You have the somewhat unique allowance in the US to opt out of wearing gear, and I've made my thoughts on that clear—you do you. But there are few things worse in this industry than taking advantage of those who pay to gear up by selling them sub-par or even dangerous gear. That's exactly what a company called Bikers Lifestyle did.
Bikers Lifestyle was investigated by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) earlier this year and, as a result, prosecuted at Willesden Magistrates Court and ordered to pay over £10,000 ($13,490) in fines and costs. But when you hear the reason the company was fined, you might agree with me in thinking that it wasn't enough.
The DVSA prosecuted the company for selling helmets that failed to meet the required UK safety standards for eye protection, but that's just where the products' lacking start. One model of helmet in particular was tested and produced results that indicated a 100% risk of fatality in a collision. Furthermore, three out of four helmets sold by Bikers Lifestyle failed to meet UK safety standards catastrophically.
