When was the last time you saw a continental bike copper sling the bike down the road or get knocked off and when was the last time you saw an average joe get punted off by some SMDSY, lose it on diesel/gravel or just over reaching their ability ? If I were a continental bike copper, I'd probably wear the same gear as shown in the pictures but I'm not so I wear appropriate protective kit designed for motorcyclists and manufactured by a reputable company and hope I never have to test its performance. Andy
Each to their own,as in everything. Like so many others on here,I rode for years in nothing more than t shirt and jeans,(sometimes shorts),in the summer,and un-armoured leather jacket and jeans the majority of the time...bare headed or with an open face helmet,sometimes goggles but mostly sunglasses in summer time.And waterproofs?...don't make me laugh... There is no data for it,but I would be very surprised if the authoritarian insistence on the wearing of,"suitable apparel",was not one of the reasons people get put off bikes. I don't ride like Rossi so I don't see the need to dress like him,and I don't like the filth looking down their nose at me because I'm not following their advice. Btw I didn't post those pics to start an argument over whether one philosophy is better than the other,it came about because a guy I sometimes ride out with posted a pic of a dude with gravel rash on Facebook. He's ex-Met,and he added a comment about the guy learning his lesson etc. Now the guy didn't get the rash from wearing the wrong clothes,he got the rash because he binned his bike. If he had kept his eyes peeled and ridden with due regard to his talent and environment,he wouldn't have binned it.End of story. I found and posted the pics to show that,(a) if you can ride a bike properly),and (b),you are confident in your ability and,(c) prepared to face the consequences of your apparel choice,then there are alternative views even amongst the Law enforcers. And btw,it's a couple of decades since I dropped a bike in a manner that noticeably hurt me..(apart from on the dirt racing but that's different).
It makes me wince when I see people riding around in shorts and t-shirts etc. I don't doubt their ability. I understand about the guy you mention but I just know the roads in this country are full of absolute shit for brains people who should never be let behind a wheel. Especially in and around London. They prove it every time I go out. The consequences can be very very messy even though it may not be the riders fault in any way. I chinned a car once, it had jumped a red light. Not my fault at all but it was my Claret that was all over the road. Without protective gear I'd be dead. No doubt about it. It doesn't matter who you are or how good you are, shit happens.
And I repeat:the guys in uniform pictured also know what MIGHT happen IF they have an accident. Everything we do in life has potential consequences,we individually analyse the risks and act accordingly....if you don't chew your food,you MIGHT choke,but that doesn't stop you from eating. I see cyclists wearing very little in the way of protection,yet they are capable of reaching similar speeds in city rush hour traffic. Is their skin is any more hard wearing than mine?.I doubt it.Mopeds are probably slower overall than bicycles,but no bare heads for them? And nothing has changed over the years,there were twat drivers and "bikers",back then too. The roads are busier in some places,but still plenty of open spaces around my manor. I take more issue with the way road users isolate themselves with the wearing of headphones and badly positioned windscreen devices.
US coppers are in no danger. You can't actually fall off a Harley. The engine, exhaust system and footrests are designed as safety features to prevent reckless angles of lean greater than 15 degrees. Fartleys wobble but they can't fall down.
