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Helmets

To: vintage <vintage-race@autox.team.net>
Subject: Helmets
From: Brian Evans <brian@uunet.ca>
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 09:56:56 -0500
This a resend, I may have gotten caught by the new "delete the original 
post" rule.


The biggest reason that motorcycle helmets are lighter and not approvable 
for SA is blunt and sharp object protection. Motorcycle trauma is usually 
hitting something fairly big and flat, like the ground. In cars they need 
to protect against hitting smaller objects like roll bar tubing, interior 
sheetmetal corners, and penetration from sharp objects. That means stiffer 
and thicker shells and visors, and thicker lining. There's also an issue of 
velocity. If you fall of your bike and your head hits the ground, you've 
only fallen about five feet or so, and the vast majority of your velocity 
is not towards the ground and doesn't really contribute to the impact that 
the helmet has to absorb. In racing, the helmet has to absorb far larger 
velocities as your head hits a tube after the car has hit a wall.

This I got more than several years ago from an article about how Snell 
tests helmets and what they test for, but it seems reasonable to me. What I 
totally agree with is the tremendous features that the motorcycle guys get 
that we don't! They have had anti-fogging systems, quick change visors (no 
tools, 2.5 seconds), real ventilation, for many years!

Brian


Brian Evans
Director, Canada
MCI Wholesale Internet Services

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