Yea, I’m also in so cal, I ride pretty much daily in traffic in and around downtown LA… day, night, rush hour. my board is basically my car. I regularly ride over 30 mph.
After a fall about 2 years ago where I broke 2 ribs and lacerated my scalp, I’ve kinda been obsessed with NOT getting so damaged WHEN I fall. Since then, I’ve got an armored leather biker jacket, Kevlar lined jeans, and recently, a TSG Pass helmet. I wear all of this, all the time.
Also no problem wearing Oakley sunglasses with the TSG Pass. I do nearly every day.
A friend of mine who rides motorcycles told me one of the most common body parts to hit in a high side accident is your chin. He showed me the stats on motorcycle accident injuries to riders without helmets, and sure enough, one of the most common points of damage as reported by U.S. emergency rooms was lower mandible.
Personally, I have a hard time calling the machine that I ride a “skateboard”… since it’ll hit 40mph on flat ground… and I “ride” it like a motorcycle in the street surrounded by cars and other traffic.
I’ve had half a dozen falls over 25… probably 2-3 falls over 30 mph… walked away every time due to wearing the right gear. Without it, I KNOW at least one fall probably would ended me, and at least one more woulda shattered my elbow and left me a bloody mess.
Yes, it makes it pretty hot riding in 90 degree weather.
But It’s just easier to wash off sweat than blood.
Go TSG Pass… it’s expensive, but given the risks… I just wouldn’t ride with it