as well as in distributing bone-crushing forces over a larger area. This type of force is common when landing on pavement after being flung skyward during a highside crash.
In the racing world, more and more competitors are choosing a higher level of protection not often used before, such as chest protectors, neck braces, and even airbag suits. These protective systems will become the norm as technologies improve and as top professionals begin to use them more often.
Comfort and Style
It may seem silly to don full gear when the thermometer rises above 90°F (32°C), but crashes happen whether it’s 40°F (4°C) or 100°F (38°C) outside. You can bet that skin abrasion injuries are greater during the hottest days of the year when t-shirts and lightweight pants are the norm.
Fortunately, there are mesh jackets that provide decent protection while flowing a lot of air, and these jackets also feature sturdy material in vital places. The same manufacturers also offer riding pants for hot weather that can be worn over shorts or jeans while providing decent protection. And consider that sometimes it’s just too hot to ride, so it may be best to leave the bike in the garage if the conditions are such that wearing decent protection risks hyperthermia.
The type of protective riding gear people wear is a personal choice that should be based on risk acceptance and awareness, but more often is based on style and peer pressure. It may be tempting to wear only what is fashionably acceptable by your peers even though it offers little protection. Fortunately, several helmet and riding apparel manufacturers sell protective gear that complements all styles.
RIDING TERM
CE
Protective gear sold in Europe must conform to the “CE” standards for effectiveness in absorbing impact energy and resistance to abrasion.
Get Seen
Choosing a particular style of riding gear can help you be more visible, such as high-viz yellow or wearing a brightly colored reflective vest over your existing jacket. For the most conspicuity, buy gear with small add-on lights that mount either on a helmet or in the middle of a jacket’s upper back. Most can be programmed for steady luminescence or strobe.
Don’t want to look like a highway worker or a Christmas tree? Then choose a brightly colored jacket, like red. I know that most riders will choose black over safety colors. There is no law against that choice, but just know that you won’t be as visible to other drivers, especially in low-light environments.
Not Convinced?
Still on the fence about whether you want to spend money on good riding gear? Consider this: our body will succumb if there is an accumulation of several relatively minor injuries. That means that a serious case of road rash might be too much for your body to handle if it also has to deal with broken bones and a concussion. That’s why protecting your body from even relatively minor injury can save your life.
And if you think you’ll be okay without full protection because you’re just riding around town at “slow” speeds, consider how you’d react if I asked you to go out into a parking lot in your shorts and tank top, run as fast as you can, and dive onto the pavement. You’d likely tell me to get lost. Even if I offered you money, you’d likely walk away. Now, imagine how it would feel to fall while unprotected at 30 mph (48 kph)—not good.
In the racing world, competitors wear the highest level of protective gear.
No Panacea
We’d all love to think we can prevent death or serious injury simply by zipping on a sturdy jacket and strapping on the most expensive helmet we can afford. But the reality is that many deaths occur despite a rider wearing all the best gear. After all, elbow, knee, back, and shoulder armor is no match for a truck or tree. And no helmet made can withstand the impact of more than 300 G, which is a problem when a direct impact at normal speeds can easily exceed 500 G.
According to Academic Emergency Medicine, a human head will suffer brain damage 15.4% of the time if exposed to as little as 50 G. And neck and spine injuries are another serious problem that a helmet can’t do much about. But don’t even think about foregoing a helmet. A helmet provides protection to the most important part of your body, minimizes trauma (in most cases) to prevent traumatic brain injury, and prevents the rest of your injuries from killing you.
By all means, increase your visibility and protection. But don’t be fooled into thinking that simply wearing bright clothing will save you from poor decisions. You need to be careful not to adopt a false sense of confidence because you feel less vulnerable. It’s human nature to let your guard down when you don’t feel threatened (that’s why drivers in large vehicles seem less safety conscious). Sure, protective gear does make you less vulnerable to injury, but not enough to think that you can increase risk taking. A thinking adult realizes that protective gear is intended to prevent injury, not give permission to ride recklessly.
RIDING TERM
G
Stands for G-force, or the force of gravity.
Learn to Look
Let’s discuss the practical aspects of visibility—both yours and that of other drivers. Many riders don’t realize the extent to which eyesight affects motorcycle control and rider confidence. The fact is that you can’t manage risk and hazards if you can’t first see them. Riders who train themselves to look well ahead don’t experience anxiety nearly as often as “near-sighted” riders because they spot potential hazards early to avoid conflict. You will be amazed at how much more secure and in control you will feel if you strive to improve your information-gathering skills. Let’s see how.
Look for Trouble
Visual acuity is much more complex than simply looking ahead. To determine whether you’re headed for trouble, you must actively search for hazards by keeping your eyes moving. Quickly scan left, right, and down at the road surface to spot problems. Your eyes should be in constant motion. Avoid fixating on any one object for more than a second. Also, scan your mirrors and check over your shoulder when changing lanes to identify hazards that might be hidden in your blind spots.
It’s important to keep your eyes up so you can scan well ahead. Riders who scan only in the near distance are often surprised by obstacles or road characteristics that appear “out of nowhere.” In contrast, riders who train themselves to keep their vision “up and out” are able to see hazards much earlier to allow ample time and space to respond. This alone will improve safety and allow a more relaxed and enjoyable ride.
Busy traffic environments or higher speeds require even more aggressive visual scanning. A leisurely rural cruise at the posted speed limit may permit relatively relaxed visual scanning. However, as your rate of speed increases, the time you have to process information becomes condensed as information approaches more rapidly.
Keeping your vision “high” not only helps you spot hazards early, it also positively affects perception of speed. When your eyes scan the distant horizon, the landscape appears to pass by more slowly compared to looking down as the road rushes beneath your tires. A slower perceived rate of speed offers a sense of more time and space to react, therefore minimizing the effects of speed-induced anxiety.
Peripheral vision is as important for spotting hazards. A wide focal field allows you to identify clues about hazards from the side, such as movement that can indicate a car changing lanes or an animal darting from the
