Gr8Flux
03-04-2015, 01:09 AM
Hello all,
As the Vice President of my club I've spent quite some time reading and rereading the rules, as I'm sure most of you have done, and I've found one particular thing particularly striking. How is it the rules for helmets aren't more explicit? My background is in bicycles and motorcycles, where I've worked in the bicycle industry for over 7 years, and in the two wheeled arena helmets are the number one priority when discussing the topic of safety, for obvious reasons. In those industries it is not uncommon for one to debate the topic from any number of angles regarding things like what certifications are necessary, how fitment is equally as important as the helmet itself, even concepts such as some certifications being excessive and thus dangerous for some applications (such as how if a certification absorbs a greater amount of energy it could potentially render a helmet useless at lower speeds - obviously it's more complex an issue than that but you see where it goes...).
Anyhow, it seems to me Formula SAE prides itself on writing so many rules that it's nearly impossible for a team to compete with a car that isn't safe. My question then is, what good is any of that if one of the most exposed and fragile parts of the human body isn't adequately protected? What do I propose may be a problem? Well, in my field of 'expertise' (bicycles) it's widely accepted that helmets must be replaced after a given amount of use and a given time frame. The common perception is for helmets to be replaced every 5 years, regardless of whether it was used or not (this is also common in motorcycle racing, where helmets must have been manufactured within the last few years).
Now, I'm not a fan of adding to the rule book because, frankly, I think it's a bit excessive as is. Unfortunately, I do feel as though some rules for helmets need to be outlined a bit better. What do I think should be added?
-Helmets must be manufactured within the last 5 years (where 5 years is measured from the closest New Year date at the time of inspection)
-Each driver must demonstrate the helmet they will be wearing in the dynamic events properly fits (with some specific example as to what this means being given)
-Helmets must be in reasonable condition, defined by all non-static components being in operable condition as intended by the manufacturer
-Interior foam of helmets must not have any large cracks (ones that go all the way through the foam for 2" or more)
Being an individual who has crashed at triple digits I'm fairly certain my fortune of being aware of the safety concerns related to helmets, and my investment in a top of the line helmet, saved my life. Thus, it seems to me it is in the best interest of the students competing for FSAE to outline a more complete set of rules which ensure the helmets we are required to use are of adequate protection. It's possible this is already accounted for at competition, by why not explicitly state it if that is the case? It seems far too easy for a helmet which is too old or has been exposed to too many chemicals to have a compromised structure, and for this to not become apparent until too late - particularly if you weren't made aware of such concerns in the first place.
Scott Schmitz
Wazzu Racing Vice President
As the Vice President of my club I've spent quite some time reading and rereading the rules, as I'm sure most of you have done, and I've found one particular thing particularly striking. How is it the rules for helmets aren't more explicit? My background is in bicycles and motorcycles, where I've worked in the bicycle industry for over 7 years, and in the two wheeled arena helmets are the number one priority when discussing the topic of safety, for obvious reasons. In those industries it is not uncommon for one to debate the topic from any number of angles regarding things like what certifications are necessary, how fitment is equally as important as the helmet itself, even concepts such as some certifications being excessive and thus dangerous for some applications (such as how if a certification absorbs a greater amount of energy it could potentially render a helmet useless at lower speeds - obviously it's more complex an issue than that but you see where it goes...).
Anyhow, it seems to me Formula SAE prides itself on writing so many rules that it's nearly impossible for a team to compete with a car that isn't safe. My question then is, what good is any of that if one of the most exposed and fragile parts of the human body isn't adequately protected? What do I propose may be a problem? Well, in my field of 'expertise' (bicycles) it's widely accepted that helmets must be replaced after a given amount of use and a given time frame. The common perception is for helmets to be replaced every 5 years, regardless of whether it was used or not (this is also common in motorcycle racing, where helmets must have been manufactured within the last few years).
Now, I'm not a fan of adding to the rule book because, frankly, I think it's a bit excessive as is. Unfortunately, I do feel as though some rules for helmets need to be outlined a bit better. What do I think should be added?
-Helmets must be manufactured within the last 5 years (where 5 years is measured from the closest New Year date at the time of inspection)
-Each driver must demonstrate the helmet they will be wearing in the dynamic events properly fits (with some specific example as to what this means being given)
-Helmets must be in reasonable condition, defined by all non-static components being in operable condition as intended by the manufacturer
-Interior foam of helmets must not have any large cracks (ones that go all the way through the foam for 2" or more)
Being an individual who has crashed at triple digits I'm fairly certain my fortune of being aware of the safety concerns related to helmets, and my investment in a top of the line helmet, saved my life. Thus, it seems to me it is in the best interest of the students competing for FSAE to outline a more complete set of rules which ensure the helmets we are required to use are of adequate protection. It's possible this is already accounted for at competition, by why not explicitly state it if that is the case? It seems far too easy for a helmet which is too old or has been exposed to too many chemicals to have a compromised structure, and for this to not become apparent until too late - particularly if you weren't made aware of such concerns in the first place.
Scott Schmitz
Wazzu Racing Vice President