[robz71lm7]

After sunday's autocross a novice asked on our region's message board about getting a cheap helmet. He got replies ranging from links where you could get an M2000 helmet for $60 and one even $49!

The site we raced at sunday was a military air strip with tall grass off the sides. The dirt wasn't always flat and smooth. In fact, yesterday and S2000 went off into the grass sideways-he wasn't the only one to go off into the grass. Now is it just me or this the kind of place where a good possibility of rolling over exists?

It just kind of disturbs me that people will recommend and use such cheap helmets. Am I being a little excessive here?

What's everyone's opinion on helmets in autocross?

[sgarnett]

Question about the 2" above part. Is that "absolute 2" above your shoulders" or "relative 2" above your shoulders"? Meaning, if I were to sit straight up, they should be 2" above. But, I sit semi-reclined (not lowrider - more like 20-30 degrees from straight up). If you look at the angle formed by the belt as it comes over the seat, it forms about a 60-70 degree angle. So, in relation to my shoulders, the harness is actually above them. But, measured from the ground, it is below or even. Which is the preferred method?

First of all, I said 2" above because you said 2" below. I was just trying to make the point that "almost horizontal" is not good enough. I'm was not trying to imply that 2" is the magic number - I don't want to lead anyone astray.

That Simpson picture shows the belt anchored below the shoulders (apparently to keep your head off the roof), but assuming it's reasonably to scale, the angle from pelvis to shoulders to belt anchor is still significantly greater than 90* to reduce the risk of compression fractures.

Ignoring the issue of keeping you in your seat, it's the relative angle of the belt compared to the spine that matters for protecting your spine.