Law on wearing mc helmet inside a cage?

**Nasty** · 29th June 2009, 19:56

Funny this ... when we picked up Grubs new bike from Tauranga ... we decided to have a chat on the way back ... through the blue tooth in our helmets ... when i was riding and he was driving ... with his flip top helmet in the car ... yes looked like a dick ... but it worked great.

Mostly people wear helmets only on the track or when racing.

**h20boy** · 29th June 2009, 20:18

If it was obscuring your view while driving I'd suggest they could charge you with dangerous/reckless driving...particularly if you were being a bit erratic as a result of wearing it.

A few years back a bunch of friends and I dressed up as mummys, covered head to toe in bandages and we were pulled over and told to take them off...not just the driver...all of us...bloody spoil sports.

**p.dath** · 29th June 2009, 20:40

I've done some reading of the LTSA web site with regard to this issue. I can't find any regulation directly stating that you can not wear a motorcycle helmet while driving a car.

However, there is plenty of grey territory, so I would not risk being a test case.

For example:
http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/rul...cles-1999.html
Section 6.11 of the passenger service vehicle regulations say "signs and instructions ... may not be obscured by a fitting". If you call a helmet a fitting, then you could be found in breach of this regulation. There are other similar grey areas like this.

Also consider the case where an accident has happened. If the police consider wearing the helmet was a contributing factor then you could be charged with a more serious offence than you otherwise have been.

In short, I would not risk it.

**scracha** · 29th June 2009, 21:46

How can a helmet possibly obscure your view? I mean, if it's safe enough for us to view things by turning our heads on a motorcycle then surely the same would apply in a car?

**p.dath** · 29th June 2009, 21:49

Originally Posted by scracha

How can a helmet possibly obscure your view? I mean, if it's safe enough for us to view things by turning our heads on a motorcycle then surely the same would apply in a car?

Without moving your head observe what you can see. Now put your helmet on. You should notice that your field of view has reduced. Hence your view has been obscured by the small opening in the front of your helmet.

You loose a lot of peripheral vision with a helmet on.

**scracha** · 29th June 2009, 22:34

Originally Posted by p.dath

Without moving your head observe what you can see. Now put your helmet on. You should notice that your field of view has reduced. Hence your view has been obscured by the small opening in the front of your helmet.

You loose a lot of peripheral vision with a helmet on.

So it's Ok to lose peripheral vision on a motorcycle but illegal in a car? I don't think so. Besides, they'd have to ban hijab's, a lot of haircuts and spectacles if they enforced a law about 'obscured view'.

'But I wear a helmet for religious reasons officer'

**peasea** · 30th June 2009, 06:40

Who cares? Do what you like on the roads, amass tens of thousands of dollars' worth of fines and have the total wiped by a cocksucking judge.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10581541

No wonder these arse-wipes create so much havoc and carnage on the roads. You and I get fines for 111kph and are hounded almost to the grave for eighty bucks but this fuck gets HOW MUCH wiped?

That judge should be incarcerated with him.

Sure, lock the perp up for a couple of months, then add the cost of the jail time to his fines and make him pay the lot!

Grrrrrr......

**JohnC** · 30th June 2009, 06:55

About 5 years ago there was an NZ doctor pushing for the compulsary wearing of helmets in cars.
He was basing his opinion on the amount of head injurys he was seeing in car drivers after side impact collisions.
In was discussed in detail on this forum at the time.
The guy had his whole family wearing open faces when traveling in his own family car.
I don't belive it's actualy illegal to wear one,but as far as the law being changed to make it compulsary,the Gov't would just say "buy a car with drop down air bags",,,end of argument.
Getting off Fines,,,good luck on that one.

**nodrog:Me** · 30th June 2009, 07:21

Originally Posted by p.dath

Without moving your head observe what you can see. Now put your helmet on. You should notice that your field of view has reduced. Hence your view has been obscured by the small opening in the front of your helmet.

You loose a lot of peripheral vision with a helmet on.

good point, i will not be wearing my helmet on my motorcylce anymore.

**Ixion** · 30th June 2009, 19:42

When I started riding motorcycles, it was legal to wear a crash helmet when riding one. But hardly anyone ever did.

because, if you did, you could guarantee you'd be stopped by the snakes.

"Ho Ho Ho. So, fancy yourself as Stanley Woods do you. Well, we've very little time for people like you that think the road's a race track and want to act out their fantasies blah blah, here's a ticket for not having enough steering wheels"

Wearing a helmet whilst driving a cage now would also be legal. And would almost certainly draw the same reaction from the cops.

**coffeejunkie** · 2nd July 2009, 10:58

I know afew drivers that i should be wearing a helmet in the car with, lOL

**Patrick** · 3rd July 2009, 17:17

Rally drivers don't have any issues.....

**Taz** · 3rd July 2009, 17:49

surely you'd have to remove it when paying for gas??

**peasea** · 3rd July 2009, 18:45

Originally Posted by p.dath

Without moving your head observe what you can see. Now put your helmet on. You should notice that your field of view has reduced. Hence your view has been obscured by the small opening in the front of your helmet.

You loose a lot of peripheral vision with a helmet on.

Which is why I wouldn't fuckin' bother if it were not for the law. Have you ever checked the stat's on broken necks in m/c accidents? I don't doubt that something needs to protect your gourd in a spill but helmets are not the whole answer. It's all good in a race car with a Hans device, but you ain't got that on a sickle.

A Kevlar flying hat would probably be better; less mass to snap your spinal cord and stab-proof into the bargain.