On Thu, 12 Nov 2015 12:08:48 -0800, The Real Bev
wrote:

On 11/12/2015 04:40 AM, Andrew Chaplin wrote:
The Real Bev wrote in news:n21drr$ejq$1@dont-
email.me:

A thing I remember especially is that hair alone provides
significant protection from abrasion.

Your mileage may vary--wildly!

Indeed. But surprises happen sometimes.

When I crashed on my motorcycle and slid along the ground the parts of
my body protected by flimsy cloth were fine; my shirt rode up and
exposed half a square foot of abdomen skin, which eventually formed a
scab 1/4 inch thick in places and cracked AND HURT where I bent. I
eventually got in the tub and soaked it off.

I figure hair is about the same. Still, I wear a helmet. Not when I
ski, though.

You are perfectly correct. Hair, in certain areas of the body provides
what is refereed to as "a dry lubricant that reduces friction".

But I'm not sure that it actually provides adequate "lubrication" for
sliding down an asphalt road :-)
--
cheers,

John B.