Went out for a ride on Sunday and passed through a small town (Kaplan LA). There were two State Troopers watching traffic pass by. One pulls out and follows me for a few blocks before he turns on the lights. I pull over dismount and walk back to him. First thing he says is, I originally was pulling you over because your helmet is not DOT, but I saw the sticker when I got closer. I said, than were good than. Oops not so fast. He checked the helmet, (Akoury ak88) rubbed the painted on DOT mark (a DOT sticker would not have passed his inspection), even looked inside it. He says since I'm here I need to see your license, registration, insurance and state inspection sticker. Everything was in order, so no tickets. He said, he was sure he was writing a helmet ticket since he had not seen a AK88 before. I don't expect that it will be the last time it gets checked.
I wondered, If I had gotten a ticket for a novelty helmet, would I have been able to leave with the helmet? I should have ask him.

 

I wonder why a sticker wouldn't pass his inspection? All of the DOT helmets I have owned thus far have come with a sticker.

 

His words not mine, he said he could tell a fake.

 

IDK why he would confiscate a novelty helmet. Besides, it's NOT a novelty helmet. You're over thinking this. Kinda like getting out of an elevator and asking yourself how everyone would have reacted if you had ripped a nasty fart in there... but didn't. It's a moot point.

 

I call BS. I got pulled over once at Myrtle beach. Cop said I was speeding and running red lights. He noticed me holding back the laughter and failing. All I said was "OK". What can you do? They will pull you over from shear boredom and make up crappy reasons why you got pulled over. He was looking to get lucky with warrants and such. He never once suspected your helmet was non DOT. He made that chit up.

All I got was a "warning" too. No warrants, so he figured he would go make up a reason to pull someone else over looking to get lucky.

 

In VA, you are not going to drive away. My DOT Daytona is a stick on since is was made before the law that required sticker be under the gel coat. I ask Daytona about it since I was called on it and they told me helmets should be replaced ever 5 years. I got it off Ebay obvious from a second supplier since it was about 4 years old and brand new in the box..

 

I don't get why a real DOT sticker wouldn't pass with him but a painted one did.

 

Perhaps I missed the sarcasm but I guess you often have negative experiences with law enforcement to form an opinion of such low esteem of them?

 

There is a law in Virginia that requires the sticker to be on the helmet?

 

There is no such law.