helmet ticket in NY... any help appreciated
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 787
Likes: 3
From: Central Florida
is there a court date on the ticket?
if so, go out and buy 3 half-shell DOT helmets and bring them to the court date.
tell the judge this was what you were wearing when you got pulled over and the officer cited you without bothering to check your equipment.
50 dollars for a helmet beats 200 for a ticket and a hit on your insurance...
if so, go out and buy 3 half-shell DOT helmets and bring them to the court date.
tell the judge this was what you were wearing when you got pulled over and the officer cited you without bothering to check your equipment.
50 dollars for a helmet beats 200 for a ticket and a hit on your insurance...
Really, really bad idea......
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 787
Likes: 3
From: Central Florida
my buddy said anywhere from $100 to $600, up to the judge.
we asked him first thing what we were doing wrong, he said "helmets." we just left from lunch, didnt even hit 55mph yet when he pulled out from the woods and got us.
i have a DOT helmet ill just bring with me to court, see what happens. i just dont want my insurance going up or points on my license, thats all.
we asked him first thing what we were doing wrong, he said "helmets." we just left from lunch, didnt even hit 55mph yet when he pulled out from the woods and got us.
i have a DOT helmet ill just bring with me to court, see what happens. i just dont want my insurance going up or points on my license, thats all.
Don't go to court and lie, it's not worth it if you get busted on it.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 873
Likes: 1
From: Michigan
We have a few cases being fought here in Michigan right now. Our current law requires DOT certified helmets. However the DOT does not actually certify helmets they issue guidelines for manufactures to follow and then they can put a DOT sticker on the helmet. There are alot of chinese helmets coming over with DOT stickers that are not even close to meeting specs.
We had an officer here pull over 8 bikers back in April because he could tell by eye they were not DOT he confiscated the helmets right there and made them all call for new ones. One rider actually made the cop take him to a store to buy a new helmet suprisingly the cop did. The DA demanded the court to give the helmets back. A court date was set but soon was thrown out. They are waiting results from a similar case in Federal court here in Grand Rapids. ABATE is the group supporting bikers on this one.
We had an officer here pull over 8 bikers back in April because he could tell by eye they were not DOT he confiscated the helmets right there and made them all call for new ones. One rider actually made the cop take him to a store to buy a new helmet suprisingly the cop did. The DA demanded the court to give the helmets back. A court date was set but soon was thrown out. They are waiting results from a similar case in Federal court here in Grand Rapids. ABATE is the group supporting bikers on this one.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 873
Likes: 1
From: Michigan
Here are the links from our local paper
http://www.lenconnect.com/news/court...sputes-tickets
and
http://www.lenconnect.com/news/court...-to-be-dropped
http://www.lenconnect.com/news/court...sputes-tickets
and
http://www.lenconnect.com/news/court...-to-be-dropped
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 7,079
Likes: 21
From: Queens, NY
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,975
Likes: 12
From: NJ
We have a few cases being fought here in Michigan right now. Our current law requires DOT certified helmets. However the DOT does not actually certify helmets they issue guidelines for manufactures to follow and then they can put a DOT sticker on the helmet. There are alot of chinese helmets coming over with DOT stickers that are not even close to meeting specs.
We had an officer here pull over 8 bikers back in April because he could tell by eye they were not DOT he confiscated the helmets right there and made them all call for new ones. One rider actually made the cop take him to a store to buy a new helmet suprisingly the cop did. The DA demanded the court to give the helmets back. A court date was set but soon was thrown out. They are waiting results from a similar case in Federal court here in Grand Rapids. ABATE is the group supporting bikers on this one.
We had an officer here pull over 8 bikers back in April because he could tell by eye they were not DOT he confiscated the helmets right there and made them all call for new ones. One rider actually made the cop take him to a store to buy a new helmet suprisingly the cop did. The DA demanded the court to give the helmets back. A court date was set but soon was thrown out. They are waiting results from a similar case in Federal court here in Grand Rapids. ABATE is the group supporting bikers on this one.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,818
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities
funny thing, here in MN i just got a seatbelt ticket and cost me 106 bucks but we dont have a helmet law.......not complaining but, come on.....i do have a biltwell for when it gets cold out and its the same size as a 77 fulmer i have, so how could a leo tell them apart....???
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 621
Likes: 0
Buy the ticket,..... take the ride. If you choose to ride with an illegal helmet, then expect to pay the consequences from time to time. I don't agree with helmet laws, but they are what they are.
I choose to break laws from time to time (speeding, pissing in an alley, etc...). If/when I get caught, there ain't nobody I can bitch to other than myself.
Here's your million dollar advice..... "Show up in Court on time. Own up to what you did wrong, make no excuses for your behavior, dress appropriately, and address the Court with the proper respect". You'd be amazed how many people ignore those simple rules. Judges do appreciate when people follow those things and will hopefully take that into consideration when deciding your fate.
I choose to break laws from time to time (speeding, pissing in an alley, etc...). If/when I get caught, there ain't nobody I can bitch to other than myself.
Here's your million dollar advice..... "Show up in Court on time. Own up to what you did wrong, make no excuses for your behavior, dress appropriately, and address the Court with the proper respect". You'd be amazed how many people ignore those simple rules. Judges do appreciate when people follow those things and will hopefully take that into consideration when deciding your fate.
Last edited by honkylips; Jul 6, 2010 at 11:23 PM.
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May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, NY
If you get a ticket in NY for a helmet infraction, your done, end of story.
Try to play games in a court with a helmet switch and your very likely to wind up in far worse shape than a $100 ticket.
Te grainy videos you see on the cops shows are far short of the actual video quality enjoyed by NYState patrol cars.
And who's to say he didn't see and get a better look at the helmets while you were in the rest stop?
In any event the DOT sticker they put on helmets is fairly large and unless you are fairly near sighted is very easy to see on any helmet (other than a white one) at a fair distance.
My advise is to pay the fine and stop wearing non DOT helmets in NY.
Its not going to affect your points or insurance so while it might be expensive, its not worth fighting over.
Try to play games in a court with a helmet switch and your very likely to wind up in far worse shape than a $100 ticket.
Te grainy videos you see on the cops shows are far short of the actual video quality enjoyed by NYState patrol cars.
And who's to say he didn't see and get a better look at the helmets while you were in the rest stop?
In any event the DOT sticker they put on helmets is fairly large and unless you are fairly near sighted is very easy to see on any helmet (other than a white one) at a fair distance.
My advise is to pay the fine and stop wearing non DOT helmets in NY.
Its not going to affect your points or insurance so while it might be expensive, its not worth fighting over.
