Riding in California - new law for 2016 - two earplugs are against the law now !

[VentureFar]

Hi All that live and ride in CA or planning to visit - new law about earbuds.

I was going on the DMV site to renew my DL and spotted this. Just about every rider wears some sort of ear protection:

 

Here is the info and the link:

Earbuds or Headsets (SB 491, Transportation Committee): This law, among other things, makes it unlawful to wear a headset covering, earplugs in, or earphones covering, resting on, or inserted in, both ears, while operating a motor vehicle or a bicycle. This prohibition does not apply to persons operating authorized emergency vehicles, construction equipment and refuse or waste equipment while wearing a headset or safety earplugs.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/newsrel/newsrel15/2015_65

 

VentureFar...

[Daveand Barbie]

Add that one to the list of reasons to never ever put a wheel in CA.

[Condor]

The restriction also says headset coverings which to me means helmet audio too, or maybe even a helmet?? . However, I wonder just how many CHP are going to pull you over suspecting you might be listening to music?? Or for that matter, it seems to me this violates the helmet required law. Hey it's early and I'm bored....

[etcswjoe]

California is not the only state with this law.

 

http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/headsets/

 

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/State-Laws.aspx

[zagger]

More laws. Perfect, we don't have enough. F'em.

zag

[cowpuc]

bored legislators? Oh well, looks like its back to the ol Boom Box days for those hippys on bicycles in the Napa Valley

 

I dont care if they make me ride backwards on Sunday with a monkey on my shoulder and my eyes closed,, I'm still gonna ride out there - I LOVE THE WEST COAST and got a BUNCH of really great friends and family out there!! Besides, I aint done exploring Hwy 1 up by Stewarts Point or the Sonora Pass area!! Not only that but @Condor still has to show me the place that has better Hamburgs than the place in Sac that has the burgers with cooked crunchy cheese hanging from its sides (cant remember the name of the joint Jack) and their ain't NO WAY I can go out west and not sneak into California and have Banana Nut Ice Cream in Elk Grove!!

[Larry1963]

More laws. Perfect, we don't have enough. F'em.

zag

 

Yes please give us more laws because we need more big brother supervision

[Sailor]

I wish someone would make a law making it illegal for idiots to make laws.

[djh3]

Some of the states I looked at say no headset. Soooo the $300 I shelled out the for the Sena is illegal? What about all these 18 wheeler I see with these headsets on? Another dumb law to protect us from our-self. I have worn ear buds from fla to and thru Canada and back down to Fla. If I would have not had ear buds in my ears would have been still ringing.

[uncledj]

I commonly wear earbuds to listen to the stereo, but if / when I ride without a helmet, if I'm not wearing earbuds, I'll have earplugs in to keep the wind off my eardrums.

My buddies that I ride with do the same thing.

I'll continue as I have, and if I get cited...so be it.....I may even contest the ticket should I get one.....

[Flyinfool]

You just know that it will not take long for someone to not wear a helmet and site this law as making the helmet an illegal ear covering.

Or has CA just outlawed full and 3/4 helmets and the only thing you can now wear is a half helmet. I'll bet that by this time next week someone will have been ticketed and is going to court to make waves. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out in the courts.

[VentureFar]

Update/clarification from my friend who is an Los Angeles Police Sargent:

Yes the new law clearly states NO earplugs or earbuds in both ears. But, YES you can have speakers in your helmet to listen to music etc.

So for you halfie helmet riders, pick which ear you want to lose your hearing in.........

VentureFar...

[cowpuc]

Long story that I will try to it keep short - maybe this will help some out of State riders who happen to get a ticket or a warning for what Neil is talking about here. Few years ago I got a warning from a California Chips Officer because Tip's helmet looked like a Chips Helmet - it was a white half shell. The officer stated we needed to do nothing about the warning ticket as it was just a warning. I went right to Walmart, bought some black paint and painted it right after getting the warning. One of our kids live in the area where this happened so we had the opportunity to see the same officer many times AFTER paintiing the helmet - got a number of from him as he noticed I had painted her hat.

Months later I get a bill in the mail from the Courts in Sacramento telling me to pay $500:yikes:.

THIS IS IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ THIS!!

After being told by the Court Clerk in Sacramento that California has no process of giving a warning and that if I didnt pay I would be locked up in Michigan and sacrifice my license to her. I spoke with a Judge back here in Michigan. Come to find out, all but 2 States in the U.S. have signed onto some kind of "Pact" that basically gives them a form of extradition even in very minor infractions including "Jay Walking" or even parking tickets. I was STRONGLY advised to just pay the fine and get my name off "the list".. I made a comment to the Judge here about California (and other places) struggling financially and that I really wondered if what happened was more about California really needing the :mo money:more than anything else. By the look on his face, I am convinced that I was not to far off.

Bottom line, if your an out of State rider out exploring California and you get a "warning" about wearing ear plugs, do yourself a HUGE favor and double check with the Courts in the area a couple weeks after getting the warning and make sure you dont owe em anything, my ticket was doubled because I was to stupid to do exactly that!

[VentureFar]

OUCH!

[uncledj]

​ Another reason to stay outta Cali......

[Condor]

I'm thinking again..... rare!! If the reason for outlawing ear buds is they hinder the awareness of surrounding noises, then wouldn't music in a helmet do the same thing?? And what if I wear ear buds while wearing a helmet... would I still be ill-eagle, and how would they be able to tell.... Also $500 bucks?? The Gestapo rides again....

[Barrycuda]

I wear molded earplugs when I ride. Even the cheap foam ones as well. With either one you can still hear, cars, sirens etc.

F- California, my hearing which is going faster than I'd like is more important than their jackass laws. Hate this PC bullcrap and behind the scenes ways of always sticking it to ya.