to remove the helmet or not?

[BrisZX9R]

I went to pay for fuel about 2 or 3 weeks ago. It was freezing cold, plus had my ear phones fitted nicely in my ear holes, which I never seem to be able to get them to sit just right, so didn't want to remove my helmet. So I didn't, I walk into the servo after filling up my bike with my helmet on. I walk in with the money in my hand...the 17-19yo pimple faced no brain behind the counter starts telling me I have to remove my helmet or he wont accept my money. I laughed told him to pull his head out of his ass... so now he tells me he's going to call the cops, funnily the police station is LITERALLY across the road. I state "go ahead...I've done nothing wrong." I put my money down on the counter and just walked out.. the guy standing behind me even stuck up for me...

Flash forward to two days ago.... this time I have the kids in the cage, when i go back to the same servo. Guess whose behind the counter this time with his manager. Bingo. Time for a chat me thinks... so I walk in. Pay for the fuel, then speak to the manager and the teenage dipshit.
I put my case forward about why do I have to move my helmet etc. when the manager tells me it's servo policy for security so they don't get robbed. (Cause we all know all motorbike riders are armed robbers or thieves)... I smile and play my trump card... politely I say to the manager “excuse me, but while I was filling my car I witnessed you allow a Muslim woman wearing full burka pay for her husband/ fathers fuel. (She wasn't the driver, but the driver was a rude abusive prick and in arabic yelled at his daughter/wife to go pay for fuel... hard to tell her age with her face fully covered but around her eyes had no wrinkles so who knows). Anyway. I ask the manager... so how do you know she wasn't going to rob you. Or if you really want to play the paranoia card... blows us all up? Her face was fully covered; in fact her whole body was fully covered. He stuttered, ummm'd and ahh'd, then finally blurted out... it's policy so you just have to do it! I walked out not impressed.

Now I have seen this Muslim woman walk in & out of my bank before as well, in her full burka... no one has ever said anything to her about it, or refused her service etc. However if I try it in my helmet, I am the bad guy and might be a thief or robber... and I am the one who gets refused service. Now I am not trying to make out the Muslim woman is a problem or sound as if I am prejudiced, I just believe in 100% equal rights, no matter if you are black, white, yellow, brown, red… nor what your religion is or isn’t. So why does she get away with it just because of religious beliefs yet I cannot just because I ride a bike?

So basically my question is………. What do you guys and girls do? What would you do if this presented itself to you? What do you think is fair?

I am not trying to start a racial/ religious debate. I don’t care about the Muslim woman’s burka, it just so happen I have seen her around a lot lately, in the shops, bank, servo, bakery etc and it helped to serve my point to the dim wit manager of the servo no that he got it.

[Wattie]

take a burka thign woth you. when tyhey ask you to remove ya helmet, walk out, take helmet off, put full head dress on and walk back in.

[Wattie]

http://www.fuk.co.uk/threads/hoodies_th ... ll_the_way

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/school ... 72137.html


now you be a fashion guru too

[photomike666]

Go to Mobile and use pay at pump - no need to go in servo. All I do is take off one glove so I can press the keypad buttons

[Wattie]

Go to Mobile and use pay at pump - no need to go in servo. All I do is take off one glove so I can press the keypad buttons

ding ding ding, we have a winner!!

[6maniac]

I've have a Nolan flip helmet. With it flipped up there is no problem at servos. Some years ago with a normal full face I was asked to remove my helmet - said I've already got the petrol - do you want the money ? Accepted. Best approach is look straight at their security camera and loudly say " I'm offering to pay for the fuel but this idiot won't accept it "
btw - once went into a bank in a hurry with a full face on - won't do that again !!!!!!!!!

[6maniac]

Go to Mobile and use pay at pump - no need to go in servo. All I do is take off one glove so I can press the keypad buttons

Why should we play their game? Let them play ours - we are the ones being ripped off and discriminated against.

[Frank]

I have been to a couple of different servos that wont even start the pumps till you take off your helmet, no I don't go back to them. But in saying all that I can sort of understand why it is company policy

[6maniac]

http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/b ... sar_topics
Looked at this and can't find anything relating to helmet wearing motorcyclists robbing servo's - do your own research and quote it to the next servo attendant that demands helmet removal.

[Frank]

At most servos as you enter the shop there is a pic saying to remove your helmet before entering the shop.

[photomike666]

I don't see why it's such an issue. Servos carry a lot of money and are high risk for robbery, and crash hats to obscure your identity so some extent. It's not like it takes hours to take off and put back on, and it if that gives piece of mind to someone just trying to do their job, I'm all for it. As for the Burka, I'm a firm believer in when in Rome, but what's more scary to the fuel attendant a big guy in biker gear and a crash hat or a little girl wearing a scarf?

We chose to ride bikes and accept the helmet law; there are far more serious issues bikers face in the discrimination stakes.

[robracer]

At most servos as you enter the shop there is a pic saying to remove your helmet before entering the shop.

That's right Frank... they have a policy there should be stickers on the pump & at the entrance, if they are there then that is their policy & are within their rights to refuse you.

[matt76]

I dont want to insult anyone here but for me there is no way I would walk into a servo or shop with my helmet on. It is rude and even if there is only a slim chance it may freak out the poor console operator who might be afraid of a robbery, I'd rather give them the peace of mind that they can feel safe. Cmon guys, how long does it really take to take your helmet off?

[ZXR750]

I don't see what the problem is. It takes less than a minute to take your helmet off. I can understand the perceived security risk. Do you wear your helemt when you do your groceries or while eating dinner? It is common manners to take the thing off.

[BrisZX9R]

Matt... taking it off isn't the problem... it's putting it back on and trying to get my earphones sitting properly and have the helmet sitting just right with my fogg off mask etc etc.. plus why should we be discrimminated against, if others aren't made to do so because of religous grounds. Also it's not courtesy if you're forced to do it, it's compliance.