Modern Vespa

I just looked at the pics posted in the Eli le Vespa Topic ( Eli le Vespa (Post 1514159)) I was struck by the number of parked scooters shown with helmets stowed on the seats. Isn't that rather dangerous? I mean both from the theft and accidental damage standpoints? I don't think I'd ever park my scooter and walk away leaving my helmet perched on the seat like that. Or am I being too fussy about it?

Not fussy at all. The two points you made are quite valid.

guess it depends on where you live. i leave my chin strap looped through the seat strap on top of the seat and fastened. no one has bothered it...maybe it's the cheap~looking helmet...
i go 'to the city' (new orleans) on occasion and lock it up or carry it with me.

Maybe it stops those with less intelligence from sitting on your scoot.
That gets be bent outa shape finding some tool sitting on my bike twisting the throttle and messing with Mine.
Mega.

The problem is that if it falls on the ground, it may be damaged. It should be replaced. Theft is a secondary concern for me.

I used to put my half helmet on the seat but now that I wear a full face, never. Of course having it on the ground is a signal that you need assistance but nobody wants to help around here anyway

Ick...

stealing a helmet is like stealing someone's underwear... slightly dirty underware at that.

I mean, it is such a personal item, and I might have lice or who knows what.


*goobers*

RG you have both but nothing that a good bath can't cure. You made me chuckle this morning. 8) The wind over here would have it on the ground in two seconds. Sometimes people put it on the seat to take a pic tho. I take mine with me in it's felt bag

We don't really know the circumstances, outside the frame of the picture. The whole crowd of riders might have been right there.

I put my helmet on my seat all the time. It's not the least bit unusual when a group is stopping briefly to regroup.

Good point, and one I didn't consider. Perhaps it's thought to be cool to photograph scoot and helmet together?

I don't think this is really true -- it's a misinterpretation of "helmet damage". When they say a damaged helmet shouldn't be used, they are referring to the padding inside the helmet getting compressed (thus loosing it's shock-absorbing qualities), or the outer shell actually being cracked -- which merely dropping it won't cause.

The only time I've heard of someone dropping a helmet and legitimately needing it replaced was when they put it over the handle bar, then the bike got knocked over onto it, driving the handlebar end into the padding of the helmet. That was a trashed helmet. But just dropping your helmet and scraping off some of the paint doesn't reduce it's ability to protect your head in a crash one iota. The inside padding is totally unscathed and fully functional. (Although it does make it look like crap...)

Think of it this way, if a helmet is so fragile that falling onto pavement from 3 feet damages it beyond repair, then just how much protection could it really be affording your head when you hit the pavement at 50mph? They're tougher than that, fortunately!

-Dan

Your right and I am returning your helmet.
BTW, those aren't lice.

If I have to leave my helmet with the scooter I padlock it to the rear rack and set it on the seat. From a distance it might appear to be unattached, but anyone approaching the bike to nosey around would soon see the lid was well secured. If it was pushed from the seat it would just hang from the rack (and probably trigger the alarm).

With my old helmet I hooked the strap on the post under the seat. That way was a little quicker but no more secure, and sometimes bad for getting rain inside the helmet.

I can't say that I would wear someone else's helmet considering the person may not have practiced good hygiene and the fact that sweat is a pathogen, I'm not really into catching something funky and dying from doing so. If you've ever had kids and gone through the head lice ordeal, stealing and wearing someone else's helmet is gross. Years ago, someone tried to take someone in our group's harley drink hugger and wound up getting a serious beat down. I can't imagine what would have happened if it had of been someone's helmet. I leave mine on the seat all the time.

I had a HJC modular helmet that fell off a shelf in my garage and broke the hinge. Admitedly it was a six foot fall. It makes me less likely to buy a modular next time.

At first I thought it was overkill myself, but's it's a position I have heard on this forum and its sister/brother ModernBuddy.

+1, I use a cable lock threaded through the visor opening and then through the grab rail.

Much better than locking the helmet to the rear wheel:



You could end up with your brain full of spiders and earwigs.

Think of it this way, if a helmet is so fragile that falling onto pavement from 3 feet damages it beyond repair, then just how much protection could it really be affording your head when you hit the pavement at 50mph? They're tougher than that, fortunately!

-Dan[/quote]

At first I thought it was overkill myself, but's it's a position I have heard on this forum and its sister/brother ModernBuddy.[/quote]

I do not wish to offend anyone, but the fact you read it on this forum does not make it true. There are some here who seem to know what they are talking about, and many who seem to talk without knowing anything. Your job is to discern between the two. Good luck!

I wouln't do it in NYC(or other urban areas), but anytime I ride in the suburbs
I always leave my helmet on the seat, or hanging from
the handlebar.





Rob

I really don't fuss much over a drop from the seat, or the age of my helmets. Anytime I wear one I'm ahead of the game IMO.

At first I thought it was overkill myself, but's it's a position I have heard on this forum and its sister/brother ModernBuddy.[/quote]

I do not wish to offend anyone, but the fact you read it on this forum does not make it true. There are some here who seem to know what they are talking about, and many who seem to talk without knowing anything. Your job is to discern between the two. Good luck![/quote]


So you don't wish to offend anyone then proceed in doing just that. I have just "discerned" you are a dickhead! Yeah, me!

Turn it down a notch. That's very much out of line.

Not sure why some people put their helmet on the ground next to their bike in a parking lot
What drunk pissed or got sick last night right where you just set your helmet?

Very true. My apologies to all offended.

I disagree there the inner layers of the shell have some type of plastic as poly carbon or even fiberglass that may cause a hairline crack and you won't have the protection you need.
I have one head thank you very much and I am not about to take any chances with a drop, nor would I leave it resting on my seat or handle bar ever.
Just my two cents.
I know when I was shopping for Vespa's his summer all the used ones sold by private sellers came with helmets. I told them they could keep their helmets. I want one to fit my head and clean and free of germs. Bought a new Vespa btw.

^^^^Exactly OhioBuckeye. Why in the world would anyone chance it?

my helmet has been worn while i was sick, so it has been coughed and sneezed in. not to mention i have worn it nearly everyday for 2 straight years and most of those days are hot and sticky. i would hope that no one would want mine now.

While there's still much disagreement on this point, the general consensus is that a fall from the seat doesn't generally cause enough damage to worry about.

Feel free to do as you like, and replace the helmet if you feel it's warranted.

I do it all the time on the LX (see avatar at left.) With my motorcycle, however, I usually use the side stand and that makes for a angled surface that is much more likely to lead to the helmet sliding off, so I don't do it as much. But I really don't like setting it on the crummy old ground.

Arie use to have a video on youtube that described what a safe drop was. Under 4' with no head in the helmet and no visible shell damage.

If there was a head in the helmet in that 4' drop, the helmet should be replaced.

They stress the fact that if there was something in the helmet that could compress the interior foam during the drop, the helmet should be replaced.
They offer free inspections too as do most helmet manufactures, you have to pay shipping.

Three years ago, we took a honeymoon cruise to Bermuda. Once there, I rented a scooter for a couple of days and the rental company had shelves of helmets from which to choose. I was not very comfortable wearing a much used helmet, but there wasn't much we could do. At night, we had to bring them in the stateroom with us to avoid having them stolen and being liable to pay for replacements. We had a great time, exploring the island via scooter.

The rash cleared up in a couple of months, once all the bugs were dead. Best part was, our hair did grow back.

Thanks. I was going to go out for an ice cream run...but I was supposed to read that to loose my appetite. Diet

VegasGeorge

Personally I would never leave my helmet on my seat nor in an unlocked position as it is an open invitation for it to be stolen.

Alternatively, the helmet could be knocked off the seat by someone and replaced as was. Damage could have been done to it, severe or otherwise that I may not be aware of.

somerset

The helmet safety question will not be answered here,
and I do understand why each side is so adamant, but it
borderlines on fervor.

If I was a motorcycle helmet manufacturer, I would tell
ALL of my customers to replace their Helmet after a fall just for insurance,
and law suit protection. The manufacturer only know that it meets
their high safety standards when it leaves their factory.
After that, it's in the hand of the rider. Doesn't mean it's
right, or wrong, everyone makes their own decision.


Last, I've been to many shops where the helmets are on a rack,
and in one instance, I saw someone drop one. Just food for thought.


Ride safe, happy holidays



Rob

FWIW, I bought a new Shoei RF1100 and within two weeks it fell off the mirror of my GT200! Right on to asphalt!
I took it to the Shoei US HQ in Tustin, CA where they will Inspect helmets for damage. They pull the padding out and inspect the liner and shell. It was pronounced "good to go". The rep said that a fall, when empty, from 3 or 4 feet will not cause anything other than cosmetic damage. As others have mentioned Shoei has a free inspection service just for this purpose. If it is pronounced "good" by the manufacturer it's good enough for me.

I typically connect the strap, and hang it on the Handle Bars.
Never had a problem, but I am sure I will get burned eventually.
There is the pin under the seat where you can in theory lock your helmet, but I am often to lazy to use it.

Keith,
Marietta, GA

Like the so called 'rules' we all come up with regarding what we will and won't eat after it has fallen on the ground (I subscribe to the five second rule), this discussion seems to revolve around a very personal choice of what level of risk we are willing to take with a piece of personal property.

If that is the case, it might be unwise to try to establish a 'rule'.

If one's worry is about theft, then so long as you don't let your scoot (with helmet placed on the seat) out of your line of sight, you should be okay.

If one's worry is that placing a helmet on the seat will run an unnecessary risk of it falling off (and possibly being damaged to the point of having its protection properties compromised), then by all means don't put your helmet on the seat.

Most of us are forced to live our lives within the confines of fairly narrow and unforgiving sets of rules created by government, employers, religion, society, clubs, etc..

Maybe its just me, but when it comes to things like this, I don't think we should be looking to establish a rule... or even a guideline.

Ask any of us what we do and we'll tell you (I place my helmet on my seat all the time but don't leave it there when the scoot is unattended).

But ask all of us what we do with the goal of establishing a 'rule', and I simply have to shake my head and wonder why any of us would look for more rules in our lives.

My guess is people do not steal a helmet to wear, they steal it:
1. Because it is there,
2. to throw it around like a football/frisbee,
3. to chuck it in a trash can around the corner
4. ..............(fill in the blanks)

This.

unless you put a cantaloupe in your helmet when it's sitting on your bike, like I do. In that case if it fell to the ground the weight of the cantaloupe would compress the foam and make replacement necessary.

But at least the cantaloupe will be saved.