REMOVE YOUR HELMET!!!

[Grahamm]

we had a conversation about a stupid rule which the attendant was paid to enforce.

ITYM "has to enforce or he risks not getting paid".

What has a "young woman" behind the counter got to do with anything? If someone does a bunk without paying, is she at some sort of risk that men aren't at?

Someone who isn't identifiable who might ride off without paying or might come in and decide she's not going to put up a fight if they decide to make a grab for the till or, gods forbid, a grab for her? Nope, nothing to worry about there...

[Hogi]

I mostly take mine off when filling up as I'm not worried about a couple of minutes extra in the process and if staff are told to enforce it, then it all becomes a bit of an arse-ache and spoils the ride. So I do it and no-one dies as a result

BUT - and maybe I'm getting a bit Victor Meldrew about it - the side effect is someone else (usually in a car) has to wait a bit, but that's their problem. What I don't understand is why - when there's a group of us out - do my mates push their bike to the side to let a cager step in? WTF? One one hand we've got riders ball-aching about helmets and another set virtually apologising for taking up a bit of space at the pump.

I've as much right to get served as other road users, if they want helmets off then johnny cager sits there till I'm done. I don't stand there eating a sandwich or owt, I just get ready for the next stretch of road.

Its a bit of a laugh really watching the lads do it though 

[jackojet]

What about "get off your bike " that's what I got at shell garage. I always fill bike sat on it, easier than bike on sidestand.
I asked why to assistant and she said health and safety, I argued that if I spill fuel and drop bike on floor in the flood of fuel on forecourt, then that would count as safety problem.
I said is it because of drive off's, she replied no.
Best bit been using same garage for years and no one said to get off bike before.
Oh and she had me about my helmet too.

[Rusty]

Someone who isn't identifiable who might ride off without paying or might come in and decide she's not going to put up a fight if they decide to make a grab for the till or, gods forbid, a grab for her? Nope, nothing to worry about there...

Then surely the rule must apply to all face coverings. And as stated to men with baseball caps, full beards and sunglasses as they aren't identifiable  either once clean shaven. The rule is clearly an ill thought out edict rather than the rational precautionary measure it purports to be. By extension they could perhaps say that anyone who looks scruffy must pay for their fuel first in case they can't afford it. How would that go down? it's based on similar logic.

[Lazarus]

discrimination sees to be the recurring theme!

[Fazerider]

  "Would you go into a bank wearing your helmet?"
No, I wouldn't. And I wouldn't go to a petrol station to arrange a mortgage.
I'm buying petrol FFS, me walking in to pay with a lid on shouldn't be a big deal.


Some of us do find having to take the helmet off a massive nuisance.
I wear spectacles and ride in all weathers. When it's raining I can fill the tank and pay without getting my hands wet if I leave the helmet on. If I take it off, I have to take my specs off first and there's the problem of not having anywhere to put either item where they're not going to slip or get blown to the ground. By the time I've finished paying and have dried specs and hands (assuming the garage has any paper towels left in the dispenser) the process has taken twice as long as it normally does.
If you're unencumbered by the need to wear glasses, a fair weather rider and are happy to acquiesce to their ridiculous demands, then go ahead. But I don't accept that we should be perceived as criminals for wearing a helmet, nor do I accept that my choice of helmets should be limited to flip-front ones at the whim of Shell/BP etc.


It's not as if helmet rules like this are going to have any effect on crime. All the stations I use on my regular route have ANPR cameras, so attempting to ride off without paying isn't going to work more than once. It's not about that anyway... walking into the shop with the helmet on that is what they're objecting to.
I do sympathise with staff who've been subjected to threats and attacks by thugs intent on robbing the place, but making innocent motorcyclists show their faces isn't going to alter the habits of criminals unless the rule is enforced by a couple of bouncers at the door. This is all about management wanting to be seen to be doing something to calm the fears of the till operators. In fact it'll achieve nothing other than setting up confrontational situations for the staff and driving a few, admittedly unprofitable, customers away.


At least when my local Sainsbury's tried this policy I was able to suggest they'd lose not only my fuel purchases for bike and car, but my weekly groceries shopping as well. Allowing helmeted customers to pay for fuel at the night-pay window (i.e. no need for me to enter the shop) had been a constructive alternative I gave them, but after a few weeks they abandoned the policy completely.

[Rusty]

discrimination sees to be the recurring theme!

Yep, and why not it's a useful tool. When people issue such edicts then some form of discrimination is difficult to avoid. I find it ironic (and admittedly amusing) therefore, to hoist them with their own petard. If in principle it is ok to make a rule based on a mode of transport or an item of clothing then what they are really doing is profiling, they are saying that motorcyclists are more likely to be potential robbers - and funnily enough that's illegal.

[goldfazer]

'yhey are saying that motorcyclists are more likely to be potential robbers - and funnily enough that's illegal.'

Don't think it is. It's illegal to discriminate on age, race, sex and probably a couple of other things, but profiling is perfectly legal (even using things like race in airport security), and I can't see that having motorcyclists as a 'profile group' would be illegal.

Mind you, I have a flip lid and would get me juice from a 'remove yer lid' place anyway

[Lazarus]

There is a solution that is a little less dramatic.


Convert religion to a Sikh and wear a turban!!!


Result : you dont need to wear a helmet, ergo you dont need to take it off at a station!!!!

[Rusty]

Y'know come to think of it I've never seen a Sikh motorcyclist in 35 years of riding.


I think profiling is illegal Laz but I'll have to look that up to confirm it. I remember there being a big stink about searching Muslim's at the airport. This is what I mean about bringing in ill thought out directives, as it's hardly Swedish little old ladies that fit the terrorist profile yet security were prevented from singling out Wahabi Muslims as it amounted to profiling.


When I moved house a couple of years ago I borrowed a luton van and did it myself.  It took two days and around five full van loads.  By the end of the second day I was tired, dirty, unshaven and scruffy, plus driving an old van.  As I was filling it with diesel before returning it I was accosted by a woman in an expensive car who told me she 'f*cking hates gypsies. 


That's why I mentioned earlier about the presumption made by tesco's that motorcyclists are more likely to be robbers, because people are like that.  I doubt there will be any supporting evidence for the supposition, e.g. number of drive off's/amount of fuel stolen relative to bikes and cars etc.

[goldfazer]

'I was accosted by a woman in an expensive car who told me she 'f*cking hates gypsies'


Priceless

[Rusty]

'I was accosted by a woman in an expensive car who told me she 'f*cking hates gypsies' Priceless

It gets worse. She told me to 'get back where I came from' then drove off with her nose in the air. Imagine her face when (I was moving house remember) I went 'home' and she turned out to be my new next door but one neighbour! 

[Lazarus]

Y'know come to think of it I've never seen a Sikh motorcyclist in 35 years of riding.

Have only seen the one myself m8 - down near London.


Im by no means an expert in the law, but have the "experience" of being married to a Muslim and see both sides.


My nephew was over in the states for a Star Wars convention ( geek!!) and he got stopped at EVERY airport and had his bag searched.

[Lazarus]

'I was accosted by a woman in an expensive car who told me she 'f*cking hates gypsies' Priceless

It gets worse. She told me to 'get back where I came from' then drove off with her nose in the air. Imagine her face when (I was moving house remember) I went 'home' and she turned out to be my new next door but one neighbour! 

Now THAT would be worth seeing

[Rusty]

Im by no means an expert in the law, but have the "experience" of being married to a Muslim and see both sides.

Yes me too, my sister in law and my niece are Muslim.


I often discuss politics but I've never the inclination to discuss religion. The best that can come of it is the assertion that 'my invisible man is better than your invisible man' Thank fcuk for athiesm. 

[goldfazer]

- is your house bigger/have a better car on the drive - or is that just too much to hope for ?

[Lazarus]

Im by no means an expert in the law, but have the "experience" of being married to a Muslim and see both sides.

Yes me too, my sister in law and my niece are Muslim.


I often discuss politics but I've never the inclination to discuss religion. The best that can come of it is the assertion that 'my invisible man is better than your invisible man' Thank fcuk for athiesm. 

I hear you on that one m8.

[Rusty]

- is your house bigger/have a better car on the drive - or is that just too much to hope for ?

Oh man that bitch was unreal. She had a Mazda Rx8 which was newish at the time and she said to me in a boastful tone "You'd like a car like that wouldn't you?...Wouldn't you!"


There really are some nut jobs out there. Estate agent she was, all suits and show without a degree or qualification in sight. Stroll on.

[Bitfik]

Just three little points, don't know how to do the quote thingy but:


I now use one of those unmanned stations. Brilliant, don't even need to get off the bike. Card and PIN, fill up , off you go. Cheaper too 


Second about bikers being more likely to be robbers (someone said). I was in a local Dianese supplier a while ago looking for summer gloves. Was in the cage at the time. The guy invited me to take them outside and try them on the handlebars of his bike, see how they feel. He explained that he had never suffered a theft by a biker. School kids getting off the bus outside yes, some others yes, but never a biker. These were £50ish gloves too.


Third: the early post about wearing a balaclava under the helmet. Now, I come from Belfast originally.... That sort of behaviour really causes some upset in these parts! LOL

 

[Phil TK]

Thank fcuk for athiesm. 

Or as some wag wrote on an Alpha Course poster near me:-
 
'Thank Religion for Atheism'

[peejay]

On the subject of discrimination, I was in my local Halfrauds recently.
Car oil and sundries were  on a rack at the back of the store. Bike oil was near the front of the store, each item having a secuirty tag on it!!!! It would be interesting to know if other Halfrauds stores did the same.

[goldfazer]

Easier to nick if it's near the door

[richfzs]

Easier to nick if it's near the door

Is it? Pick up a bottle of car oil, and walk towards the till - oh look, thats right beside the door, might as well just leg it from the till eh?

Not sure there's realistically much difference...

[MadDogMcQ]

Thank fcuk for athiesm. 

Or as some wag wrote on an Alpha Course poster near me:-
 
'Thank Religion for Atheism'

I prefer "Thank God for Atheism"!

[Phil TK]

I prefer "Thank God for Atheism"!

An old favourite of mine is
 
 'Religion is God's way of telling us he doesn't exist'