Pulled over on bike today by THP

[setsdw]

Well I got pulled over on 111 today outside Cookeville where I40 crosses over. I was on my Honda Sabre going exactly the speed limit when he pulled on 111 and within 5 seconds had the lights flashing. I pulled over and stopped the bike and he gets out and asks me if I knew why he pulled me over. I said I didn't and he said it was because I wasn't wearing a helmet. (I was wearing a helmet) I guess I looked puzzled because he said that the one I had on was not approved (It had a DOT sticker on the back) He then told me that he could write me a $160 ticket and have my bike towed but that he wouldn't this time. He said that if he saw me again he would cite me. He was all business the entire time. Not unfriendly (ie no complaints about his conduct whatsoever)

Two questions arise however. #1 Do you not have to have more cause to pull someone over than a possible helmet violation. (I purchased the helmet with the DOT sticker on it. I've read the regulations on helmets testing. Inconlusive and places the burden of compliance on the manufacture. Not the officer or the purchaser.)

#2 Could he have had my bike towed? I was less than 75 yards from my exit. As with a seatbelt violation it is just a class C misdemeanor.

[Punisher84]

Sounds like alot of BS to me.

[Pain103]

Those DOT laws are crazy strange you may have purchased a helmet with a sticker but I have heard of helmets not being legal and still having stickers. The best advice I could give is find a a trooper or an officer who is really trained and assigned to traffic to look at the helmet and ask questions maybe they can help you. Yes, your bike could have been towed. Your vehicle can be towed for many things regardless if your 5 feet from your house or 5 miles away.

[Guest ArmyVeteran37214]

My HJC Inferno CS-R1 Helmet has that dumb little DOT sticker on it. I contemplated taking it off, but wondered how much hassle I might receive with it being gone. So I still have the sticker there. Are there any LEO's on here that might be able to clarify for us?

[Guest redbarron06]

I would have told him to lick nads lets go and when we get to court I will own his little smart ass, then I will sue the living **** out of the county for harassment. There is no way that a sitting still can ID a DOT sticker on a helmet at highway speeds.

As far as towing it, Not sure about that, if he thinks you dont have a legal helmet then what is he going to do, make you leave the bike on the side of the road?

[Guest mustangdave]

Sounds like the internet will be your research buddy...

[Erik88]

what is a DOT sticker? Department of Transportation I'm guessing? and what was wrong with your helmet? Sorry, I don't know much about this.

[Mike.357]

I would have told him to lick nads lets go and when we get to court I will own his little smart ass, then I will sue the living **** out of the county for harassment. There is no way that a sitting still can ID a DOT sticker on a helmet at highway speeds.

yeah I am sure you are going to tell a cop to lick your nads

Do that and then let us know how it ended up for you.

To the OP, can you post a pic of you helmet? Maybe from just looking it is obvious that it may not be up to snuff, dunno.

[lowbud]

This kind of activity boils my blood. Same goes for the cop who pulls you over b'cause he saw you weren't wearing a seatbelt. With everything going on in the world today cops like this need a good swift kick in the ass.

[EMTRN]

This kind of activity boils my blood. Same goes for the cop who pulls you over b'cause he saw you weren't wearing a seatbelt. With everything going on in the world today cops like this need a good swift kick in the ass.

A seatbelt saved my life in 2001. I will pull over vehicles for seatbelt violations but 99% of the time they get a warning, not a cite. If you want to be a cowboy and not wear your seatbelt/approved helmet, you should have to show proof of a $10, ,000,000 bond so I don't have to pay for your years of medical care.

[Erik88]

A seatbelt saved my life in 2001. I will pull over vehicles for seatbelt violations but 99% of the time they get a warning, not a cite. If you want to be a cowboy and not wear your seatbelt/approved helmet, you should have to show proof of a $10, ,000,000 bond so I don't have to pay for your years of medical care.

agreed, not wearing a seat-belt is just plain stupid. What's the point of carrying a gun for protection if you don't bother wearing a seat belt? You are waayyyyy more likely to be involved in a vehicle accident than you are a self defense shooting.

[sigmtnman]

A seatbelt saved my life in 2001. I will pull over vehicles for seatbelt violations but 99% of the time they get a warning, not a cite. If you want to be a cowboy and not wear your seatbelt/approved helmet, you should have to show proof of a $10, ,000,000 bond so I don't have to pay for your years of medical care.

Nanny state alert....

Why should we stop with just helmets and seatbelts? Why shouldn't we require everyone to carry a $10,000,000 bond *IN CASE* something happens that causes then to need medical care you can't afford. Your gun could negligent discharge and kill someone, how about we all have to carry a bond in case it does?

Perhaps, we should require anyone who leaves the house without a suit of bubble wrap and a Federally approved helmet, to carry a bond as well.

[Erik88]

Nanny state alert....

Why should we stop with just helmets and seatbelts? Why shouldn't we require everyone to carry a $10,000,000 bond *IN CASE* something happens that causes then to need medical care you can't afford. Your gun could negligent discharge and kill someone, how about we all have to carry a bond in case it does?

Perhaps, we should require anyone who leaves the house without a suit of bubble wrap and a Federally approved helmet, to carry a bond as well.

what?

[Chucktshoes]

I think it is absolutely ignorant to not wear a seatbelt in a vehicle or a helmet on one. Stupid is something you can't fix, but life has no mercy for the stupid either.

That being the case, I have to say I am with sigmtnman on this one. The government has the right to regulate actions that may endanger the safety of others (DUI, running around stoned with your gun in hand, etc.) but I disagree with government regulating actions that happen in ones personal space that cannot put the safety of others at risk, such as the choice to wear a seat belt or not. If I want to take the risk of greater injury or death in a collusion by not taking the proper safety precautions, that is my choice to make, not the government's.

[EMTRN]

Nanny state alert....

Why should we stop with just helmets and seatbelts? Why shouldn't we require everyone to carry a $10,000,000 bond *IN CASE* something happens that causes then to need medical care you can't afford. Your gun could negligent discharge and kill someone, how about we all have to carry a bond in case it does?

Perhaps, we should require anyone who leaves the house without a suit of bubble wrap and a Federally approved helmet, to carry a bond as well.

I don't care if you get paralysed and eat through a tube in your belly for the rest of your life because you were not being safe. I just don't want to pay for it.

[lowbud]

A seatbelt saved my life in 2001. I will pull over vehicles for seatbelt violations but 99% of the time they get a warning, not a cite. If you want to be a cowboy and not wear your seatbelt/approved helmet, you should have to show proof of a $10, ,000,000 bond so I don't have to pay for your years of medical care.

The point was not weather or not they are life savors it's the simple pettyness of cops who have nothing better to do then stop and harass people for this, just for this.. I have no problem with being warned or cited if I'm stopped for another reason.

You paying for things will always remain.. no matter what anti-stupid laws are passed. just a fact of life.

I mean seriously.. what's the next big save us from ourselves law that gets passed and enforced.

[lowbud]

I don't care if you get paralysed and eat through a tube in your belly for the rest of your life because you were not being safe. I just don't want to pay for it.

One way or another you are paying every day for stupid and no matter what laws are passed to "save lives" your still going to pay.

helment, seatbelt, life jacket, whatever.. with or without.. we all pay into it. live with it or live out in the woods, have no bills, and live off the land.

idunno.. just let me live my own life and make my own decisions about my own personal safty.

[lowbud]

agreed, not wearing a seat-belt is just plain stupid. What's the point of carrying a gun for protection if you don't bother wearing a seat belt? You are waayyyyy more likely to be involved in a vehicle accident than you are a self defense shooting.

again.. not the point here.. the point is being stopped just for not wearing or as the OP becasuse your helment wasn't DOT approved.. that's just plain

[EMTRN]

The point was not weather or not they are life savors it's the simple pettyness of cops who have nothing better to do then stop and harass people for this, just for this.. I have no problem with being warned or cited if I'm stopped for another reason.

QUOTE]

You should see how much dope has been taken off the streets because of traffic stops for seatbelts and headlights.

[lowbud]

The point was not weather or not they are life savors it's the simple pettyness of cops who have nothing better to do then stop and harass people for this, just for this.. I have no problem with being warned or cited if I'm stopped for another reason.

QUOTE]

You should see how much dope has been taken off the streets because of traffic stops for seatbelts and headlights.

don't get me started on dope.. talk about a waste of taxpayer $$$...

[EMTRN]

don't get me started on dope.. talk about a waste of taxpayer $$$...

WOW!

[Guest Caveman]

Nanny state alert....

Why should we stop with just helmets and seatbelts? Why shouldn't we require everyone to carry a $10,000,000 bond *IN CASE* something happens that causes then to need medical care you can't afford. Your gun could negligent discharge and kill someone, how about we all have to carry a bond in case it does?

Perhaps, we should require anyone who leaves the house without a suit of bubble wrap and a Federally approved helmet, to carry a bond as well.

:bowrofl: People are going to think they know what's best for other people until the end of man. And they will always justify it by saying "I have to pay for you if you get hurt." The government will use the EXACT SAME logic to start taxing everything and eventually outlaw it now that we have our new government healthcare. Anything deemed unhealthy will be taxed or illegal because no one wants to pay for your actions right...it's the same concept, and that is what's

Edited May 5, 2010 by Caveman

[lowbud]

WOW!

I know.. it's mind blowing isn't it..

[EMTRN]

I know.. it's mind blowing isn't it..

Well, if dope does not matter to you, do serial killers count? A few that have been captured because of routine traffic stops:The BTK killer, Ted Bundy(Tag not to vehicle), Son of Sam (parking in front of hydrant, Joel Rifkin (No tag to vehicle), Timothy McVeigh (License plate violation).

[Guest ADAM]

Well I got pulled over on 111 today outside Cookeville where I40 crosses over. I was on my Honda Sabre going exactly the speed limit when he pulled on 111 and within 5 seconds had the lights flashing. I pulled over and stopped the bike and he gets out and asks me if I knew why he pulled me over. I said I didn't and he said it was because I wasn't wearing a helmet. (I was wearing a helmet) I guess I looked puzzled because he said that the one I had on was not approved (It had a DOT sticker on the back) He then told me that he could write me a $160 ticket and have my bike towed but that he wouldn't this time. He said that if he saw me again he would cite me. He was all business the entire time. Not unfriendly (ie no complaints about his conduct whatsoever)

Two questions arise however. #1 Do you not have to have more cause to pull someone over than a possible helmet violation. (I purchased the helmet with the DOT sticker on it. I've read the regulations on helmets testing. Inconlusive and places the burden of compliance on the manufacture. Not the officer or the purchaser.)

#2 Could he have had my bike towed? I was less than 75 yards from my exit. As with a seatbelt violation it is just a class C misdemeanor.

Ive had the same thing happen to me, in almost the exact same scenerio, but my helmet was an illegal helmet. I had put an DOT sticker on the back of mine, that I bought at a bike show, and the first thing the cop did was look at the label on the inside where it also says if it is DOT approved or SNELL approved. I was told by him that the sticker on the back didnt matter since anyone can by these, it was what was on that label on the inside. I did get a ticket but he let me ride off, and when I went to court I took a DOT approved helmet and they dismissed the ticket. As far as having your bike towed I dont know I guess that would depend on if the LEO was having a bad day.