Exploiting the loophole in the helmet law...

[Cigaro]

Just a quick one - the helmet law says that a helmet that was legal at the time it was made will always be legal, correct?

So, what constitutes a helmet?

For instance, could I legally wear a 1940's bicycle helmet, as at the time there were no helmet laws and you would have been allowed to use it on a motorbike?

In fact, could I wear a 1940's beret, as that too was legal at the time?

Just curious like.

Cheers.

[Scouse]

Wear what you want. Just depends on how much you like your face.

[Cigaro]

I'm asking from a purely legal point of view. I wouldn't ever wear anything other than a properly-rated motorcycle helmet for riding anywhere I might encounter other traffic.

[colin1]

A policeman is not going to know the fine detail and wherther or not you are technically in the right.

Some people get away with army helmets which arent legal and arent gonna give much protection. They get away with it, because it looks a bit like a safety helmet, and only a copper who gives a shit would stop you.

However if you wear something that obviously isnt a helmet, like a a cycle helmet which is practically a hairnet, you are probably more likely to get stopped.

Even tho a modern bicycle helmet probably offers you more protection than an old army helmet, I bet you would get stopped sooner for one as it looks less like a motorbike safety helmet.

If you really wanted to ride around on roads where you thought there was no traffic, you would have as much chance of getting away with it as if you were speeding. Someone catches you, you are in trouble, if not, you are ok.

As they are more geared up for catchingt speeders, you might actually have a better chance of flouting the law by risking your life.

Not a fashion that I would like to catch on though.
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[benvanwell]

Sikhs wearing turbans are exempt from wearing crash helmets under the Motor-Cycle Crash Helmets (Religious Exemption) Act 1976. If you get stopped because you are wearing a beret then just convince the officer that this is another form of religious clothing and as such falls within the same act...

doubt it would work but you never know
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[Pete.]

If the law says that a helmet that was legal when new will always be legal, then how does that counterract the one that says you must always wear a helmet?
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Shoka]

I'd imagine it means any helmet that was legal once laws were in place.

I know before any laws on helmets were about wearing a beret wasn't illegal, but neither was it 'legal' as such, there just wasn't a law for it.

For example, if you wanted to wear a t-shirt while riding, then fine, that's okay from a legal standpoint (if a bit stupid to say the least), but if later on there was a law brought in to say you had to wear legal, approved motorcycle safety gear, then a t-shirt, despite once being 'legal' (if only as far as there wasn't a law saying otherwise) motorbike wear, would no longer be legal. That in my opinion would be fairly obvious. I think this helmet thing would fall under the same category.

[19van71]

[Method]

Why on earth does it matter?
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[colin1]

Maybe it has to be a helmet that met some prescribed legal requirement at some point.

So an old fashioned leather helmet wouldnt work as it was never made to meet a legal requirement.

You would need something that had met some legal requirement of the day.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Cigaro]

[Pete.]

Crack-on mate but make sure you empty the pisspot first. If you don't you'll get both pissed-on and pissed-off at the same time
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[T.C]

[pyx_e]

[riichy]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Afraid it isn't a loophole.

https://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1998/19981807.htm

[Ariel Badger]

Thanks Kieth, you saved me the trouble.
It has to have a BS mark to be legal
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[R4nger]

You can buy the BS stickers for your helmets so what does it matter?

[Lone-Wolf]

[colin1]

Fortunately, I don't think thats a style that will catch on.

Helmets are a good idea guys, no really, they are.
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[Method]

[Cigaro]

[quacker_boy]

[andrew]

[Nebzor]