Ohio State Police pulled me over

[el stumpo]

This is where you get to hear "Ignorance of the law is no excuse......Blah,Blah,Blah" crap. Pay the ticket and be done with it......The state isn't gonna give up their bulls*#t revenue voucher (i.e.-your ticket)just to help you out.

This is it. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Doesn't matter you don't know.

Now that being said, is this your first ticket ever? First ticket in 3 years? Second ticket? 5th? More than you can count? That will determine your success in court. If it was your first ticket and show remorse, I'm sure they'll cut you some slack.

If you have a few speeding tickets on that bike, good luck. They will add court costs in addition to the fine.

Most of the guys here will not cut you slack for not wearing gear (some though will defend your right to do it).

One other thing. You said you 'explained' to the cop that you did not have your helmet but did have your endorsement. I'm sure you said it in a non-condescending manner, but the copy might have felt you were being a smart-ass. Just a guess as cops do not usually like to be told that you know the law better than them.

Good luck.

 

[JET-A]

I wonder how he knew it was you on the bike... Could have been a buddy doing an authorized test ride.

PA it is 2 years AND you must be 21 to ditch the helmet. Or so I think....(doesn't apply to me. I wear it.)

 

[Double D]

I am not gonna bash you for not wearing a helmet but I really want you to think long and hard about going out without one. I know when I went down my helmet saved my head and my face...

 

[mvanlone]

Think of it as a $110.00 stupid tax,,,jk dude,,pay it,put the helmet on,and live another day.

+1

Letting everyone know this is what I am going to do. Just pay the $110.00 and live another day. The reason.....the amount of money I make per 2 hour equates to same as this fine. In other words if I am to fight this I am sure that I will lose more money than I would make. So I am going on with life. I think the law is bad especially for people in their 30s..... I will my helmet as I most of the time do. Don't expect me make another donation for the local police again.

 

[Schism]

always fight a ticket! no matter what, the worst thing can happen is that the fine stands the same but atleast you gave it a shot. more than likely the court magistrate ,or the glorified lawyer "judge" will generally reduce the fine.

 

[Projekt]

ATGATT: All The Gear All The Time.

It will save your life.

 

[TruWrecks]

Physics and gravity don't care if you wear a helmet or not. If you take a fall it's likely you will smack your head on the ground with or without it. It's like insurance. It's better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.

 

[Strife]

So you took the class,didn't read the book?

Not bashing you or your other half here,but you taking the easiest/shortest route just cost you both $110. Time of your life you both saved by not reading the book is now being made up by hours at work paying for ticket. Plus reading of the book.

Sorry you feel it is a stupid law,But bikes are less forgiven of mistakes unlike cars. Most mistakes are made by novice riders. That law is put in place to insure people learn from their mistakes not have their familys mourn over them. Helmet is not insurance that you will come up alive,but it up the odds drastically in most situations. You might lose use of an arm in an accident and not be able to use it to brush your teeth with it,but at least when you use your other arm in front of that mirror you wont be looking at a half mangled face from not wearing a helmet.

Age don't give you automated experience FYI....
1 a: direct observation of or participation in events as a basis of knowledge b: the fact or state of having been affected by or gained knowledge through direct observation or participation

2 a: practical knowledge, skill, or practice derived from direct observation of or participation in events or in a particular activity b: the length of such participation <has 10 years' experience in the job>

3 a: the conscious events that make up an individual life b: the events that make up the conscious past of a community or nation or humankind generally

4: something personally encountered, undergone, or lived through

5: the act or process of directly perceiving events or reality

You my friend made it to the 30's and now have more "Experience" in life! Apply it!

Experience if often confused with ass-U-me.

Good luck!

P.S. I would go to that Class and give them hell for leaving out such information. Considering each person there is effected by the law. Maybe they gave it,but you were day dreaming about riding?

 

[Tufbusa]

Think of it as a $110.00 stupid tax,,,jk dude,,pay it,put the helmet on,and live another day.

That's exactly what the cop was thinking! I may not be able to fix stupid but I surely can tax it

 

[BigSimp]

Many Cops will use any excuse to make contact. So, yes he had probable cause to pull you over. I understand that you live in a no helmet state, but in the bigger picture, your helmet is by far your most important piece of gear. Even squids who ride in tank tops shorts and flip flops still have on their helmet. You can fight the ticket and I hope youwin, but I also hope that you wear a lid next time.

 

[thebbbusa]

I don't want to

but for any others from OHIO:

http://www.publicsafety.ohio.gov/odps_pu...._07.pdf

Pages 7-8

I'm also fairly certain the same information is on your temporary packet too.

 

[JR'S BUSA]

Good info, ya'll have to jump thru alot of hoops though

 

[mvanlone]

This is where you get to hear "Ignorance of the law is no excuse......Blah,Blah,Blah" crap. Pay the ticket and be done with it......The state isn't gonna give up their bulls*#t revenue voucher (i.e.-your ticket)just to help you out.

This is it. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Doesn't matter you don't know.

Now that being said, is this your first ticket ever? First ticket in 3 years? Second ticket? 5th? More than you can count? That will determine your success in court. If it was your first ticket and show remorse, I'm sure they'll cut you some slack.

If you have a few speeding tickets on that bike, good luck. They will add court costs in addition to the fine.

Most of the guys here will not cut you slack for not wearing gear (some though will defend your right to do it).

One other thing. You said you 'explained' to the cop that you did not have your helmet but did have your endorsement. I'm sure you said it in a non-condescending manner, but the copy might have felt you were being a smart-ass. Just a guess as cops do not usually like to be told that you know the law better than them.

Good luck.

This NOT a moving violation!!!! This is a equipment ticket. NO POINTS!!!! But I hate the whole deal in the first place. Enough said.

 

[Rayabusa0818]

ATGATT

 

 

Yes sir...

 

[EtrnlSoldier]

YOUR PLATE DOES NOT TELL WHEN YOU GOT YOUR ENDORSEMENT ONLY YOUR LICENSE TELLS THAT. i WOULD GO TO COURT ON THAT ONE.

Sorry but, he can run your license off of your plate info, which has your name and essential info. He could indeed have known that. That's probably why it was the first thing out of his mouth after the stop.

 

[EtrnlSoldier]

YOUR PLATE DOES NOT TELL WHEN YOU GOT YOUR ENDORSEMENT ONLY YOUR LICENSE TELLS THAT. i WOULD GO TO COURT ON THAT ONE.

This cannot be true. He already knew before I got off the bike and gave him my license. He was also telling me when I got my permit off the computer screen in his cruiser and everything. So he knew. He probably checked my tag got my name and than scanned my name....all I can say....He had the info and that is why he pulled me over.

Thats what im saying the plate only gives you the owner, and vehicle reg. info. He then got your name and license from the actual reg. and with out probable cause thats illegal to run a plate. Just like its illegal to run radar with out them sitting there with there parking lights on. But the trick is proving it. YOur word against there's.

Wrong again. They can run you any which way they want. Driving is a privilege. Therefore, they can randomly check anyone they want at any time. Not illegal at all and, is actually encouraged. This is one reason that it's required that your license plate be visibly displayed. So that they can check that stuff whenever possible.

 

[blitzburgh]

Right on..

I remember some time ago(around 2002) that there was a big stink in my area about LEO pulling people over just for seatbelts and that is it. Which at that time was illegal in Ohio. They changed that law a little after that. Right now I do believe they can pull you over for just about anything.

I still find it hard to swallow that I can ride my bike with no helmet but I better not even step foot in my truck without a seatbelt buckled. Not to mention I even have airbags...

 

[kreator]

It's all about the dollar, insurance lobbyists are the reason why there are seatbelt laws.

 

[Lamb busa]

Did the shorts you were wearing ride up your butt from the wind?
Did your toes get lots of bugs in them from the flip-flops?
Was your wife beater on or off when you got pulled over?
Does it hurt when the bugs hit your hands at freeway speeds?
Come on, we need details.

 

[Charlesbusa]

There was a time in my past that I occasionally didn't wear a helmet and that was the only gear I had. Luckily, the only crash I sustained from that time was a very low speed crash with very very minor rash, didn't even scar.

Since moving to California, just the culture here of motorcyclists changed my ways. Almost everyone wears full gear and if you don't you are looked at as a squid. Other riders walking up to you and saying, you really need to buy a jacket. Where are your gloves man? Jeans, those will last about a second on the pavement. Guess what, I bought and wore FULL(jacket/pants/gloves/boots) gear within 1 year of moving to California. Simple peer pressure and the fact that everyone else is wearing it as well.

2 years after moving to California, a SUV changed lanes into me on the freeway. My GSXR1000 was totaled. Injuries?? Only a bruise to my torso from the handlebars. Not one scratch or any roadrash at all from crashing on the freeway.

After seeing hundreds of pics and some first hand accounts of roadrash, I'll NEVER ride without all my gear. I like my skin.