I need to show you this quote about how to remove that prototype Transformers-esque motorcycle helmet that's been going viral on social media in an emergency situation, as it's something that I cannot stop thinking about since I read it myself.
Replying to a comment on Roof's Instagram page, the manufacturer of the Djagger prototype, the company stated, "Just remove the screws on both sides of the side shell, then the front shell can open by tilting up upwards, then the face and airways of the user are completely exposed while the head and the neck remains stable inside the rear shell. So, the helmet could be opened very quickly without any pressure to the neck of the user!"
I'm sorry, but excuse me? That's the most ass-backwards safety system I've ever heard of, especially since 99% of all motorcycle helmets have quick-detach systems that allow EMS to access a rider's head in less than two seconds. Having something that requires removing multiple screws from each side of the helmet wastes precious time when assisting someone in the event of an accident.
Moreover, EMS would have to have that specific screwdriver with them, and from the photos, it looks like a hex bolt. It also doesn't have a chin strap because of the whole motorized enclosure of it all. Yeah, dawg, that's a no for me.
For those unaware of the prototype helmet, it debuted at EICMA this year and immediately went viral, as not only did it lack a chinstrap to keep your head in the helmet, but the motorized rear plate popped out and then wrapped around your head for a supposed perfect fit. I say supposed, as people have different-sized heads, odd shapes, different hair styles, etc, and the idea that a one-size-fits-all approach to a mechanism like this is the stuff of dreams.
But, honestly, I sort of forgot about the Djagger until recently, as it seemed like some far-fetched concept that would never make it to reality. Who the hell is going to buy a mechanized motorcycle helmet like this? Then, however, I saw the company's response to the question about its removal during an accident and it honestly shocked the hell out of me.
Every motorcycle helmet on sale today as a quick-detach loop that allows EMS to remove a helmet's chinstrap so they can access the rider's head. It's easy, is denoted by a bright-red loop, and has saved a lot of lives. It's how EMS got my helmet off when I had my big accident nearly a decade ago, RIP my Shoei. This cockamamie system requires freakin' screwdrivers, though Roof states that once they're removed, the rear of the helmet stays in place to ensure the rider's neck and head remains supported. And that's great, but you still need to remove screws, which requires EMS to both have the screwdriver, and know that they need a screwdriver to remove the helmet.
They might not know, however, since the rider could be unconscious or concussed to the point where they can't be like, "No, there's no chinstrap! But do you have a #15 Torx?!"
I get innovation. I get progress. But there are things that are stupid simple because stupid simple works. Not everything needs an app, not everything needs AI, not everything needs to be changed to add complexity as, more often than not, complexity only adds to problems. See toxic non-stick frying pans vs. the age-old brilliance of a cast iron.
Seriously, we don't need to reinvent the wheel, folks.
