Bikers split over helmet etiquette on fuel forecourts
BBCA motorcyclist who was asked to remove his helmet before being allowed to refuel wants clearer signage on forecourts to avoid confusion.
Lee Tyson, 48, was filling up at a station in Nafferton, near Driffield, for the first time when he was told to dismount and remove his helmet over a loud speaker.
He said he had no problem with doing so, but wanted forecourts to "just make people aware, rather than giving them the verbal on the forecourt".
It is not against the law to wear a helmet while filling up a motorcycle, but retailers have their own policies, which can vary from site to site.
Lee spent 22 years in the army and said he was "not too precious about how they spoke to me", but was surprised because he had filled up the same way for 30 years.
He left the station in Nafferton and went to a different garage that had no issues with him keeping his helmet on.
When he raised the issue on social media, his post attracted hundreds of comments from other bikers, who offered strong opinions on the various policies at garages.
The BBC spoke to staff at the Nafferton station, which is a Shell garage operated by a Spar supermarket, but they declined to comment publicly.
However, a statement on the Shell website reads: "Station staff need to be able to identify that customers who are filling up and making payments at Shell service stations are over the age of 16. Therefore we may ask motorcyclists to lift their visor or remove their helmet so that our station staff can verify their age.
"In some areas of the country, local police have made a request for motorcyclists to remove their helmets whilst refuelling and making payments."
Humberside Police said this was not the case in East Yorkshire.
Bikers at a popular stop near Fimber offered mixed views.
Ivor and Karen Brooks bike together and always remove their helmets.
"Karen stays with the bike while I take my helmet off and pay", said Ivor.
Karen added: "Safety features suggest it makes more sense to take your helmet off."
Stuart Partington, 56, said he usually wore ear plugs under his helmet, "so it's quite difficult trying to have a conversation with someone shouting at you through a Tannoy".
When asked if such steps would put him off filling up at a petrol station, he replied: "Yes, certainly."
Steven Almond, 72, and David Orange, 77, said they dismounted and raised their visors, rather than taking their helmets off.
David said he would drive off if asked to remove his helmet over a loud speaker, but he understood why they were asking.
"There's a lot of stolen bikes about and there's kids running in, filling up with petrol and driving off," he added.
Craig Carey-Clinch, executive director of the National Motorcyclists Council, said: "It can be quite an inconvenience to riders who, statistically, pose no real threat to forecourt operators.
"There are measures in terms of CCTV, signage and other areas of security that operators can utilise rather than telling motorcyclists to take their helmets off."
He said any move to establish blanket rules and regulations should not be approached lightly.
Individual forecourts the BBC approached did not want to speak publicly about the subject and the Petrol Retailers Association, one of the main bodies advising on forecourt safety, security and crime prevention, declined to comment.
Policies, it appears, can vary considerably from forecourt to forecourt.
Some who work in the forecourt industry told the BBC that age checks were a key reason why some ask for helmets to be removed, while motorcyclists might be asked to dismount as a basic health and safety measure.
Whatever the regulations, Lee says a sign on the way in or at the pump stating the policy would help bikers and avoid any uncertainty.
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