Thought I'd pass this on (helmet argument)

    Bear with me on this because I will get to the punch line. My Wife and I were out riding last week when we pulled up to a stop sign before turning onto RT27 north to head home. The town we were in is a little down called Sale Creek. As I was assessing the light traffic getting ready to pull out a Tennessee Highway Patrol car came by. Being a retired LEO I always give a wave to my fellow brothers and sisters even if I don't know them.


    Now for the rest of the story: My Wife participates in a "drug drop" for the local PD and SO in Rhea county this past weekend. She was at the drug drop when a TN HP person pulled up and dropped some drugs. The officer was a female. My Wife having never met a stranger started talking to her and found out she lived in Dayton and her patrol area was south of Rhea county. My Wife said that we has seen a HP car a few days ago when we were in our SS waiting at the intersection. It just happened to be this officer and she remembered the orange SS waiting to pull out onto Hwy 27. I know this is getting long but the reason I posted this, and I don't want to start an argument, but it's because the officer said she remembered the SS because the first thing she does is look for helmets. Seeing that we were donned with full face helmets she didn't turn and kept going. She went on to tell my Wife that she has got arguments from SS drivers and have pushed onto contesting the ticket in court. The officer said she has never lost a court / helmet appearance in court because the law is written so the judge always sides with the officer and the law. In TN "if" the vehicle was "enclosed" it would be ok to not wear a helmet but even with a top and a full windshield and even the back windshield it's still not "enclosed" according to TN.


    Again, I don't want to start an argument here but for those who live in TN or ride through, there are officers that will give you a ticket for no helmet. And I know a lot of people don't wear helmets and get away with it. I've been involved in discussions about helmet wear and some get mad when they get a summons to appear in court for not wearing a helmet. I just tell them if you know the rules and you get away with it 100 times you are way ahead. Like speeding, we've all been over the speed limit in all our vehicles and gotten away with it many times. But if you get caught at some point just smile and say thank you officer. Just be aware not wearing a helmet could cost you some money in helmet states. Have a nice day!;)

    Psalm 28:4 "Give to them according to the evil of their deeds"

    "Attitude determines airspeed, throttle determines touchdown point"

    TheDonFather - Videos

    Not to derail this thread so soon, but it does tie in to the point of these helmet laws. Too many Police departments come out with THEIR argument that they're job is to save lives. They usually use that line of BS when it came to seat belt use, then more invasive, when they allowed police to stop a vehicle just to VERIFY that a seat belt was being used - not like the original laws about needing to drum up (I mean pull you over for another infraction before you could be cited) If that's the case, why do some states believe that bike riders have their choice to wear or not wear a helmet? Thankfully, Florida is one of those states.


    Plus, if their job is to protect lives, why aren't they peeping into everyone's bedroom at night to make sure that condoms are being used? Don't condoms protect you from spreading STD's? See where this BS is going? What's next? Do they outlaw bananas since people have stepped on their peels and fallen? We've lost our rights to decide for ourselves one law at a time. When is it all going be enough?

    Nobody gets outta here ALIVE

    Quote from Funinthesun

    Not to derail this thread so soon, but it does tie in to the point of these helmet laws. Too many Police departments come out with THEIR argument that they're job is to save lives. They usually use that line of BS when it came to seat belt use, then more invasive, when they allowed police to stop a vehicle just to VERIFY that a seat belt was being used - not like the original laws about needing to drum up (I mean pull you over for another infraction before you could be cited) If that's the case, why do some states believe that bike riders have their choice to wear or not wear a helmet? Thankfully, Florida is one of those states.


    Plus, if their job is to protect lives, why aren't they peeping into everyone's bedroom at night to make sure that condoms are being used? Don't condoms protect you from spreading STD's? See where this BS is going? What's next? Do they outlaw bananas since people have stepped on their peels and fallen? We've lost our rights to decide for ourselves one law at a time. When is it all going be enough?

    As far as the seatbelt you mentioned, I'm pretty sure you can't just pull someone over to check for seatbelt use. Like any stop you have to have "reasonable and articulable suspicion" to stop a motor vehicle to check any infraction.

    Psalm 28:4 "Give to them according to the evil of their deeds"

    "Attitude determines airspeed, throttle determines touchdown point"

    TheDonFather - Videos

    Unfortunately, Florida and many states have changed their seat belt laws from a Secondary enforcement to a Primary enforcement.


    The difference being seat belt use laws permit seat belt use law violators to be stopped and cited independently of any other traffic behavior. Secondary enforcement laws allow violators to be cited only after they first have been stopped for some other traffic violation.


    The loophole in that law allows them (LEO'S) to pull you over saying that they didn't observe you wearing your seat belt as an excuse to stop you. Basically making it open season to stop ANY vehicle for ANY reason they choose and citing this (I didn't see the seat belt being worn) as a reason to stop.


    Glad I'm getting old and don't have to watch all our rights being stolen one by one too much longer ||||||

    Nobody gets outta here ALIVE

    My wife and I live in Washington, a non-helmet state. I know some have been cited by the State Patrol here but I have been stopped by WSP and not cited with no helmet so I consider it non-helmet. We went riding with 3 other Slings last week in Oregon, a helmet state. When we got to the meeting point I was surprised that my wife and I were the only ones of the 4 couples wearing helmets. We automatically wear them when riding together because the comm sets allow us to talk easily and normally. The Oregon folk all said that they have passed LE many times without incident so they don't feel at risk of a stop. My opinion on this is that your experience, and LEO's practices don't change the law. If it is written that a helmet is required, ambiguous or not, and you don't wear one, you can be cited. Don't be surprised because the last 50 lazy officers didn't dick with you and this one did. You may become a victim of the last jerk-off the officer encountered. Everyone has bad days, sad days, mad days and plain ol' I don't like the way you look days. And you can't become invisible in a Slingshot!

    Remember folks - this isn't a rehearsal, this is The Show!8)

    It has been around 4 years since I have worn a helmet. I have been lucky I guess Tenn.-VIR. -Ga.-ALA.-N.C. and S.C. has no helmet law and you do not even have to wear the seat belt unless you want to. Helmet (Flip Shield) only when riding in the rain. I do not wear a seat belt either, have you ever tried to wear a seat belt with a pace maker?

    I have thought about this every time the helmet issue with Slingshots is brought up. If it is actually about safety for the officers, have any of you that have been pulled over taken the time to educate the officers on the safety and strength of the factory roll hoops? Maybe even make a comparison to convertible cars? Let them think for themselves and realize that pulling slings over for helmets is a waste of time....for both them and the ss owners

    2016.5 Pearl White SL LE

    Quote from Tripod

    This subject... :rolleyes:



    DBB1E1D4-D494-480E-AF6F-404C591DE4ED.gif

    We have to up date the new Slingshot and forum members. Also try using wearing a bicycle helmet, it is a lot lighter that the motorcycle helmet and all they see is something on your head. One of our Georgia riders put me on to this. Also something else I always have a ball cap on so from a distance all they see is color on my head.

    Quote from Tripod

    This subject... :rolleyes:



    DBB1E1D4-D494-480E-AF6F-404C591DE4ED.gif

    At least I used a current and relevant experience, told in my always fascinating style to hit, strike, batter, thump, hammer, punch, knock, thrash ,pound, pummel, slap, smack, crack, thwack, cuff, buffet, maul, pelt drub, attack, abuse and flay the deceased equine!

    Remember folks - this isn't a rehearsal, this is The Show!8)

    Quote from FunCycle

    It has been around 4 years since I have worn a helmet. I have been lucky I guess Tenn.-VIR. -Ga.-ALA.-N.C. and S.C. has no helmet law and you do not even have to wear the seat belt unless you want to. Helmet (Flip Shield) only when riding in the rain. I do not wear a seat belt either, have you ever tried to wear a seat belt with a pace maker?

    Virginia still requires a helmet

    The more people I meet

    The more I love my Dog!

    Quote from FunCycle

    It has been around 4 years since I have worn a helmet. I have been lucky I guess Tenn.-VIR. -Ga.-ALA.-N.C. and S.C. has no helmet law and you do not even have to wear the seat belt unless you want to. Helmet (Flip Shield) only when riding in the rain. I do not wear a seat belt either, have you ever tried to wear a seat belt with a pace maker?

    Yup. Shoulder strap lines up perfectly with the implanted device. Not fun. Can't imagine how it would feel in either a panic stop or front end collision.

    Nobody gets outta here ALIVE

    So I'll jump in on this horse. Sometimes it's interesting to hear this topic come up as long as it doesn't start WWIII. As a side note, you CAN be stopped in Tennessee for only a seat belt violation, been there done that. Law was changed about 15 years ago to allow for it... As for the original topic, I do live in Tennessee and no I do not wear a helmet however I do keep one with me just because. I know people in our group that have received a ticket and paid and I also know some in the group that have received a ticket and had it dismissed in court. My personal experience I have been stopped numerous times without, was actually just hit with blue lights this past Friday. I have not received more than a written warning. I drive almost an hour to work. Multiple cities and two counties. The main city where I work WILL stop you, that's where I got the warning a couple years ago. I've actually got to talk with the leo's quite a bit that stop me. They have a picture from slingmods with the full batmobile enclosure and said if that's installed they will not ticket you, anything else your at your own risk. The main cop that pushes this said he'd rather not and doesn't see it as much more than a jeep but that's what they push him to do. He said if the next city over(where I just moved from and has specifically stopped me to discuss the law said they interpret it as you DO NOT have to wear a helmet and will not stop me) doesn't care then he would take it off at the city line as well. Now the new city I just moved to last year has stopped me. First time was a holiday weekend and it was to let me know he understood it as you had to and he had trooper buddies up there that were told to stop anyone for anything they could. Said he personally didn't have an issue and let me go on my way. This same cop pulled up next to me Friday(tiny town) and put the blue lights on to let me know he talked with some people and verified that you do have to wear a helmet but he wasn't going to bust my chops about it, just wanted me to know and to have a nice day. We'll see what happens the next time he sees me.


    Either way, the law IN MY OPINION is not very clear. Leaves alot open to interpretation. Defines what an autocycle is and that having not been fully enclosed requires a helmet. But then a separate section afterwards that says autocycles are exempt from all previous sections. Just leaves alot open to opinion and unfortunately not a hot topic that's easy to get your local politicians to check into.


    That being said, if you wanna wear one then do so, and if not then so be it. I choose not to but keep the helmet with me. Anytime I'm stopped I'm more than respectful to the officer and tell them I'll gladly put it on and be on my way ticket or not. I tell them with all the bs they have to deal with these days the last thing they need is to sit there and argue about what a slingshot is or what it means to be enclosed. Most of the time they seem to be more intrigued with the slingshot itself and want to talk about that instead of helmets. I look at this way I believe it's written one way and someb of them believe it's another but it's above both our pay grade. If someone doesn't like the uncertainty in Tennessee then either get rid of the slingshot or write your local congressman. But no need to cause a bad encounter between you and the officer. Accept the outcome and ride on...

    There are a few lists of helmet laws by state. Unfortunately the lists I’ve seen are out of date and often vague as it relates to a Slingshot.


    When traveling I take a helmet with me and do wear it in the states where I am uncertain if it is required.

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    2018 Slingshot SL

    Sunset Red

    Reading, PA 19606

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