For the record I am not a lawyer, not an expert, recognised or other, this is my opinion only based on my interpretation of what I have learnt over the years and discussing this with many so it merely what I reckon, and remember the LAW is the LAW so you make your own call and the stds is here for a reason, but what is that reason now? (sorry had to chuck that in).
Me, I am a XC MTBkr who also rides Road. My summary understanding of what I reckon is that in Aust we don’t get all the helmets because of the expensive process is batch testing to secure the Aust Stds Sticker of approval. That is, importers submit multiple helmets over a period of time in a testing process to ensure the quality threshold is met. For example in XC you don’t tend to see the top-line Giro Aeon or MET Synthesis here as they would both retail $400+ if I hazard a guess and the importer has to weigh up the cost of the batch stds process versus how many helmets they sell. Really whether a helmet is available here with its stds sticker depends a lot on this process. Consider also some brands aren’t available here as one importer may no longer be bringing them in and time ensues whilst a new importer steps up or is secured. Also throw in stds changes and helmets that were sold with the old stds sticker as they were on the shelf in your LBS or with distributors. Can you imagine an argument in regard to a helmet you wore that was say 6yo, maintained, washed, never dropped and the box never said you need to replace it in 3years etc etc and you were involved in an accident in which the helmet took the force, did its job, but insurance had to be involved,...well it would have to be a long bow to be pulling out an argument against that helmet.
If you had a helmet that was for example recognised around the world as top line in safety and performance but wasn’t batch tested here in Aust, so did not have the Aust stds endorsement you need to make a guess as to what scenarios you may be inconvenienced if you used one, the decision on risk probability is what you need to consider. Road racing there would be a higher probability that you would be picked up and asked to change your helmet or no race for you, in XC it is remote but you may still be picked up, but remote, again simply due to process of no sticker, not that it may have been unsafe or not capable of meeting the stds via the process. DH you will probably get picked up like Road racing. So in terms of being refused the option to ride, that would happen in the racing environment, I can’t see a copper or council or say State Roads rep pulling you over on the road or in the forest or bush and having a conversation like this.......
OFFICER - “excuse me rider, can you remove your helmet in order for me to check you are using an Aust Stds Endorsed helmet”
RIDER – “sure but you won’t see it as it came off because I sweat like a fat man eating chilly hotdogs in a sauna in the summertime and my sweat ate away all the stickers”
OFFICER – “did you say chilly hotdogs,...oh ah sorry, I meant, please step away from the bike porn, you are not required to say anything, anything you say can and will..................”
JRA - Just riding along on the road on a roadie if you were in an accident you then need to consider whether the helmet comes into the equation and to what extent, did it do its job if your head hit the ground or car etc, or in the worst case did it do its job but something really bad still happened to you and legal and insurance needed to become involved. They would need to prove the helmet was not safe and was a determining factor in what the outcome had been. Insurance companies would have to go a long way to prove a helmet that retails for mega buck overseas and recognised as being safe in Europe, USA etc all of a sudden doesn’t meet the standards here, again the batch testing argument would come into this discussion. Similar on dirt but again less so, but you get my two wheel drift.
Achievement of the Aust Stds Endorsement I believe is largely predicated to protect us for the bulk dumping of less expensive helmets made in areas where quality control is more likely to be questioned and inconsistent.
They would need to argue a long way to prove a $30 helmet here in Aust with a Stds Endorsement Sticker of Approval is going to be more safe that a $400 helmet not currently available locally but purchased from overseas that is a mega brand such as MET or Giro, THE, Bell etc therefore inversely that the expensive overseas purchased helmet is going to be less safe in actual practice situation, as well as then proving that the actual helmet you got was not safe or couldn’t meet the std. Then throw in the helmets that are available here but you bought overseas, that is another argument again, but you can put it into context yourself.
Given the explosion of this global online economy more clarity will need to be provided officially, but when was the last time or first time we heard about an incident involving a helmet without an Aust Stds sticker of Endorsement? People who do use helmets without the Aust stds sticker either are unaware, don’t care or think about it and consider the risk probability and mitigation of the issue being questioned with reference to themselves. It’s not as if we’re talking about wearing a hair net or baseball cap when riding, we’re talking about wearing a built for purpose helmet but considering how it is impacted by a process and the dollar.
When I started riding as a kid we were not compelled to wear helmets, there were no helmets, now I feel naked without a helmet and won’t go anywhere without it. Having just returned from road riding in France and Italy I was in a the vast minority of people wearing a helmet. Whilst off road everyone wore a helmet, on road almost no one wore one, or rather only internationals wore helmets, the locals didn’t. I’d be riding at 2800m amongst the locals and the only one with a helmet. Whilst I can understand climbing for 80mins in mid-summer up a Euro mountain may be more comfortable, you still have to come down. When I asked why no one wore a helmet they said, “we’re not riding MTB, we don’t need it!” Descending @ up top 90km with these guys I am the only one with a helmet. I don’t think it would make much a difference if we all came off @ that speed but I just felt better with my helmet on nonetheless. I’ll always wear one!
This should at least get you thinking so you can feel comfortable with whatever decision you end up making, but I do think people should try and support their LBS where possible here in Aust. You may find if things are tight and if you chat to your LBS and they know you, and know you are loyal to them and are not cashed up, that if you ask they will attempt in many cases to meet or reduce the difference in price of the same helmet against the one on the net.
Have I used an overseas bought helmet, well I have done and I will again, but I also possess locally bought helmets.
Remember, money talks, cash screams and there are many in the value chain locally and around the world from governments, manufacturers, distributors, importers, retailers, insurance companies, lawyers, customers, freight, consumers etc, all who potentially are in line for a cut of the dollar on the item that is the topic of discussion in this thread, and everyone wants a bit more of that dollar. It is reasonable to think these players will have influence, so too do we as consumers within that value chain.
Whatever you decide remember you made the decision and will need to be comfortable with it. This thread is about putting up opinions with information and perspective to help those who may not know what to consider, actually make a decision that makes them feel comfortable.
I’m pretty comfortable.
Mars.