Greece - The land of Squids

[Sparkybean]

I have just come back from a holiday in Greece (The land of squids). It's insane. Where we were, probably 90% of traffic is motorcycles or scooters. They all go flat out and they all wear at most shorts, t-shirts and flip flops. One girl was wearing nothing but a bikini and bare feet, and get this, she was on a Hayabusa.
I saw 1 guy wearing a helmet, just 1!!!!! But get this, the straps were undone and it was an open face type. Amazing.

Even after 2 weeks of listening to hundreds of loud exhausts screaming past our hotel, I could not get used to the sight of a skin graft victim in the making.

Are we on this forum all a bit too safety orientated? Maybe, but I don't care. I like my skin and my head. Your chances of serious injury is massive even with the gear. I want all the help I can get.

 

[Motogiro]

I have just come back from a holiday in Greece (The land of squids). It's insane. Where we were, probably 90% of traffic is motorcycles or scooters. They all go flat out and they all wear at most shorts, t-shirts and flip flops. One girl was wearing nothing but a bikini and bare feet, and get this, she was on a Hayabusa.
I saw 1 guy wearing a helmet, just 1!!!!! But get this, the straps were undone and it was an open face type. Amazing.

Even after 2 weeks of listening to hundreds of loud exhausts screaming past our hotel, I could not get used to the sight of a skin graft victim in the making.

Are we on this forum all a bit too safety orientated? Maybe, but I don't care. I like my skin and my head. Your chances of serious injury is massive even with the gear. I want all the help I can get.

I have a neighbor from Lebanon and he says it's crazy how unsafe riders are. They have helmet laws but the riders think it's wrong to wear one for what ever reason. The keep their helmets with them and when they think they'll be riding by a LEO they put the helmet on. His brother has lost a lot of friends on bikes.

 

[Tagger]

people in south europe are like that (greece, itally,...). It's the culture over there it seems.

All i know is that i crashed only once and got away with a couple of stitches and a sprain ankle ... but my gear was completely destroyed, so the only conclusion i can take from that is that if I wasnt wearing full gear i would be in a different shape ... ... and that's all the motivation I need to put on my gear when i get on my bike. "too safety oriented" doesn't even register.

 

[spock]

for some it is bad, not for other ones.

It is a cultural thing.

They are not going to listen to people saying behaving that way is not safe.

In the same way US people is not going to stop calling USA America, knowing that it is more America than their country -> North America, Central America, South America.

Or US people is not going to stop calling soccer a sport that technically is the one that should be called football.

It is a habit, a cultural thing.

Cheers :thumbup:

 

[abraxas]

We all say "bikes are dangerous" and for us they are. Highways and so on, whole new level of danger which means we have to wear gear etc.

Seeing the Med, and the East, where bikes aren't dangerous is always very thought provoking. We've seen the pics of dad, mom, 4 kids and a dog on 1 scooter, none of them wearing helmets or even gloves, but for them it's not dangerous (seemingly).

All i really accept is that it's the entire traffic system that is different, and no, it's not as dangerous for them as for us, and it's got nothing to do with bikes.

 

[Dan]

... One girl was wearing nothing but a bikini and bare feet, and get this, she was on a Hayabusa...

A helmet hides her face. No one can see her beauty. That is the reason

 

[bob808]

I think that they don't wear gear due to the climate of that country. it's mostly hot there so what would it mean for dudes there to ride around in 40 degrees C... I don't think that you'll see anyone in Finland riding without gear Of course it is wrong, from that risk factor point of view. When living in hot areas at seaside there's a lot of body-building competition so you have to look good or better so then you are really concerned with your image. And displaying like that on a bike is the best thing to do if you want to attract the opposite's sex attention. Still, they all are squids just my opinion

 

[Dan]

Concerning wearing gear...

Here is the example how Russian girls do it:

 

[mrphotoman]

for some it is bad, not for other ones.

It is a cultural thing.

They are not going to listen to people saying behaving that way is not safe.

In the same way US people is not going to stop calling USA America, knowing that it is more America than their country -> North America, Central America, South America.

Or US people is not going to stop calling soccer a sport that technically is the one that should be called football.

It is a habit, a cultural thing.

Cheers :thumbup:

It may be different on your home planet of Vulcan :BLAA: but there is a big difference between calling a silly sport by a different name and risking your life on a motorcycle with no gear.

I would think gear would be common sense but common sense must be a rare thing looking at most people lol.

 

[mrphotoman]

We all say "bikes are dangerous" and for us they are. Highways and so on, whole new level of danger which means we have to wear gear etc.

Seeing the Med, and the East, where bikes aren't dangerous is always very thought provoking. We've seen the pics of dad, mom, 4 kids and a dog on 1 scooter, none of them wearing helmets or even gloves, but for them it's not dangerous (seemingly).

All i really accept is that it's the entire traffic system that is different, and no, it's not as dangerous for them as for us, and it's got nothing to do with bikes.

ahhh, no...................

 

[mrphotoman]

Concerning wearing gear...

Here is the example how Russian girls do it:

I should spank her for that, really really hard.

 

[ChevyFazer]

Concerning wearing gear...

Here is the example how Russian girls do it:

Im in love.......and maybe that guy who approached me the other morning was from Greece lol

Sent from my R800x using Tapatalk

 

[racing_fan]

One girl was wearing nothing but a bikini and bare feet, and get this, she was on a Hayabusa.

:needpics:

 

[DeusEx]

I am Greek and I live in Athens.
There are some things to take into consideration. For example the climate. It tends
to get really really hot here. The temperatures can go easily over 40c in the shadow. You can't wear a motorcycle jacket, nor boots with these temperatures. Usually I ride with my full face helmet on and summer gloves.
Also, it depends on your destination, distance and road conditions.
For example:
If I am driving just a few km down the road to get a drink, I might wear just my jet-type helmet.
If I am going with my buddies for long trip, on a highway or twisties, I usually wear my full gear, helmet, boots, jacket, gloves.

If your hotel was in Ios, you might have even seen me once or twice, driving my bike in flip-flops and no clothes from the waist up, but only for a few km at very low speeds, like a bicycle, from the hotel to the beach for example.
It doesn't mean that Greece is infested with squids!

 

[Kaisersoze]

for some it is bad, not for other ones.

It is a cultural thing.

They are not going to listen to people saying behaving that way is not safe.

In the same way US people is not going to stop calling USA America, knowing that it is more America than their country -> North America, Central America, South America.

Or US people is not going to stop calling soccer a sport that technically is the one that should be called football.

It is a habit, a cultural thing.

Cheers :thumbup:

How DARE you make fun of our beloved sport! We have the true "football", I mean look how often feet are used in our version! :tard::banghead:
You guys want us to get into soccer then let the US win the world cup man!

 

[spock]

It may be different on your home planet of Vulcan :BLAA: but there is a big difference between calling a silly sport by a different name and risking your life on a motorcycle with no gear.

I would think gear would be common sense but common sense must be a rare thing looking at most people lol.

jajajaja :BLAA:

I would think the same as you

but unfortunately the common sense seems to be the least common of all the senses

 

[Dan]

Getting back to the so called "safe riding". I think that it is high time to acknowledge that there is no safe riding at all. Protective gear is not the tool to avoid bad consequences of riding. From the driver's point of view each rider is a squid, whether he wears gear or not. Here is the same situation. If Greeks like to ride without gear, this is their own right. Don't judge them, don't be like car's drivers.

p.s. By the way, Greece is the perfect country with perfect people. I'm looking forward to visiting this country soon.

 

[dxh24]

Getting back to the so called "safe riding". I think that it is high time to acknowledge that there is no safe riding at all. Protective gear is not the tool to avoid bad consequences of riding. From the driver's point of view each rider is a squid, whether he wears gear or not. Here is the same situation. If Greeks like to ride without gear, this is their own right. Don't judge them, don't be like car's drivers.

p.s. By the way, Greece is the perfect country with perfect people. I'm looking forward to visiting this country soon.

Not trying to be a downer, but have your read the news as of late? I'd say Greece is in a bad way. Thankfully other nations of Europe have stepped in to help with the crisis, but let's hope it doesn't just drag them down too.

On a happier note (i guess) is that Russian girl hearing heels??? how the heck does that work?

 

[skyworm]

Squids.Definitely.Most of us.Unfortunately,me too :spank: It's not a culture thing,it is a lack of proper education.
Dan,приезжай своим ходом.Покатаемся...

 

[DeusEx]

Not trying to be a downer, but have your read the news as of late? I'd say Greece is in a bad way. Thankfully other nations of Europe have stepped in to help with the crisis, but let's hope it doesn't just drag them down too.
?

A crisis they started in the first place. Do you believe that this whole thing was a coincidence? Don't be naive and look behind the curtains...

Greeks, myself included are very hard working people, with 10+ hours days, 21 vacation days per year, and about 10 official holidays. Don't be fooled by the media...