The Ski Helmet Debate

bandit wrote:Poor Trencher ) I got caught up by the Helmet Law in the UK, can't recall which year now, but I went on the protest rallies sans lid. The protests were about the compulsion aspect. I have also been lucky enough to ride on a bike at 95 mph* sans lid, and can report that it's not good to open your mouth at that sort of speed ) * For anyone half interested it was a Thruxtonised Velocette Venom. I was 14 and the passenger!

I was more of a mod myself. I started riding motorcycles the year the helmet law came in, 1973?.

What's annoying here, is that the insurance company can't even use the use of helmets in setting premiums, or pay outs by law. Similarly, you can not sue the manufacturer if your car seat belt fails, because of an old law limiting seat belt enforcement by police.

There's a lot of weird stuff like that. Traffic cameras were deemed unconstitutional because the driver himself could not be identified. I'm waiting to use that defense when I get a parking ticket :wink:

Trencher wrote:

What's annoying here, is that the insurance company can't even use the use of helmets in setting premiums, or pay outs by law.

I think that over here, we are a a couple of years out before insurance providers will sort the details. There are now only a couple of Underwriters for the ski biz in the UK, so once 1 Insurer jumps, it might spread quickly :roll:

I'm not really expecting any reduction in Premium costs for helmet use, just the exclusion of cover for non use. I suppose they will tie it in with the usual clauses about behaving as though you were not insured, not needlessly exposing yourself to peril etc.

.....Waits for an Insurer to surrpise and delight me.......

Trencher, a Mod, that's :shock: )

I was a modernist too! Owned a Lambretta Li150 and then a Vespa! Still enjoy the old Northern Soul sounds that were originally associated with the mod scene- Keep the Faith!

Far more interesting than insurance, helmets and Benny from Crossroads and his woollen hat!

LOTA wrote:I was a modernist too! Owned a Lambretta Li150 and then a Vespa! Still enjoy the old Northern Soul sounds that were originally associated with the mod scene- Keep the Faith!

Far more interesting than insurance, helmets and Benny from Crossroads and his woollen hat!

Well I was a rocker although had quite a few Mod friends.

Mods = scooters, discos & drugs in the 60s :shock:

bandit wrote:I have also been lucky enough to ride on a bike at 95 mph* sans lid, and can report that it's not good to open your mouth at that sort of speed

Agreed. As a passenger you also have the luxury of choosing to close your eyes. A fly will render you temporarily blind (and particularly uncomfortable) when they explode on impact with your eyeball. An unpleasant experience I hope not to repeat too often.

In the summer I cycle with my sunnies on even when it is cloudy as it does tend keep those little flying buggers out of your eyes, so at 95 mph no lid or goggles you must be blind now.

EmmaEvs wrote:

bandit wrote:I have also been lucky enough to ride on a bike at 95 mph* sans lid, and can report that it's not good to open your mouth at that sort of speed

Agreed. As a passenger you also have the luxury of choosing to close your eyes. A fly will render you temporarily blind (and particularly uncomfortable) when they explode on impact with your eyeball. An unpleasant experience I hope not to repeat too often.

That`s why you wear goggles & look like a panda when you take them off after a long ride with all the filth in the air :shock:

I had a fall on Sunday, nothing major but knocked the side of my head. Took me a couple minutes to get myself together. Luckily the skis stayed on as if I also had to put them on in tigh-deep powder I would have probably broken down:) Anyway, I continued skiing but my neck was killing me by Monday morning, still very sore and stiff. Quite a bad whiplash, but head is OK and I am glad that there are helmets as I would've probably had a concussion on top of whiplash.