TheScooterScoop

(photo from AMADirectLink.com‘s 2006 Indi Dealer Expo coverage)

Eddie H. alerted us to this exciting bit of news. Impact Jackets (who’s website is having some issues at this moment) have come through for Joseph McPhatter. The news coverage goes like this:

BALTIMORE — While motorists who have been in car crashes often attribute the help of air bags to saving their lives, a Maryland motorcycle rider injured in a collision is doing the same — for a jacket.

Joseph McPhatter, of Randallstown, was injured in a crash on Interstate 83 after being cut off by another motorist in September. According to police, McPhatter was ejected 100 feet, hitting the ground at an impact rate of 140 mph.

Police said that McPhatter might have been severely injured had it not been for the Impact Jacket he was wearing — a jacket that inflates like an air bag when a motorcyclist is in an wreck.

McPhatter suffered from sore ribs and knees and a few other minor injuries, but it could have been much worse, officials said.

Officials said McPhatter’s crash was the first real-life incident in the U.S. where the jacket was used.

Well, that was a well spent $600 for Joseph! I knew an invention like this would be inevitable; I even sketched up a design for a airbag jacket about 10 years ago for a college project. Seemed like a no-brainer that has finally been put to the test.

So, what do YOU think? Are you sold on the Impact Jacket, or still in the “Eh, not gonna spring $600 for it” camp? Personally, I don’t know that I spend enough time going fast enough to inspire the need for one right now. McPhatter had an impact rate of 140 MPH… I can barely get my scooter to do half that speed. If I often cruised the highways on a bike doing 70+ MPH, it would DEFINITELY be a consideration. Now if someone can just invent the “soft guard rail”.
Oh, the title link above leads to the news site which includes a video. Thanks for the scoop Eddie!

***UPDATE***
Hrm… Apparently McPhatter was going 70MPH when he wrecked, and THAT causes a 140 MPH impact rate? Yikes!

Hehe, ah and one more thing. It may take a little while for riders to get used to unhooking the trigger cable. Don’t be surprised if over the next couple of years you see a few hundred photos of officers standing next to their bikes like this:

(*Smacks forehead* D’OH! Stupid jacket!)