helmet law

[hawk]

Does any one know if I would have an issue if i was pulled over wearing a helmet not DOT approved. Now don't be silly its not a half helmet or piece of plastic. I am looking at a Schuberth SR1 and I can get it cheaper buying it from a company in Europe and having it shipped to me, than buying it here in the states. Not to mention I can't even find one in the US right now. I am certainly ok with the European standards, just not sure if I'd get in trouble if a trooper decided to check the helmet.

[SprintPoser]

I wouldn't worry a bit. In MA is seems you can wear half a soccer ball on your head and as long as it's black and has the standard "Helmet Laws Suck" sticker it's OK.

[tls25rs]

The letter of the law says yes you would be in trouble because the helmet is not DOT approved for use on the roads in America.

The reality of it is, unless you really piss of the LEO that pulls you over, and he/she is looking for something to bust your balls about, they likely won't bother to check for it and therefore you should be fine. Especially it being a full face helmet and not a half shell or something like that.

To go way, way out on a limb, if something were to happen to you in a crash and the insurance company found out you were not wearing a DOT approved helmet they could deny coverage for injuries etc. associated with the helmet. Again not likely to happen but a possibility.

[hawk]

That's an interesting point, I hadn't even thought about that.

To go way, way out on a limb, if something were to happen to you in a crash and the insurance company found out you were not wearing a DOT approved helmet they could deny coverage for injuries etc. associated with the helmet. Again not likely to happen but a possibility.

[nhbubba]

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/dot-sticker

[hawk]

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/dot-sticker

LOL, that's awesome!!!

[rice_rocket]

Wirelessly posted

I suppose you could prove in some way that the same model of the helmet is dot approved then you should be fine... as long as there are absolutely no differences between the ones sold in eu vs us..

[martia]

As for the insurance in mass for motorcycles your hospital bills are not cover under your motorcycle insurance only your health insurance. Found that out the hard way. You can purchase additional coverage for you motorcycle to cover you hospital bills if you go down

[SprintPoser]

As for the insurance in mass for motorcycles your hospital bills are not cover under your motorcycle insurance only your health insurance. Found that out the hard way. You can purchase additional coverage for you motorcycle to cover you hospital bills if you go down

I've protested that and written letters to my legislators because that is clear discrimination against motorcyclists. There is no reason we shouldn't be treated just as rotten as every other driver. On the other hand, I've never had any questions form my health insurer paying M/C related bills. They ask if any additional insurance was in place, then just cover it when they find out I refused to pay extra that a car driver wouldn't have to pay.

[nhbubba]

I thought the fake DOT stickers were the defacto solution to this for the salad bowl cruiser crowd. I know my father used to wear a salad bowl when riding to Boston. He got a sticker at bike week one year just to keep from being pulled over. (Actually, he might have bought the sticker with the helmet, from the same vendor.) Of course he flanked the sticker with "helmet laws suck" stickers, etc.

Honestly, I'd put the sticker on and claim it is DOT approved to anyone that asked. Really, who is going to bother checking into this? Nobody.

[AEG]

...Honestly, I'd put the sticker on and claim it is DOT approved to anyone that asked. Really, who is going to bother checking into this? Nobody.

This is IT. And no worries...

[hawk]

I'm not going to worry about it. I spoke to my buddy that works for an insurance company and he said their company won't even ask but even if it wasn't DOT approved they would not deny the claim.

[GingahNinjah]

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/dot-sticker

Aww beat me to it lol

[SwiftTone]

Just so you know, some manufactures have different internal shapes for different markets. ie: north america has different internal shape than europe, asia, austrailia etc. People from different regions have different head shapes.

Just something to consider.

[luukasama]

Speaking of helmet laws, I want to know what kind of a helmet law we have here in this @#$% nanny state when the person conducting a license test fails you because your visor is up? Is that even legal? Nowhere in the laws that I've read are you to be even cited for having your visor up. My boyfriend tried to take a license test just yesterday, and the guy conducting it failed him just for that. Everything was a-okay, but that. What in the fcuk, man. Can you do anything about that judgement?

[gamorg02]

I remember asking Liberty Mutual years ago just b/c i was interested and they said my coverage would not change if my helmet was not DOT, similar to not wearing your seatbelt in an accident. They cover you the same. things may have changed tho. I also have progressive now.

[GingahNinjah]

i know that NH has a law that you have to be wearing eye protection when riding... either visor down or glasses of some type but they can pull you over for it and issue a ticket if they really wanna be dicks about it.

[nhbubba]

Eye protection is required by law in most states, even NH, where there is no helmet law.

Sounds like the proctor was a dick. He should have tossed out a gentle reminder and asked BF to drop the visor. Way back when the proctor running the course the day I tested did this for me. If he were wearing shades, he'd have been okay, AFAIK.

That's dumb.

[jasnmar]

Proctor reminded me to put my visor down before starting the test.

Yes, it's likely "failable", but the proctor was being an ass to do it. In general, if you break any laws during your test, you fail.

[luukasama]

I didn't think he broke any laws. It's not like his helmet was off. He just had the visor up cause it was a very warm day. I did find this, what do you guys think?

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/...spx?stateid=21
"Eye Protection: Required by law for instructional permit holders unless equipped with windscreen"

I downloaded the manual and found this on page 9, "When operating a motorcycle, operators must wear eyeglasses, goggles, or a protective face shield, unless the motorcycle has a windshield or screen. " So he was wearing it, it was just pushed up to let the air in. So can they still fail you for that technicality? Is it really considered not wearing eye protection?

[G21forme]

I've heard of dick head cops giving tickets riding in traffic with their visors up.

[lord1234]

As for the insurance in mass for motorcycles your hospital bills are not cover under your motorcycle insurance only your health insurance. Found that out the hard way. You can purchase additional coverage for you motorcycle to cover you hospital bills if you go down

Explain what you mean please...You're telling me that if I get run over by a car, my insurance's "underinsured driver" won't cover me?

[jasnmar]

Yes.

People have been ticketed for it. If they'll write you a ticket for it, and you do it during the test, you probably failed.

Wearing eye protection, but not wearing it over your eyes is kinda like wearing a helmet on your foot. Yes, you are wearing it, just not properly.

It was a complete jerk thing to do, but "within the law".

[G21forme]

Absolutely within the law my problem with that is when it's cold and your visor fogs up at a red light and you lift it to clear it. However if you get that visor up ticket you probably got that cop on a bad day or failed the asshole test.. 02

[nhbubba]

Tell your friends: Wear sunglasses or safety glasses when you go for the test. This way you can flip up the visor and still be within the law.

Seriously though, what a dick move by the proctor..