UK Law on head covering in public places

It's good to see the norms are in full control

That man's wearing a hoodie! He must be a crim!

The low slung nature of this fellow's jeans provide proof positive of his criminal intentions!

That person has tattoos! Officer! Officer!

Personally, I think it's a load of nonsense based on a fallacy, but am happy to compromise in some cases.

To examine the basis for the argument first; "Criminals occasionally use crash helmets while committing robberies because they hide their identity, therefore we must ban crash helmets."

Sometimes true. There was also the famous "Flat cap robber," yetI see no rules enforced to ask customers to remove their hats. Or sunglasses. Or over long fringes (I'm looking at you, Emos). So this is making a special case of one group, I suspect more because of a fantasy of "outlaw bikers" that plays on the minds of the impressionable and ill-educated.

In addition, I'd like to see the stats. How many robberies were committed by individuals wearing crash helmets? Where? When? Under what circumstances? Companies are great at creating rules to combat perceptions, wouldn't it be great to know the reality?

Lastly, how many crimes are prevented by these rules? Is the thought process of the criminal likely to be, "I won't rob that petrol station, they have a sign asking me to remove my crash helmet so I can't wear it in there!" I suspect not.

Given all that, we have rules that are introduced based on knee jerk reaction and prejudice rather than any evidence based research or logic, the latter being something I thought we were generally pretty keen on at MAP

Having said all that, I use my own judgement on a practical basis.

If I'm riding in winter (thick gloves, possibly inner gloves, maybe a balaclava under the lid, earplugs in, neck warmer carefully tucked in), I'm not willing to take all that off and sort it all out again just to get petrol.

If the attendant won't switch a pump on whilst I have my lid on, I go elsewhere. If they ask me to remove it when I enter the kiosk/shop to pay, I politely refuse and explain why. At this point they want my money so give in.

If I'm nipping into a shop for a single item that will take seconds, I leave it on. No point faffing around. If I'm going round Tesco for 10 minutes then I'd take it off.

Now, I wear a full face helmet with a black visor, partly because I'm incredibly cool and tough, but mostly to save the world having to look at my fizzog. But if I was wearing a flip up lid or open face and some overzealous numpty was asking me to remove it, I'd be summoning the manager myself to enquire why, if head coverings that leave the face visible are banned, people in those stupid-looking baggy woolly hats are allowed (and they should be banned from all public places just for being mooks).

But then, I am a road warrior, a dashing rebel who plays be his own rules. Oh yes.

Mad Mitch Max

 

Bang to rights Guv! Slap on the irons

 

Oooh, Mitch in chains...

 

Chains and leathers!

 

And we all know that ill-informed judgements based on prejudice and (legally required) appearance are the best basis for creating ineffective rules that inconvenience only the innocent

Is there a rule that hoods must be down on hoodies, or hats, caps and sunglasses removed?

Mitch

 

Just noticed the guy was buying silver King skins.

Crim

Mitch

 

You don't have an inalienable right not to be discomforted by the clothing of others

 

In fact there's the answer; the very next time someone complains about my helmet I'm going back the next day in my briefest of mankinis and really letting them see a helmet to discomfort them