Crazy Australian Helmet Laws

[mister]

There is a lot of conjecture about helmet laws in Australia. Can I save 50% of the price and get a helmet from the USA or Europe and if I do will it be Legal, considering it doesn't have the Aust Standards sticker on it?

Well, the Motorcycle Council has done a study of the various helmet laws within the country. As I read it I understand as...

Old old helmets of mine are legal in my state. New helmets bought the other day are not.

My new helmet is legal in the neighboring state, my old ones are not.

And my old and new helmets are illegal everywhere else in the country besides the two states mentioned.

Confused? Read it for yourself and see how muddy clear our helmet laws are http://www.roadrider.com.au/CustomContentRetrieve.aspx?ID=497109

Michael

[pave_spectre]

Need class action lawsuits brought against each state and territory government to sort all the bullsith out.

Only  slightly TIC.

[slipperymongoose]

That made absolutely no sense to me.

[HaydenH]

we've had this come up so much on work discussions that it's now a banned topic. 
that article says it all. particularly the last two paragraphs.
its a crazy bloody place we live. 

[Shaddow]

Typical of our country these days. Can't make a decision to save itself from drowning.

[slipperymongoose]

From what I can gather from that is if they try and do you for some kind of helmet infringement you will most likely get off on a technicality if you fight it.

[Twisted]

From what I can gather from that is if they try and do you for some kind of helmet infringement you will most likely get off on a technicality if you fight it.

I don't think the police have an actual code to fine you for not wearing an approved helmet. They will book you for not wearing a helmet at all which of course if you are wearing one will get you off on a technicality.

[HaydenH]

according to the police handbook they  check for the tags that all helmets have inside (ie: do not modify blah blah blah) and check for the aus standard sticker on the helmet.

this is the fun bit. Aus Standards don't issue stickers. period. 

hence technically everything is just about illegal, and why that article got written.
I'll just stick with the approach that i want to protect my noggin and will therefore wear what i think is best for me. which is my approach to riding generally.
i do what i believe is in the best interest of keeping me alive (both from other people and my own stupidity).

[slipperymongoose]

Then what's that AS sticker thing on your helmet that if you remove it says 'void' or something?

[gramlord]

The legal system is somewhat lagging behind reality - get a helmet that will save your arse. So to speak.

"They" can work out what your arse is and its value all in good time. But for now, get something that works.

Your head is worth more than the collective sum of those that deliberate and quabble.

[parker]

AFAIK, most cops have common sense when it comes to helmets, but insurance would be the killer, IF they voided it because of the helmet.

[slipperymongoose]

Ok just looked at my helmet and the AS sticker says it was issued by SAI global

[noiseguy]

I've never understood government's need to create new standards for their own countries... must be some sort of full employment act, because God knows you couldn't trust an engineer from US, Europe, UK to have figured this out once and for all. I was aware of DOT, SNELL, for the US. But there's more! From wikipedia:

    ACU (Auto-Cycle Union) Gold or Silver badge
    AS/NZS 1698:2006 (Australia and New Zealand)
    BSI (British Standards Institute) 6658
    CSA CAN3-D230-M85 (Canada. they no longer certify motorcycle helmets)
    DOT FMVSS 218 (USA)[19]
    GOST R 41.22-2001 (ГОСТ Р 41.22-2001) (Russia)
    NBR 7471 (Brazil)
    IS 4151 (India)
    JIS T 8133:2000 (Japan)
    Snell M 2005 "2005 Helmet Standard For Use in Motorcycling"
    SNI (Indonesia)
    SHARP (UK) - Star Rating
    ECE 22.05 (Europe)[20]
    TCVN 5756:2001 (test and certify by QUATEST 3) (Vietnam)

Why? Why why why?

[ghostrider_23]

Honestly it should be up to the rider whether or not to wear a helmet and what type or kind of helmet they will wear. It's their life not the law makers!

What the lawmakers should be enforcing is the cell phone driver that text & tall and do not pay attention that causes accidents. I wish everyone had to drive a motorcycle for at least a year to see what it's like to ride and deal with these caged drivers to understand how absent minded and careless people in cars truly are.

[Dr.McNinja]

What makes American helmets bad? SNELL and DOT are two very good standards. Unless the Australian/European/Whatever test somehow has the approval of some higher power, I'd say our helmets are just as good as anyone elses (in fact, everyone "good" in America is "good" everywhere else, e.g. shoei).

I'm pretty sure everything in Australia is screwed up though. At least you guys have better healthcare regardless of your choice, lol.

Honestly it should be up to the rider whether or not to wear a helmet and what type or kind of helmet they will wear. It's their life not the law makers!

What the lawmakers should be enforcing is the cell phone driver that text & tall and do not pay attention that causes accidents. I wish everyone had to drive a motorcycle for at least a year to see what it's like to ride and deal with these caged drivers to understand how absent minded and careless people in cars truly are.

They should also be enforcing helmets. No helmet laws drive MY insurance up. I don't appreciate a 100 dollar bump in my insurance every month because you people don't want to wear a helmet. Plus, no helmet laws make motorcyclists look worse than they already do. The few that don't wear helmets down here aren't taken seriously at all. No helmet = weekend rider.

That being said I don't know how you ride without a helmet. Your head isn't aerodynamic at all.

[ghostrider_23]

WOW Dr. McNinja,

I hope you did not get the impression that I ride without a helmet because I do. I was smiply saying that if are you a stupid enough to ride without a helmet than you get what you get, that was my point.

[mister]

From what I can gather from that is if they try and do you for some kind of helmet infringement you will most likely get off on a technicality if you fight it.

I don't think the police have an actual code to fine you for not wearing an approved helmet. They will book you for not wearing a helmet at all which of course if you are wearing one will get you off on a technicality.

If a Traffic Branch Blitz gets you for wearing a helmet without a Standards Sticker, or whatever, the Infringement Notice will have a Code on it. A number which represents the infringement. After you ride off with your Notice, get in touch with a different police department and ask them what the code stands for. You will most likely find they have put down the code for not wearing a helmet, not wearing a seat belt or something else of equal fine/points. THAT is your out. So if you get booked for whatever reason, double check the infringement code.

Michael

[Ourea]

[POST HAS BEEN REMOVED BY USER]

[HaydenH]

as an engineer myself i've had to go through a few standards (not typically bike ones though    )

Aus Standards are typically of higher regulation than other countries. since we generally take what works out of US and European standards and combine/add a bit more.
(i'd disclaimer that with this is 100% of the case, but generally speaking)

Aus goes further to have state regulation on top of the standards and then councils can also impose ther own requirements. very confusing very fast. hence this topic.

I've never actually heard of a cop issuing infringments against this (insurance companies are another issue), after all, the motorcycle cops wear helmets too.
and they're off the shelf just like ours (granted with a bit different livery lol).

[uninhibited]

My new helmet is legal in the neighboring state, my old ones are not.

And my old and new helmets are illegal everywhere else in the country besides the two states mentioned.

So were can you go?  NSW, SA or NT?