LVDell

Which are the S rated helmets? Is that the skiing helmets?

LVDell

Just found a listing (with stickers).....pic attched

Bob Rouleau

Dell - BSI is approved for DE. Local races I participate in (not PCA) also allow them. Didn't check club racing rules. British Standards Institute is the certification for the FIA, I imagine that it would be adequate for PCA club racing as well. I like BSI because the helmet has a month of manufacture in it, ten year expiry from the month of manufacture. The euro helmets like Stilo use the BSI certification.

LVDell

Thanks Bob

Giacomo

Years ago I made the same inquiry and our region justified it on the basis that having an SA only requirement would discourage potential newbies to the DE scene. For someone who is coming out to try DE for the first time it is much easier to source (ie. borrow) a motorcycle helmet than find a friend with an SA rated melon protector they are willing to loan. I've seen alot of M rated helmets in the green and yellow run groups. The newbie cars almost never have a cage, if they do it is usually the spouse of an experienced driver and then they come with all the goodies. Once the drivers move on however, everyone seems to buy SA rated helmets.

LVDell

While I understand that argument (and I heard the same thing from the PCA national level) what are we telling the potential DE person? That it's ok to use a substandard level of safety to try out the sport first? If we allow that, then we have to specify that it can only be in cars in student groups and must have NO MODIFICATIONS to the car.....ie, completely stock.

DanR

normally I would say it is personal chioce, if you want to save some money and risk your head it is your look out but then I think to my first event when I had no idea what was going on (certainly was not safety conscious like I am now) and if the rules said you can use S, K , m ......... I could well have made a bad decision and bought the cheaper option.

To me its a nop brainer. its your head.....

LVDell

So the more I think about this, for PCA to say they don't want to discourage somebody from attending a DE b/c you can get a M rated helmet for less than $100 but the cheapest SA helmet is about $200 they are saying that we don't care how you protect your head in your pride and joy Porsche as long as you pay your entry fees of $300???????? I'm lost on this one. Talk about irrational.

Veloce Raptor

I am sorry---I made a typo. I meant SA.

LVDell

FIXED YOUR PREVIOUS QUOTE

Once again, good point. SA rated helmets can be had for $200 and sometimes less. And that is talking brand new.

For the person just wanting to "try out" a DE either renting a SA rated helmet (if possible) or buying a used one on Fleabay would be better. Then if you don't like the sport, you sell it on Fleabay.

Geoffrey

Dell, I think sometimes "we" forget what it is like for the average guy who bought his new or used "dream car" and would like to try it out on the track...once... Maybe he'll find this is an activity for him and he'll continue, or maybe not. Getting your prized possession out on the track is full of information overload and can be intimidating. If you think about it, the likelyhood of a first day student crashing a car is not very high, and the likelyhood that the difference between an SA and M helment in that instance would be the difference between head trauma or not is even smaller. We, as a club, need to make the barrier to entry for DE as low as reasonable based on the assumption of risk the club is willing to take.

I'm not saying that SAs shouldn't be required for racing or even advanced run groups, but I am saying that I agree with the reasoning behind the current PCA minimum standards.

LVDell

I understand that as well and agree that we shouldn't have barriers to "trying" out DE but the problem exists that it is NOT limited to the first timers since it is an open standard. The way it is written is that the guy in the top run group with a full cage and 6pt harnesses, etc, can run the M rated helmet. That's insane!

Giacomo

My sense is that if newbies actually purchase a helmet it will be an SA. But many first timers use a helmet they already have (likely M) or borrow one. I do agree that it should be limited to green/yellow run groups and then perhaps even to only the first 3 to 5 events.

Geoffrey

You know, I'm not sure that I really care what others do...

LVDell

I know I know I know, I agree 100% Geoffrey.

But.......should we be the vehicle that allows for such stupidity?