I am not trying to pick a fight with you are any other leo on this one, and I do fully support your choice to carry everywhere you go, but I have personally asked my local city police, my county sherriff, three IL state troopers and our state's attorney, all who I consider to be my friends, what the actual law was concerning off duty police officers carrying concealed.

They all told me that it was just as illegal for them to conceal carry off duty as it was for me to do so. The only difference is that a leo would get away with it because nobody would push the issue.

I am lead to believe that the vast majority of leos, at least downstate, support shall issue concealed carry laws. I would be willing to guess that ALL leos would support shall issue concealed carry laws if they didn't get a free off the books pass to do so already. 37 states have shall issue conceal carry laws, 11 have may issue conceal carry laws, 2 states have no conceal carry laws. Keep in mind that a may issue law does not do many normal folks a bit of good. Shall issue laws state that the conceal carry permit will be granted to any qualified candidate (no criminal or mental history, pass a competence test, etc.)

Sorry for straying from the topic. Back to the helmet laws. I don't know the SB (senate bill) numbers for the two helmet bills in the Il senate this spring. I know for sure that the one that was targeting 18 years old and under was defeated last week, but I still don't think Senator Trotter's mandatory helmet for all riders and passengers has been voted on.

DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. He does this every year. They play smoke and mirrors while some of us from ABATE stay at the capitol in shifts for weeks straight waiting for him to call the bill to the floor. As time goes by and less and less people are there to oppose his bill, he starts working behind the scenes and trying to get votes. When he thinks he has enough, he will call the bill to the floor for a vote.

Two members from the regional and state level of ABATE of IL are there all day everyday. Many others show us when we can and stay as long as we can. They send e-mails to us about progress and what they think will happen, and then a final outcome.

Dennis

 

Let me get this straight, since you are a LEO, you and your family's safety is more important than mine. You "carry one everywhere" so I assume even when off duty. Why should you be able to protect yourself when off duty but I shouldn't? Dumb and flawed logic.....

 

Personally if it gets so bad I feel I must carry I will quit riding and moving about in public, for now I carry a "toss" wad of some cash and save the important stuff to safer spots.. I am a bit paranoid as to who might have designs on me or my bike when I ride so I tend to ride VERY defensive, keeping tabs on all the cagers around or near and expecting one of them to be stupid. As to events I wouldn't carry as it is just to dicey as to maybe hitting a innocent if you do wind up pulling for use; just my $.02.

As far as OP I wear a DOT helmet in defense toward the stupid cagers and my own sometimes extended ego as to being able to handle way too much road or too bad conditions, I used to ride often in the snow. Mine is only a 1/2 helmet as I can't stand the feel on my ears, I have pitched a few with scars.

 

Hey Jim, I never said my families safety is more important that yours, and honestly what I as trying to say is that our state being Illinois is totally screwed up! I dont really like the idea of a concealed carry permit, because of the fact that I'm a LEO, I come across too many guns for my liking in a normal work shift, although those are all illegal ones carried by felons and gang members. So with that being said, I have a problem with everyone being able to get a permit to carry, although if you read my original post, it says in states that allow them it seems to work... I just know the way the state of Illinois works, and thats the major part that turns me off to a concealed carry.... sorry if I offended you... wasnt my intention just trying to state for the job I have I dont really like the idea of the concealed carry permit.

 

hehe, how about this weather RJ?

 

It may have been rejected now, but I believe in the future ALL states will have a helmet law. I think it should be a persons right to choose, but it wasn't too long ago that seat belts were not mandatory, now every state has a seatbelt law.

 

Hey Shrink, it sucks to be quite honest! Hopefully soon it will change for the spring... but for today by me we have about 2-3 inches on the ground! Not nice, although the bike is still in storage, so no hurry, but I was getting the itch to ride the other day when it was 70's.....

 

I have mixed feelings about laws such as mandatory helmet laws.

Personally, I wear a full face helmet whenever I ride and would not carry a passenger unless they wore a helmet also.

I do believe in personal choice to live the way you want, but that choice ends when it starts interfering with the way someone else chooses to live.

I have read articles through the years that one reason for mandatory helmet laws is that they help prevent injuries and help reduce health care costs. If you have a higher hospital bill due to injuries that could have been prevented by a helmet, then everyone's health insurance premiums go up to help pay your bills. At least that's the argument I've heard.

I have also read objections such as they reduce vision (which I have not found) and force the rider to spend money on something they do not want.

I would like to see copies of some of the studies mentioned that helmets actually cause more injuries. I do not ever recall hearing of any such study other than anecdotal comments.

If we place one's personal freedom to choose over society's attempt to protect you from yourself, let's repeal some other regulations. Let's let welders stop wearing masks and sleeves. So what if a few go blind. Let's let metal workers stop wearing face and eye shields. If you get a sliver of metal in your eye, just use a pair of needle nose pliers to pull it out.

Oh, let's stop putting taillights and turn signals on vehicles. They just add to the cost and don't help anything.

There will never be a solution to the helmet question that will make everyone happy.

 

If you are not a member of your state ABATE or MMA then you should be. If you like to ride your modified motorcyle then join to keep it that way. 20 bucks anit gonna kill ya.

We joined with are sister states three times this year to defeat town and EPA bulls**t laws.

As for helmets--- let those who ride decide!!!! as for our great congess them out next time around or we wont be America much longer.

 

i live in illinois and am proud to have the choice ,alot goes out to the people that help this ,and that would be ABATE .we are not just talking ,helmets here ,we are talking freedom.