They are among us.

[Grumpy]

Riding back home from Clearwater Fl, on I-4, cruising about 85 mph, clown on an 1800 wing, blew by like I was stopped, No Helmet, no shirt , shorts on and wearing flip flops.  I pity the fool if he has to lay that sucker down, another candidate for the Darwin award. 

[tbone]

Grumpy, I am with you, of course I remember being a little on, lets say brainless side when I was alot younger. I now think of what could happen and try to be cautious. I do not alway ride with a helmet but I try to not do the things I did in my youth. Of course I never remember riding in shorts and flipflops, guess I was not a careless as i thought. Tbone

[czuch]

What cracks me up is the seat belt laws in states where ya can ride in flip flops and shortys.

[Serk]

Riding back home from Clearwater Fl, on I-4, cruising about 145 mph, grumpy old fart on an old Valkyrie, blew by him like he was stopped, Full Face Helmet, Riding Jacket , Riding Pants on and wearing Riding Boots.  I pity the fool for sweltering in all that gear in this Florida heat and humidity, another candidate for the Darwin award. 

(For the record, I'm mostly just playing with ya' and agree the shirtless guy is a fool, but couldn't avoid the temptation to change a few words to change the perspective...)

[Grumpy]

Riding back home from Clearwater Fl, on I-4, cruising about 145 mph, grumpy old fart on an old Valkyrie, blew by him like he was stopped, Full Face Helmet, Riding Jacket , Riding Pants on and wearing Riding Boots.  I pity the fool for sweltering in all that gear in this Florida heat and humidity, another candidate for the Darwin award. 

(For the record, I'm mostly just playing with ya' and agree the shirtless guy is a fool, but couldn't avoid the temptation to change a few words to change the perspective...)

I don't mind, what bugged me, this was not a kid, looked like he was 55 years old or more. He will learn a hard lesson, if he survives it.

[mattfidaho]

maybe it was one with an air bag  ???   

[Ferris Leets]

Or the kid in flip flops T shirt and shorts wearing a $500 helmet.  And this kid had been down once already at about 30mph.

[Tundra]

He was probably free-balling too.

[Daniel Meyer]

Well, ya know what they say...

Anybody faster than you is an idiot, anybody slower than you is an asshole. 

[John Schmidt]

Some years back, one of the local GWRRA members and wifey were traveling west on I-10, not too far out of New Orleans. It was hot and he was dressed like that...flip flops, shorts, t-shirt, and helmet. The wife...pretty much the same. Got cut off at an off-ramp and went down. He was in the hospital for something like three weeks as I recall, she was in there about a week. Tore up his right foot/toes pretty bad...among other things. Totaled the bike, GL1500, real nice rig, he quit riding after that. They figured out what really caused the accident....his flipflops. He was riding in heavy traffic with his feet on the highway pegs....first mistake in traffic. Keep your feet off those highway pegs in traffic. Anyway, when he went to hit the rear brake and also tried to downshift, the back of his flipflops caught the front of the rider's pegs when he moved his feet back. He couldn't use the rear brake or downshift for those few seconds and he dumped it instead of rearending the car that cut him off. All he had was the single front brake, not enough to slow him in time. He was in his early 60's at the time, later admitted he knew better...it was just so hot. Nice folks, just one foolish mistake.

[CajunRider]

Cruising down I-10 just outside of Houston... running about 75 in my full face helmet, gloves, boots, and padded jacket.  A guy on a 650cc scooter zoomed by me like I was sitting still... he must have been doing 90+.

You guessed it... T-shirt, shorts, flip-flops...

To this day, I still laugh that someone could get a scooter to run that fast!!!   

Now, let the ribbing begin!!!!  I let a Valkyrie get passed by a scooter!!!     

[Serk]

Cruising down I-10 just outside of Houston... running about 75 in my full face helmet, gloves, boots, and padded jacket.  A guy on a 650cc scooter zoomed by me like I was sitting still... he must have been doing 90+.

You guessed it... T-shirt, shorts, flip-flops...

To this day, I still laugh that someone could get a scooter to run that fast!!!   

Now, let the ribbing begin!!!!  I let a Valkyrie get passed by a scooter!!!     

Hehehe, before the spousal unit got her ST1300, she had a Silverwing... That scooter is WICKED! It'd do 118 with ME on it (I'm not exactly, shall we say... petite...) AND it'd take most Harleys off a stop sign...

The spousal unit had floppy cat ears on her helmet, and on Friday evenings she'd go out Harley Hunting to try to get one to take her on at a stop light, preferably with several of his buddies watching...

(HER Words!)

"The Harley guys HATED it when a fat chick with floppy cat ears on her helmet took them off the line on a SCOOTER!"

Miss that scoot some times, it was great just to totally shock people...

[HayHauler]

BJ want to see pics of the floppy ears on the helmet thing!

Hay
Jimmyt

[fudgie]

Cant say I would ride that way, I at least wear a leather vest, boots, and fingerless gloves. But I gotta agree that it is nice to be free and wear what ya want when you ride, which is what we all want. 

[Serk]

BJ want to see pics of the floppy ears on the helmet thing!

[Dirty Dave]

Thanks. A picture sure is worth a 1000 words.

[YoungPUP]

Yup, The scooter is bad but the damn cat ears seals the deal....

[Clark]

GOTTA ADMIT.. if jus ridin around the valley i often ride in shots and sandals.. but usually don the full face arai... and dont act a fool,,if ya can believe THAT

[Paxton]

Grumpy;
That was me! 

Just kiddin' ... it was not me... but it fits my description when I blow by the CHP... err... in my dreams! 

"Those who understand history are condemned to watch other idiots repeat it."
Peter Lamborn Wilson

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I used to play tag on dirtbikes in the dark when I was a kid. A helmet, no gloves, tennis shoes, jeans, sometimes shorts and always a t shirt. No lights allowed, who ever was it had to tap another bike so they would be it. It had to be bike to bike contact, no hand taps. We'd play in local fields filled with briers, blackberries, raspberries, ditches and ruts.

It was an absolute ball and easing your scratches into a hot tub when you got home just made it more fun.

But riding in loose shorts on the interstate, that's insane. Shorts become "bee funnels" at highway speed. The boys are afraid of bees.

[YoungPUP]

+1 on the dirt bike tag! Dad put a stop to it after I lost it coming around the corner of the shed and dumped the bike into the inground pool in the backyard.

[x]

Riding back home from Clearwater Fl, on I-4, cruising about 85 mph, clown on an 1800 wing, blew by like I was stopped, No Helmet, no shirt , shorts on and wearing flip flops.  I pity the fool if he has to lay that sucker down, another candidate for the Darwin award. 

Why is he a 'clown'?  'Cause he's not meeting YOUR standards?  'Cause his bike will go faster than yours?  'Cause you think that at 85 your blue jeans are going to make a difference?

[Grumpy]

Riding back home from Clearwater Fl, on I-4, cruising about 85 mph, clown on an 1800 wing, blew by like I was stopped, No Helmet, no shirt , shorts on and wearing flip flops.  I pity the fool if he has to lay that sucker down, another candidate for the Darwin award. 

Why is he a 'clown'?  'Cause he's not meeting YOUR standards?  'Cause his bike will go faster than yours?  'Cause you think that at 85 your blue jeans are going to make a difference?

Nothing to do with my standards, I do wear gear. Just tired of these idiots that ride like this, and tax payers end up paying for their accidents. As for faster than mine, I doubt it.

[czuch]

HAHA dirt bike tag.
We used to play bumper tag. 2 Buick wild cats 63/35 respectively 115 mph touchin bumpers on a two lane at night. Throwin firecrackers and bottle rockets at each other. How did I get this old?

[Mofla]

Gotta compare the short wearing to smoking filtered cigarettes. Both dangerous, will it make that much difference ? " bee tunnel's" got me thinkin though !!!

[Mofla]

As opposed to non filters !

[Stanley Steamer]

I was behind a couple of old Boys on Hardleys this morning....one was wearing sandals and shorts and a muscle shirt.....and the other at least had a pair of boots on.....they were riding CHiP's style......I had to hurry and get around them before they got tangled up and wrecked in front of me.......

[fudgie]

Gotta agree with SE on this. 

We (Kit & I) have insurance. We wear no lid. Hopefully we hit hard enough not to be a burdon on others. 

I took a lady to the hospital yesterday. She fell out of bed. She has a head bleed. In your terms, she is a Darwin Award winner cause she should have been wearing ATGATT. But then again, a helmet may have prevented her brain injury.

[Clark]

HAHA dirt bike tag.
We used to play bumper tag. 2 Buick wild cats 63/35 respectively 115 mph touchin bumpers on a two lane at night. Throwin firecrackers and bottle rockets at each other. How did I get this old?

OMG I LIKE YOUR STYLE. GOOD THING WE DIDNT GROW UP AROUND EACH OTHER.. YOU ROCK DUDE

[Clark]

Gotta compare the short wearing to smoking filtered cigarettes. Both dangerous, will it make that much difference ? " bee tunnel's" got me thinkin though !!!

BEEN THERE DONE THAT.. you havent lived til yer cruisin down the road at 80 mph.. clubbin yerself in the nuts to try and stop the stinging..

[John Schmidt]

I took a lady to the hospital yesterday. She fell out of bed. She has a head bleed. In your terms, she is a Darwin Award winner cause she should have been wearing ATGATT. But then again, a helmet may have prevented her brain injury.

Granted, a home can be a rather dangerous place. But, comparing the danger factor of motorcycle riding to falling out of bed is a bit of a stretch. Heck, when I was in my 30's my former wife played a trick on me one Halloween. While I was tending the front door, she stripped, put on a mask and raincoat and sneaked out the back....then waited for the kids to leave. The doorbell rang and I answered it, only to be flashed big time by a crazed naked female shrieking "trick or treat." I jumped back, startled, tripped over my own feet and hit my shoulder on the TV stand/bookcase....cutting it open. Bled like a stuck hog.

The point is...you don't really expect crippling accidents in your own home. On a motorcycle....different story. You watch for it every time you go out and hopefully prepare for it, dress for it, accordingly. Shorts, flip-flops, no helmet, etc., doesn't quite cut it. As for riding without a helmet...only takes one good scare I guess.

I always figured a helmet is a lot less restricting for a couple hours than a wheelchair for a lifetime.

[fudgie]

But falls/accidents at home are alot more common. We had 2 mc accidents in this county this year. I bet we had 800+ falls with injuries in the same amount of time.  I'd be afraid more of a common injury then a rare one. 

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

+1 on the dirt bike tag! Dad put a stop to it after I lost it coming around the corner of the shed and dumped the bike into the inground pool in the backyard.

That's funny but woulda been hard to retrieve. We've got a small pond where I live now which is where my kids grew up. Our old 84 Honda 50 which is still running has been in that pond many times. Seemed to get funnier each time the kids did it. But, that's probably because I seldom had to wade out and get it. In the bottom of a pool would have been tough.

[YoungPUP]

Whats even funnier is that was what I dumped into the pool, don't know the year late 70's early 80's honda 50 clown bike. copper colored with a black seat. 3 sp  auto clutch. Didn't know any better at the time, but pulled it out of the pool, and she fired back up on one kick. Wish I still had that one for my kids.

[FloridaValkRyder]

I took a lady to the hospital yesterday. She fell out of bed. She has a head bleed. In your terms, she is a Darwin Award winner cause she should have been wearing ATGATT. But then again, a helmet may have prevented her brain injury.

Granted, a home can be a rather dangerous place. But, comparing the danger factor of motorcycle riding to falling out of bed is a bit of a stretch. Heck, when I was in my 30's my former wife played a trick on me one Halloween. While I was tending the front door, she stripped, put on a mask and raincoat and sneaked out the back....then waited for the kids to leave. The doorbell rang and I answered it, only to be flashed big time by a crazed naked female shrieking "trick or treat." I jumped back, startled, tripped over my own feet and hit my shoulder on the TV stand/bookcase....cutting it open. Bled like a stuck hog.

The point is...you don't really expect crippling accidents in your own home. On a motorcycle....different story. You watch for it every time you go out and hopefully prepare for it, dress for it, accordingly. Shorts, flip-flops, no helmet, etc., doesn't quite cut it. As for riding without a helmet...only takes one good scare I guess.

I always figured a helmet is a lot less restricting for a couple hours than a wheelchair for a lifetime.

Great point John. I was in disbelief that we repealed the helmet law here in Florida for "Adults" but you by-god better be wearing that seatbelt or you will get the "Click it or Ticket" fine! You can make all the arguments about helmets being good or bad, but we all know they are safer than not wearing them. My head gets hot and sweaty and I hate wearing jeans and gloves and a long sleeve shirt when I go out riding in 90 degrees but it is just better than the alternative. We are a free country, still, I think, I'm not sure actually, so you can wear what you want to but I can tell you first hand from a Paramedic's perspective, Safety Gear Saves Lives!! 

[Daniel Meyer]

Gotta compare the short wearing to smoking filtered cigarettes. Both dangerous, will it make that much difference ? " bee tunnel's" got me thinkin though !!!

BEEN THERE DONE THAT.. you havent lived til yer cruisin down the road at 80 mph.. clubbin yerself in the nuts to try and stop the stinging..

And THEN you get to explain just exactly *WHY* you were clubbing yourself in the nuts when you passed the female TX DPS cop at 100+ mph....

(sooo been there)

[musclehead]

I saw lots and lots of folks out for a ride this weekend decked out in every gear/gearless fashion trend imaginable. all age groups too, to each their own.

however the double dumba$$ award goes to the elderly couple that were trading drivers on the off ramp at exit 178 on I-40 west bound in TN (thats the 840 local traffic only) not in the breakdown lane, in the travel lane both doors open, no flashers 

[John Schmidt]

however the double dumba$$ award goes to the elderly couple

Hey Tom, at what age do you consider them "elderly?"  Careful now!!!! 

Just yanking your chain buddy. 

[schrambo]

I always wear a DOT helmet(open face) and boots. But I do sometimes wear shorts and tshirt to go to work. All two lane, not much traffic, 25 miles. Never had bees in my shorts, but I have had them come through the short sleeves into my back and sting the crap out of me with the tshirt flapping the crap out of them. OUCH!

[fiddle mike]

...  I pity the fool if he has to lay that sucker down, another candidate for the Darwin award. 

Anyone who purposely crashes a motorcycle is a Darwin Award candidate.