Too much to ask?

[Paul in NZ]

Coughed the old Moto Guzzi into life this morning (gawd - how long since I rode this thing) to go see Randal and get a wof so I could then go see the dude at the Raumati Beach Post Shop to pay for me rego.....

No worries with the wof (not that I was expecting it) and a bit of a queue at the Post Shop. Well it IS the sort of villiage newsagent/post shop/kiwi bank thing you get in these places, old biddies sending parcels to grandkids, rudderless hippies trying to register rusty kombis so they can flog em of trade me etc etc...

Any who - I'm in no real hurry, it's a nice sunny morning and lifes to short to get too stressed about that shit so I chat to one of the grannies and carry her box for her..

Do the rego thingy with the guy, he's nice mature chappie and chatty yet efficient and then says - 'hey thanks for taking your helmet off before you came in.' No worries I say, it only takes me a moment... We had a quick chat and it seems they have had a few lately getting really aggro about it and just plain rude...

These are nice folks, it's now effectively a bank, why wouldn't you take your lid off??? When you think of the number of stories about ratbags holding up shops, banks and liqour stores etc I guess they are all a bit jumpy...

Or am I just getting old and reasonable...

[Nasty]

You are not old and reasonable Paul .. just reasonable ... its common sense with all the robberies and stuff to do something like show your face ... no point in getting aggro over something like that anyways :)

[Bonez]

Yeah it's not hard to remove you're lid. Got a similar reponse at a servo in Masterton a few weeks back.

[wbks]

Why do some people get so anal about having to take their helmets off? "click" and the helmets off, or maybe a 10second undoing of the strap...

[mark247]

I think it looks a bit idiotic when people waltz around the place with their helmets on, takes 3 seconds to take off, and the bonus is you dont look an absolute goof.

[madmal64]

I'm with ya on this one Paul. I think its a reasonable thing to do. For me a helmet can seem a bit of a barrier between me and the outside world and if I need or want to deal with people that are not part of the helmet wearing brigade I will take it off.
Its simple and easy to do, causes no offense in taking it off, saves hassle and generally makes any transaction or interaction with Mr & Mrs public non confrontational.

[slofox]

I had a dude come into my wine shop and refuse to remove his hoodie when asked. So I refused him service on the grounds that I could not verify his age without seeing his face. He got shitty but hey, it's my licence and my livelihood innit. He has not been back. And I have lost no sleep over it...

[mark247]

I had a dude come into my wine shop and refuse to remove his hoodie when asked. So I refused him service on the grounds that I could not verify his age without seeing his face. He got shitty but hey, it's my licence and my livelihood innit. He has not been back. And I have lost no sleep over it...

I dont think you would of lost much business. Those hoody wearing dudes aren't really wine connoisseurs at the best of times.

[Ecclesnz]

Personally I can see why some places ask you to remove your helmet before going in. Now you may know you are not going to be robbing the place you are going in to, but others can not read your thoughts.

When riding your first thoughts are on your safety. For anyone serving the public, particularly those at service stations and such, they always have to be aware somewhere in their head that "this guy could be the guy" The one who is planning on causing trouble, stealing something whatever. It's not nice to think that some people are naturally suspicious of us, unfortunately that is life.

Now personally there are times I don't take my helmet off, and at my local servo is one of those times, however I am so distinctive to look at and there so regularly that I will not be hard to track down plus the first thing I do is lift the front flip up. However at any stage if asked to remove my lid I will.

Yes it can be a bit of an inconvenience but give these guys a break. They are only doing their jobs.

[Harvd]

i take my helmet off whenever i get off the bike as hy head is aircooled and must have a steady flow of air to keep me cool. Also most shops ,petrol stations seem to appreciate it

[Blackshear]

Before this turns into a sweet debating thread like the last one...

Servo's, removing helmet seems to be purely optional, bar the odd grumpy attendee. Visor lifted up would be nice.

Anywhere else, it's just a little bit rude.
Post offices, banks, supermarkets and malls etc etc... More formal than a service station.

[scumdog]

I think it looks a bit idiotic when people waltz around the place with their helmets on, takes 3 seconds to take off, and the bonus is you dont look an absolute goof.

It's not the helmet that's the hassle - it's getting 'the-very-hard-to-remove gloves' off first that causes the time to be used up...

[Blackshear]

It's not the helmet that's the hassle - it's getting 'the-very-hard-to-remove gloves' off first that causes the time to be used up...

THIS! :pinch:
Took me some time to learn how to grab an eftpos card from my jacket pocket (Coins are impossible. There is actually no way to do this :oi-grr:), and then do up my helmet with gloves still on.

I consider myself somewhat talented. If you disagree, we will settle it with a race.:lol:

[Skunk]

I don't remove my helmet at my local gas station as they know me. I do at others even though it's a pain holding the wallet, EFTPOS card, gloves and my glasses. Fuck I hate glasses.

[musicman]

Sometimes it's a bit of a hassle - remove gloves, undo helmet strap, remove glasses, remove helmet, remove balaclava, put glasses back on, and remove ear plugs. Then when suiting up the reverse is applied - insert ear plugs, take off glasses, put on balaclava, zip up jacket, put on helmet, try to get glasses on correctly (sometimes they don't go on properly with the helmet on), do up helmet strap, and put on gloves.

I almost always take off my helmet though, but lately I have been filling up with petrol and paying with my helmet on.

[dipshit]

Why do some people get so anal about having to take their helmets off? "click" and the helmets off,

Because they are lazy and self-centred.

[scumdog]

Because they are lazy and self-centred.

Oooh, you make that seem like it's ...wrong..sort of..:devil2:

[FROSTY]

This is old scratched record material but the thing is that all those people drive cars. We are all tarred with the same brush. It takes fark all to be nice to people and the result is that they then see bikers in a positive light.

[tribsanor]

Sometimes it's a bit of a hassle - remove gloves, undo helmet strap, remove glasses, remove helmet, remove balaclava, put glasses back on, and remove ear plugs. Then when suiting up the reverse is applied - insert ear plugs, take off glasses, put on balaclava, zip up jacket, put on helmet, try to get glasses on correctly (sometimes they don't go on properly with the helmet on), do up helmet strap, and put on gloves.

I almost always take off my helmet though, but lately I have been filling up with petrol and paying with my helmet on.

Why wear so much crap if you don't like getting it on and getting it off.

[mark247]

Why wear so much crap if you don't like getting it on and getting it off.

Safety maybe?

The thing silly is that gloves really aren't that hard to take off. How hard can it be? It takes me 2 seconds.

[scumdog]

Safety maybe?

The thing silly is that gloves really aren't that hard to take off. How hard can it be? It takes me 2 seconds.

My fingerless ones keep getting snagged on my skull ring etc, takes a minute or so to get 'em off when they're wet - but then I don't have to remove them to get my helmet off so I guess it's not a valid argument....;)

[Ixion]

Why wear so much crap if you don't like getting it on and getting it off.

Man, you got it! Don't wear a helmet, and you don't need to remove it! So simple really. OK that's sorted.

[Paul in NZ]

This is old scratched record material but the thing is that all those people drive cars. We are all tarred with the same brush. It takes fark all to be nice to people and the result is that they then see bikers in a positive light.

Good point.... but...

While this is an old scratched record for us.... The rudeness is an everyday occurance for them.

My point is, maybe common sense and reasonable behaviour is like freedom, it's price is eternal vigulance.

[Reido]

dont give in, leave you're helmet on!
that way if someone touches your bike, you can do a mean running headbutt / tackel etc.

I allways take my helmet off etc when i get off my bike. just seems strange to have it on anywhere else.

[Creeping Death]

I always remove my helmet at servos.

Gives me time to wipe the sweat off gained from the copper I just did a runner from.

Nah....it makes it easier to eat the moro bar while you put the pump back in.:msn-wink:

[mdnzz]

I'll take off my glasses, helmet, gloves and if I've got the balaclava on that off too.
Never thought anything of it til I started reading about it.
As for the impaitient people in cars, I'll just take a few extra seconds gearing up and letting the bike warm up a fraction longer.
The nice ones I'll move the bike over so that they can reach the pump.
Generally I treat em they way they treat me.

[riffer]

Meh. I never take my helmet off.

But I wear a Shoei Multitec.

[Crisis management]

Good point Paul, the only place I leave my helmet on is at the gas stations as I don't want to spend the next 5 minutes juggling, helmet, keys, gloves and wallet and ear plugs. I don't usually have any problems with this, people seem keen to take my money.

The one time I was asked to remove my helmet I did, and was meerily served wearing my balaclava. :2thumbsup

Just like OSH, no sense of the absurd!

[slofox]

Sometimes it's a bit of a hassle - remove gloves, undo helmet strap, remove glasses, remove helmet, remove balaclava, put glasses back on, and remove ear plugs. Then when suiting up the reverse is applied - insert ear plugs, take off glasses, put on balaclava, zip up jacket, put on helmet, try to get glasses on correctly (sometimes they don't go on properly with the helmet on), do up helmet strap, and put on gloves.

I almost always take off my helmet though, but lately I have been filling up with petrol and paying with my helmet on.

Ditto.......


Funny thing is, the servo I use has signs all over asking that helmets be removed etc etc...but I never take mine off...because the station is unattended and eftpos only, so nobody is there to give a shit anyway...