Photo: Screenshot from YouTube
Earlier this week, I had the chance to return to the hug of a racing harness for the first time this season and even though the racecar in question only had 217 hp, I felt that special connection with the harness while flying around on the track. I can’t even imagine how it would be like to deal with counterfeit safety equipment.
Then again, I don’t have to turn to my imagination to figure that out, as the video below shows the dire consequences fake safety devices can bring. The clip shows a test of fake motor racing harnesses that recently showed up on eBay and Facebook.
The copycats, which wore the Sabelt, Sparco and Takata labels, were uncovered by Carmarthenshire Trading Standards, being offered by a trader located in Carmarthenshire, UK.
The harness was subjected to a 50 mph (80.5 km/h) test, a speed that anybody who’s been to a track would find amusing. Even so, the dummy’s trajectory is nothing short of frightening.
Not only is the dummy’s movement not restrained but it also looks like such a harness could strangle you in the event of a crash. Sure, the trajectory of a human body inside an actual car (not the test rig) would be different due to the presence of the dashboard and the windshield, but the conclusion stands.
“We are very concerned about these counterfeit products. Not only are they cheaply made fakes, but they could be potentially fatal,” Cllr Jim Jones, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Executive Board Member for Public Protection, said.
If you’re among those who have recently purchased such items from an unofficial or discounted seller, you can check if you are affected by contacting your local Trading Standards team. Meanwhile, you can see the rather shocking results of the test in the clip below.
The copycats, which wore the Sabelt, Sparco and Takata labels, were uncovered by Carmarthenshire Trading Standards, being offered by a trader located in Carmarthenshire, UK.
The harness was subjected to a 50 mph (80.5 km/h) test, a speed that anybody who’s been to a track would find amusing. Even so, the dummy’s trajectory is nothing short of frightening.
Not only is the dummy’s movement not restrained but it also looks like such a harness could strangle you in the event of a crash. Sure, the trajectory of a human body inside an actual car (not the test rig) would be different due to the presence of the dashboard and the windshield, but the conclusion stands.
“We are very concerned about these counterfeit products. Not only are they cheaply made fakes, but they could be potentially fatal,” Cllr Jim Jones, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Executive Board Member for Public Protection, said.
If you’re among those who have recently purchased such items from an unofficial or discounted seller, you can check if you are affected by contacting your local Trading Standards team. Meanwhile, you can see the rather shocking results of the test in the clip below.
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