Motorcycling Safer

Adam Bohannan's broken leg healed after a month, but the gravel imbedded in his kneecap after a car pulled out in front of his motorcycle three years ago gives a hobbling stride to his step. He was riding down the street, the weather was hot and he didn't bother with extra riding gear. After 35 years of motorcycle riding he knew better but he learned the hard way that you are lucky until the day you are not. Dangerous hobbies remind us of our own mortality but the difference between pushing boundaries and pushing up daisies has less to do with luck then common sense and proper safety habits. As riders engaging in a dangerous activity, we must do everything we can to mitigate hazards and maximize our chances of walking away when worst-case scenarios present themselves.

Safe riding starts with a Department of Transportation certified helmet, which will have a DOT sticker on the back, above the neck line. SNELL is an independent helmet certification that exceeds DOT standards and is found on more expensive brands such as Arai, Shoei and AGV. Helmets are available in half or full face design. Half helmets cover only your skull and have little or no protection for your eyes. Full helmets cover your skull and jaw while offering interchangeable eye protection that is tinted for different riding environments. A full-face helmet should fit snug about your head with little to no side-to-side play at the cheeks, ear protection and no obstruction in vision. While helmets are not mandated federally, most states require operators and passengers to wear a DOT-certified helmet because studies have found properly worn helmets save lives and minimize injuries. Like an airbag, a helmet is meant to work once and should be replaced after any accident.

While riders are not required to wear any additional safety equipment, proper motorcycle riding gear will improve a rider's comfort, allowing more attention to be spent on the road and spotting hazards in the road ahead. A motorcycle jacket should be made of leather or synthetic material such as Kevlar with removable padding on the shoulders, elbows and built-in padding around the kidneys.

Good riding jackets should include a removable liner for cold days and a full-length zipper around the waist to attach to riding pants. Pants are available in leather and synthetic and should have removable padding at both knees and on the hips. Gloves should be made of leather and with padding on the palms and knuckles and secured with Velcro straps below the hand and around the wrist. A gloves thickness depends on rider preferences and riding conditions as thicknesses range from thin leather to waterproof and heavily insulated. Boots should rise above the ankles and made of durable leather and work best when made with an oil-resistant sole built atop a steel shank. Although wearing proper riding gear can be cumbersome, so is walking with a limp.

By: Charles Bloom

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Charles Bloom is a lover of politics, food, and literature, and writing. You can find some of his writings on motorcycling protections at Motoprotections.com