Modern Buddy

Ok, so I wear a 3/4 face helmet, and have been noticing when I stop at lights (especially long ones- and on hot days) that I start having trouble breathing and get dizzy if I dont flip open my face shield. Then I have to pop it back down when I go. Its really bad when Im behind a disel, or in a large group of cars. Does anyone else have this problem, does it happen with full face helments too? Is there anything you can do about it? It seems like the exhaust accumulates under my helmet

Valgal20 wrote:Ok, so I wear a 3/4 face helmet, and have been noticing when I stop at lights (especially long ones- and on hot days) that I start having trouble breathing and get dizzy if I dont flip open my face shield. Then I have to pop it back down when I go. Its really bad when Im behind a disel, or in a large group of cars. Does anyone else have this problem, does it happen with full face helments too? Is there anything you can do about it? It seems like the exhaust accumulates under my helmet

I don't have that problem with my FF but I always pop the shield open at a light just to let air in.

Never had this problem with my FF helmet, I guess the padding around the chin and cheeks keep any smells and disel away from my air.

I don't have that problem with my FF but I always pop the shield open at a light just to let air in.

i have a similar helmet to jmazza and have never been bothered either, but i have yet to ride in mega-heat

We've got the "mega heat" here! Man, it does suck... I have a 3/4 with faceshield and I always flip it up at lights. But then again I'm a claustrophobe... and the shield sometimes fogs up if I leave it down when I'm not moving. I have noticed feeling suffocated at lights from others' exhausts, but I think it depends on who you're behind. Like that little old lady in an early 70s caddy that hasn't been serviced for at least a decade... yeah, you know what I'm talkin about.

I wear a FF helmet with a bandana around my neck to keep from being sunburned. I always have my vents open and even in the Texas summer when stuck in Austin traffic, it never feels stuffy. I think the bandana also keeps most of the fumes from entering the helmet through the neck area.

I've seen some people with 3/4 helmets wear bandanas up over their noses and mouths along with goggles. Maybe that would work instead of a face shield, since you're not trapping any rising gases? The major trade-off would be face protection though.

I've experienced fumes or smells getting trapped inside my helmet with both a 3/4 and my modular. I'll often pop up my modular chin bar or at least the face shield on hot days. Overall, though, the venting is great and it doesn't actually get too stuffy or overheated in there.

For the record, toxic car exhaust gas is Carbon Monoxide(CO), not Carbon Dioxide(CO2).

CO (slowly) turns into CO2 eventually in the atmosphere, but causes pollution and ozone depletion in the process (IIRC).

CO2 is what plants "breathe," and it's the most common "greenhouse gas," but it's entirely safe to breathe as long as there's enough O2 in the air. We create CO2 as we breathe, so you'd fill up your helmet with that pretty quickly.

When shopping for a helmet, I seem to remember some of the FF advertising vent filters or something to help clean the air as it comes in ... but my memory is pretty poor. I could be making that up.

I don't have this problem with my FF. I do often pop it open at lights though, especially when it is stuffy out.

illnoise wrote:For the record, toxic car exhaust gas is Carbon Monoxide(CO), not Carbon Dioxide(CO2).

CO (slowly) turns into CO2 eventually in the atmosphere, but causes pollution and ozone depletion in the process (IIRC).

CO2 is what plants "breathe," and it's the most common "greenhouse gas," but it's entirely safe to breathe as long as there's enough O2 in the air. We create CO2 as we breathe, so you'd fill up your helmet with that pretty quickly.

And CO2 is a gas..not "fumes"

And there is no such thing as gasoline fumes...they are vapors!

Fumes are particles...important to know when looking for a respirator. Many people buy one to protect themselves from "gasoline fumes" then they don't understand why they get dosed with organic vapors!

yesterday on the way home from work i was considering the original post as i sat behind and next to cars at a light. it was cool temperature-wise, but did notice i was behind the left wheel of the car in front of me. and i thought, 'aren't most exhaust pipes on the right rear of cars?'
maybe you can stop behind the left side next time if you do not already, and i always leave a decent amount of space between me and the car in front of me at a light in case i need to make a quick escape from an unaware car coming from behind.

Thanks for the advise, as far as stopping on one side or the other of the car, car's exhaust can be on either side or in the middle. Ill consider the bandana thing. Thanks

Valgal20 wrote:...and get dizzy ...

Free buzz! Whoppee!
(not that I endorse that kind of thing)

For the record, a bandanna over your face won't help at all, though I can see how one bunched up around your neck might help a bit in a situation like that.

I would choose the side of the car to stop behind based on MSF reasoning, not the exhaust pipe, unless the car was clearly having issues. IIRC, you generally want to stay towards the left side of your lane (in the drivers-side wheel track or between the wheel track and the centerline grease strip, depending on your preference and road conditions) for best visibility, that would apply while stopped, too.

illnoise wrote:IIRC, you generally want to stay towards the left side of your lane (in the drivers-side wheel track or between the wheel track and the centerline grease strip, depending on your preference and road conditions) for best visibility, that would apply while stopped, too.

What we were taught in our MSF course, and what I have read since, is that unless it's wet out, it's best to generally ride on the grease strip and then use the whole lane for visibility depending on the situation. For example, someone on a side street to the right will have trouble seeing you if you are in the left hand side of the lane, so move right to make yourself visible to that potential danger. Someone in a left hand turn lane of oncoming traffic will have a hard time seeing you if you are in the right hand side of the lane, so move left. The middle is the happy balance, but moving around provides the best visibility.

The MSF course officially said stop in the middle to be visible in the rear view mirror of the car ahead of you. But our instructors pointed out some vehicles don't have rear view mirrors. I have seen graphics showing stopping at an angle (rear tire on the right hand side, front tire in the left... or vice versa), so more of the scooter is visible to vehicles approaching from behind. This seems to make the most sense, as I rarely feel threatened by a car stopped in front of me. Most often, I stop at an angle so that if I hit the gas, I will head for open space either on the shoulder or between lanes. Having been rear-ended in my car... I always want somewhere to go if someone's coming up too fast.

I also stop with plenty of space between me and the car in front of me... both to avoid breathing their exhaust and becoming the meat of a metal sandwich.

Valgal20 wrote:Ok, so I wear a 3/4 face helmet, and have been noticing when I stop at lights (especially long ones- and on hot days) that I start having trouble breathing and get dizzy if I dont flip open my face shield.

How close to the car in front of you are you stopping? You do not have to be on their bumper when stopped at a stop light. It may annoy the drivers behind you but, I fear for my safety more than their want of getting as close to the car in front of them & getting to their destination the quickest. Sit back & relax. Stop a full car length behind the guy in front of you. And if someone tries to swoop over to get in front of you blare that Stebel at them & give the face, lol.

Not smart to be right behind a car at a stop light, especially at a incline, they reverse a few inches before they accelerate up the hill, those few inches they go back could be right into you.