[Shumi_21]

Hello everyone,

So this happened on March 1st. I was on the way to my cousin's place from work and was stuck in traffic on Link Road in Goregaon due to ongoing Metro construction. Suddenly, l feel a thud on my full face helmet and look around to realise a gentleman on a scooter behind me, wearing an open face helmet is bleeding from his cheek. What happened was that a stone, from I don't know where, had hit my head, deflected off my helmet and landed on said gentleman's cheek. Had he been wearing a full face helmet he would have avoided the impact, just like I did.

I humbly request all Bhp-ians to not only wear helmets, but also to wear proper full face helmets even if you ride 'just a scooter' or 'only a short distance' or any other scenario where an open face helmet may be 'useful'.

[SJM1214]

Received this newspaper cutting at one of my riding WhatsApp groups. It seems, after Bengaluru, Hyderabad is also geared up to ban half-faced helmets.

[wheelguy]

Notably, the state Government had on November 28 extended deadline for enforcement of new traffic rules under the amended Motor Vehicles Act by three months in view of huge rush at Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across the state for driving licenses.

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera on Saturday said that wearing helmets will be mandatory for pillion riders in the state.

"After the completion of three-month relaxation period, traffic rules under the amended Motor Vehicles Act will be strictly enforced from March 1. Helmets for pillion riders and seat belts for occupants in four-wheelers will be mandatory," Behera told media persons here.

He said checking against traffic violation will be intensified after completion of the relaxation period.

Notably, the state Government had on November 28 extended deadline for enforcement of new traffic rules under the amended Motor Vehicles Act by three months in view of huge rush at Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across the state for driving licenses.

ET Auto

[para_7k]

Stumbled upon this thread. Recently got a Vega Ryker full face DOT certified helmet. I noticed this sticker at 2 places in the helmet. What is it supposed to mean ?
Full face helmets are supposed to protect the chin right ?

[WhiskeyTangoFox]

Originally Posted by para_7k

Stumbled upon this thread. Recently got a Vega Ryker full face DOT certified helmet. I noticed this sticker at 2 places in the helmet. What is it supposed to mean ?
Full face helmets are supposed to protect the chin right ?

Not all full face helmets actually reinforce the chin bar. This comes down to certification requirements primarily.

[Senotrius]

More reason to get ECE 22.06 certified helmets. DOT is an honorary certification. Also avoid Vega/Axor helmets(even ECE ones) if possible. Mediocre quality over long term, in general, despite appearance.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by para_7k

I noticed this sticker at 2 places in the helmet. What is it supposed to mean ?

Wow.... so it's effectively an open-face helmet with a purely cosmetic chin!

[PratikPatel]

Originally Posted by Senotrius

DOT is an honorary certification.

Not exactly true. While it’s true that DOT certification is more of a self certification process which does not require external third party verification, the NHTSA does its own independent testing of helmets that are DOT certified. It sends a list of the helmets it wants tested to independent testing labs such as ACT Labs in California. Helmets that fail in these tests are required to be pulled out of the market and manufacturers can face hefty fines. Helmets from makers like AGV, Shark, Scorpion, Bell have made it to the failure list.

However, the problem with such a system of safety standard of validation is that it’s post facto; the defective helmet could already be in the hands of the user (though the user has the option of civil suit against the manufacturer if harm is caused by use of the said helmet which has failed the independent tests)..

The DOT standard is a legal requirement for USA. It was specifically legislated to ensure a legally enforceable standard for helmets used on public roads. The significance of the standard is that it can be factor in determining liability in accidents/ incidents, insurance & fault assessment & assignments.

Quite frankly, the DOT certification is of little use in India. It has no legal force nor is there any mechanism by which the helmets carrying these stickers can be verified to be compliant to the said standard. The same goes for the ECE standard. One would be much better off with a ISI marked helmet which is the standard laid down by Bureau of Indian Standards. It is also worth noting that BIS standard is a legal requirement akin to the DOT in USA. One needs to be using a helmet with BIS certification on public roads in India.

For people who feel that they don’t trust the ISI mark or feel that it’s an inferior standard to the ‘foreign’ standards; it’s a preconceived & prejudiced outlook. The latest IS-4151 standard is well articulated & laid out. It is a fairly robust standard which is comparable to international standards.

For people who really want the gold standard in safety, one would be better off buying the helmet from abroad with a certification like Snell or SHARP. However, these will cost a bomb. But as the famous saying goes ‘If you have a $10 head wear a $10 helmet’.