Gigi Pridmore's ATTGATT story. Some busted knees...

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Reg Pridmore's wife, Gigi (also an instructor for CLASS Motorcycle School) shares a bad experience she had, using just part of the gear, part of the time. Basically fell off whilst two-up with Reg, sand all over the road...

Never Again

Or copy/paste/click:

[url=https://classrides.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/never-again/]https://classrides.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/never-again/

 

[Rolls_imp]

Good read. Thx.

 

[the Ferret]

I loved the foot note

"Footnote: Reg and I are super excited this year because in May we’re heading to England and the Isle of Man for a motorcycle adventure with 15 of our closest friends. The good folks at TourMaster have lined us up with some nice protective, waterproof motorcycle clothing. Held USA has us fitted us for some excellent new waterproof gloves, Sidi has our feet warm and dry with their Gore-Tex street boots and SHOEI has us stylin’ and well protected in new X-14 helmets. Thank you very much to these fine companies."

Hey, guess it's easy to wear top of the line stuff when someone gives it to you free.

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

I loved the foot note

"Footnote: Reg and I are super excited this year because in May we’re heading to England and the Isle of Man for a motorcycle adventure with 15 of our closest friends. The good folks at TourMaster have lined us up with some nice protective, waterproof motorcycle clothing. Held USA has us fitted us for some excellent new waterproof gloves, Sidi has our feet warm and dry with their Gore-Tex street boots and SHOEI has us stylin’ and well protected in new X-14 helmets. Thank you very much to these fine companies."

Hey, guess it's easy to wear top of the line stuff when someone gives it to you free.

That's the least of what he gets comped, but the guy worked hard for it.

There are some folks in the biz that'll take free stuff all day long and most of it is on very little discernable merit. Hate to say that but it's true a lot of the time.

What I can't believe is how hard the guy is working, and in his 70's. Rides like the wind, too. I don't do his track days any longer but they are very good in many respects.

 

[redbirds_imp]

I loved the foot note

"Footnote: Reg and I are super excited this year because in May we’re heading to England and the Isle of Man for a motorcycle adventure with 15 of our closest friends. The good folks at TourMaster have lined us up with some nice protective, waterproof motorcycle clothing. Held USA has us fitted us for some excellent new waterproof gloves, Sidi has our feet warm and dry with their Gore-Tex street boots and SHOEI has us stylin’ and well protected in new X-14 helmets. Thank you very much to these fine companies."

Hey, guess it's easy to wear top of the line stuff when someone gives it to you free.

That's the least of what he gets comped, but the guy worked hard for it.

There are some folks in the biz that'll take free stuff all day long and most of it is on very little discernable merit. Hate to say that but it's true a lot of the time.

What I can't believe is how hard the guy is working, and in his 70's. Rides like the wind, too. I don't do his track days any longer but they are very good in many respects.

It was fun watching him blast around Daytona on a BMW. I got this shot of him in 1974 I think, at Daytona infield road course.

 

[emptysea]

Nice post. While all the gear in the world would not have prevented my wife's injury, it's 100% ATGATT in our household from now on.

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

I loved the foot note

"Footnote: Reg and I are super excited this year because in May we’re heading to England and the Isle of Man for a motorcycle adventure with 15 of our closest friends. The good folks at TourMaster have lined us up with some nice protective, waterproof motorcycle clothing. Held USA has us fitted us for some excellent new waterproof gloves, Sidi has our feet warm and dry with their Gore-Tex street boots and SHOEI has us stylin’ and well protected in new X-14 helmets. Thank you very much to these fine companies."

Hey, guess it's easy to wear top of the line stuff when someone gives it to you free.

That's the least of what he gets comped, but the guy worked hard for it.

There are some folks in the biz that'll take free stuff all day long and most of it is on very little discernable merit. Hate to say that but it's true a lot of the time.

What I can't believe is how hard the guy is working, and in his 70's. Rides like the wind, too. I don't do his track days any longer but they are very good in many respects.

It was fun watching him blast around Daytona on a BMW. I got this shot of him in 1974 I think, at Daytona infield road course.

It was fun watching him blast around Daytona on a BMW. I got this shot of him in 1974 I think, at Daytona infield road course.

[url=http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/stumpshooter/media/regpridmoreonbmw_zps748a121e.jpg.html] So you really HAVE been there! What a shot, amazing on that BMW.

The guy gives me hope I can be doing it at his age.

Nice post. While all the gear in the world would not have prevented my wife's injury, it's 100% ATGATT in our household from now on.

The last track day I did with CLASS was shortly after that incident and he talked about it a bit. I was surprised that he and Gigi were riding without the "full gear" but so many of us have done it over the years.

I figure if she's willing to share the story, it might save someone some hurt someday. But as you say, some accidents are beyond ATTGATT. But we try to prepare, no?

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Nice post. While all the gear in the world would not have prevented my wife's injury, it's 100% ATGATT in our household from now on.

Good in principle and it may suit (pun intended) some, but no way I'm putting on leathers, boots, kidney belt and inflatable neck protector to take a 3 minute ride to the beach.

Cheers

 

[emptysea]

Me either, Pterry, but now you're getting into the definition of "All the gear" as opposed to "all the time". For a 3 minute ride to the beach, my gear would be a mesh jacket and pant (both armored), helmet, gloves, boots and sunglasses. Underneath would be my swimsuit and a t-shirt, my flip flops and sunscreen tucked inside the jacket or rolled in a towel strapped to the back seat. Everything comes off except the swimsuit and sunglasses upon arrival. I don't ever wear a neck protector or a kidney belt, although I may opt for the latter if it makes me look thinner, and the only leather I wear is on my feet until I can afford a jacket. So, depending upon one's definition of "all", I may or may not be an ATGATT person, but I will wear everything I mentioned above (except the swimsuit) all the time.

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

True MT. I think all the appropriate gear is what we mean. Appropriate is, of course, defined by the individuals appetite for risk. Sometimes, mistakenly, called a risk assessment. If I ride to the local beach in warm or hot weather I will wear a helmet, which the law compels me to in any case, gloves, jeans, a T and runners. Sometimes, mostly actually, I will wear an open face. I carry all the beach gear in a backpack. If I decide to take a swim further afield then it's more armour, full face, and the beach gear backpack is strapped to the pillion seat. It's funny how different people view appropriate gear. At last years rally I was the only one to wear full leathers. To me it seemed appropriate, if a little sweaty. And no, I don't wear a kidney belt, but I have considered enhancing my manly physique with a set of football shoulder pads .

Cheers mate, and I hope your wife fully recovers. After a "certain age" that's often hard to do. If I have a bad one now it would almost certainly be the end of me. But I don't let that stop me from revelling in the joy of riding.

 

[the Ferret]

True MT. I think all the appropriate gear is what we mean. Appropriate is, of course, defined by the individuals appetite for risk. Sometimes, mistakenly, called a risk assessment. If I ride to the local beach in warm or hot weather I will wear a helmet, which the law compels me to in any case, gloves, jeans, a T and runners. Sometimes, mostly actually, I will wear an open face. I carry all the beach gear in a backpack. If I decide to take a swim further afield then it's more armour, full face, and the beach gear backpack is strapped to the pillion seat. It's funny how different people view appropriate gear. At last years rally I was the only one to wear full leathers. To me it seemed appropriate, if a little sweaty. And no, I don't wear a kidney belt, but I have considered enhancing my manly physique with a set of football shoulder pads .

Cheers mate, and I hope your wife fully recovers. After a "certain age" that's often hard to do. If I have a bad one now it would almost certainly be the end of me. But I don't let that stop me from revelling in the joy of riding.

I agree with both of these.. and at 66 a real good header might spell the end for me too.

as I 've noted before the helmet is the only piece of gear designed to save your life, and I wear one 100% of the time when riding (from open face to full face). The rest of the gear (armored jacket, armored pants, boots and gloves) are designed to save broken bones and rashed skin, and on any given day I will wear any combo of this, from all to none. Yesterdays ride for example, Modular helmet, mesh jacket with armor, hi viz vest, jeans and mc specific boots, no gloves. If my ride had been much longer ( 79 miles) I might have removed the jacket. It was hot and humid and sticky and uncomfortable (today will be the same). Now if I was going out for a spirited ride with my son or brother where I will be pushing it and increasing my risk, I'd be geared up head to toe no matte the temp. I want to be comfortable riding, and am fully aware of the risks. Riding itself is a risk. If I wanted to avoid any risk, I'd sell the bikes, stay at home and watch the telly.

.... ATGSTT, STGATT

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

The only way most people seem to learn what is "appropriate" is by incurring an injury where some piece of gear would have reduced or prevented it. I ground a knee down wearing jeans in 1983 and pretty much never rode without leather pants after that. I started paying attention to riding gear thereafter and evaluated it based on how well it looked like it would protect my vulnerable points, elbows, shoulders, knees, head, hands.

Gigi admits she didn't wear the right gear, and learned a lesson. Even when Reg Pridmore is at the controls things can happen. I also was a passenger behind Reg, at the racetrack many years ago. It was terrifying how fast he entered turns, more frightening than any roller coaster or amusement park ride I've ever been on. Fortunately he didn't crash. My lap times did pick up after that, though.

We can all hope or believe nothing is going to happen, but most likely someday something is going to happen. Just a little fall in a parking lot or gas station can be life-altering, or something to shrug off, depending on the gear.