[99 Softail Custom]

From what I've been told NC has just pass a new helmet law to take effect in Jan 08. The new law states that the helmet must have the DOT logo enlayed into the helmet not a sticker , also it must be on a label sewn inside the helmet and Stamped into the foam layer under the liner. After Jan 08 if the police pulls you and checks not only will you get a ticket but the police will sit and watch you until someone either brings you an approved helmet or picks up your bike or you start walking. I think that the new law should leave the wearing of helmets up to the rider as long as they are over the age of 21 and at least one year experance riding.

[voodoochild]

unfortunately you and 40 million other bikers feel the same way..........whatcha gonna do!? That's the gov't protecting you from yourself.

[Hot01]

So everyone that wants to ride in NC has to go out and buy new helmets? Are the manufacturers complying? Why don't they just outlaw motorcycles?

[wvak47]

Originally Posted by Hot01

So everyone that wants to ride in NC has to go out and buy new helmets? Are the manufacturers complying? Why don't they just outlaw motorcycles?

Careful what you ask for there. Don't give our grabby guberment another cause, its enough fighting them over our guns.

I don't like helmets, even way less than I like seatbelts. I understand their purpose, but I am sooo tired of people in government thinking they are my parent and need to pass laws to "protect" me. Just leave me the Flip alone will be protection enough. However, that is a selfish view, I don't really know if they want to protect us dumb bikers who don't know better, or they want to protect their money interests in the insurance companies they own or partially own. Either way I wish they would get off my island, rather tired of them.

I don't figure this law will stand long once they see the damage they do to their tourism if they leave it standing. Hot01 you ask if everyone who wants to ride in NC was going to have to buy new helmets, SCREW That I will just stay out of their state if that is how they want to play. Don't figure I will be the only one.

[99 Softail Custom]

Buying a new helmet is the same question I'm having . My helmet has the DOT sticker on the outside and the DOT label on the inside. The only thing is the DOT is a sticker on the exterior and not inlaid in the exterior of the helmet. I can't see going and paying another 50 or 60 bucks just to have a helmet with it inlaid into the helmet.

[chucktx]

i would ask for a clarification of the law in nc. if the helmet has the dot sewn inside i would think that would be enough. there is such a thing as a grandfather law, all this should be checked out.

[mwelych]

Now I hafta buy 3 new helmets... My wife and daughter and me...

[SK]

I'm not for helmt laws, but I certainly wouldn't let a passenger ride without one no matter what the circumstances. I couldn't live with myself if anything happended to a passenger under my control.

My accident last July..I didn't think my head hit the ground until I got up and took my helmet off. Major road-rash just above my left eye and on the back of the helmet too, and I was down to 25 mph when I went down. Can't imagine what would've happened to my head if not wearing a helmet.

[FLHTbiker]

I guess I forgot about that SK, sure glad uour OK.

[99 Softail Custom]

I've been doing some research and all I've been able to find is that the NC law states a DOT approved helmet or a Safety Helmet. Now if someone can explain what the difference is I'd be grateful, because from what I've been reading on it now a lot of tickets have been dropped by the DA. The biggest reason is because the Law is Un-Constitutionally Vague. So far I haven't been able to find anything on the DOT website covering the new law other than what I had been told by the NC SHP. I’m still looking so more info as I can find it.

[FLHTbiker]

Here in Oregon we are required to wear a helmet since our last governor was a medical doctor and refused to here about anything about not wearing a helmet. However after seeing the helmets of the last two people in our chapter, that were in a motorcycle accident I will wear one regardless of the law. Both riders that were involved in a crash probably would have been either killed or had a sever head injury.

[voodoochild]

Hey FLHT, how is the woman that had that crash? Is she doing better, I hope?

[FLHTbiker]

Originally Posted by voodoochild

Hey FLHT, how is the woman that had that crash? Is she doing better, I hope?

They finially did release her and she was put in a wheel chair and flown home with a couple of friends. They took her home and both her friends are staying at the house with her. Sense I got injured I have not been around down at the Harley shop to talk to anyone to find out how she is doing. I'll post more when I know more. i do know that she had just put her helmet on a few miles before the accident.

[Sleepy]

Originally Posted by FLHTbiker

i do know that she had just put her helmet on a few miles before the accident.

And that's probably the reason she's still alive.

Getting on to the helmet thing....[gotta be careful with this one] I'm not going to debate the law as to whether or not they should be mandatory..that's for bigger minds than mine, but in an area that requires an approved safety helmet, I see no issue with trying to separate the legitimate hard hats from the fakes....it's pretty easy to make a DOT sticker. I'm not sure if this law addresses that though.

[FLHTbiker]

After another friend of mine dumped his bike on one of our chapter rides and scared his half helmet along one side. Another friend of both ours wears one of those fake helmets with a DOT sticker you buy and stick on it. Well, he threw it away after that and bought a real approved helmet.

[99 Softail Custom]

Trust Me I wear a helmet, it is a beanie, skid lid, or Turtle Shell which ever you want to call it. I'm just not into having to possibility go out and buy two new helmets just because of someone's whim!! I'm in the Military and I do know the importance of protecting the brain housing group...lol. I know the local government thinks they are saving all us bikers but it is the ones on the rice rocket race replica bikes that are doing stupid crap and causing more pain on us all. The last one was going thru Fayetteville traffic on a Sunday doing 85 to 90 mph while doing a wheelie and smacked a telephone pole. Yep that is really why I need a new helmet law. There is a thing called Natural selection and doing something like that isn't the way to stick around. Not to sound cold or heartless but let’s face it the individual probably wasn't the smartest one. I've been riding since I was in the 4th grade, always wore a helmet of some type and obeyed the laws. Knock on wood no trouble to date.

[skull2007]

helmet's are a smart idea, just gota get smart enough to wear one. i'm thikin hard on a good helmet to wear. have two but don't like em. all it takes once you go down and roll, is one good smack. maybe you'll die, or worse

[FlynDutchman]

I dont like helmets, never did, never will. Ive picked up guys who got thown into guardrails, & tossed on the pavement like road pizza. The helmet doesnt protect the chest /body. What next ? Are we gonna have to wear suits of armor ? The safety nazi's would have you believe its all for our good. I say bull. How many of you when you were 12 if you saw another kid on a bicycle with a helmet would have laughed your a$$ off ?? But now kids dont leave the house without their helmet, knee pads, shin guards, all the junk that protects them from being a kid. What they are trying to regulate is common sense, & you simply cant do it. Ive been riding motorcycles for about 24 years now & have never been stopped by police on my bike or been involved in a crash on my bike. (unless you count dropping in in a parking lot because you forgot to take the lock off) Yet I see idiots daily riding their motorcycles like they were a kid on their bicycle....weaving in & out of traffic, riding on the shoulder, doin wheelies. stupid stuff. These are the idiots that law makers see, not those of us who are actually out there paying attention to the road & others on it. Maybe what we need to do is police our own. If you see a guy riding like an idiot, stop when you see him & tell him so. I got no problems doing it. Maybe then they will take their eyes off of trying to regulate us & move on to something else. (other than guns, god how I get tired of them trying to take that away from us too....)

[FLHTbiker]

That reminds me of a time when as a kid riding my bicycle and I turned to look at a friend who crashed and then pow. I ran into the back of an old parked car. Sure could have used a pad in my crotch when I slammed into the bar of the bike. God I never knew it could hurt like that.

For me I'll keep the helmet on especially after seeing the helmets of two friends after they crashed. I'm sure that one of them would not be here if it were not for her helmet.

[fxdxriderleo]

I wear a helmet because the law says I have to. It is the cheapest half helmet I cold find and not to uncomfortable. I prefer not to wear one. When I was young and stupid, my first bike was a hot rodded 1975 Kawasaki H1 500. I went down twice at 125 mph plus. I was wearing a helmet both times. The helmet got scuffed pretty good both times. Glad the marks where on the helmet, not the melon. I'm here now because of a helmet, but I still don't like them. I do ride with leather's, jacket and chaps. The second time I went down I got a real good case of road rash. To much time spent picking asphalt out of the hide. Not much fun. I figure that if my maker wanted me to go on a bike, he would have then. If he still think's I ought to go that way, a helmet won't stop him. I'm 51 now, riding since 16.