Thanks Matasicke, your link provides awesome graphics for those who may have never seen or considered the consequences of riding without proper gear.

I am in general agreement with the recommendations on the site, but I would respectfully submit that “Boots of some sort” downplays the importance of proper riding boots.
-Fashion boots, even if they look like riding boots, will disintegrate on asphalt.
-Any lace-up boot is just begging to come undone & get caught on the pegs, controls or sprocket.
-Low rise boots will easily come off in the event of a real wreck.
-Steel toe boots may seem like a good choice, but the additional weight of them can lead to unintended injuries resulting from all the extra mass at the end of a flailing leg.
-Rubber boots are tempting to wear if it’s raining, but they obviously lack any crash protection (a family member lost his left large toe as a result of a crash with rubber boots in the rain).

As they say, there are two types of riders: those who HAVE crashed, and those who WILL crash. The latter category can easily be spotted by their flip-flops!