Topic: Bluetoothing your motorcycle helmet (via Make magazine)

[UnCrash]

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/05/bluetoothing_a_motorcycle_helmet.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890

[texaninseattle]

Looks pretty unsafe to me, and will probably void any helmet manf. responsibility in the event of head injury during a crash.

[Borkunit]

Gonna have to pass on anything that involves cutting the shell of my helmet... But it's looks pretty sweet.  Definitely wouldn't mind the functionality of BT in the lid.  But, I just can't bring myself to take a risk with that.

[Duke McDukiedook]

The extremes people will go to to make anything inherently unsafe even more unsafe is pretty astounding.

[Uncle Ernie]

I don't know what a Blue Tooth is, but i assume it's anmother umbilical cord to others who go crazy if they aren't connected to someone else. 
I don't think it's especially unsafe to drill a hole in a helmet.
I do think it's psychologically / emotionally unstable to be that afraid to be on your own for the time it takes to go for a crummy motorcycle ride, though.
Enough already.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Yeah, is a phone call that important that you absolutely have to take it whilst riding?

Or is it just ego stroking and mental masturbation?

[Frankenkit]

I for one can see the use of bluetooth for an intercom system. It'd be nice to be able to go for a ride with MickeyX and be able to say "Hey, there's someone riding up your tailpipe" or "I think that guy  is going to try to turn in front of you", "Sorry I ran that yellow light, I'm going to keep going on this street." or "Oh sh*t we missed our turn."  Hand signals are ok, but screaming at each other at lights takes some of the zen calm out of the riding experience.

[Borkunit]

I for one can see the use of bluetooth for an intercom system. It'd be nice to be able to go for a ride with MickeyX and be able to say "Hey, there's someone riding up your tailpipe" or "I think that guy  is going to try to turn in front of you", "Sorry I ran that yellow light, I'm going to keep going on this street." or "Oh sh*t we missed our turn."  Hand signals are ok, but screaming at each other at lights takes some of the zen calm out of the riding experience.

Exactly.  Went for my first ride of the season last weekend, and it was annoying having to yell.  We got split up once and it was a little tricky to get back together.  In-helmet communication amongst the riding party would be a godsend!  Just not at the expense of compromising the integrity of my helmet...

[Frankenkit]

We're looking at the scala rider Q2 multiset... you can get them relatively inexpensively out there online...

[Duke McDukiedook]

Intercom sure, but phone calls?

Me thinks that's stretching it.

[Frankenkit]

it is, I think, unless you get out of bluetooth range of each other somehow (BTr is only 1.6k ft, or a quarter mile) then it'd be seriously handy to just call the other person and not worry that much about catching up.  ...but you just know people are going to use it to be the same a$$hole cellphone addicts they are when they drive...

[aagab]

There are bluetooth kits for helmets that offer intercom and phone connection without drilling the helmet.  I own a motorola version that does everything hands free.  I would prefer to not have to be connected all the time. The wife insisted on being able to reach me on my long weekend rides.  If that is what it takes to give her some peace of mind, so be it.