Riding without protective gear

[rockford22]

Prompted by me being knocked off my bike 8 weeks ago wearing full clobber head to toe (and indeed only suffering relatively minor injuries)....What happens to the idiotic riders you see in shorts when it comes to insurance claims?

I was asked multiple times by the 3rd party insurance if I was wearing full protective equipment. What about a 17 year old lad in shorts and a T-shirt who is knocked off through no fault of his own? He has fulfilled the word of the law with a helmet, are the 3rd party going to be paying him compensation for all the additional injuries due to his choice to not wear protective clothing?

Curious more than anything...saw 3 or 4 people in shorts on my commute home today. Makes me cringe.

[srob]

If you’re wearing legal levels of protection I can’t see how they’d refuse you payment?

Unless there’s a sliding scale, but where would the lines be drawn?

Also, everyone has different levels of ‘idiotic’ - many people say I am for wearing an open faced helmet. Many of us have also been riding for many years and have had many crashes and still make the same choices on levels of protection, so don’t assume because someone isn’t as dolled up as you are, they’re an idiot. Many car drivers would say anyone on a motorbike is an ‘idiot’ for taking that level of risk

[rockford22]

srob said:

If you’re wearing legal levels of protection I can’t see how they’d refuse you payment?

Unless there’s a sliding scale, but where would the lines be drawn?

Also, everyone has different levels of ‘idiotic’ - many people say I am for wearing an open faced helmet. Many of us have also been riding for many years and have had many crashes and still make the same choices on levels of protection, so don’t assume because someone isn’t as dolled up as you are, they’re an idiot. Many car drivers would say anyone on a motorbike is an ‘idiot’ for taking that level of risk

I don't disagree, everyone has their own level of risk (and providing this complies with the law).

Do insurers share this view is my query?

[Camelot1971]

I'd imagine claiming off a third party is the least of their worries if they come off a bike at speed while wearing inappropriate gear.

I also cringe too when i see a knob wearing shorts and T shirt while weaving in and out of traffic down the A12 into London.

[cmaguire]

I expect this is just a matter of time.
The law says you must wear a helmet, and I doubt any amendment anytime soon (they are too busy screwing everyone over in other ways).
But I can see the insurers adding stuff to their small print in an attempt to reduce their liability.

And if it is packaged in such a way that those going to town with all the gear get cheaper insurance than those that don't then it will probably be supported by the majority as the modern majority are a bunch of complete squares that love nothing more than a few more rules (and think there is a peadophile on every corner waiting to abduct their child, thus justifying them driving their kid to school and their kid being a spoilt fat fker)

[Krikkit]

This crossed my mind briefly the other day when having to avoid a young lad on an Aprilia, wearing a helmet and a tracksuit. Then again, the speed he was going in a congested 20mph zone it won't be long before they need a mop for him.

[lazybike]

Is there a law about protective clothing? Helmets accepted obviously, I frequently pop out in shorts and a hoody, have done for 40yrs, I've picked up a few scars but I've also broken bones wearing leathers, I'm very much in the each to his own camp.

[Disastrous]

cmaguire said:

I expect this is just a matter of time.
The law says you must wear a helmet, and I doubt any amendment anytime soon (they are too busy screwing everyone over in other ways).
But I can see the insurers adding stuff to their small print in an attempt to reduce their liability.

And if it is packaged in such a way that those going to town with all the gear get cheaper insurance than those that don't then it will probably be supported by the majority as the modern majority are a bunch of complete squares that love nothing more than a few more rules (and think there is a peadophile on every corner waiting to abduct their child, thus justifying them driving their kid to school and their kid being a spoilt fat fker)

Good post, but god, I hope not.

It really depresses me when I see people on a bike forum calling someone a knob for not wearing full leathers. Biking for me and many others, is one of the few remaining pursuits where one can make his own choices about acceptable risk, PPE and safety. In the same week, I have worn full leathers, Kevlar jeans and jacket, and shirt sleeves and Levi’s, as I was doing totally different things on different bikes at different times.

I like that nobody gets to tell me what to do beyond putting a helmet on and that any consequences are my own.

It saddens me that there is a vocal group of modern riders who feel that everybody must adopt the same standards as they do. To me it’s the absolute antithesis of what biking ought to be about and flies in the face of the freedom that riding a motorcycle brings.

[lazybike]

Disastrous said:

Good post, but god, I hope not.

It really depresses me when I see people on a bike forum calling someone a knob for not wearing full leathers. Biking for me and many others, is one of the few remaining pursuits where one can make his own choices about acceptable risk, PPE and safety. In the same week, I have worn full leathers, Kevlar jeans and jacket, and shirt sleeves and Levi’s, as I was doing totally different things on different bikes at different times.

I like that nobody gets to tell me what to do beyond putting a helmet on and that any consequences are my own.

It saddens me that there is a vocal group of modern riders who feel that everybody must adopt the same standards as they do. To me it’s the absolute antithesis of what biking ought to be about and flies in the face of the freedom that riding a motorcycle brings.

Here here!

[cmaguire]

Disastrous said:

Good post, but god, I hope not.

It really depresses me when I see people on a bike forum calling someone a knob for not wearing full leathers. Biking for me and many others, is one of the few remaining pursuits where one can make his own choices about acceptable risk, PPE and safety. In the same week, I have worn full leathers, Kevlar jeans and jacket, and shirt sleeves and Levi’s, as I was doing totally different things on different bikes at different times.

I like that nobody gets to tell me what to do beyond putting a helmet on and that any consequences are my own.

It saddens me that there is a vocal group of modern riders who feel that everybody must adopt the same standards as they do. To me it’s the absolute antithesis of what biking ought to be about and flies in the face of the freedom that riding a motorcycle brings.

Most of those 'bikers' will have started riding later on in life, and probably spend rather too much time researching every trivial aspect of their new pastime.
They were probably boring as hell before they got a bike, nothing much will have changed.

[lazybike]

[/quote] I also cringe too when i see a knob wearing shorts and T shirt while weaving in and out of traffic down the A12 into London.
[/quote]

I rode back from Braintree on the A12 the other week in shorts and a summer jacket, I probably split the traffic as I normally do, wouldn't call it weaving in and out....guilty on the knob charge though

Edited by lazybike on Wednesday 23 May 21:04

[jjones]

lazybike said:

Is there a law about protective clothing? Helmets accepted obviously.

No, regulations are to visor and helmet only. Unless you are a baptised Sikh and then you can wear a turban instead of a helmet.

[Camelot1971]

Disastrous said:

I like that nobody gets to tell me what to do beyond putting a helmet on and that any consequences are my own.

You are free to do what you like But I disagree the consequences are your own. What about your family? Other people involved in the accident? The nurse that has to scrub the grit out of your limbs?

If you want to pop down the shop in shorts, trainers and a T-shirt, that's one thing, but riding at speed with pretty much no safety gear on at all is just being a knob. Would you do a track day in shorts and a T-Shirt?

I wear kevlar jeans and a textile jacket - I don't own any leather gear at all (well, except boots, I suppose!)

[Camelot1971]

lazybike said:

I also cringe too when i see a knob wearing shorts and T shirt while weaving in and out of traffic down the A12 into London.

I rode back from Braintree on the A12 the other week in shorts and a summer jacket, I probably split the traffic as I normally do, wouldn't call it weaving in and out....guilty on the knob charge though

Edited by lazybike on Wednesday 23 May 21:04

I go down the M11 and join the A12 at the North Circular. Knob central there (and not just bikes!)

[Spanna]

Pisspot.
Sunglasses.
Jeans.
Leather jacket.

The attire of the my Summer riding.

[308mate]

lazybike said:

Disastrous said:

Good post, but god, I hope not.

It really depresses me when I see people on a bike forum calling someone a knob for not wearing full leathers. Biking for me and many others, is one of the few remaining pursuits where one can make his own choices about acceptable risk, PPE and safety. In the same week, I have worn full leathers, Kevlar jeans and jacket, and shirt sleeves and Levi’s, as I was doing totally different things on different bikes at different times.

I like that nobody gets to tell me what to do beyond putting a helmet on and that any consequences are my own.

It saddens me that there is a vocal group of modern riders who feel that everybody must adopt the same standards as they do. To me it’s the absolute antithesis of what biking ought to be about and flies in the face of the freedom that riding a motorcycle brings.

Here here!

Hear hear!

[Biker's Nemesis]

I always wear a t shirt and jeans at the very least.

[bogie]

In 3rd party claims I have read elsewhere about them trying to reduce claims if you dont wear protective equipment. e.g. someone knocks you off, and you are wearing just shorts and t-shirt. They will try to reduce the pay out as much if they can prove you would have been less injured if you had been wearing bike specific protective trousers and jacket.

Sure it was in one of those solicitor columns in MCN in the last couple of years...

[lazybike]

Camelot1971 said:

You are free to do what you like But I disagree the consequences are your own. What about your family? Other people involved in the accident? The nurse that has to scrub the grit out of your limbs?

If you want to pop down the shop in shorts, trainers and a T-shirt, that's one thing, but riding at speed with pretty much no safety gear on at all is just being a knob. Would you do a track day in shorts and a T-Shirt?

I wear kevlar jeans and a textile jacket - I don't own any leather gear at all (well, except boots, I suppose!)

I don't get this attitude of...well you're not wearing protective clothing so you're going to crash, I had a guy at a biker meet say to me "don't expect me to stop for you when you have an accident" I just said ok no worries.

I've done ring laps in jeans and leather jacket, didn't feel any more dangerous than full leathers.

[Jazzy Jag]

If I recall correctly there was a case a few years back where a guy had been knocked off his bicycle.

The court agreed with the insurance company that the rider was in some way responsible for his injuries as he hadn't been wearing a cycle helmet.