The Official Pune Offline Meet(G2G) Thread

[nav75]

shoes are also mandetory i forgot that..my bad.
at meets ppl DO wear safty gear its just that Guards are not mandetory.and every one of us in city rides way slowly than in lavasa.i personally think one can ride in city without Knee and elbow guards. some time it so happens that ppl come directly from office and carrying guard there is inconvinient so we have not made them mandetory.join us some time u will come to know...

Your point is absolutely valid. It is recommended that every rider should wear all safety gear while coming to meet. However, it is not mandatory and riders are turned away from meets simply because, some may have come directly from their office or from some other places where they couldn't carry their gear. Out of city rides are different because the speeds are much higher than city average speed of 20kmph. So riders are turned back if they are not wearing full gear and not carrying complete documents of bikes.

In city, you can still go down no matter how safely/slowly you might be riding. Hence, I'll prefer as much protection in city as one uses outside city. Its like saying, I don't want to wear a helmet(as an example) in city as I ride really slowly and very carefully.
Can't join you guys as I don't use some protective gear you guys have made compulsory in city/highways (except for the race track). If this revelation makes me in-eligible to contribute in this thread, please do let me know, I'll stop.

Edit: Normal shoes don't protect ankle.

[trustvishwas]

..some stay and sleep at roopali :P

Hey parrot, I don't stay and sleep at roopali. Every day I also visit my home and office. Also I can't reach my home stretching my arms, I need to stretch my legs.

[tourer_kashif]

Talking about safety doesn't make me paranoid about it.I do not feel the need of wearing the knee pads all the time.Think of a scenario where I ask my gf/mom to wear knee/elbow/gloves... before sitting on my bike for a family meet in city.I cannot do that.

But then also I am not compromising with safety,Wat I do is to reduce the speed in city,be extra alert,avoid cross lane driving.riding in city is different game altogether.We can discuss more on this

About Lavasa : I have witnessed two sessions there and I feel its very safe as Rohan mentioned.Yes we can take more measures.
And yes we shall be extra cautions now while heading towards it.

[trustvishwas]

In city, you can still go down no matter how safely/slowly you might be riding. Hence, I'll prefer as much protection in city as one uses outside city. Its like saying, I don't want to wear a helmet(as an example) in city as I ride really slowly and very carefully.
Can't join you guys as I don't use some protective gear you guys have made compulsory in city/highways (except for the race track). If this revelation makes me in-eligible to contribute in this thread, please do let me know, I'll stop.

I don't understand the reason behind your posts. In one post, you are saying that all the safety gear should be mandatory for all the members at all the times and now you are saying that you don't use some protective gear which is compulsory. Like what ?

I think there is some clarity lacking here.

Local G2G meets - Members are advised to wear protective gear but are not turned back if they are not wearing it.

Out of city limit rides - Members are turned back if they are not wearing - helmet, Knee and elbow guards, shoes, gloves. Armored Riding jacket is not compulsory since it is expensive. Still I believe 100% have them and wear it. In fact, I was the last one (I think) to buy it. Members are also turned back if they are not carrying their RC, TC, Insurance, PUC and driving licence. All need to be valid. These documents are checked by other riders of the group. Even the leaders are not exempt from this.

I hope I have clarified the requirements.

No one is ineligible to contribute in any thread unless he/she/it is abusive.

Sorry but I am getting late going to Roopali so can continue this discussion tomorrow or tonight's meet.

[rohitlc]

Sorry but I don't agree to this. If one is promoting safe riding, it has to be in all environments. Be it riding to college, riding to office, riding to in city meets or riding outside city limits for fun.


In camp at a store that sells army stuff, one can buy a not so good looking but effective in protection (vfm, I say) shoes for as low as 500 bucks.

its very nice to see someone so concerned about safety and working towards it ..its great man that u go fully kitted to office/ college, local grosery store/ barber.i use those DM shoes from Makati really good.
but it seems u have some different mental picture of us than what we are.. we are meeting tonight at roopali deccan at 8.30 it would be so nice if u could join us. safe riding.

[surojit]

Also i feel/request that motomentors to stop their activities at lavasa, as its not a safe place for learning purpose. Rest is perfectly upto their decision.

may be i'll leave it upon my MENTORS to decide whether to ride to lavasa or not....
but from a personal prespective.. i know these three sessions have made me a better rider altogether... in any environment... n my friends (non xBhpians) bear testimony to it... i will avow that i am learning lots from those sessions... atleast i dont need to go and ask senior members every single doubt coz in the theory sessions half of my doubts are cleared... n if not motomentors who will teach me? i dnt have the financial means to got to a racetrack or join a motoring school... the who will teach newbees like us? once u attend these sessions your respect for the MENTORS increases... they instill a sense of responsibility within u... they never speed in front of u... last sunday sagar told me two things that i need to improve upon n those are "NOT HONKING ON BLIND CORNERS" and "GETTING INTO THE OTHER LANE"... thats how we intend to make ourselves disciplined....
and agreed lavasa corners are tricky... but i guess getting to know how to handle tricky corners ion a controlled environment will not harm us"

[nav75]

I don't understand the reason behind your posts. In one post, you are saying that all the safety gear should be mandatory for all the members at all the times and now you are saying that you don't use some protective gear which is compulsory. Like what ?

What I wanted to say was that if you are asking members to compulsory wear some safety gears just on out of city rides, for their safety. That's not enough. Make it compulsory for them to wear it every time. So that next time, god forbid, if someone crashes in city. He should not repent that not wearing the protective gear that he left at home.

Regarding me, I don't wear knee guards unless I'm riding on the race track.

its very nice to see someone so concerned about safety and working towards it ..its great man that u go fully kitted to office/ college, local grosery store/ barber.i use those DM shoes from Makati really good.

Thanks for your nice words.
Yes, I always wear helmet, jacket & gloves, winter/summer/rain(no gloves) for my daily commute + occasional riding I do.

but it seems u have some different mental picture of us than what we are.. we are meeting tonight at roopali deccan at 8.30 it would be so nice if u could join us. safe riding.

I have already been at the Roopali meet sometime back and have seen you guys riding in Lavasa a couple of times.
Sorry, can't come today as I got to go to gym and then a small ride later in night.


Edit: Just wanted to mention. I don't consider knee guard as an unnecessary item. Just that I'm waiting for sometime before I get myself a proper riding pant.

[rohitlc]

its ok man.next time may be.

[shrinathrao]

chalo lets meet at roopali

[TenHut]

Sorry but I don't agree to this. If one is promoting safe riding, it has to be in all environments. Be it riding to college, riding to office, riding to in city meets or riding outside city limits for fun.
In camp at a store that sells army stuff, one can buy a not so good looking but effective in protection (vfm, I say) shoes for as low as 500 bucks.

When you are wearing the eraser out ahead of the pencil you are overdoing it.
In a group ride my life is the collective responsibility of the group. Hence the mandate. If you die on the streets while visiting a barber shop and didnt want the hair to get into your helmet and hence didnt wear one, its not my resonsibility. Hence no mandate. The beauty of this group is that even though its not a mandate they still wear the gear.
You shall agree with me that everything should be in a balance.

the same way u aint wearing knee pads as u are waiting to buy good ones there are ppl waiting to buy good riding shoes. Do we ban them till then ?
That would be hypocrisy.
Rs 500 Riding boots will provide you protection equvivalent to that of a roadside helmet. Better save up and buy good ones. Any boots covering the ankles are not safety boots. Riding boots are riding boots for a reason.

I am way too tired through all the discussion that went through tonight at roopali.
Hope a lot of good things srping out of this collective concern of ours.

[Devilpulsarian]

Whatever happened was a misfortune but as I understand from the scenario was that the bike had some fault and it could have aggravated anywhere on any road...(or probably I might be wrong)

I am at my hometown so couldnt join any of the G2Gs or meets but as I see it sitting at the cozy comfort of my home, we are evolving and getting better by the day!

I would not want to get into any of the current discussions....just that everyone has his understanding of things and if he is not mature (read insane) he might do that on any damn road on India...how is xbhp or motomentors responsible for that?

No place in India, not even footpaths are safe if you take into consideration the latest fiascoes which has happened over time...
The best a person/group/community can do is follow safety and spread safety.
Raman Lamba died of a cricket ball hitting him while he was fielding at silly point. Did people stop playing cricket? No, instead people became more cautious and started exercising more caution. Use of internal chest protectors, chin guards etc were exercised with more vigor and the game goes on!

Many among us tour on National Highways and going by the very word of it, reach speeds of 90-100kmph on roads whereas in Lavassa the top speed of people (I am specifically talking about those two turns where we generally corner), is a paltry 60kmph with a clear vision of the road ahead (again those two turns).

In pretty general regards, speed is what kills....and going by the above example tourers are at a little more risk than people who corner!

Cutting it short, everyone amongst us must be (become) a responsible rider within himself and things will automatically improve!

[satyenpoojary]

Some of the posts here are actually hilarious! I would be safe, but at my convenience seems to be the mantra here....

There are these points from Nav that I agree, and then from Rohan and all that I agree as well...

Riding to a barber shop was an example (and a pretty lame one if you ask me)
I have been riding sans gear to office for almost 4-5 years now! Yeah it is strange, but it’s better than ending up kissing the road due to a oil spill or any damn thing.
Someone aptly said, the more the variables, the more the chances of an 'incident' ... and I don’t know why, but I think the city is probably the place which has more variables than secluded highways....
Tourers will blame stunters, stunters will blame rippers, rippers will blame corner carvers and the cycle continues... we will continue to have this as long as we have someone to blame! Every time a rider is down we will yap about it for some weeks and it will mellow down…

The worst point is (what I realised the hard way), you can teach a lot more people by making them see rather than yelling at them! No matter how many people I train the fact remains that the number of people who would 'see' you will always exceed the number of people "following as in learning from" you. If you are lucky people seeing will eventually learn and talk about it and in the process will learn atleast basic stuff. A proof of that is my office bay in ICICI and in Future Group and now in Barclays, almost every freaking person here now rides with a good helmet, a basic jacket… and some of them even with gloves! This was not the case until a few months back! I am just assuming that may be they have learnt or realised it after seeing me everyday carrying my gear to my desk! I would not deny but I was the smart arse who pinned up the ridesafewith.me article on our office board… and am sure people must have seen it as well!

I ride fairly fast, but I still ride responsibly, I talk to people when they are erring in something.. I do abuse rash riders\cagers (lol funny but true!)
If you are so concerned about others safety, next time you should probably chose to wait and help someone who spilled rather than ‘hurry’ to your ‘work’

PS: Don’t bother quoting or replying to this if you never carry a medikit in your kitty when you ride… you will probably never understand… and no! I am not talking about that small pouch that came with your bike

PS: I am looking for some people who are willing to do something crazy to spread some road awareness! If interested mail me…

[nav75]

When you are wearing the eraser out ahead of the pencil you are overdoing it.
In a group ride my life is the collective responsibility of the group. Hence the mandate.

I thought it was more than caring for safety just on group rides?
I am aware that some people do wear safety gear even otherwise but then still there is a rule during the group rides for others. I'm trying to say that make those others also ride safely, when they are not just part of group riding. If that is not the aim, then I guess I'm wrong.

the same way u aint wearing knee pads as u are waiting to buy good ones there are ppl waiting to buy good riding shoes. Do we ban them till then ?
That would be hypocrisy.
Rs 500 Riding boots will provide you protection equvivalent to that of a roadside helmet. Better save up and buy good ones. Any boots covering the ankles are not safety boots. Riding boots are riding boots for a reason.

One main reason why I don't wear knee pads is that they hamper in the way I ride. I have tried to fix it and then decided to keep them aside.
The 500 bucks boot I'm talking about do provide better protection than the regular sport shoes that might cost much more than it. Yes, it will not match the protection provided by a proper riding boot.
Compare it with a setup of normal jacket(normal sport shoes) vs normal jacket + elbow guard(a shoe that provides basic protection to ankle, like the one I mentioned) vs a proper riding jacket(proper riding boot).

[TenHut]

Raman Lamba died of a cricket ball hitting him while he was fielding at silly point. Did people stop playing cricket?

A dash of cricket from Devil. one day I am going to ask you if you love cricket more than riding
And if your answer is the wrong one then I am gonna Joe Rocket you into space

Satyen...tbh you dont commute to office. What you do when going to office/home/mumbai/pune is somethign that I wouldnt do on a freakin Bike AT ALL on a daily basis...different people sifferent strokes i guess. We are talking here of riding the gear to reach a place only 2 or max 7 kms away from home. Again...if u r wearing the eraser out ahead of a pencil you are overdoing it. The buck has to stop somewhere. Will be very easy for me to call what everybody else is saying as lame and take it to the next logical stage by saying one should wear a full leather suit in the city and to office. Protection offered by a suit is unparalleled and basically by not wearing it to office you are saying 'I shall wear gear but a cheap one'. Just like you thought others were saying 'I shall wear gear, but at my convinience'
You are putting words into the mouths of people who never meant anything even close to what you claim they did.
Agree to disagree and leave it at that. On a sub 200cc wearing gear to your office is nice if u are crossing continents to do that...but its not nice if all you have to do is ride for 15 mins to get to office.
Gear != Helmet..helmet should always be donned. And if you are gonna say anything can happen anytime then one should be running around the footpath in a protective gear too and have cushions in the shower lest you fall anytime ! Balance is the key !

P.S : I bothered to reply as I do carry a medikit on me when in saddle. Not the small pouch one. A military one ! I guess many in pune do that after Sagar spoke of it at one of our G2Gs.

[nitrosatya]

This is sad! It shouldn't have happened. I think the rim of the tyre which was damaged must not have been on ground many times.

And talking of Lavasa, our prior experiences tell us to be cautious of the villagers. Our next visit must be very very cautious. Or rather we must not visit that place for some time.
And I agree with Vishwas for organizing a combined groups meet.
PS: Rohan:There is no return button on photo gallery of the MotoMentors' site.