Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins
I just have to ask, since I see this around here all the time - why don't motor officers wear "ATGATT"? Most around here ride in short sleeved shirts, if the weather is at all conducive to that. I kind of cringe when I see them. I know they know better.
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Ya know, I get that question all the time. Really the answer is it just isn't practical. Here in Socal most agencies have gone to flip up helmets and usually have a jacket with some CE armor in it. In addition to those items, My agency also required that all motors wear a ballistic vest, even though it's optional for everyone else. (added protection when sliding on your chest or back) Several years ago we also started wearing motorcycle specific boots and and pants. We haven't worn the old horse riding gear for quite some time. Although there is talk about bringing it back as formal gear.
That being said, When your on your personal bike are all geared up on a hot day and stop for gas or whatever, even with some sort of mesh gear, it doesn't take very long before you really start to over heat. As a motor, you spend a lot of time parked, then after stopping a violator, stopped while your writing the ticket, then doing the same, over and over. Honestly in the middle of the summer, it is absolutely miserable. We get several days when its over 100.
The other thing is just statistics. In the 12 years i was on the bike, in the hundreds of thousands of miles our 100+ guys have ridden, I honestly don't know of any accidents our guys have had, and there have been very few, that ATGATT would have made a significant difference. Why is that? Well, Honestly we just don't have very many big accidents. I think it is the continuous training we go thru. Just riding a motorcycle everyday, isn't necessarily riding skillfully, and riding skillfully is a perishable skill. We train those perishable skills alot.... after all these years, I still deliberately practice certain skills almost every time i ride. The other thing, just because someone can ride well or fast on the track doesn't mean they know how to ride well or safely on the street. Being Roadsmart is a completely different skill set.
Some are going to say that sounds ridiculous, but thats the truth. Like I said, I feel naked riding my personal bikes without gear. I wouldn't even consider an open face helmet, not a chance, yet the first five or 6 years i was a motor, all we had were open face helmets. a flip wasn't even an option. Both the crashes I've personally had on the street were also circumstances I wouldn't be riding my work bike in... I'll just leave it at that.
FWIW, a buddy of mine is a CHP motor, Their agency has no plans to change from the horse gear because its traditional
Sorry started rambling...