Wearing a helmet whilst driving

[mnkiboy]

Now today is comic relief. Wacky people all over the country are going to work in fancy dress, to annoy money out of their work colleagues.

This morning one of my work colleagues came in to the office stating she has seen someone driving a car dressed as 'The Stig', complete with full race helmet. He was driving an old Punto, which kind of ruined the effect!

There is some debate in our office as to whether it is legal or not to drive a car whilst wearing a helmet. Personally I think it must be legal, as i've seen people driving cars such as Caterhams whilst wearing helmets - why would there be any difference between a Caterham and a Punto?

So, helemt wearing whilst driving a car. Legal or not?

[CampDavid]

Illegal. No idea why, something to do with racing

I'd imagine that, if he was driving sensibly then no one would pull him over, unless he managed to find a complete jobsworth on duty

[frosted]

doogz said:

My mate wears his when he's driving to and from track days, his Caterham doesn't have a windshield and apparently hitting a wasp at 100 hurts.

Only if it's in the eye area , the only time I did wear a helmet a stone hit it and cracked the visor

[alangla]

Seen this a couple of times before, first one was a bloke in a Westfield with no screen on the A80, the other was a dealer demonstrator MX5 on the M8 passing Glasgow Airport, full racing suit & helmet!

Pretty sure I've also seen photos of someone driving an un-bodied bus chassis from Alexander's factory in Falkirk, light boards fitted front & rear, trade plates & driver wearing a helmet.

[sleep envy]

CampDavid said:

Illegal. No idea why

[RobM77]

There's been plenty of this on Blatchat over the years (the Lotus/Caterham 7 Club forum) and yes, it's illegal. However, when in an aeroscreened Caterham I'd rather get a condescending chat from a pedantic policeman that a 70mph pheasant in the face, or my forehead headbutting a Range Rover bumper at 45mph. I think that's the general Caterham owner consensus!

[wackojacko]

Interesting subject a friend of the family has an atom 300, he drives it with a helmet on and thermal bike leather in the winter

I had shorts and a T-shirt on with nonsunglasses or helmet etc and I literally had stone chips in my face !

Certainly worth wearing a helmet in a low sling non screend car, helps with the buffeting aswell.

[frosted]

doogz said:

I don't follow. If the wasp had hit him on the forehead at 100mph, which it did, it shouldn't have been sore as it wasn't the eye area?

Pretty much so

[beeblebrox]

In the eyes of the law, how's it any different to wearing a helmet on a motorbike?

[RobM77]

beeblebrox said:

In the eyes of the law, how's it any different to wearing a helmet on a motorbike?

ah - you're assuming that the law is logical!

[Paul_M3]

This is interesting as I always assumed you could wear a helmet if you wanted to.

(I certainly didn't go out late at night for a quick drive when I got my trackday helmet, just to see how it felt. )

What is the specific law which is being broken, and how is it worded?

[john_p]

If it was illegal to wear a helmet while driving than surely it would also be illegal to drive with a burqa etc

Any form of "not in proper control" would be tricky too, as the same restrictions would then apply to all motorcyclists, surely

[paulmnz]

I have a road-legal race car and often have to drive it long distances - I usually wear a helmet as the cold/wind noise/rollcage get very annoying after hours on the motorway.

I've been passed by plenty of police vehicles including traffic units and never had any issue.

I struggle to see why it would be considered illegal, but I'll wait to have that conversation if I'm ever pulled over!

[Mars]

RobM77 said:

There's been plenty of this on Blatchat over the years (the Lotus/Caterham 7 Club forum) and yes, it's illegal.

Has anyone actually verified this on BC though Rob? I find it hard to believe this is true given that car helmets normally have a wider opening for better vision than bike helmets - the only reason anyone has given for them possibly being illegal is restricted view.

I can't find any mention of it on the DVLA website. If it was specifically illegal, and not just one of those things that some Policemen feel is inappropriate, then I'd have expected to find mention of it there.

[NiceCupOfTea]

john_p said:

If it was illegal to wear a helmet while driving than surely it would also be illegal to drive with a burqa etc

Interesting Would they claim it was something to do with encouraging racing?

[Shaun_E]

There is no directly written legislation that says "thou shalt not wear a helmet in a car". If anyone can prove otherwise then I apologise profusely but, since this comes up time and time again and nobody has ever managed to find such a piece of legislation, I think I am on safe ground.
It is possible, though highly unlikely given that it is compulsory to wear a helmet on a motorbike, that you could be prosecuted for one of the "not in proper control of the vehicle" type pieces of legislation on the grounds of it limiting your field of view. If that were to happen, I have no doubt that any half decent lawyer would get you off the charge.
Many drivers of aeroscreened cars wear a crash helmet on the road (including myself) and I don't know of any instance of someone being pulled over for it.

[RobM77]

Mars said:

RobM77 said:

There's been plenty of this on Blatchat over the years (the Lotus/Caterham 7 Club forum) and yes, it's illegal.

Has anyone actually verified this on BC though Rob? I find it hard to believe this is true given that car helmets normally have a wider opening for better vision than bike helmets - the only reason anyone has given for them possibly being illegal is restricted view.

I can't find any mention of it on the DVLA website. If it was specifically illegal, and not just one of those things that some Policemen feel is inappropriate, then I'd have expected to find mention of it there.

Well, I always thought it was verified, but I may be wrong. Is Von Hosen reading this or any other traffic cops?

Personally, I don't care - if I was in an open car with no windscreen, I'd wear a full face helmet. When racing I've been hit by debris before and it makes one hell of a bang - I wouldn't want that to be my face. Even bees and large flies make a loud bang at very high speed.

[mattmurdock]

Seems the latest BC thought is that it is not (per se) illegal i.e. there is no specific statute law around the wearing of helmets in road cars. However, I suspect the concern comes from the fact the helmet could be used as support for other charges such as road racing or careless driving.

I'm with Rob though - regardless of the legal position I would wear the helmet anyway if the car has no windscreen.

[matchmaker]

Lot of years ago a mate of ours had a rally Mini in which he took part in the Tour of Mull - for which you had to wear helmets on the forest stages.

To test out the intercoms we had to check them wearing the helmets - on the road.

We got strange looks trundling up and down Kelvin Way in Glasgow at 20mph wearing full face helmets in a Rover 3500.......................

[xPOW]

I don't wear a helmet in my Caterham which only has an aerofoil windscreen but I always wear shatterproof goggles and a strong rimmed cap on to protect forehead. When I looked into helmets, the vendor told me that the racing helmets (like the Simpson ones Stig wears) are illegal for road use (bikes or cars) because the aperture of visibility is too small and restrictive - ie turning your neck, blindspots etc. He said there was no legislation restricting normal road-legal bike helmets in cars such as Caterhams, and therefore for any other car I'd assume.

But the vendor did also point out that is really comes down to individual police interpretation of the laws of the road. One officer could argue any helmet is too restrictive regarding visibility (therefore illegal), where another will allow it. Some may even overlook the racing Stig-type helmets in Caterhams, Radicals. I guess it comes down to why the officer is standing by you at the time

In the end, I decided not to get one for road use and looking back, I am very glad. I prefer the open feeling and visibility - but you do therefore accept odd smack in your face! (not just from Mrs xPOW)