[net.cycle] need info on touring Europe - protective clothing

usenet@ucbvax.ARPA (USENET News Administration) (10/05/85)

Mike Schwager asked me to follow up on my clothing comment w/regard to
European clothing.  I guess if I was a little better at posting, I would
replicate some of the dialogue, but as I'm not...

German riders are very saftey conscious (at least when it comes to clothing);
however, the law in Germany only requires what I would also consider reasonable:
complete covering of legs, arms, and hands. (Comment: it really is pretty stupid
not to wear long pants when riding.  I've now ridden well over 300,000 miles
throughout the USA, Canada, Europe, and Asia.  And, I fully believe in the
statement: Anybody who rides, falls.  Most of the time, you're going down in
loose gravel at 5-10mph - at these speeds, if you are covered, the only thing
hurt is your pride.)

Outside of Germany, the Scandanavians are pretty gung-ho about covering up.
But, when you get into Spain and Greece, you'll find that it is pretty much
a matter of driver option.

Well, to summarize what I said before: leathers are nice if you're going to
spend all your time in cold, rainy countries like Germany and England.  However,if you head down south, you'll find that they will be too hot to wear and you'll
just end up tying them on the bike.
   ...Larry Mazlack
      MAZLACK@UCBERNIE.ARPA  (I'm sure that I have one of those other addresses,                              but I haven't a clue as to what it is.)
      Computer Science, U. California, Berkeley, California 94720

maciag@spar.UUCP (Chris Maciag) (10/08/85)

>

Last time I was in Germany, I noticed that all riders I saw had helmets,
and I do not remember seeing any without ridng jackets.  I asked a
German about this, and he said it was a law that you had to wear a
helmet and a kidney belt.  By the way, this was in West Berlin, so it
might be different in other parts of West Germany.  East Berlin does not
care how you dress when riding.

	Chris