No bike helmets?

Author
Discussion

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

260 months

Saturday 10th October 2015
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There is a school of thought that bike helmets are made to withstand one big impact by deforming. Car helmets are designed to withstand multiple smaller impacts in a trees/sky/trees/sky scenario.

Not my theory, might be total nonsense, you mileage may vary etc etc.

Reminds me an LJK Setright comment that when selecting a helmet you not only have to consider the type of accident you intend to have, but to remain legal you have to pick the right place in which to have it.

88racing

1,748 posts

155 months

Saturday 10th October 2015
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TiM3 said:
It was a supercharged Exige, with lots of aero. I was surprised that a fire could take hold so quickly before the marshals could get to it.
Way fewer marshals on duty at a track day compared with racing - and you're in the car with nothing fireproof. Makes you think. Or at least it should.

BTW if you're going to buy an extinguisher, buy the latest chemical foam rather than powder. Its more efficient, doesn't blow all over the shop and doesn't make such a mess, eg:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/fire-exti...

4.7

155 posts

169 months

Saturday 10th October 2015
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Very true - fewer marshal's and medics for that matter. Many medics have a 90 second response time I believe. Bit better than being stuck in a ditch in the middle of nowhere though.

QBee

20,905 posts

143 months

Saturday 10th October 2015
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Robshaw92 said:
I went round silverstone last year at fordfair in a motorcycle helmet. They didnt even check to be honest. I think as long as you aren't using a motorcross helmet you will be fine...
I take your point - the quality of checking does seem rather variable. And the rules seem not to be particularly safety conscious either.

But surely the real point IS our own safety? Which ought to be OUR responsibility, not theirs?
I'm not sure that they should have to treat us like naughty school kids for us to take our own safety seriously?

Perhaps what we need is a well publicised, definitive ruling on what is considered to be adequate safety at all track days?.

A tall friend of mine has just taken up racing in a TVR - 88racing will know who I mean.
He isn't going any faster than we are, at the same circuits we use.
His car has to have a full, welded in, roll cage to FIA standards, foam filled fuel cell, plumbed in extinguisher, external engine cut-off.
His helmet is a carbon fibre FIA approved full face helmet compete with a Hans device.
And he has to wear approved fire retardant suit, shoes and gloves
Which makes me wonder if our rules are anywhere near adequate?

Views please - mine used to be to complain at regulation, but now I seem to have veered the other way.

cseven

214 posts

235 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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racing is very different to a track day, that being said I take your point re safety.....perhaps we should insist on using all the available kit. Its the difference between walking away vs hospital food or worse.

I would feel a bit of a dick though putting on my simpson pro, full nomex etc etc for a trackday!

T0MMY

1,558 posts

175 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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I've always used a bike helmet and in fact when I hired one from the TDO the other week for my dad to do some passenger laps it was also a bike helmet.

More to the point, I've never seen helmets being checked at bike or car trackdays anyway.