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From: prins@cornell.UUCP (Jan Prins)
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: Re: motorscooter advice? Helmet!
Message-ID: <11@cornell.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Aug-85 17:19:20 EDT
Article-I.D.: cornell.11
Posted: Mon Aug 19 17:19:20 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 23-Aug-85 06:54:58 EDT
References: <654@sfmag.UUCP> <28300021@ISM780.UUCP>
Reply-To: prins@cornell.UUCP (Jan Prins)
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept.
Lines: 23

>
>Buy a Snell approved helmet!
>
>	    --Darryl Richman, INTERACTIVE Systems Corp.

Just to keep things complicated.... 

At least one review article on motorcycle helmets suggested that the demanding 
requirements of the Snell test are biased towards race-track speed motorcycle
and car crashes.  These conditions are less representative of motorscooter
operation, I would think.

The less stringent DOT standard can often met by helmets that are "softer" and 
impart less impulse to the user's head in low-speed crashes.  Apparently the
difference is sufficient to reduce head and neck injuries in those situations.
It's the morbid problem of optimizing worst-case vs. expected-case protection.

There may be helmets specifically designed for motorscooters.  Snell approved 
helmets are usually more expensive.  But then, the only advice I ever received 
about helmets was "If you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet".

Jan Prins   prins@cornell     (UUCP, ARPA, Csnet)
            prins@crnlcs      (BITNET)