2010 SED Suggestion Box

[HATERDAN]

its new zealand not Georgia

[jsquared]

A lot of dirt bike helmets are DOT approved. IMO the most important difference between DOT and Snell is the quality control required to meet Snell approval. I am pretty confident I could produce a DOT-legal line of helmets in my garage. As far as open face goes I dont think its that important, but would mandate SA approval for them.

[HATERDAN]

I know atleast up here if you are racing you have to have an SA2002 or newer helmet and it has to be SA not snell or M class or DOT. they aren't made for banging off a rollcage. but hey its your life. use a bicycle helmet if you want.

[jsquared]

The Snell foundation is what provides the requirements and oversees the testing for SA and M certifications, so by saying a helmet is SA-approved youre also saying it is Snell-approved.

I would also say that both DOT and Snell test for impacts against a rollcage-like object (hemispherical anvil) and the ground (flat anvil). Both have maximum allowable forces that can be imparted on the person wearing the helmet, and both do multiple drops on each helmet that is tested. Honestly the impact testing of each helmet is pretty similar, with the exception of Snell also doing impact testing against a sharp object for the shell and face shield to check the ability to resist penetration.

My beef with DOT is that they dont actually test anything. They leave it up to the manufacturer to verify their own helmets, and when they do test it is on such a small scale that it is meaningless (40 helmets total in 2001). There is no level of control in the tests.

Snell actually tests helmets and is selective on what helmets get a Snell approval. They also go beyond testing the samples given to them by a manufacturer and buy random helmets to test on their own, something I think is imperative.

[Roadkill]

IMO if you are using a cheap helmet the brain inside of the helmet that made the decision to use it probably is not worth saving anyway.

Smart people use good helmets.





Side note:
I have done some work at the Atlanta Shepard Center in the acquired brain injury ward. That is where the people go who f#@ked up their head in various ways ( injuries, not drugs and alcohol). Mostly Motorcycle accidents but a lot of street vehicle accidents too.
There is nothing like seeing a perfectly healthy body lying in a bed because the brain got scrambled due to a head injury. This one guys room had all of these pictures of a big 240 pound linebacker from UGA in his room. When they brought him back down the hall to his room I saw what was left after a year of lying in a vegetative state. He weighed about 110 pounds and couldn't do anything for himself.
The nurse I talked to said most of the people in there had injuries that could have been prevented by proper safety equipment.

I LOVE my SA Helmet.

[jsquared]

I love mine too, but I also love my Fulmer DOT helmet. Both make me feel safe, essentially because both Simpson and Fulmer are companies I trust to make a quality, safe helmet. Take a look at a Fulmer and you'll know why: the thing is a design masterpiece inside.

Rather than trust a 50 cent sticker, Ill trust a 50-year-old company. Call it what you will.

On a side note, this is a pretty interesting read, definitely shows Snell testing in another light. Its geared towards motorcycle helmets obviously but the message is clear for anyone.

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearb ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dr. Marlow]

At the VA clinic in Pensacola I saw a couple at the Coumadin Clinic (blood thinner) who just got out of the hospital were both died and were brought back to life after a drunk driver pulled in front of them on their motorcycle and they werent wearing helmets. I asked if they were riding again, and they are and got a trike to be safer. I asked if they are wearing helmets now and they said no

[jsquared]

Its sad, but that just proves what Howard said about the the intelligence of the wearer.

As far as events go, what about a small set of loaner helmets that people can sign in/out? That would encourage more ride-alongs too Im sure, and you would know exactly what they are wearing.

[andysapp]

I think that is a pretty good idea as long as there is a way to totally ensure they get returned. Maybe take licenses or something.

[collink]

I think that is a pretty good idea as long as there is a way to totally ensure they get returned. Maybe take licenses or something.

Not a bad idea. It works pretty well with the media passes.

[FooSchnickens]

I think that is a pretty good idea as long as there is a way to totally ensure they get returned. Maybe take licenses or something.

That's how they've done it with loaner helmets at auto-x events I've been to in the past. Or some other piece of collateral.

About the only thing I can think of (since I don't actually drift at these events) is something for those who want to take pictures. Perhaps a designated media line and spectator line to help those wanting to snap pics to not get billy bob and his pitbull in frame smothering a car coming around a corner. I realize getting folks on track other than corner workers would likely be tough after the fallout form last year, so I won't try to press that issue.

Other than that, from a spectator's standpoint, at least, I don't think there's much that could be improved upon.

[Mischif]

What happened last year? The only thing I would keep media off the track happened like two years ago.

[down_shift]

nothing "happened" per say just a butt load of new red tape.

[collink]

I think that is a pretty good idea as long as there is a way to totally ensure they get returned. Maybe take licenses or something.

That's how they've done it with loaner helmets at auto-x events I've been to in the past. Or some other piece of collateral.

About the only thing I can think of (since I don't actually drift at these events) is something for those who want to take pictures. Perhaps a designated media line and spectator line to help those wanting to snap pics to not get billy bob and his pitbull in frame smothering a car coming around a corner. I realize getting folks on track other than corner workers would likely be tough after the fallout form last year, so I won't try to press that issue.

Other than that, from a spectator's standpoint, at least, I don't think there's much that could be improved upon.

Marcos has done a really great job bending the rules as much as he could to get us as close he could. At Land of the Great, he listened to us at the media meeting and got us some really nice spots to shoot from.

[down_shift]