Is there a lawyer in the house??

[Kal]

It's not as bad as it sounds. The label is a European requirement. All it says is that the product hasn't been tested to conform with European Community regulations/directives that apply to personal protective equipment. The label is probably intended for European customers.

I wouldn't consider compliance or noncompliance with this particular EC directive to be a plus or a minus. Like many EC directives this one has problems. Chiefly, the fact that there are still no standards for many types of PPE. Typical of EU bureacracy, this single directive is intended to cover anything used to protect a person. From sunglasses to hardhats and steel-toed boots.

The jacket may not pass some nebulous "leather jacket spec", but the CE armor by definition is built to the european spec. That what the "CE" stands for.

I wouldn't take the label too seriously, even if I did live in Europe.

Now you know why we don't like being refered to as European...

If it makes you feel better the EU is making us adjust our motorbike licencing laws despite having the lowest fatalities in Europe.

Kids are going to be restricted to 125cc's until they are 19 then they can take a part one test that will allow them to ride 47bhp machines for 2 years. Direct Access will still exist but instead of being 21 you'll have to be 24 before you can take it.

It's all a bit of dogmess really.

Fortunately our transoprt minister is a biker, unfortunately the other EU countries have huge problems with kids on Scooters and the like so all he could do was protest by abstaining.



This from an organisation that had an arguement over whether bannana's are curved or straight. The absolute worst news is that we can't vote them out. They are all political appointee's...

[rpk1000]

I have been doing a little research on similar topics recently. I believe, as some other members have mentioned, this has to do with the discrepancy between the EU standards and complete lack of U.S. standards.

Take a look at the following sites for a better understanding of what's going on:

a) http://www.pva-ppe.org.uk/standards.htm#3
b) http://www.bmf.co.uk/briefing/BMF-Briefing-PPE.html
c) http://www.roadsafety.mccofnsw.org.au/a/88.html

In general the EU requires that all "Protective Motorcycle Clothing" be certified. The U.S. does not.

[CTLawyer]

No liability will be accepted by the manufacturer or supplier of this garment arising out of the garments' non-compliance with such regulations"

Um...huh? Once more please...En Anglais

This is type of language is developed and grows each time the manufacturer looses a failure to warn product liability law suit. That's why user manuals are so full of redundant finely worded warnings that seems obvious to evryone but idiots. They are just trying to avoid being found liable in case you blame your injuries on their product because you used it in a manner in which it was not intended, or it failed to prevent injury while still performing as it was designed, or you use it wrong so it fails to work, ad nauseum.

In other words, the translation is, "This ain't bullet proof and neither are you regardless of the labels and certifications, so use all the fasteners but still don't count on it to save your butt if you wreck, but it's better than nothing if you use it as instructed, but if you bite it anyway we're still off the hook."

I write stuff like this for a living and it sucks, but it is necessary as consumers do the dumbest things and then go to the deep pockets of the product manufacturer for a check even when the accident/injury was their own fault or the product was otherwise not at fault and performed as designed when/if it was properly used.

Damn lawyers!

[IcyHound]

The first thing that made me think of was it defining itself from PPE such as fire gear and hazmat stuff. It is not rated for that type of enviorment. That is what personal protection gear means to me at least as a firefighter.

We are trained on all of hte various types and motorcycle gear would ahve no rating to protect you in an incident against airborn pathogens or fire or etc.