A visitor to the Arrive Alive website sent an email with a few amusing photos. One of these to catch my eye is a photo of the heaviest biker I have seen thus far! He is unfortunately not wearing the necessary protective gear!
Having been at the Harley Davidson shop in Sandton earlier today, I decided to write something and emphasize the importance of protective gear. Bikers in South Africa are well aware of the safety organization Think Bike. Think Bike does a lot of work amongst the biking community to enhance safe biking. These safe bikers believe in the acronym ATGATT – All the Gear All The Time!
We would like to quote from the Arrive Alive website:
What is the purpose of protective gear for bikers/ motorcyclists?
• Improved Visibility — Many riders choose higher-visibility gear. Bright colors and retro reflective strips are common on quality equipment and make the riders more visible to other road users such as motorists, truck drivers and even pedestrians.
• Abrasion Resistance — Thick, tough leather provides the most abrasion resistance in a crash, but fabrics such as cordura, kevlar and ballistic nylon provide significant protection too. In addition, fabrics are generally cheaper, easier to maintain, waterproof, and more comfortable in hot weather. Thick leather, which affords the most abrasion resistance, can be uncomfortable in high temperatures, may cause heat stress & loss of control with insufficient fluid replacement. Some gear is constructed of fabrics made into a ‘mesh’ that provides cooling and a stable surface for the attachment of padding
• Padding — Quality jackets and pants provide significant extra padding in the vulnerable joint regions. This can take the form of simple foam padding, or dual-density foam that stiffens when compressed, sometimes with plastic or carbon fiber outer-shells that distribute the impact across the pad. Integrated pieces can be found in some jackets.
• Weather Protection — an important aspect of protective clothing is protection from the elements. Extreme weather can make a long ride unbearable or dangerous. Gear needs to provide protection from wind, rain and cold.
We would like to urge all bikers to view the information on: