HI guys......this will probably be of more interest to UK members but I welcome replies from anyone.
My question is about the use of DOT approved helmets in the UK.
I have always been told that they were not legal for use on UK roads however they are on sale in UK shops..........
The link below clearly states that all helmets sold in the UK must comply with the required standards, I quote a paragraph from it...

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...eds/DG_4022434

By law you must wear a safety helmet when riding a motorcycle on the road. All helmets sold in the UK must either:


[ul][*]comply with British Standard Bs 6658:1985 and carry the BSI kitemark[*]comply with UNECE Regulation 22.05[*]comply with any standard accepted by a member of the European Economic Area which offers a level of safety and protection equivalent to BS 6658:1985 and carry a mark equivalent to the BSI kitemark[/ul][/align][/align]So my question is very simple.....If I buy a DOT approved helmet and can provide proof of purchase from a UK shop, am I likely to get prosecuted or could I use the information above, particularly the quote..then I would be OK to use it.

It appears that the responsibility for selling legal helmets rests on the retailer...the law says that if they sell it then it must be legal.

What do you think.
Thanks in advance

 

Retailers will sell what they can sell, and will not be there for you if you have to go to court for a ticket. The helmet owner has a responsibility not to violate the law as well. Don't know how it is in the UK, but usually only outlaw biker types (excuse the expression, but you know what I mean) will get their helmet specs checked by law enforcement officers. It will usually happen if its some off-the-wall lid, not a legal looking helmet. Of course, helmet laws vary from state to state in the USA.

With the price of helmets these days, I would get one that complies with UK standards.

 

Thanks for the reply...but...looking at your statement above, the fact that a helmet was bought from a source that are only allowed to sell legal helmets the only logical assumption is that the helmet has to be legal.
Thats the dilemma

 

They may be able to claim that they sold it as a "novelty" helmet.

 

I've just been through a similar experience when I chose to buy a Harley Davidson Stealth Flame ModularHelmet.


They are for sale in UK Harley dealers and although they have the US DOT standard printed on them the dealers say that is equivalent to EC 2205requirements. I then decided to buy the helmet from the States because it was about half price. The proof came when itwent through our customs. Theyinitially charged me VAT on it. As you know helmets in the UK are zero rated for VAT. I have since spoken to customs and they accept that the DOT standard is equivalent to the EC rating and are refunding the VAT.

Just my experience, hope it helps you decide.

 

I understand what you are saying, but "only allowed" does not account for what they actually do. Major dealerships likely follow the law closely, but other shops don't have the resources to do so or just buy from any supplier. In the USA, and I would imagine the UK, bootleg sources abound for many products. Like any law, you can't absolve youself from responsibility by saying that the other guy said it was OK.

Another post says that the DOT standard is OK with UK customs...so maybe you will be OK. Good luck with your quest!

By the way, love your country. Visited a couple of times and have a scad of relatives in Scotland and England.

 

In response to Hotlaps reply....'They may be able to claim that they sold it as a "novelty" helmet. '
The law say that they are NOT allowed to sell it if it doesnt meet required standards, so they can not sell it as anything other than a road legal helmet.
It seems very clear cut to me.......if they sell it then it HASto be legal.....there isnt any buts or maybe's.

Blackhawk.......did you get the statement from customs in writing....just wondering what would happen if you need to prove it.

 

,

 

Raym87,

You're quite right, dealers cannot sell helmets in the UK that do not meet the EC 2205 standard or higher. Customs do not like putting anything in writing, but leave it up to you to prove your point. All I did was send them a print-out of this link form a UK Harley Davidson dealer:

http://www.westcoastharley.com/cart/...atalogid=22898

They accepted this as evidence that the helmet complies.

For me though this wasn't the main factor in chosing a helmet. I was looking at the quality and safety aspects and to me this helmet was very well made, fitted extremely well and had the advantages of an open face and full face helmet all rolled into one. I have owned Bell & Arai plus a bunch of lesser known helmets and I like this one the best.

 

The problem with your interpretation of the requirementsis that you are quoting from a simplified general information page on a website, not from the legislation itself.

I'm pretty sure that what the law itself actuallyrequires is that all helmets sold in the UK for use on UK public roads must comply with the relevant standards. There is nothing to stop anyone selling helmets that do not comply with the requirements, so long as they don't make any claims that they are legal for useon public roads. Indeed, many dealers and motorcycle clothing sales outlets do sell non-compliant helmets, usually with a sticker on them that says so and which, consequently,gets them off the legal hook.