Picked up in TN for non-DOT helmet
#41
10-29-2008, 07:40 PM
Good grief! The lolly-boys are out in full force commentin' on this one. Glad to know there are so many of y'all makin' sure those who hanker after a little freedom know we're idjits.
Dude posted this as a warning. He didn't really gripe about gettin' the ticket except to note the method the cop used.
Helmet laws are about money. Money is sacred to insurance companies, governments, and lapdogs. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be hammerin' the cagers who down bikers. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be puttin' money into educating cagers. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be puttin' money into motorcycle safety classes. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be hammerin' the idiot riders. Instead, the powers are shifting money away from education, and moving back into the Claybrook "Dragon Lady" mode of "Ve know vhat iss best for you."
Stick the self-righteous crap where the sun don't shine, jump on your scoot, take a ride, and try to remember the freedom you seem bent on giving up.
Dude posted this as a warning. He didn't really gripe about gettin' the ticket except to note the method the cop used.
Helmet laws are about money. Money is sacred to insurance companies, governments, and lapdogs. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be hammerin' the cagers who down bikers. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be puttin' money into educating cagers. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be puttin' money into motorcycle safety classes. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be hammerin' the idiot riders. Instead, the powers are shifting money away from education, and moving back into the Claybrook "Dragon Lady" mode of "Ve know vhat iss best for you."
Stick the self-righteous crap where the sun don't shine, jump on your scoot, take a ride, and try to remember the freedom you seem bent on giving up.
Thank you for the perfect words to this thread...
#43
10-29-2008, 08:03 PM
This is just an FYI for anyone traveling thru the Volunteer State......the helmet gestapo is lurking. I was traveling thru on my way to Daytona and was just South of Bristol on US 19E heading South when I saw a State Trooper going Northbound. In my rearview I saw him flip and assumed he was going after the dude that had just flown by me in a 4 wheeler. I was running dead on the speed limit (55MPH) and this guy had to be doing 70! Try to make a long story short.....the trooper came up behind me and hit his lights and pulled me over. Said "Tennessee has a helmet law" and I said that I've got one on. He said that it is an "unathorized helmet". I asked how he knew that from across the median and he informed me that he was "trained to know". Now, I indeed had a non-DOT helmet on and he did tell me it was one of the nicest he had seen, but the stickers on it were the tip off. Gave me a citation and it cost me $172.50!! FYI....I again was doing the speed limit, didn't act like a smart mouth to the guy, he just basically took it upon himself to make sure I didn't make the mistake of riding in his state with a "non-authorized" helmet again....and he sure as hell succeeded!! Yeah, I know it's the law, and I know that technically I was in the wrong......BUT, I really think this guy was just badge happy. If I had been doing 70 MPH and he picked me up for that and tagged on the helmet charge, I wouldn't be writing this as I would have felt I deserved it by bringing attention to myself.....but that ain't the case. BTW, after he cited me, I asked him what I was supposed to do since it was the only helmet I had and he told me to just carry my copy of the citation and if anyone else stopped me to show it to them and it would be OK!! I didn't argue but was thinking if it was illegal and such a heinous crime......shouldn't he have taken me somewhere to get an authorized helmet or impounded my scooter until I got one or something?? Seems to me he was making law instead of enforcing it. Again, not my intent to start anything here on helmet laws or freedom of choice, etc. just an FYI as to what happened to me. Also, yes I did consider going to court and fight this, but it's 350 miles from home and would have cost me more in gas & hotel room etc. to do that and possibly still lose, so I just bit the bullitt and paid them their bounty.......but I bet I don't spend many $ in TN for a good long time though!! I can either go around it or stop for gas, food and lodging on either side and will do just that.......at least make me feel a bit better!! 
#45
10-29-2008, 08:16 PM
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Be careful, you used the word "joint". Others will think this thread is drug related. Oh, yeah, thanks for the warning about Tenn.
#46
10-29-2008, 08:17 PM
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Good grief! The lolly-boys are out in full force commentin' on this one. Glad to know there are so many of y'all makin' sure those who hanker after a little freedom know we're idjits.
Dude posted this as a warning. He didn't really gripe about gettin' the ticket except to note the method the cop used.
Helmet laws are about money. Money is sacred to insurance companies, governments, and lapdogs. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be hammerin' the cagers who down bikers. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be puttin' money into educating cagers. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be puttin' money into motorcycle safety classes. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be hammerin' the idiot riders. Instead, the powers are shifting money away from education, and moving back into the Claybrook "Dragon Lady" mode of "Ve know vhat iss best for you."
Stick the self-righteous crap where the sun don't shine, jump on your scoot, take a ride, and try to remember the freedom you seem bent on giving up.
Dude posted this as a warning. He didn't really gripe about gettin' the ticket except to note the method the cop used.
Helmet laws are about money. Money is sacred to insurance companies, governments, and lapdogs. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be hammerin' the cagers who down bikers. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be puttin' money into educating cagers. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be puttin' money into motorcycle safety classes. If the powers were concerned about safety they'd be hammerin' the idiot riders. Instead, the powers are shifting money away from education, and moving back into the Claybrook "Dragon Lady" mode of "Ve know vhat iss best for you."
Stick the self-righteous crap where the sun don't shine, jump on your scoot, take a ride, and try to remember the freedom you seem bent on giving up.
That is what is wrong with "people" today, we dont want to accept responsibilty for what "we" do any more because it is always someone elses fault.
Personally I am not bent on giving up any of our freedo, Im just a law abiding citizen and dont like some of the laws any better than anyone else. Unfortunatly WE have given up those freedoms by not paying attention to what our lawmakers are doing, in other words wher are we when they pass theese laws.
We are sittng at the keyboard bitching about it rather than getting like minded people together to try and do something about it. If you think it is bad now, give it a little while and it will/is getting worse.
#47
10-29-2008, 08:20 PM
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that seems reasonable for tn just look at the tail of the dragon website and see all the tickets tn is giving there seems like they just dont like us harley riders. maybe the law enforcement are just jelous of us or something but i agree it should be choice just like seat belts in a car
#48
10-29-2008, 08:23 PM
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They only do what we have allowed them to do.
Nobody sticks together anymore and that is part of the reason the government gets away with what it does.
...of the people,for th people and by the people my ***.
Nobody sticks together anymore and that is part of the reason the government gets away with what it does.
...of the people,for th people and by the people my ***.
#50
10-29-2008, 08:25 PM
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Ol Jim,
I'm retired from the NYPD, just a ghetto cop handling 20 family disputes a night so I don't know much about Tennessee troopers, however calling them the "helmet gestapo" just because of one cop is a little unfair. I was a cop long enough to know most cops have their pet peeves. It just might be that his is bikers. Doesn't mean all Tn cops are against bikers.
In my 21 years I never summonsed a biker, not even crotch rockets (which was 95% of the bikes in the ghettos of Brooklyn). I once stopped two guys on two Harleys for not wearing helmets. I asked why and they said their helmets were just stolen. I told them they were full of sh-t but as a biker I'm going to let them go.
So just like any other group don't judge all cops by the actions of one!
I'm retired from the NYPD, just a ghetto cop handling 20 family disputes a night so I don't know much about Tennessee troopers, however calling them the "helmet gestapo" just because of one cop is a little unfair. I was a cop long enough to know most cops have their pet peeves. It just might be that his is bikers. Doesn't mean all Tn cops are against bikers.
In my 21 years I never summonsed a biker, not even crotch rockets (which was 95% of the bikes in the ghettos of Brooklyn). I once stopped two guys on two Harleys for not wearing helmets. I asked why and they said their helmets were just stolen. I told them they were full of sh-t but as a biker I'm going to let them go.
So just like any other group don't judge all cops by the actions of one!