Mandatory Bike Helmet Safety Inspection Fight !
over the decision to remove the sticker from his helmet after it was discovered that while the helmet appeared compliant, the strap that held it in place was broken. Landau was concerned that this could cause an eye injury while Farnsworth invalidated the helmet because it would not be secure on the biker’s head. Despite pointing these dangers out, the irate athlete argued with race officials, lecturing them on the fact that he had completed an Ironman even in this same helmet, and no one had said anything about its being unsafe. Landau told this Reston cyclist, “If you were my own brother, I would be telling you the same thing; this helmet will not protect you from a head injury. Be a good example to your son here, and go and get a safe helmet.” But the biker persisted in fighting with the 3 RTA representatives.
The angry biker then removed the straps that hold the back of the head to the helmet and tried to re-submit the non-compliant equipment. Farnsworth explained that in the event of a bike crash, the helmet would slide forward and/or backward and afford little protection from permanent brain injury, or worse. The Reston race team asked the would-be bike racer to put the helmet on so that they could show him how the safety was compromised. The biker stormed off and it will be interesting to see if he tries to sneak back into the competition tomorrow morning with a helmet that is in violation of the rules. Stay tuned !