Cheap helmets for autocross, Does this sound wrong to anybody else? Options

[Crazy Canuck]

just get a helmet with Snell / DOT approval.
I use a motorcycle helmet and no need for any graphical stuff... plane black.
And I got a rollbar so in case something happens, the chances I live to talk about it are greater.

If you have a rollbar, then you need an SA helmet. They are specifically designed to protect your head against impact with a rollbar.

does that mean I need to get another helmet ????

[Crazy Canuck]

Here's pics of my helmet after a 40mph highside.  Happened a little over 4 years ago.

I can't find pics of my leather jacket after the event.  It was in pretty rough shape as well.  I walked away, though with a noticable limp from re-establishing contact with the pavement right hip first.

brings back memories of my heads-on @ 85 on my bike.
My leather took a beating (thank God I looked like a PowerRanger) and walked away with just some bruises.

[Crazy Canuck]

just get a helmet with Snell / DOT approval.
I use a motorcycle helmet and no need for any graphical stuff... plane black.
And I got a rollbar so in case something happens, the chances I live to talk about it are greater.

If you have a rollbar, then you need an SA helmet. They are specifically designed to protect your head against impact with a rollbar.

does that mean I need to get another helmet ????

ttt

[sgarnett]

Well, if there's any way for your helmet to hit a rollbar in a crash, you need an SA. Unless all the bars are very far from the helmet, the answer is "probably".

However, it's also worth considering that Snell doesn't require flame-retardant linings in M2000, only SA2000.

I would really like to see the standards merge. I want the M peripheral vision (accident AVOIDANCE) with the SA rollbar test and flame retardancy.

[Bald54]

To start out I just run autocross and happen to be a motorcycle enthusiast. I bought a Shuberth motorcycle helmet which happens to be German made. It is DOT approved but not Snell. At the last autocross I ran I got thrown out of tech inspection since my helmet was not Snell. The ironic part of it was I had just broken off two wheel studs right before I went to tech. (that's a whole other story). They never even noticed that. They spent the whole time ripping my helmet apart trying to find the Snell sticker. I ended up using my old Arai which was about 13 years old. I guess I was really safe on that particular day (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Nestromo]

I'm 20 years old.

I saved up for 4 years to pay cash for my car.

If it rolls over.... do I really want to live? (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Seriously though, I don't see a lot of rollover risk in autocross. Open tracking is another story. Rolover mostly happens when you are going sideways then your inside tires grab something like a dip in the terrain (like you didn't already know that much) and that sort of terrain change isn't really much of a threat in most autocross situations.

Now, my GF and I were watching a bunch of guys in mostly 240SXs and Civics doing their ricer drifts and e-brake slides one time around a U shaped coned off track, and thise guys were wearing no helmets, approaching curbs at excessive speeds, and hanging their arms out of the windows. THAT isn't safe. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) The problem is that the general public can't tell the difference between that and autocross, and when they see those guys being unsafe they think that all racers (ricers?) are the same way.