This is somewhat off-topic, but I can't help but post it. To many of you it's old news, and common sense, but just another story for those you that feel riding gear is not needed on
pocketbikes and small bikes.
I took a trip to the local AutoZone around 9am this morning on my scooter. I got to the first red light in the town, and it turned red on me. I figured I would take that turn to the right and pull over to light a smoke, and take a different way to the store.
I had slowed down from 50-55 to a I'm guessing 35ish, maybe more. I'm sure a lot of you know when you take a turn you don't really look at the speedo, it just feels right. Like I said 35mph, possibly more, doubtful less. I get about halfway into the turn, leaned at a reasonable angle (not putting a knee down or anything crazy) and the tires slipped. The scooter and I go down on the asphalt pretty hard. It all happens pretty quick, so I can't be 100% positive of what I did, but... apparantly my instincts told me to get my right foot down. I bent my toes one way or the other, and my shoe flew off. I hit the asphat with my left forearm and right knee. I hopped up and picked the scooter up to get it and myself off of the road. Then went back and grabbed my shoe and some parts.
I did this wearing a t-shirt, jeans (luckily not wearing shorts as I often do), and low cut tennis shoes. Now I have some road rash on my forearm and knee. My knee is starting to swell and hurt ever since I went down. My foot continutes to swell and become harder to move, prob a sprain, but being a dude I didn't see the need for getting it checked out. Now I'm stuck limping around the house.
Had I been wearing even a long sleeve shirt, my arm would prob be much less skinned. With knee protection, I probably would have been alright there. With some good riding boots, I'd bet my toes wouldn't have been bent.
I've always been the type to say screw riding gear on a scooter, that's for sissies. Besides, I had crashed the cateye at around 30mph and hit mostly my shoulder on the pavement. My shoulder was a little sore, but I'm a big fella so I didn't hit the bone too bad and got over it quick. After that, how bad could it be in a low speed accident, right?
I will tell you now, the asphalt kills your ego quick. You don't look like a badass limping your scooter or pocketbike off of the road. I also realise I was lucky enough not to have cracked my noodle on the road, then I may have layed there for a few.
Another good thing to do, is carry a cell phone if you have one. I had a person in a car sitting at the light watch me crash, shoes and parts coming off and all, and then simply drive off when the light turned green. Other people passing just looked. Not one person offered assistance or said a word. Don't count on anyone else to help you out, carry your cell. I had to call for a truck, cause my throttle cable broke, luckily didnt need an ambulance or any other assistance.
Anyway, I am not telling you this to cry and moan and tell you you better gear up or else... none of that BS. I'm just posting this because I am a guy that never had a use for gear, aside from making the law happy or on a real bike, and even I will think twice about a lack of gear. I won't lie to you and say I'll never go out again without the proper gear... I prob will, I have no good sense, but you can bet I'll at least be strapping that helmet on, and looking into some jeans with protection built in, as well as wearing my boots.
Say what you will about looking stupid in that stuff on a scooter or in your cases
pocketbikes... but it does suck knowing I'll be sore, swollen, and stuck sitting around, not riding, for a bit.
Anyhow, the moral of the story is, at least think about wearing your helmet. Fall the wrong way, even at lower speeds, and you will be hurting. Just another story for all the guys like me that are too tough for riding gear. Sorry the post is so long, I'm stuck sitting around now, and bored.
