Dropped helmet replacement and ettiquette

[Ossum]

So, I let my father sit on my bike while my helmet was perched on the sissy bar. I don't normally do this but for lack of a better place, there it was. While dismounting he kicked the helmet off and it landed square on the face shield. No other part of the helmet shows any damage; after impact it simply rolled to the side, leaving no marks.

I watched it drop, the face shield took the full impact so I'm having that replaced and never using the damaged one again. Other people may be wary of that idea. This brings to mind two questions:

1. What's the highest drop you'll let a helmet take before calling it damaged and buying a new one? I knew guys in the safety course that considered any drop more than an inch to be fatal to the helmet, and some guys who didn't mind a helmet dropping a foot or more as long as the shell didn't show damage greater than a scrape or two.

2. If someone else damages your helmet on accident, do you take it in stride and go buy another without complaint, or do you make them cough up for a new one?

[trikebubble]

Personally, I wouldn't leave my helmet anywhere that it could get knocked off of. If I don't take it with me, I sit it beside the front wheel.

Learn from the experiance and move on.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by Ossum

I knew guys in the safety course that considered any drop more than an inch to be fatal to the helmet,

That's freaking insane.

For one thing, without the weight and shape of a head inside to compress the foam, a drop from less than 5 or 6 feet is not going to damage a helmet.
One of the "Voodoo" things in the motocross world is riders will intentionally take a new helmet, hold it out at arm's length (at chest height) and drop it.

Now, I'd never INTENTIONALLY do that, but I think there's too much paranoia about what really are light impacts to helmets.

Old school thinking is that the helmet should be replaced after any impact hard enough to "ring your bell"... which indicates a mild concussion.




As far as replacement if someone else does damage it?
Treat it no differently than any other piece of property. Accidents happen, and in the case of a TRUE accident, let the person responsible offer, but don't bring it up. They didn't do it intentionally.

[motorbum]

You will get many different opinions on this one from many different people. If you see no visible cracks in the shell, it will be fine. But be sure to inspect it carefully for small or hairline cracks. If people replaced their helmet everytime they dropped it, some would find it cheaper to sell their bike. Also, if your helmet is marked up you can't wear it at the track if that's something that your into. If your not into track days it's a no never mind. Being just the visor, I personally wouldn't give it a second thought.

Etiquette wise, if he just jumped on your bike and knocked it off, yea, I would ask him to replace it. Since you let him set on your bike and he knocked it off, it's kinda 50/50. If he offers to pay, take it. Outside of that it's just a visor and they aren't much so I wouldn't really insist.

Just my double penny.

[tricker]

My helmet dropped of the back of my cycle while i was getting ready to leave once. Side of the face shield took most of the brunt but I kept wearing it. I really doubt that the empty helmet being dropped from 2 or 3 feet will cause it to become worthless. Maybe I'm cheap but i have some faith in manufacturing of helmets.

[Ossum]

Thanks for the advice guys... the helmet won't get replaced, just the visor, and he'll pay for visor replacement. It's one of those things where, I was so relieved the helmet itself didn't take damage, that the visor is small potatoes.

I was more curious what you all would do in general cases, not specifically mine.

[KevyzToy]

I watched a video awhile back from Arai. It was really about getting the right size helmet, but they talked about replacing one after a crash. They are made to absorb impact on your head. If you are not wearing it, there is no impact to absorb. The helmet is not making contact with anything inside. They said a helmet falling off the seat really doesn't merit buying a new one.

[TripleDigitRide]

If my empty helmet were to hit the ground from only a few feet, I don't think I'd even consider replacing it unless there was a clear sign of more serious damage. And if that were the case, I'd never buy another one of those helmets again. If it can't handle a roll to the ground from the seat on your bike, I'm pretty sure I couldn;t trust it to protect my melon in a crash at highway speeds.

As far as your father paying to replace the visor, I would personally be ashamed to even consider taking his money for such an accident. I'm not trying to be an butt-head, but it was you who left the helmet in a vulnerable place where it could easily be knocked off, and you allowed your father to sit on your bike.

From my point of view, you are the one to blame, and taking your fathers money should not be an option.

Just my 2 cents.

[skewterdewd]

I'm sure your helmet is OK. If it was me, I'd give dad a pass on replacing the shield unless doing so would truly make him feel better. I tore up plenty of my dad's gear back in the day, and he took it in stride. (usually...) 20+ bucks is a small price to pay for keeping the peace.

[Ossum]

Originally Posted by TripleDigitRide

As far as your father paying to replace the visor, I would personally be ashamed to even consider taking his money for such an accident. I'm not trying to be an butt-head, but it was you who left the helmet in a vulnerable place where it could easily be knocked off, and you allowed your father to sit on your bike.

From my point of view, you are the one to blame, and taking your fathers money should not be an option.

The longer I think about it the less it really matters to me. This is probably karma for the time long ago when he pleaded me not to hit his thumb with the hammer, and that was the first thing I managed to do.

That said, if I'd damaged anyone else's helmet in a similar fashion, offering repayment would be the first thing I'd do. I wouldn't think any less of the recipient for accepting my money.

In any case I'm letting the matter drop, and if he brings it up I'll just say it was too cheap a replacement to care. If he won't let it go, I'll ask for a brew at a place with a good jukebox. Money is cheap, friendship with the dad is not.

[TripleDigitRide]

Originally Posted by Ossum

The longer I think about it the less it really matters to me. This is probably karma for the time long ago when he pleaded me not to hit his thumb with the hammer, and that was the first thing I managed to do.

That said, if I'd damaged anyone else's helmet in a similar fashion, offering repayment would be the first thing I'd do. I wouldn't think any less of the recipient for accepting my money.

In any case I'm letting the matter drop, and if he brings it up I'll just say it was too cheap a replacement to care. If he won't let it go, I'll ask for a brew at a place with a good jukebox. Money is cheap, friendship with the dad is not.

After I took the time to read through my original post, I hope I didn't come across too harsh.

I just tried to look at it if I were in your shoes. And like my father, I'm sure your father spent more than a few bucks on your screw-ups from back in the day. It all comes out in the wash.

[Ossum]

Originally Posted by TripleDigitRide

After I took the time to read through my original post, I hope I didn't come across too harsh.

I just tried to look at it if I were in your shoes. And like my father, I'm sure your father spent more than a few bucks on your screw-ups from back in the day. It all comes out in the wash.

Ah, no worries; it was the kind of sting I needed. I'd felt strange about the whole incident, but I couldn't put my finger on why. The money and the helmet really don't matter, and you helped me figure it out.

I'm hoping sitting on my bike finally gives him incentive to get one of his own; he's had this idea for years that being a skinny Italian, he wouldn't be able to handle a cruiser. He seems to think he'd never be able to pick it up if he dropped it (false) or would look ridiculous on it (also false), but the itch has always been there. If he gets a bike I have another person to ride with, and more to talk about.

[NBR Kevin]

After witnessing the amount of damage the shell of a *cheap* DOT rated helmet can take without compressing the foam inside the helmet, I dont bat an eye if the helmet takes a small tumble from my bike while resting. It took probably 40 hits with a 15lb shovel/axe before I started to break though the fiberglass on this old helmet. Inside the foam was only damaged on the areas that the sharp edge of the axe poked through or bent the shell. No way a normal drop with the thing being empty is going to ruin it or lessen its ability to save your head in a crash.

For the doubters that want fact, google up the Jay Leno video where he talks to the Arai helmet representative about improperly sized helmets. The question comes up and the statement is that from a height of 5-6 feet if you dont have about 15lbs of head inside the helmet the foam wont compress in a fall.

[07Ninja250]

"If people replaced their helmet everytime they dropped it, some would find it cheaper to sell their bike."

Amen to that.

Mine's fallen off my bike seat several times and other than some scars to the once-beautiful gloss black paint, it's fine.

I do regret buying a glossy black helmet. Between the drops and stuff on my workbench rubbing up against it and scratching it, it looks far from pristine. My next one may be one of those matte-black or rubberized finishes.

[jap4lvr]

my half helmet has gone sailing across the parking lot before. without any weight it just bounces. it isnt compressing anything.

[Ossum]

Originally Posted by 07Ninja250

"If people replaced their helmet everytime they dropped it, some would find it cheaper to sell their bike."

Amen to that.

Mine's fallen off my bike seat several times and other than some scars to the once-beautiful gloss black paint, it's fine.

I do regret buying a glossy black helmet. Between the drops and stuff on my workbench rubbing up against it and scratching it, it looks far from pristine. My next one may be one of those matte-black or rubberized finishes.

I'd go for the matte black, the rubberized finish looks really nice but if your helmet isn't top-of-the-line that finish kinda chips off easy. Of course mine's a Gmax helmet so I don't know what that says about the build quality...

[Graybird]

Helmets as a whole are a waste of money until the first time that you really need it, then you didn't spend enough!

[Ossum]

Originally Posted by Graybird

Helmets as a whole are a waste of money until the first time that you really need it, then you didn't spend enough!

I'd rather it remain a waste of money, by that criteria.

[Hot Cruiser]

If the outer shell isn't cracked, there wasn't anything inside the helmet like someone's head to compress the safety material, and the way the helmet landed it should be quite safe to use. The warnings issued about dropped helmets needing to be automatically replaced amount to the safety people and helmet makers adopting a worst-case-scenario just to make certain that all of their (sometimes legal) bases are covered.

[Ossum]

Originally Posted by Hot Cruiser

The warnings issued about dropped helmets needing to be automatically replaced amount to the safety people and helmet makers adopting a worst-case-scenario just to make certain that all of their (sometimes legal) bases are covered.

Like out of a fourth-story window and directly onto a wrought-iron fence post spike.