If you wear a turban you don't need to wear a helmet

[Friesy]

Did anyone see channel 9 news last night with the story of the guy who refused to wear a helmet because he wears a turban ? Apparently he was caught and fined at Milton but has successfully challenged and won although the police are looking at appealing it. Not looking for a race war here, thoughts ?

[reefer]

Ahh, he was convicted. No penalty. Facts…..

[RonK]

Did anyone see channel 9 news last night with the story of the guy who refused to wear a helmet because he wears a turban ? Apparently he was caught and fined at Milton but has successfully challenged and won although the police are looking at appealing it. Not looking for a race war here, thoughts ?

Not quite. In court he established that he is a practicing Sikh, and is required to wear a turban according to his religion. The magistrate agreed that it was impractical to wear a helmet over his turban, but still found him guilty although he imposed no penalty.

[sogood]

Fair ruling.

[Dr_Mutley]

Does the turban need an Australian Standards sticker? Or only if your racing?!

But seriously, exceptions for such groups would be appropriate and empathic ruling I would think

[redrover3]

Yeah, I agree that what has happened would be the most practical outcome so long as the rider accepts the lack of protection from no helmet. Ahh, that turban did have a chin strap, didn't it?

[munga]

i dont wanna turn this into a helmet thread, but i suggest that the rider is aware of the risks, and accepts those risks. the fact that the court imposed no penalty suggests that they are rational too. if i can't possibly wear a helmet because of my hairstyle, does that have less significance than my choice of religion? possibly, but where does one draw the line? will we see rogue, free-thinking cyclists taking up sikhism in droves? it has suddenly become more attractive to me than christianity, given my choice of coiffure. actually, that turbans gunna be hell on my generous flowing locks too, so bugger that - i'd rather wear the helmet.

[RonK]

will we see rogue, free-thinking cyclists taking up sikhism in droves?

It will be waste of time. Even though by his appearance he was quite obviously a Sikh, he still had to satisfy the magistrate that he was a lifetime devotee.

Conversions of convenience have no chance.

[find_bruce]

Been the case for moped riders in the UK since back when Churchill was around - no evidence of mass conversion to avoid wearing a helmet.

[mikesbytes]

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Duplicate thread, I've locked this one

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