Helmet on the ground

[Jack B]

I was on a ride today and I stopped at a wayside for a short coffee break. When I parked I placed my helmet on the ground. After I was done I was walking towards my bike and a guy in a Jeep comes driving up to me and asked if everything was alright and I said yes everything is great. He told me a helmet on the ground is a  International distress sign. I told him I didn't know that. Has anyone else heard of that?

[Moonshot_1]

I don't know about an "international distress" sign, but yeah, a helmet on the ground usually means you need assistance. Like the hood up on a car.

If your head is in it, you are, indeed, in a lot of trouble.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Never heard of that. But I never put mine on the ground if I can help it.

[Pete]

Common knowledge around here. Sorry, I thought you knew or I would have posted it.

[old2soon]

When I motocrossed in Japan Sometimes a helmet made a good kick stand fer a race bike. Specially if some dumb ass grabbed MY milk crate. First I'd heard of helmet on ground being a distress signal.    Moonshot_1 mighta hit it!   RIDE SAFE.

[fudgie]

What happens when you don't wear one?  

[Chrisj CMA]

What happens when you don't wear one?  

you don't have to wear it, keep it in the saddle bag for emergencies....lol

[Psychotic Bovine]

I heard about this signal back before I started riding when I was 24.
If you don't have a helmet, the universal signal is to wave your arms rapidly back and forth while jumping up and down.  If you act like someone who is on fire, you are doing it correctly.

[old2soon]

I heard about this signal back before I started riding when I was 24.
If you don't have a helmet, the universal signal is to wave your arms rapidly back and forth while jumping up and down.  If you act like someone who is on fire, you are doing it correctly.

        Seen folks doin just THAT when tryin to escape bees/hornets
OR they have walked into a spider web!  RIDE SAFE.

[Gryphon Rider]

I thought this would be a story about ants.

"International distress sign."  International as in a handful of people in each country are aware of it?  I think it would be more effective if you picked up your helmet and waved it.

[Beardo]

I thought this would be a story about ants.

"International distress sign."  International as in a handful of people in each country are aware of it?  I think it would be more effective if you picked up your helmet and waved it.

No kidding. I often take my helmet with me if I'm somewhere I can't keep an eye on the bike as I don't want my expensive helmet stolen. I also don't want to hang it precariously on the handle bars or put it on the seat where it can fall off, so it usually goes on the ground beside the bike.

All along I was apparently in distress. 

[Moonshot_1]

If you do need help and don't have a helmet to put on the ground, I would suggest something like this would surely get someone to stop. Pretty sure it is international

[fudgie]

If you do need help and don't have a helmet to put on the ground, I would suggest something like this would surely get someone to stop. Pretty sure it is international

Im sure tht if she was on the back of my bike I'd be stopping a lot! 

[Hooter]

My helmet was on the ground once, but my head was in it. I needed help then.

[Jess from VA]

Yeah, put your helmet on the ground, so a brown recluse or centipede or God knows what can crawl up in there and hide (bugs like salty sweat).  And then surprise you later at 50mph by crawling into your ear.  

Then you can show your distress sign by crashing out into the median.  

I stick mine on the solo backrest, or if in bright sun, the shady side hwy peg.

Never heard of it being an international distress sign.

I run with scissors too.  

[Firefighter]

Years ago in the fire service throwing ones helmet out the window of a multi story structure meant a firefighter was in trouble at that location. This was well known in the fire service years ago, probably not so much anymore. There are supposed to be many safety practices in place now but things go wrong in a hurry sometimes.

[Beardo]

Years ago in the fire service throwing ones helmet out the window of a multi story structure meant a firefighter was in trouble at that location. This was well known in the fire service years ago, probably not so much anymore. There are supposed to be many safety practices in place now but things go wrong in a hurry sometimes.

That seems a little odd, throwing out something that is partially protecting you from the danger.  Kinda like throwing your life jacket to indicate you're drowning. Maybe that was before helmets offered as much protection as they do now.

Thankfully we have radios, alarms, etc now.

Edit:  I guess back before radios, you need to be able to communicate when things got bad, throwing a chair or another nearby object out the window wouldn't necessarily mean "I need help".  I guess the helmet would definitely mean that.

[PhoenixRizing]

Fudgie, especially if it's that Harley. Lol looks to me she'd be a lot of maintainer. The girl that is. Lots of pee breaks, checking the hair, etc....

[Firefighter]

Yea that was the signal, last resort.

[Danny McMillin]

All joking aside, the key is the helmet placement, which is to the rear of the motorcycle. A helmet placed by front wheel, or beside the bike means nothing.

[Moonshot_1]

All joking aside, the key is the helmet placement, which is to the rear of the motorcycle. A helmet placed by front wheel, or beside the bike means nothing.

This has to mean something. And I leave no joke left aside.

[fudgie]

Years ago in the fire service throwing ones helmet out the window of a multi story structure meant a firefighter was in trouble at that location. This was well known in the fire service years ago, probably not so much anymore. There are supposed to be many safety practices in place now but things go wrong in a hurry sometimes.

Never heard that. Nor does it seem like a good idea.

[cookiedough]

All joking aside, the key is the helmet placement, which is to the rear of the motorcycle. A helmet placed by front wheel, or beside the bike means nothing.

This has to mean something. And I leave no joke left aside.

I think sitting on that bike backwards means she likes it from behind? 

either that or being blonde she forgot which way to sit on back of a cycle? 

[cookiedough]

a helmet on the ground is better than no head in that helmet or your head in that helmet on the ground as was the case 1 mile from my house closing major main hwy. 69 down a few days ago for 6 hours.   The 50ish year old cyclist crossed (drifted over) the center line hitting head on a semi with tanker full of whey.   The semi driver tried to swerve at the last minute and tipped over spilling the whey in tanker all over the hwy into the grass and was NOT a very bad curve was a 65 mph curve no problems. 

One will never know why the cyclists crossed the centerline, nothing left of him.  Talked to EMT's/police on the scene and no way could I have seen the carnage left without throwing up.  One has to have a strong stomach to approach a scene like that.   

I still remember as a teenager the high school senior I knew nice young man going they say 100 mph or more hit a wooden road sign post along the rural road no helmet and decapitated him and the EMTs were throwing up on the scene as well there.  Not sure a helmet would have helped in that situation though? 

[solo1]

I started riding in 1947, no helmets back then but yes, somewhere later , a helmet on the ground was a signal for help, at least in the states.

[Mr Whiskey]

Common knowledge around here.

Ditto

[Rams]

Dang!   Been riding almost 50 years and have never heard of this...........
I guess I don't get out much.   At least not as much as I thought I did......