I'm sure there are some cops there and other places that could or would tow the bike for a non-DOT helmet. However, in any event, a pretty good sales tool for the girls at the dealership. I wonder how many expensive HD helemts they've sold with that pitch?

 

Even In states that do not have a DOT law don't you have to pony up for extra quid for insurance to go without the helmet? I've been told that here in Florida if I got injured and I am not paying that extra quid to insurance to go without a DOT hat then insuance can easily deny any medical claims? Don' know for sure if that is true but would be suprised if it isn't

 

Of course, you know that the people that tell you helmets are good for you are the same people that want to sell you Obamacare. Anybody that trusts ANYTHING coming out of Washington DC should worry more about what's under their skull instead of what's on it.

I'll ride in free states, and when they're all gone, I'll sell my bikes.

 

Newsflash Einstein....cops don't make the laws...

 

The concept is just not that hard to grasp. If you have a non-DOT helmet and and they let you ride away and get in an accident down the road and are injured, you can sue them for letting you ride away.

This has happened over the years. Some judges will dismiss that type of violation that you should not drive/operate when they learn that the officer let them drive off.

The seat belt analogy is way off base. You can hook up and drive off legal. If your car didn't have belts then the towing would apply.

An officer can not and should not let anyone drive off with a condition that is not legal period. One small town's officer stopped a resident a couple blocks from his home and the officer let him drive on home with a warning. You got it! The driver got into an accidents a block before home with serious injuries. The town paid a huge settlement.

The police are not being dicks when they tow. They are doing the job the correct way. The dick head is the one that doesn't understand that.

 

I have always worn a helmet and always a DOT helmet because I wanted something that had been tested to some level. I like my big old punkin head that much. having been knocked off my bike by a cager, I will never ride without. I do however defend your right to choose for yourself. I say let those who ride decide. I do for me.

 

What he said...

 

I could be wrong but I don't think there are any 3/4 helmets made that meet the current Snell M2010 standard although there are several that meet older Snell standards. I would check the manufacturer's web site to see which Snell standard it adheres to.

A helmet rating like Snell, DOT or ECE does not mean much without specifying the actual rating standard it adheres to like "ECE 22.05". For instance there is a significant difference between Snell standards like Snell M2010, the now admittedly flawed Snell M2005 standard and earlier Snell standards. Helmet standards are constantly evolving as new research is done and more medical information about brain injury comes to light. For instance newer helmet designs transmit less force to the brain with a softer, less stiff, outer shell designed to flex slightly on impact. Rigid shells encouraged by earlier standards like Snell M2005 were found to be flawed. A rigid shell is needed to stand up to the double hit test mandated by M2005. A rigid shell also transmits more force to the head. In the real world getting hit twice in the same spot is not nearly as big a concern as the force transmitted to the brain.

DOT has recently changed their helmet label requirements to discourage some some "sleazy" skid lid manufacturers from building helmets that do not meet the current DOT standards and then selling them as DOT approved. Apparently they are able to get away with this because they do meet ancient (~1970) DOT standards which differ significantly from current DOT standards. Any recently made helmet will have a DOT sticker that says DOT FVMS 218, if it only says DOT it was manufactured prior to 2011 or is not really DOT approved.


The current helmet standards are:
ECE 22.05
Snell M2010
DOT FMVSS 218