 
| Excerpt from: Motorcycle Lawyer
|  | | October 17, 2007 | | Protective Clothing? | Why don't motorcycle policemen where better protective gear?
A recent news report tells the familiar tail of a Civic driver who makes a left turn into a motorcycle. Nothing new here. It gets interesting, because the motorcycle is a BMW ridden by a police officer, who is then pushed into another motorcycle officer.
Given the nature of the accident, the injuries could have been worse. What is interesting to me, is that these riders, professionals who spend all day every workday on a motorcycle, do not have the best protective gear.
There are several obvious reasons for this. First, a full face helmet might interfere more with the officer's ability to clearly communicate with a motorist at a traffic stop. So, I can understand the partial helmet.
So often I see short sleeve shirts. Yes, it gets hot in the summer, but I have never understood this one. There are lightweight kevlar shirts available, and some locations provide them. It just seems unnecessary. My guess is that this will change over time, and that the traditional heavy shirts are just too much with long sleeves.
Gloves are another place where I have seen room for improvement. Here again, the officer has to be able to use a gun, flashlight, and other equipment. It is understandable that a lighter glove may work better. Hopefully, the departments will pay for high quality leather, such as Kangaroo, or deerskin. A few rivets in the palm should not interfere with use of fingers.
Lastly, footwear seems outdated. The old style high boots are a traditional fashion statement, and good because they go almost to the knee. On the other hand, armor seems like it could easily be improved. Hopefully, someone will come out with motorcycle boots that combine the traditional look with more protection.
These are some of the finest riders out there. Few groups are as skilled on a motorcycle as motorcycle police. They have some safety advantage because motorists are respectful once they see a motorcycle cop. On the other hand, a motorcycle cop is constantly absorbed in doing the job. They can't pay full attention to riding.
I, for one, would like to see some time spent examining safety gear that works for these professionals.
| Topic Tags: accident, armor, Dearskin, gloves, injuries, Kangaroo, leather, left turn, Motorcycle police, protective clothing, protective gear, safety | |
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