ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET.

[EMS702]

Nope, that’s why I was asking for advice. They have a boat load of airbags all around but I’ve been in a group running pretty dang fast in Baja when a horse spooked in the desert and bolted right in front of me. I got the short bus slowed down enough and saw it coming out of the corner of my eye but since that happened I’ve been wondering about wearing a helmet in my uncaged Raptor.

PS. Sometimes I enjoy driving like a total nimrod and I’d hate to punch my ticket over a simple thing like a helmet. Well I guess the real nightmare would be living through it but losing a passenger that I love more than myself.

I wear a safety helmet like the Nascar safety teams wear when I am doing in field at Laughlin or I am going to a response fast off road. Our team had a member get their bell rung hitting head on top inside of truck one year just going over a small berm in Laughlin and bouncing. Since then I keep my Simpson safety helmet in my truck. also works well if I want to use a headset with my hand held radio.

 

[Bro-Dozer Motorsports]

People that test in shorts and T-shirts blow my mind. If you are "Testing" you are doing 1 of 2 thing, you are either testing set up changes or testing after a prep. Both of which have a very high chance of something going wrong or not handling the way you remember. My brother and I suit up to test cars as if we were heading to the starting line, not only is it safe but you are now testing your gear as well. Nothing worse than heading to staging and realize your neck restraint bolts are loose or your helmet wiring is cutting in and out with no time to fix it. "Better safe than sorry" is a real thing.

 

[dhjeepgeek]

People that test in shorts and T-shirts blow my mind. If you are "Testing" you are doing 1 of 2 thing, you are either testing set up changes or testing after a prep. Both of which have a very high chance of something going wrong or not handling the way you remember. My brother and I suit up to test cars as if we were heading to the starting line, not only is it safe but you are now testing your gear as well. Nothing worse than heading to staging and realize your neck restraint bolts are loose or your helmet wiring is cutting in and out with no time to fix it. "Better safe than sorry" is a real thing.

We were guilty as most of you are of testing without proper safety gear. Well we were. No more. And more than once I have been with other racers who find the comm doesn't work on race day. A little late to fix when they are heading the staging.

 

[J Prich]

Outside of CA you rarely see people wearing helmets in utvs. Anybody know if a helmet would have saved Pete?

I didn't want to go down this path but that incident reinforced what I always believe...that I'll never get in anything in in the dirt at more than a low speed without a helmet. Maybe it wouldn't have made a difference in his case, but if I could have helped...

We don't really "test" our truck, but we play in it a lot. We don't typically suit up in full race gear but we ALWAYS wear helmets. We have two play trucks between us...my race partner and I, and we've both got fancy sets of headsets but we literally have never worn them because we always wear helmets. I'm not a safety nazi, but I cringe every time I see youtube vids of guys out playing in the desert in UTVs, prerunners, etc...jumping and doing fun stuff...without a helmet.

 

[Travisfab]

How about a lightweight bike helmet in a non caged street truck? Seems like something would be better than nothing?

 

[Racer Tim]

Keep in mind if you have a helmet you should have a neck restraint! The extra 3-5 pounds of a helmet on your head in a bad crash can easily cause a neck injury.

If your putting on a helmet you should have a neck restraint as well otherwise it is possible in the right crash you would be causing more harm then good.

 

[Jerry Zaiden]

Most injuries in day to day crashes on the street are head trauma. There for if you chose to be as safe as possible YES wear a helmet while going offroad. We also have talked about it here to start wearing all our gear while testing. This means for Jason to not wear flip flops while testing, lol.

Suits, gloves, shoes, helmets etc.

We have always had a policy to wear helmets in our buggies 15 years ago in Glamis. TBH it is way more comfortable and you have music in your helmet. You can also talk to everyone in the car.

In my Raptor in Baja going down dirt roads as slow speeds safer yes, will we do this prob not. In a prerunner yes for sure. BUT wearing an open face helmet while down there might not be a bad idea as there is not much medical help.

Always way better to be safe than to not be.

 

[y2kbaja]

So what is everyone's thought on a mtn bike helmet in a prerunner with no cage? Just curious as I can see wearing a ventilated helmet all day vs non-ventilated then needing intercoms etc even with open face. This is the reason I'm not looking at putting a cage in my truck...It's more unsafe to have the cage inside with no helmets than it to have no cage, no helmets.

 

[nimrod]

I know from Porsche club track days you don’t want a full face helmet or a visor in a street car with airbags. NO BUENO.
These light weight crew helmets seem like a good option as long as the visor is removable.
Pit Crew Helmets : Crew Helmets : Over The Wall Helmets : Racing Pit Crew Helmet : Racing Crew Helmets

That’s why I asked for input, I know what to expect with street cars on a track but I was hoping someone had input about airbags going off in a raptor

 

[nimrod]

This is important. From what I’ve been told at track days you DON’T WANT A FULL FACE HELMET OR A VISOR IF YOU HAVE AIRBAGS

 

[EMS702]

I know from Porsche club track days you don’t want a full face helmet or a visor in a street car with airbags. NO BUENO.
These light weight crew helmets seem like a good option as long as the visor is removable.
Pit Crew Helmets : Crew Helmets : Over The Wall Helmets : Racing Pit Crew Helmet : Racing Crew Helmets

That’s why I asked for input, I know what to expect with street cars on a track but I was hoping someone had input about airbags going off in a raptor

That is what our team has. In your case it can also be used when on occasion you help pit.

 

[jon coleman]

one more tidbit on testing bro d. b reminded me of wearing all safty gear testing, good advice! especially new gear.tru stry, bought new nomex head sock 4 parker, never wore befor race,from start to first pitt stop a little thread kept poking me in the side of my eye ball, talk about annoying, just couldnt get rid of it .co driver thought i was having seizures.its the little things that win or loose a race

 

[mrlentle]

one more tidbit on testing bro d. b reminded me of wearing all safty gear testing, good advice! especially new gear.tru stry, bought new nomex head sock 4 parker, never wore befor race,from start to first pitt stop a little thread kept poking me in the side of my eye ball, talk about annoying, just couldnt get rid of it .co driver thought i was having seizures.its the little things that win or loose a race

In car footage? Bet it looks pretty funny!

 

[Kiwiflyer]

Outside of CA you rarely see people wearing helmets in utvs. Anybody know if a helmet would have saved Pete?

Yes I do and no absolutely not, he was one for safety , but was commuting going very slow, however EVERYONE in his car was wearing belts - when Pete was testing and Pre running he made sure Everyone wore full safety gear


Sent from my iPhone using race-deZert mobile app

 

[Wicked Al]

Those comments there should have just answered your own question, I’m w Sourapas. Wear it all, it is cheaper to look like a fool to the other general population while testing/ prerunning than to pay the medical deductible

“...it is cheaper to look like a fool...” Slightly different perspective, the ones ripping around without safety gear look the fool, the others look the professional. It’s a shame that some people have to wait for a significant event before they learn.

 

[JDDurfey]

The first time I went testing in a Class 1 car at Plaster City the owner and I geared up with our suits and helmets. Some of the other guys that were helping with the suspension settings did not. They were in shorts and no helmets. I did not understand that as we were blasting those whoops with abandon.

After we had been there a while another "big name team" pulls up and start testing also. They wore helmets, but no other gear. I didn't understand this either and felt a little like an over dressed idiot. But I really don't care.

Like has been said, some of my worst injuries on my dirt bike were from that "one last ride" at the dunes. Or the "I am just going to put around" ride.

Three years ago one of our contract drivers in the oil field had a 3"x4" camlock cross over connection come through the windshield of his Peterbilt that fell off a truck that he met on the highway! He wasn't wearing any glasses and somehow managed to stop the truck and pick glass out of his eyes. So now I often wear clear safety glasses when driving at night and I always wear dark ones during the day.

 

[ndvalium]

As has been said several times before:

If you are in a off road vehicle, doing off road things, wear the helmet. Wear the belts. Wear the Neck Restraint. Wear the suit.

Part of "testing" is getting to know how the car feels right? If you aren't wearing what you are required to wear on race day, then how the vehicle feels can be completely different.

There is also a higher risk potential testing, pre-running, or even recreating when you aren't out at a sanctioned event. You have zero people standing by to help. You also have zero control over the other people that are out there doing the same things you are.

If you are in a crash in a caged vehicle, the cage will kill you dead faster than a non caged vehicle if you are not properly prepared. A few years back, Pat learned this the hard way testing in Barstow. This is what a rollover in a caged vehicle without a helmet can look like. It can also look much worse.

I have also seen some teams practice pit stops without suits because it was to hot, or didn't want to get the suits dirty or damaged. Dress the same exact way you will be on race day each and every time. You want to makes sure you can lift, kneel, bend, and move properly, regardless if your perceived threat is reduced because you aren't at a race.

 

[Goober]

Yes I do and no absolutely not, he was one for safety , but was commuting going very slow, however EVERYONE in his car was wearing belts - when Pete was testing and Pre running he made sure Everyone wore full safety gear


Sent from my iPhone using race-deZert mobile app

What is considered slow? Paige posted the video right before the accident and no one was wearing a helmet. It's a tough question but do we know what Pete's injuries were, would a helmet saved his life?

 

[mrlentle]

What is considered slow? Paige posted the video right before the accident and no one was wearing a helmet. It's a tough question but do we know what Pete's injuries were, would a helmet saved his life?

The Pete specific info can probably be left for a later time. I'd imagine it's still pretty raw for a lot of people and thinking about could have/would have really doesn't help.

 

[JCAraiza]

How about a lightweight bike helmet in a non caged street truck? Seems like something would be better than nothing?

that is a mountain biking helmet and it WONT work.