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When I got a ticket for no "reflectorized material" back in '72 I took it to court. I asked the cop what the "standard was." He didn't know. I asked him what reflectorized meant. He said you see it when light is shined on it. I asked "Isn't that how we see everything, light bounces off you and I see you sitting there?" He said yes but it's different. I asked how much light and at what distance does this stuff work at? Isn't there a stated amount of light that must be reflected at a certain distance or something like that? He didn't know. Really that requirement is to vague to enforce. The judge dismissed the case.
This requirement is so old that most people don't understand why it's there. In those days a lot of the "silent majority" were tired of people thinking they could express them selves and their feelings, if they were different than than their own. Damned hippies! The helmet law was about making people "fall in line" more than safety. One state supreme court justice wrote "the days of the swashbuckler are over." The reflectorized tape thing was a way to further humiliate these "dirty hooligans" on those loud motorsickles.
Now a lot of silly yuppies have gotten bikes and actually think this stuff is for their protection. They are laughing at you for wearing that goofy tape!
Some of us have more between our ears to protect then others..
You are correct, that is why it should be left up to the individual wether to wear a helmet or not, not the nanny state.
But keep riding, I may need a kidney or liver some day
I will keep riding with and without a helmet (with reflective sticker btw), you probably dont want my liver, best to get a power ranger suited crotchrocketeer to donate one to you, they tend to be young and fully protected when they crash and burn and they are usually more available than Harley riders...
Last edited by masterblaster; May 20, 2011 at 08:53 AM.
Lets face facts...yes its nice to have reflective tapes/clothing and hopefully someone will notice you....but if they are on the cell phone or texting...you think tape on your helmet is going to stop them? My bike is lite up like a christmas tree at night it seems....that doesn't stop people from pulling out in front of me or moving over in a lane without looking.
But you got to try and be conspicious - but you are right, it won't stop the person driving without looking!
I wonder what other states hace this law. I had much more than 4 square inches of tape. Done tastefully it doesn't have to make the bike look sloppy.
One of the things we used was invisible reflective tape. It's called also Reflective Frame Tape. It's shiney black reflective tape that you can't see in daylight but you can see at night. I had it under my tank, and across the entire bottom frame. It lit up like crazy when a car was in my impact zone at night. Anyhow, you can get it here...
Sreetglo https://www.streetglo.net/reflective...frame.kit.html
I wonder what other states hace this law. I had much more than 4 square inches of tape. Done tastefully it doesn't have to make the bike look sloppy.
One of the things we used was invisible reflective tape. It's called also Reflective Frame Tape. It's shiney black reflective tape that you can't see in daylight but you can see at night. I had it under my tank, and across the entire bottom frame. It lit up like crazy when a car was in my impact zone at night. Anyhow, you can get it here...
Sreetglo https://www.streetglo.net/reflective...frame.kit.html
Happy Ancient Thread Resurrection Day @BillAggie , You've found a couple of them today!
I purchased a couple of Brake Free motorcycle helmet brake lights. The brake light uses a combination of gyrometer and accelerometer sensors, plus brake detection algorithm to detect regular braking, engine braking, and emergency braking. There is no wiring connected to the bike.
There are a bunch of different mode settings for how the light reacts to braking.
Born here in N.Y..Last reflective stickers l had on my helmet was in the late 1960's.
N.Y.S. has more "laws" than five states of law enforcement could ever hope to enforce. Laws written in N.Y. must read like the encyclopedia Britannica.
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