Tag Archives: face mask

Riders in the dark over face masks

Victorian police and health officials have left motorcycle riders in the dark over whether helmets are suitable and legal substitutes for face masks.

The move to mandatory face masks in Melbourne City and Mitchell Shire from Thursday (23 July 2020) comes as coronavirus infection rates spiral.

The measures could soon be matched in NSW where there is talk of further restrictions similar to countries around the world that are mandating masks when in public.

Masks clarification

MV COVID mask
MV Agusta has launched the COVID mask which is not guaranteed to protect!

Riders confused about the new direction and $200 fine have called for clarification on the measures.

So I contacted the Victorian Police and they simply replied:

The interpretation of Chief Health Officer restrictions is a matter for the Department of Health and Human Services. I recommend you contact DHHS with your questions.

So I did.

First, I checked the Victorian Health Department website which answers some of these questions.

It says that the mask can be either a cloth mask or a one-use surgical mask that covers both the mouth and nose. Click here for more details.

If your pillion is under 18, they do not have to wear a mask.

However, it notes that a scarf or bandana does not offer the same amount of protection as well-fitted face masks:

This is due to the type of fabrics they are made from. Properly constructed cloth masks are made from at least three layers of materials, including a water-resistant outer layer.

So that may rule out most motorcycle face masks.VLAD Act Vlad laws

Whether police would be concerned about judging the thickness of materials is doubtful but it could depend on whether a rider they have pulled over gives them a hard time!

It still doesn’t answer the question about whether a helmet is an approved substitute for a face mask.

The health department is obviously busy trying to sort out the rapid-fire changes, so they hadn’t responded to my calls and emails by the time of publication. I will update if/when they do.

‘Madness’

John Eacott

Meanwhile, riders remain in the dark and Australian Motorcycle Council spokesman John Eacott says it’s “madness with everyone offering opinions but no facts.”

He says powered two-wheelers don’t feature in the health department website and points to this section which refers to cars which he says may carry across to PTWs:

DO YOU HAVE TO WEAR A MASK WHILE DRIVING?

If you are driving in a car by yourself or with a member of your household, you do not need to wear a face mask but you should carry one with you for when you exit the vehicle. If you are in a car with other people for work or rideshare purposes then you must wear a mask.

That should mean a helmet is ok, but when you stop you will have to don a mask.

That would make sense and heed UK motorcycle riding surgeon Dr Tommy Lim’s warning to riders about wearing a mask under their helmet.

He told Visordown that riders could blackout if they wear a surgical mask under a full-face or modular motorcycle helmet.

Dr Lim said the material that filtered particles before they entered the lungs could reduce oxygen to riders and potentially cause a blackout:

Surgical masks restrict your breathing. This can be fatal at high speeds when your adrenalin kicks in. Adrenalin will cause your heartbeat to double depending on your speed. This, in effect, will make you breathe faster and these masks will restrict your breathing and give your heart a hard time. Next, your brain will also suffer due to lack of oxygen until you blackout.

I think riders are smart enough to realise they should open their vents and/or visor for more air.

Conclusion

In the end, perhaps you should heed the advice of Premier Daniel Andrews:

The rules are to serve all of us and I will just say that if you have a question in your mind, should I be doing this, the answer almost certainly is no. You should not.

On behalf of all Aussie riders, I wish those riders affected by the lockdown the best of health!

Masks
Source: World Health Organisation

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

MV Agusta offers COVID face mask

MV Agusta has launched a special branded rider’s face mask that seems to cash in on the COVID pandemic panic.

It’s called the “MV COVID mask” and features the hashtag #staysafe on the front, yet they also advise it is not a surgical mask nor a medical device.

Many riders wear masks to keep their face warm and to filter air pollution.

MV say their washable “MV COVID mask” features a titanium nasal septum adjustment plate to “guarantee the (mask) from both breakage and oxidation by coming into contact with chemical agents and water”. We’re not sure what that means, but it does suggest it filters germs.

MV COVID mask

This €45 (about $A75) MV Agusta mask is made in Italy from neoprene which is used in diving wetsuits.

We have also seen the material used in other rider face masks and neck warmers as it protects against the cold and is strong enough to protect you from bugs and road detritus.

Aldi sale promises safety and women’s gear claimsFace mask

But there is no guarantee this will protect you from coronavirus nor stop the spread to others if you are infected.

The MV logo is made from Italian calfskin and is sewn by hand.

The MV COVID mask is equipped with a water-repellent and cleansed TNT filter and N02 valves that can be dismantled to be washed and disinfected.

The mask is sewn with a 5-needle machine specially calibrated only and exclusively for this process.

Mask warning

R-PUR anti-pollution and anti-pollen motorcyclist face maskR-PUR anti-pollution and anti-pollen motorcyclist face mask

This comes as doctors have issued a warning to riders about wearing surgical masks under full-face helmets.

They say proper surgical masks use a material to filter out particles before they enter the lungs and could provide too little oxygen and potentially causing the rider to faint.

The warning says riding can cause adrenalin to pump around the body, raising the heart rate and need for oxygen.

MV app

MV Ride appMV Ride app

The Italian company’s also just released their free MV Ride app for iPhone only.

It allows the rider to access saved maps and routes via the TFT dash and share with other MV riders.

To start, it is only available on models with the new 5.5-inch TFT screen: Brutale 1000 Serie Oro, a Brutale 1000 RR, a Superveloce 800 Serie Oro, or a Superveloce 800.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com