Up north in Malaysia, you see lots of Singapore bikers with proper riding gear. At the Sepang MotoGP, every second guy was walking around in full leathers and motorcycle boots. Back home in Singapore, hardly anyone wears protective clothing. I am also guilty, because in the hot Singapore weather, I also sometimes just grab a helmet and a pair of gloves and cross my fingers. It is as if we believe that accidents can only happen in Malaysia, or only when we are travelling at speeds greater than 90 km/h.
However, accidents happen when we least expect them, and not only when we are properly prepared for them. In fact, the Hurt study states:
12. Most motorcycle accidents involve a short trip associated with shopping, errands, friends, entertainment or recreation, and the accident is likely to happen in a very short time close to the trip origin.
and
16. The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86 mph.
After seeing this case of roadrash, I have decided to change my ways. In future, I will at least wear a full-face helmet, gloves, a mesh jacket and strong, closed shoes every time I get on my bike. I should probably think about boots and pants as well ...