Please remove your helmet

I had the same request when I tried to pay for petrol at a Tesco a few months ago. I also asked the question why do you want me to do that and was told that they sometimes have people who are hard of hearing working there and also for security.

When cahllenged, they refused to confirm that any other customers were asked to remove their hat, hood or hijab (veils). Funnily enough they also said they would serve people who were unable to speak or who couldn't speak English.

So they basically confirmed their request was illogical and I frankly found it patronising and insulting.

Guess what? I don't shop at Tescos any more!

Originally Posted by K

It's alright for those of you guys with hardly any hair! :

I assure you it isn't .

My hair is simply too wispy and long that once it gets a chance to escape it will

That's it, rub it in why don't you .



.

Had this happen only once, and the guy was quite rude so I got shirty with him. I think I would probably do the same as Lee and say "No". they either take my money or don't, it's their choice.

.

[Sid Squid]

I understand all the arguments for asking you to remove your lid, but I don't believe them, it's a very simple form of discrimination that harks back to the era of thinking all riders are thugs and criminals, there may be some people who feel threatened by the fact that you are not readily identifiable, I do not wish to indulge and thus validate and propogate their ridiculous feelings, grow up a bit.
I have asked the questions along the lines that Cronos has pointed out and received the same weak and often crass answers, the clear message: It's OK to discriminate against you 'cos you're a rider, but not them 'cos they're a different societal subgroup that might use the (profitable) law for 'justice'.

Clearly it depends on how the request is made, but usually I just say:

"Do you want me to pay or don't you?"

Rarely have any troubles.

Originally Posted by PoRk ChOp

Wear This under you lid, they will sh*te themselves even more when they ask you to take your lid off

I think one of these combos would be even scarier...

[BillyC]

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

I understand all the arguments for asking you to remove your lid, but I don't believe them, it's a very simple form of discrimination that harks back to the era of thinking all riders are thugs and criminals, there may be some people who feel threatened by the fact that you are not readily identifiable, I do not wish to indulge and thus validate and propogate their ridiculous feelings, grow up a bit.

I agree completely, the reason I object so strongly to being asked to remove my helmet is the assumption that as a biker, I am automatically some sort of criminal. As has already been pointed out, anyone planning on riding off without paying or robbing the shop would not removing their helmet, regardless. As trite as it sounds, it's just another case of them perceiving us as 'Hell's Angels'.

EDIT: I've just had a thought, what's the legality of refusing to remove your helmet? Once the petrol is in your tank, if you tried to pay them and they wouldn't accept it (eg if you threw a note on the counter, they wouldn't pick it up/give you change), where would you stand? Could you ride off after you'd made a reasonable attempt to pay?

I realise they could bar you in future, but what about there and then? Surely they couldn't call the police? Also what if there's a 'motorcyclists: please remove helmet' sticker on the door and you ignore it, would that alter where you stand?

s'why I always use Tesco and 'pay at the pump' or use a 'fastpay' garage

Originally Posted by quikstu

The muslim headress does hide your face & if you or I were to walk into a petrol station/bank whatever with something wrapped round our heads & hihing our faces we would expect to place folk into a state of fear & alarm.

come to east london and you will soon change that

Originally Posted by svpilot

Wear one of these under yer lid... http://www.ljsgroup.net/catalog1.0.html