Should we even be allowed to ride a motorcycle at all? Can there be any doubt that motorcycles are more dangerous than cars? Surely motorcycles are too dangerous and the costs to society to high to allow people to ride on motorcycles. Consider how dangerous the activity is even with the appropriate gear. By what factor do you really think the risk is mitigated with the appropriate gear. What, maybe 1/3 less likely to be killed? Surely the risk is just too high. Society simply can't afford the risks and costs associated with motorcycle use.
You see, there is NO logical point whereby to draw the line. Having gear doesn't make motorcycle riding safe. Those who advocate ATGATT seem to think that they are protecting the activity for the rest of us. In fact, the very arguments they make can just as easily turned against motorcycle riding in general.
I think that statement would have some, (not alot) validity if EVERYONE rode a bike instead of driving a car. (and doing that in itself would make the road safer...)
Motorcycles , no matter what you think, are a minority, and are a minority when it comes to ways to die or be injured. CARS kill , injure and maim more people per year than anything (some of them folks on bikes), so by your logic we should get rid of cars first. I'm with you on that vote.
Society bears risks and costs? Not usualy. More folks die of heart disesse, and cancer, so picking out motorcycles as one of "societys ills" is just stupid.
I am not sure but it sounds like you are trying to rationalize not wearing any gear under the pretext that there are no guarentee's that it will be helpfull in an accident. That is about as stupid as telling a cop not to wear a bullet-proof vest because he might just get shot in the head anyway.
Helmets are a law in some states, but proper gear is not (as far as I know) I know some states "suggest" one to wear proper riding attire, but no actual law covers it. I have seen shirtless shoeless riders with non-DOT approved helmets and shorts pass cops and not get pulled over.
The bottom line it is your ass and your choice on how well you wish to protect it.
Now I am also unsure how promoting wearing protective gear works against us as motorcyclists. Are you saying that wearing gear is just pointing out to everyone that bike riding may be dangerous? Well bikes are dangerous and just about everypone knows this, so wearing a helmet and protective gear is showing the world you realize this too...as opposed to the shirtless fool that is simply showing everyone how stupid he is or that he just doesn't care. And when "society" sees folks that don't care that tends to make them more angery than anything else...and THAT IS working against us.
Look, I am not going to give anyone crap on what choices they make. If you do not wear a helmet , your just being careless and stupid...but that is my opinion. If you don't wear head to toe protective gear...that is your choice, but again, you are just adding to your risks....and providing the rest of "society" with more ammunition to make protective gear a law , or, to outlaw to bikes altogether...
And when it comes to not being killed, I'll take that 1/3...it may mean alot.
EDIT- some numbers for you:
http://cbs2.com/national/Traffic.deaths.US.2.795108.html
And it is estimated that over 1 MILLION people with die this year from cancer and heart disese.
KM