Hi perfectlab,
I think you misunderstood me here. I never said that you don't need a helmet. I completely agree with you that you need one. But you would probably agree with me that every helmet with a current DOT or Snell sticker would have protected your head when you hit the pillar.
If you *really* manage to flip your car over, I believe we all have to be much more worried about the lack of protection from the roll bar (at least the ones of us w/o a hardtop). At least in my case as I would never pass the broomstick test without a rollbar extension.
So I guess if I'd have the choice between a $1,200 helmet like the carbon fiber ones OR a cheaper helmet and I spend the money I safe on a rollbar extension ($600) I'd go that route...
Cheers
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Originally Posted by Perfectlap
you absolutely need a helmet. I had a moron on foot trying to run across my line one time, I got on the brakes HARD and hit my head on a pillar. Put a nice scratch on the helmet.
Sometimes there are as many as 3 cars on the course during a hot lap. Theres allot of room for someone to get hit by a car. Its always the idiot factor that makes any type of motorsports dangerous. One guy put his car into a light pole, (ok he's not an idiot but club President!!).
You would be amazed at how little background checking goes on at these events.
You've got a car that can pass a hurried pre-event inspection, no clue how to drive and $40 and you have free reign. Most of the drivers are regulars but many are unknowns. THis one time a bunch of foreign guys show up, at first I thought they just noticed us from the highway because none are speaking English. One guy enters the Autox. The guy is all over place GOING FAST, knocking over cones in his old Beamer and when he gets to the end of the lap HE IS NOT BRAKING.
Everyone runs out of the way finally gets on the brakes, pitches the car sideways and does about a 40 foot drift toward a crowd of spectators. scary and yes they let him do the rest of his laps.
The best kind of helmet for Autocross is one without a visor that is fairly open in the face. The Sparco
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