as I rode from when I was 18 to 35 with no gear.
 
I too live just a short 7 minute ride from work. A few years ago I would jump on the bike and get to work. Now days. Its helmet, jacket, gloves and boots, I change shoes at work anyway. The riding pants I leave for the long rides and weekends. It's all about choices and risk management.
 
I do my best to stress ATGATT to everyone, but am myself guilt of not doing it ALL the time. I won't get on the bike without a helmet and boots. When commuting I wear my old Joe Rocket jacket & jeans because I sometimes come home dirty. I won't put my 'Stich over work clothes, especially at the end of the day. My commute is 4 miles each way.

The absolute worse I'll do is when I used to come home after a particularly bad day- insulating. About three times last year I actually rode home without the jacket because if I got fiberglass in it, it would never come out. I didn't like it, I was uncomfortable doing it, and I kept my speed down to under 30 mph. I'm glad I now have a company truck and don't have need to do that any more, and I feel much better about it.

When I'm doing anything other than a short commute, I wear full gear- helmet, full suit, boots, and motorcycle specific gloves.
 
Speaking of gloves....I have 2 pair of the elkskins from Aerostich. When I went down, those were awesome. The left glove had a large black tar streak along the knuckles, however, no harm and I felt nothing. Wonderful and will own nothing less. I guess you can tell, spend the extra dollar on 'Stich products (Combat Lites, Darien Jacket and Elkskins). You get what you pay for.
 
My commute in the car is about 7 miles. When I'm on the bike it's about 25 miles. Makes getting suited up a lot easier to justify.
 
I used to have a number of doctor friends. They told me that one can die from road rash - the shock is what kills you. I do ATGATT 100%, but then I'm now an older guy and we tend to get more careful as healing takes longer. I took enough risks when I was younger, but fewer now. And, most of my rides are 40 miles or longer.....no around town riding for me - those soccer moms texting in their SUV's are just too dangerous.
 
I'm ATGATT 90 % of the time. Always wear a helmet, jacket, gloves, sometimes Kevlar jeans instead of over pants for short rides. Mesh jacket and pants in the summer and heavier weight jacket and pants in cooler weather. I remember growing up riding in India with no helmet, no sun glasses, etc., don't know how I did it because I can't go a mile without some protection on my head and around my eyes anymore!
 
I wear the same gear to ride 2 miles to the gas station or 1021 miles to get a Moonburger.
 
You know part of motorcycle safety is avoiding accidents in the first place, and being seen is a big part of that. I just went and looked thru all of the avatars of those responding to this thread and of those who have their pictures in their avatar, either standing or riding, NOT A SINGLE ONE (myself included) was wearing any Hi Viz gear..either jacket or helmet,...or a white helmet. Some may be wearing it and not showing it in their avatar, but I find it kind of ironic that people preach about safety while wearing all black riding gear. I know when I do see a rider wearing Hi Viz he really stands out, is shockingly noticeable, and is highly visible for a long time going up the road. I do have a Hi Viz safety vest I wear at times, but not all the time. My next jacket purchase WILL be Hi Viz, and my next helmet purchase will be white.
 
I'm an ATGATT guy.
I had a crash in November where I sustained some pretty serious injuries. Because of the gear I survived with zero road rash. Gear won't stop broken bones however.
 
Mick to my eye a white helmet sticks out better than hiviz particularly if the jacket is hiviz and they're cheaper.
.02 most gear is black just carrying on the tradition of leather and hides dirt. Most local shop gear is black or repliracer logo'd, limited options.
My helmet is white and summer mesh jacket is gray don't see a need to be more of a solar absorber and blend in with the asphalt.
 
TOS said:
You & I know, it's a gamble every time you hit the start button and take off.
Click to expand...

Sometimes you don't even have to hit the Start button.
20150117_150235.jpg

With one exception.. I never ride further then from my driveway to the garage without full gear. Twice now I have tested my gear, it works!
The only exception I made was at WeSToc when I rode a half-mile from the meeting hall back to the campsite.

Now on a bicycle... quite the opposite. Always gloves, but never a helmet unless it is required by insurance(group organized rides) or I am going mountain biking. Appropriate foot gear and clothing to be comfortable.
 
the Ferret said:
You know part of motorcycle safety is avoiding accidents in the first place, and being seen is a big part of that. I just went and looked thru all of the avatars of those responding to this thread and of those who have their pictures in their avatar, either standing or riding, NOT A SINGLE ONE (myself included) was wearing any Hi Viz gear..either jacket or helmet,...or a white helmet. Some may be wearing it and not showing it in their avatar, but I find it kind of ironic that people preach about safety while wearing all black riding gear. I know when I do see a rider wearing Hi Viz he really stands out, is shockingly noticeable, and is highly visible for a long time going up the road. I do have a Hi Viz safety vest I wear at times, but not all the time. My next jacket purchase WILL be Hi Viz, and my next helmet purchase will be white.
Click to expand...

I've thought about that for a few years and decided to do a little something about it at least. The new helmet I got for Christmas 2013 is the HJC IS-17 Intake Hi-Viz model. I wish TM would offer the Flex jackets in Hi-Viz but they don't (that's the jacket I prefer). I think the contrasts of the neon yellow, black and white/gray lines stands out more than just solid Hi-Viz.

This is right at the end of April 2014.
Honda2014CTX1300A_inStateMCparking_4301.jpg
A little Hi-Viz is better than none. ATGATT or not. As has been said, avoiding and accident is best. Being seen is the best way to avoid an accident... most of the time.
 
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the Ferret said:
You know part of motorcycle safety is avoiding accidents in the first place, and being seen is a big part of that. I just went and looked thru all of the avatars of those responding to this thread and of those who have their pictures in their avatar, either standing or riding, NOT A SINGLE ONE (myself included) was wearing any Hi Viz gear..either jacket or helmet,...or a white helmet. Some may be wearing it and not showing it in their avatar, but I find it kind of ironic that people preach about safety while wearing all black riding gear. I know when I do see a rider wearing Hi Viz he really stands out, is shockingly noticeable, and is highly visible for a long time going up the road. I do have a Hi Viz safety vest I wear at times, but not all the time. My next jacket purchase WILL be Hi Viz, and my next helmet purchase will be white.
Click to expand...


Here you go.


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I will agree that avoiding is the best but I didn't have that opportunity. I had a hi-viz helmet like rjs987's and he still hit me from behind. So now I have the HJC IS-17 in a different color. Hope a little more vizeable?
 

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