BBC - Air bag jacket 'could save lives'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_7886000/7886427.stm

The jackets are the equivalent of car air bags and inflate if the rider is thrown off during a crash.

There are different types of air bag jackets on sale in the UK, which cost up to twice as much as standard jackets.

With pricing like that, bike airbags should become commonplace.

One version, sold by Point Two, is attached to bikes by a lead and, if the wearer falls off, that triggers a small gas canister that inflates the jacket in less than one fifth of a second.

Newsbeat gave one of the jackets to Rob Hunt, a stuntman for 12 years.

He said afterwards: "It just stops you from going anywhere. It's tight. It's protecting all around my ribs."

"It felt as though I was picked up off the floor and I was on the air bag. It was just like gliding on air.

"It stopped me from rolling as well. It stops the bounce. I think it's the bounce when you're crashing at speed that hurts you."

I was visualising the fallen bikie bouncing down the road like a giant ball.