Helmet Laws by States

Quote from Frank the Tank

Took a ride with the wife today. Stopped at a gas station on 411 S prior to taking the back roads to Tellico Plaines and Skyway. Had seen TN State Trooper going opposite direction as we pulled in. As I was getting gas this officer (State) approached me and told me he had seen me pull into gas station with no helmet and that state law required us to wear one. He was OK about it, said to ride without helmet would need top and doors on SS. No ticket or warning. He said that he didn't have a problem with no helmet as the SS looks like a sports car. But said it wasn't up to him so he wanted to let me know.

Sounds like the response we got returning from Homecoming. There are two bones on contention here in Tennessee.

1. TCA. 55-9-304. (I think). Exempts a “fully enclosed” auto cycle from the helmet requirement.

2. TCA 55-9-308. Exempts ALL auto cycles from all of the requirements of section 300-308. This is the citation that has had helmet tickets dismissed.

Hummm....

Quote from SoCal

MACON county line - back in '76 went through there and as a Yankee boy on a crotch rocket Kz 1000 I tiptoed through there....

same here, late 70's annual training with the NJ air national Guard at an airfield in Garden City GA (IIRC). I was going thru some small town west of Savannah in my (somewhat customized) Camaro when I started to have engine problems. shortly after I pulled over a cruiser pulls up and I knew immediately I was in trouble cause the guy from the old Dodge Boys commercial got out (yes, he was wearing mirrored glasses, a cowboy hat and had a big beer belly) He asked what the problem was (other then my NJ plates) and I said I broke down, and he said "Sorry, but you can't break down heah" and asked for ID. luckily I gave him my military ID and we were suddenly best friends. He went back to his cruiser, talked on the radio to someone, and a couple of minutes later a pickup truck pulled up and a couple of the boys jumped out and started working on my car. had it fixed in about 15 minutes and I was on my way.

I had a similar experience in Tennessee back in 1977. We had bought some furniture in McAllen, TX, while visiting my In-Laws and were towing it to Virginia using my 1976 Tans Am 400 when the entire group we were traveling in got pulled over on I-40. I mad sure the Trooper saw my Army ID as I was getting out my license and told him we had just returned to the States after a toiur in Europe. he ended up giving me a warning. We found out out at gas station later that everybody else in the group, except for some Germans who were visiting the US,got a $40+ ticket. It was kind of stupid for use to have bought the furniture in Southern Texas when we should have just bought it at my next duty station at the US Army Intelligent School at Fort Devens and we would have saved the cost of the hitch and the U-haul trailer. Of course, I might have been traveling even faster w/o the trailer and load!

The helmet law will only come in affect if you are stoped for doing something stupid..

Like speeding or weaving in or out....ETC.. ...Yes they might remind you about the law, But wont ticket you.....

Arkansas is a helmet free state as long as you are over 21 and have insurance, you're good.

Quote from hunter

The helmet law will only come in affect if you are stoped for doing something stupid..

Like speeding or weaving in or out....ETC.. ...Yes they might remind you about the law, But wont ticket you.....

Actually, not true, at least a few stories out there : https://www.slingshotforums.co…wsuit.177833/#post-902159 and https://www.slingshotforums.co…in-tn.176157/#post-886175

We haven't wore a helmet anywhere since we put the top on and we keep the canvas off except in the heat. I do know it"s not a question of if but when. We keep the helmets in the Sling.