After almost 30 years, the “B.C. beanie” is about to become history. As of June 1, there will be new rules governing motorcycle helmets in British Columbia, and so-called novelty helmets – in particular, the B.C. beanie – are on the way out. Offering about as much protection to riders’ heads as a Tupperware cereal bowl, the low-cost beanies managed to slip through the cracks in the late 1980s in British Columbia when – among other things – existing helmet laws were challenged in court by various groups, one of which claimed that a motorcycle helmet infringed on its right to wear religious headgear. Since then, law enforcement has essentially overlooked the beanie, despite the fact that it’s common knowledge that they may look cool, but do almost nothing to prevent head trauma in the event of an accident. The statistics in favour of proper headgear are hard to argue with. According to the B.C. Ministry of Justice, helmet laws – and, consequently, proper helmets – have been found to reduce accident fatalities by as much as 37 per cent.

Since motorcyclists are eight times more likely to be killed and some 40 per cent more likely to be injured in a vehicle collision than other road users, wearing proper headgear is a bit of a no-brainer. 50cc motorcycle for sale south africaIf you ride regularly and wear a beanie or skid lid, the only reason you haven’t been injured is sheer luck.harley ultra classic for sale bc Even a relatively low-speed collision can have dire consequences if all you have on your head is a one-centimetre-thick piece of fibreglass. used bmw motorcycles invernessInterestingly, authorities in Italy also recently banned the use of inadequate helmets on scooters and motorcycles.used bikes for sale chilliwack

Unbelievably, some riders in B.C. have even found store-bought beanies to be too large, whittling down their “helmets” to a skull-cap the size of a yarmulke. motorcycle tires for rocky terrainOther riders claim that a full-size helmet with a front visor and proper padding limits their peripheral vision and deadens road noise so they can’t hear what’s going on around them.big dog motorcycle throttle cables So what constitutes a proper helmet? off road motorcycle dealers dorsetFirst of all, it must meet industry standards established by the U.S. Department of Transport, which Canada adopted years ago, or those established by the Snell Memorial Foundation. This group is a non-profit research foundation whose purpose is to define what constitutes proper head protection “through scientific and medical research, standards development, helmet testing and public education.”

It was founded after the death of amateur racing driver Pete Snell in 1957, and is recognized by virtually every sanctioned motorsport body in North America, including the American Motorcycle Association, the National Hot Rod Association, NASCAR, the Sports Car Club of North America and others. Although several high-profile accidents have brought the helmet issue to the fore, law enforcement personnel in British Columbia have chafed over the beanie loophole for years. Says Jamie Graham, former Vancouver chief of police and chair of the B.C. association of chiefs of police traffic safety committee: “We have seen the harm that inadequate safety equipment and poor choices cause. You have to be responsible for your actions, dress appropriately, pay attention and focus on driving.” What happens if you defy the law and ride around with a beanie after June 1? The fine is $138, and if you can’t produce a valid helmet, you have to park the bike immediately and go and get one. There were also some other motorcycle safety regulations brought forward by the B.C. government at the same time the beanie law was introduced.

As of June, any passengers riding on the rear pillion will have to be able to “place their feet on foot pegs or floorboards.” If you have kids, for example, who can’t reach the rear pegs, they can’t ride. Ontario has had this law on the books for some time now, and it makes sense all round. Perhaps the best item to come out of the new announcements by the B.C. government is the news that it intends to move forward with a graduated licensing program for new riders that may include power restrictions and bike size. The U.K., Japan and elsewhere have had this kind of system in place for years, and although Ontario also has a type of graduated licensing program (M1 and M2) that restricts where and when you can ride, it says nothing about the size or power level of the bike.The perfect lightweight helmet for all day comfort and protection Get layered up for Fall The only thing unchanged are the names Step into your next adventure with Fox Footwear Fall in love with our latest arrivals

Welcome to Fox Racing Canada - Fox Racing, or more commonly known as FOX - Founded in 1974 Fox Head Inc. has maintained its position as the innovation leader in the MX industry by designing and producing motocross gear and apparel for the world's best riders. Building off this athlete-driven design philosophy, the company has expanded its activity and products into MTB, BMX, Surf and Wakeboarding, and rounding off the design innovation to moto-inspired lifestyle apparel for men, women and youth. Motorcyclists are over-represented in road trauma statistics. In British Columbia motorcycles are estimated to make up about three per cent of insured vehicles, yet motorcycles are involved in approximately ten per cent of road fatalities. Between 1996 and 2010, motorcycle fatalities increased 57 per cent. The fatality rate for young drivers under 25 years of age is on average 15 times higher than drivers over 25 years of age. Motorcyclists are considered vulnerable road users for a number of reasons:

On June 1, 2012, amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act and supporting regulations will be brought into force. These changes to the law are as follows: Motorcycle helmets can reduce the likelihood of a crash fatality and are also found to be very effective in preventing brain injuries. In British Columbia, motorcycle drivers and passengers are required to wear a motorcycle safety helmet that meets one of the following safety standards (and the helmet needs to display the proper certification label): The safety helmet needs to display the proper certification label. Detailed requirements and label images are provided below. Standards for helmet safety are set by a series of tests performed on these critical elements: A motorcycle helmet that meets these standards contains a rigid head covering that consists of a strong, stiff outer shell and a crushable liner. The stiff outer shell must protect the head by distributing the impact throughout the surface of the helmet, and the crushable liner must protect the head by absorbing the energy of the impact.

Compliance with other standards – such as Canada Standards Association (CSA), British Standards Institute (BSI) or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) – while not prohibited, does not mean your helmet is legal.  British Columbia has not adopted these standards because they are not available to the public free of charge.  The Province is committed to ensuring the standards required by law not only represent the cutting edge of safety industry technical knowledge, but are also available to all British Columbians at no cost. Full-face helmets and visors are not required and riders are free to choose any helmet colour they prefer.  However, eye protection and brightly-coloured helmets are strongly recommended to help prevent collisions, injuries and fatalities. Uncertified, novelty beanies do not meet the requirements. APPROVED HELMET STANDARD AND LABEL The symbol DOT, constitutes the manufacturer's certification that the helmet conforms to the applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.

This symbol needs to appear on the outer surface of the helmet, in a color that contrasts with the background color of the helmet. Letters are at least one centimetre (3/8 inch) high, centred laterally with the horizontal centreline of the symbol located a minimum of 2.9 centimetres (1 1/8 inches) and a maximum of 3.5 centimetres (1 3/8 inches) from the bottom edge of the helmet. Snell 2005, 2010 and 2015 Certifications Each helmet shall include one of the Snell Memorial Foundations serialized certification labels. The Snell certification label can be placed on either the inside or outside of the helmet. ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) Certification An ECE label means the helmet is approved in accordance with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Regulation No. 22.05. The symbol for this approval is a circle surrounding the letter 'E' followed by the identification number of the country that has granted approval. In addition, the following information is represented by the approval label.

The approval number followed by a letter identifying helmet characteristics: This is then followed by a production serial number. If police have probable cause to suspect the motorcycle driver or passenger are not using an approved helmet, police are authorized to inspect helmets at the roadside to ensure they meet specified requirements. Inspected helmets that do not meet the approved standards are subject to seizure. If the motorcycle can’t be parked legally or safely after such helmet seizure, a peace officer has authority to have the vehicle towed at the owner’s expense. The power to seize helmets may be exercised only when the officer has reason to believe a helmet does not meet regulatory requirements, which can be determined by inspecting the helmet for safety certification labels. During such a seizure, peace officers are subject to existing procedures required under the Offence Act which ensure fairness regarding how the property is handled and determining who retains the property after any relevant court proceedings or processes.