Helmets required where you live?

[meach]

Was reading where TN was considering doing away with helmet law for drivers over 21, article mentioned only 19 states require helmet for everyone, 28 for younger drivers only. While visiting Idaho several years ago in a cage I thought it was humorous that I noticed Oregon & Idaho had different laws (don't recall which required), every time you crossed the Snake river which was the state line you had to put on or could take off helmet. As I've ridden from state to state I watch other riders to see if they have helmet on or off. Personally I would never ride without one but each to their own.

 

If TN does do away with them I wonder how many will ride the Dragon helmet less?

[Miles]

Oregon does have a helmet law...for all riders.

 

Idaho does not have a helmet law, for any rider.

 

The entire West Coast states require helmets to be worn by all riders. Going inland a couple states, and you will find that you can go all the way from Mexico to Canada without wearing a helmet...until you reach the Canadian border...and then you better put that helmet on.

 

I wear a helmet 99.314159 % of the time, because that is also where my headset is for listening to music or the CB. But...I also believe that the wearing of a helmet should be the individual riders' choice, if they are over the age of 21.

 

Personally, I would wear one, but I do not want to force anyone else to wear one, after the age of 21.

 

(really, I think the age of choice should be 50, but...I will never gets that past the powers-that-be)

 

[bongobobny]

New York, helmet law for all. Although I agree with the right to decide, you will never catch us without one...

[Condor]

California has a helmet law. The last time I rode in Colorado I saw a lot of riders without helmets. So I assume they do not. I wore mine anyway....

[Yammer Dan]

I ain't getting in this one tired of getting jumped!!

[abusive throttle cranker]

There is not one in Arizona, nor in Illinois where I came from. Nor Indiana either- I lived there 2006- 2008.

[Snaggletooth]

Nebraska requires a helmet for all. I can run across the bridge into Iowa and go without when I feel like the breeze in my hair. I think Iowa still requires a helmet for those 17 and under.

 

These day I don't go without very often and I won't let my daughter on the bike without one no matter where we are. I keep it fair. If I say she has to wear hers, I wear mine to.

 

She thinks I'm an old fuddy duddy as I make her wear jeans, riding jacket, boots, gloves and a helmet when she's with me while she's watching the cruiser and crotch crowd blowng past us in flip flops, shorts and halter tops. She's catching on. She's seen the results of some pavement slides. She's learning the price you pay.

[Cougar]

No Law in Iowa, but I wear mine :-) got used to it living in Calif.

[Cougar]

Here ya go

http://www.bikersrights.com/states/50state.html

[cecdoo]

Pa 21 and over no helmet, if you choose.

[dallio]

no helmet required in PA if over 21.

[meach]

Another map along with the history of helmet laws (guess I could have looked before posting question).

 

http://www.iihs.org/laws/mapmotorcyclehelmets.aspx

 

Having lived most of my life in TN & GA have always been used to helmets.

 

Now I wonder about laws on other protective gear...hmmm

Edited February 26, 2013 by meach

[XV1100SE]

In Canada helmets are a requirement. When I've gone thru States where it is optional I've always worn mine and always will.

[ZRX1100]

Wearing a helmet should be a choice. Those who choose not to wear one are taking a rather ridiculous risk, but go for it. I'll be wearing mine though.

[KIC]

I just think it is funny that I can ride a motorcycle in Arizona wearing nothing but shorts (pants) if I chose to, but I am required by law to wear a seat belt in a closed cage that has airbags and metal protection all around...

[slowrollwv]

Wv has that law. I would not ride without one but that is by choice. What the rest of the people do is there choice, but it is the law here that all wear a helmet.

I had two crashes a long time ago that split my helmets wide open, I would not have survived the first one without a helmet.

[Boomer]

This proposed law change for TN comes up about every 2 yrs or so. It's always been voted down on capitol hill.

 

Actually, I'd be in favor of the drivers choice.

[Stache]

Wearing a helmet should be a choice. Those who choose not to wear one are taking a rather ridiculous risk, but go for it. I'll be wearing mine though.

 

Wearing a helmet IS a choice, as long as you are willing to accept the possible legal and health ramifications of your choice. If you are lucky, you may just pay a fine. If you are unlucky you may pay the ferryman.

 

I dumped my bike 19th of September. I was wearing full gear. Broken hand, 2 ribs, and most seriously a frontal lobe lesion. Got out of hospital 10 December and I'm about back to normal now. I'll be back riding once the weather clears, in my new helmet.

 

The old one was badly damaged in the accident, but it saved my life.

[Rick Haywood]

Oregon does have a helmet law...for all riders.

 

Idaho does not have a helmet law, for any rider.

 

The entire West Coast states require helmets to be worn by all riders. Going inland a couple states, and you will find that you can go all the way from Mexico to Canada without wearing a helmet...until you reach the Canadian border...and then you better put that helmet on.

 

I wear a helmet 99.314159 % of the time, because that is also where my headset is for listening to music or the CB. But...I also believe that the wearing of a helmet should be the individual riders' choice, if they are over the age of 21.

 

Personally, I would wear one, but I do not want to force anyone else to wear one, after the age of 21.

 

(really, I think the age of choice should be 50, but...I will never gets that past the powers-that-be)

 

 

 

Just curious

Why 21 and not 18

[Miles]

Just curious

Why 21 and not 18

 

 

Rick...good question. My "opinion" is that most 18 year olds do not have the maturity to make good decisions regarding motorycycle riding. Yes, there are exceptions, but there is also the rule.

 

As my second opinion stated...I really think it should be only people that are 50 years old, and older, that get to choose whether they want to wear a helmet or not. Why...because most riders out there (the actual number is...93.14159 %) do not have the experience under their belt as to how to safely and properly ride a motorcycle. Yes, again exceptions, as I know of riders that are 30 years old that are 10 times better riders than most that are 60 years old. But again, they are exceptions.

 

It is simply my opinion. That is all. I like the freedom to choose if I wear a helmet or not. And in that freedom to choose, I would choose to wear one 99.314159 % of the time.

 

But I am well past 50 years old, and I am the exception to the rule when it comes to experience.

 

Yes, the argument can be made that 18 year olds can join the military and go off to war and fight for our country. But...in the military, they receive training, learn discipline, learn to respect authority, and those tools help. A typical 18 year old, either still in high school, or fresh out of high school, thinks the only way to ride is full throttle, and doing wheelies or stoppies. When Mommy and Daddy go out and buy their 18 year old son or daughter a Suzuki Hyabusa (sp), and the kid has no motorcycle endorsement, no helmet, no training, and then the kid kills themselves the next week, Mommy and Daddy want to blame the motorcycle industry and the helmet laws for not mandating that their kid should have had a helmet on. That is not fair to those that act responsibly, or educate the kids to know better.

 

(my favorite icon)

[djh3]

If Tn does do away with the helmet law you could probably rest assured that the NC HP would be lurking at the boarder to get them some easy money. I sort of chuckle everytime I go south thru Ga. You have to wear a helmet in Ga and not Fl. Folks will ride to the "welcome to Fl" sign and stop on the side of the road with traffic feet away so they can take off thier helmets. Why? I have no idea, they could wait about 10 min or so and be either at a rest area or an exit. Fl is one of the staes the for somereason repeiled the law in like the 80's I guess. I was out of the state in the military back then.

[Howard B]

Arizona may allow you to go without a helmet but require a seat belt, but don't talk about all that protective steel around you while driving a cage. while driving a car if you hit something or something hits you, all that "protective" steel around you is what is going to hurt you. Spoken from experience. I drove an old VW van and got hit on the left front corner. wearing a seat belt saved my life, but the door frame gave me a concussion. Maybe if I had been wearing a helmet as well? Missed my first ambulance ride. I woke up in the emergency room, but I woke up. Picture me with a helmet!

[milway venture]

North Carolina has helmet law but South Carolina not. I am 1 mile from SC state line but I always wear one.

[onenut]

I do go without sometimes in pa but with the 88 venture my first bike with intercom probably will be wearing it most of the time a lot easier to hear whoever is on with me

[pmelah]

MS has the law and im glad