Helmet, Why They Gave Me Hell!

[gabkwong]

I have a SNELL M 2005 helmet. Last year at Miata Day at Hallett, the helmet police gave me a 10 minutes lecturer why I had shitty helmet and he was just nice to let me get onto the track with it. Is there anything wrong with my helmet for HPD?

[tailchaser]

Beats me. M2015 should be out soon, so you'll need to replace it soon. Maybe the sticker looked counterfeit?

[jrj512]

The guy last year gave me the business too. He said that he would never let me in the upcoming SM race or whatever with my open-faced M2005 helmet.

I have emailed Connie to verify that open-faced M2005 is okay. I will let you know when she replies.

Queue "What is your head worth to you?" comments.

[sube]

Well, in the motorcycle world M2005 are about as bad as they come for protecting the brain. That is why it took an extra couple of years for the 2010s to come out. The digest version is that they had continued to "improve" the standard for parameters that don't happen (often) in the real world and they are just too hard. They transport too much shock to the brain. I ride with a British standard (BSI) helmet since they test the different size helmets with the appropriate brain weight. The other available testing standard is a European standard. Both of these have softer foam and it was the comparison to these two that drove SNELL to re-examine how they where testing.

Not it sure why they are giving you all a hard time in a car, but I wouldn't get on a bike with one.

http://www.dealernews.com/dealernews...nell-m2005-nyt

[gabkwong]

I have emailed Connie to verify that open-faced M2005 is okay. I will let you know when she replies.

Please! I really not looking forward to be lectured again when my goal to be there is to have fun!

Please educate me on the bike vs car helmets. From my untrained logic, I would assume the impact from a bike accident would be much worse than from a car?? Hence, the bike helmet should offer a better protection if all things equal. What is wrong with my thinking

[chriscar]

I've always known it to be pretty much cut and dry - M helmets are for Motorcycles, SA are for cars. Most tracks and HPDE organizations are very clear in their rules, that you need an SA helmet.

http://www.smf.org/helmetfaq#aSAMKdiff
What are the differences between the SA, M and K standards?

The SA standard was designed for competitive auto racing while the M standard was for motorcycling and other motorsports. The K standard was released to accommodate helmets used in karting. There are three major differences between them:

1. The SA standard requires flammability test while the M and K standards do not.
2. The SA and K standards allow for a narrower visual field than the M standard (Some SA and K certified helmets may not be street legal).
3. The SA and K standards include a rollbar multi-impact test while the M standard does not.

[tailchaser]

The big difference is 3... In a car accident, you are MUCH more likely to hit the same spot on the helmet repeatedly. In a full face, the flammability is also pretty important.

[sube]

Outside of our opinions on what helmets we are all willing to risk our noggins with, if a track or there insurance don't want you to run an open face, or a M2005, or pink helmets. That is there right, but they should have that clearly stated and not say it is ok and the scold you for not having the same opinions of said helmet that they do.

[modernbeat]

Sube, the issue I see is that they don't publish the helmet spec they are looking for. Of if they do, it was pretty hard for me to find it.

[gabkwong]

Just got an email from Connie. She is kind of gently, softly suggest to better not show up with a M2005 open face. I guess I will have to make a trip to Smiley!

[jrj512]

Well, after eight years, I guess it's time.

[Nails]

Since I have an airbag I can't turn off in my steering wheel I'll keep my open face thank you.

[jrj512]

I ordered an SA2010 open.

[effse7en]

Since I have an airbag I can't turn off in my steering wheel I'll keep my open face thank you.

What would the advantage of an open face be for an airbag car? I'd think it would be just the opposite.

I'm hopefully going to hit up Smiley's this weekend as well.

[general default]

The full vs open issue comes from a directive/notice back in 2004.
I checked the SCCA GCR and did not find any reference to this statement.
But the current rules say airbags will be deactivated or removed.
Do not know what they said back in 2004.

I am no expert on this but I do remember when the notice was posted.

It has been brought to the attention of SCCA Technical Services that the use of full-face or closed-face helmets while driving vehicles with active airbag restraint systems may result in injuries in the event of a crash that deploys the airbag. Because of the location of the steering wheel relative to a driver’s position, the airbag axis is on a level with the driver’s chin. In a crash with airbag deployment, contact with the chin area of a full-face helmet can be so powerful “that the risk of fractures to the jaw cannot be ruled out“ (Hubert Gramling, FIA Institute, FT3/AF, 18.5.1999). This applies to vehicle that may be used in Solo, RallyCross, High Performance Car Control Clinics, etc. Therefore, it is highly recommended that full-face helmets not be used in vehicles with functional airbag systems. Potentially more restrictive language is currently being considered for 2005, which could appear in an early 2005 issue of FasTrack. If you have any questions, please contact the SCCA at (800) 770-2055.

[cone-cerned]

And more information....http://aimss.com.au/helmet-airbag-interaction-full-story/