Just got a ticket for no helmet...whats the fine/penalty?

[PussyKat]

I just wanted to check to see if ayone has ever paid a fine for riding a biek without a helmet while having only A LEARNING PERMET AND NOT A LISCENSE. I just got a ticket today for that and it calls for mandatory cout apparance...you think they will take the permit away from me?

thanks

[suzukisportrider2004]

were in ohio you from? why did they stop you?

[Wingspan]

Whats the penalty for not wearing a helmet?

Increased chance of death is the one I'd be worried about the most.

[WildKat]

Yeah riding on a permit requires a helmet and eye protection, atleast in PA. The judge could pull your permit but I'd imagine if its your first offense he MAY be lenient on you if play your cards right.

Wingspan hit it right on the head though, no pun intended Permit or License, always wear that lid.

[PussyKat]

yeah i know i should always wear a helmet, i usually do but i went for a short ride and i know thats no excuse...i will alwyas wear one now...i learned my lesson but im from dayton ohio and they had no reason to pull me over i asked him and he said that i was doing everything right. using my turn signal and everything he just decided to run my plates and he noticed i had a temp learning permit

[BraadaJim]

Pay the fine, don't argue, wear your helmet!

If you try to fight it you are going to lose, period. You were in the wrong riding with no lid and on a permit and you knew it. The cop doesn't need a reason to run your plate and regardless of whether you were doing everything else right you were still wrong. Now technically, yes, police do need at least a reasonable suspicion(sp) to stop you and if you were 100% legal and got a ticket for some BS you could fight it but all that cop needs to say is that your vehicle was similar to one reported stolen which is why he ran your plate and your ship is sunk.

Pay the fine, don't argue, wear your helmet!!

[stevnmd]

Wow, that was a really stupid thing to do...

Honestly, I hope they do take your permit away. Heck, they should yank your registration, too.

[BraadaJim]

Wow, that was a really stupid thing to do...

Honestly, I hope they do take your permit away. Heck, they should yank your registration, too.

Now Steve..... Yes it was a really dumb thing to do but he knows that and soon his wallet will too, but there is no need to be abusive toward him about it. Hard lesson learned the second hardest way (first would be going down without it). Try to remember waaaaaay back when you were first getting into bikes. You may not have ever gone for a ride through the neighborhood or around town without your lid but lots of people do because they are new and just don't get it yet or just plain don't know better. Blame the squids that ride around in shorts with no lid for setting the worst kind of example not the guy who doesn't fully know better because he hasn't had the benefit of smart, solid riders to set a good example for him. When I started riding shorts and a t-shirt with tennies was a common thing.... until someone taught me better. It wasn't even until I got on forums that I learned what was really right and invested in full gear. Even though you wear gear I've seen you drag a knee on the street which will get your license pulled just as fast. We all do stupid stuff because of ignorance, pressure or stupidity. No, I don't expect anyone here to tell him he was in the right and would be very dissapointed if anyone here did but wishing someone the worst scenerio because lack of experience led to a foolish decision doesn't help anything. Guidance does.

[stevnmd]

When I first bought my first motorcycle, I rode it illegally. It was wrong. It was stupid. Had I been caught the law should have dictated that I lost the privilage to ride. Other than never imagining riding without a helmet, I did something just as bad as he did.

Lessons learned. I was an adult at the time. I would have been prepared to accept the consequences of my actions.

In Maryland, it is estimated that TWO THIRDS of the motorcycle riders on the road ride illegally. It needs to be stopped. I was part of the problem at one time. Now I would love to be part of the solution. It isn't going to get any better until there are stiff consequences.

MOST new riders believe that they won't go down because they're not riding super fast. We all know that's not the case. Most new riders let the excitement of getting a new bike overshadow the risk of getting caught riding without a license. Even if they are caught, they pay a fine and carry on their merry way. That penalty isn't working. It's OBVIOUS it isn't working. I rode illegally. He rode illegally. He got caught. He'll be right back on the road. Had the law been that I would have lost my privilage to ride for 5 years if I'd gotten caught riding illegally, you'd better believe I wouldn't have done it. I imagine he wouldn't have done it, either...

So, I wasn't being abusive towards him. I was stating what SHOULD happen as an effort to better the significant problem we have in this country...

[Omegaman]

First, you have to realize that the reason for the law is NOT your safety. It is revenue.

HOWEVER

1. If you go to court with the attitude that they were not trying to keep you safe, your gonna get the hammer.

2. Riding without the helmet is an inherently dangerous thing to do regardless of the laws. Wear a lid 100%

If it were me, I would tell the judge that you have not only learned your lesson due to the ticket, but you have done some research and will be wearing a helmet even after you get your full liscence. Tell him you have the utmost respect for the officer and while you really cannot afford the fine and have a perfect driving record otherwise, you understand and will abide by his judgement.

Ya know, you might want to call ahead. Many states will give a reduced fine for certain moving violations if a guilty plea is entered before the court starts to reduce the caseload.

It's all about the $

Good luck

Carl-

[Anonymous]

It used to be legal out here in California many years ago....and yes, I did it all the time. Having said that, now-a-days it just doesn't feel right...

But to the point, and for us here in Cali, I found this:

http://usff.com/hldl/hlstatutes/californiahl.html

[suzukisportrider2004]

probbly just a fine i dont see why they would take it away

[Mojoe]

When I first bought my first motorcycle, I rode it illegally. It was wrong. It was stupid. Had I been caught the law should have dictated that I lost the privilage to ride. Other than never imagining riding without a helmet, I did something just as bad as he did.

Lessons learned. I was an adult at the time. I would have been prepared to accept the consequences of my actions.

In Maryland, it is estimated that TWO THIRDS of the motorcycle riders on the road ride illegally. It needs to be stopped. I was part of the problem at one time. Now I would love to be part of the solution. It isn't going to get any better until there are stiff consequences.

MOST new riders believe that they won't go down because they're not riding super fast. We all know that's not the case. Most new riders let the excitement of getting a new bike overshadow the risk of getting caught riding without a license. Even if they are caught, they pay a fine and carry on their merry way. That penalty isn't working. It's OBVIOUS it isn't working. I rode illegally. He rode illegally. He got caught. He'll be right back on the road. Had the law been that I would have lost my privilage to ride for 5 years if I'd gotten caught riding illegally, you'd better believe I wouldn't have done it. I imagine he wouldn't have done it, either...

So, I wasn't being abusive towards him. I was stating what SHOULD happen as an effort to better the significant problem we have in this country...

you know Steve, you kinda remind me of a non-smoker. not one of those non-smokers who never smoked in their lives, but the worst kind.....the kind that smoked for half their life then quit. it is like they do a complete 360 and look at other smokers like scum and are on the front lines to isolate all smokers. we had a guy like that at work. even with the laws regarding smoking in the work place, we did indeed smoke....cause absolutely no one minded...even the nin smokers, as long as you didn't put it in their face. then after more than 10 years of seeing this guy smoke in the shop with the rest of us, he bitched about it after he quit. went straight to the office and complained until management had no choice but to forbid smoking in the shop. he gave sort of the same speech...."it was a nasty habit and now that I don't smoke, gotta enforce the law".
He made alot of "enemies", so to speak. smokers who quit, born again christians...and people who have been "rehabilitated" or "reformed".....all pain in the asses. now that they have found god or see the light, they think everyone else has to as well.
Now Steve....not saying you are that bad, but your harsh suggestion is borderline close to being that bad. I am sure if you lost your permit cuz of what you did wrong, you would be right on here posting about how evil the system is and defending your actions.
If you never broke the law in the past yourself, I could almost have respect for your opinion. But you admitted you have, so don't be a hypocrite about it. at least allow others the same benefit of learning from their mistakes as you had. I am not trying to bash you....but come on man....you are being pretty damn harsh. Here he would lose his learners permit for that offense. That is just the way the law is....and he would have to face the consequences. I can respect that law. But to blatantly wish that upon someone when I have done worse things than that myself? Nope.....just couldn't do it.

[Mojoe]

I should add though.....I do agree with you that they should do more to enforce keeping riders off the road who are not responsible or competent. a mandatory msf course should be needed for all states. as much as it sucks here as far as cost of plates and permits, they do a pretty good job of keeping non licensed riders off the road. get caught here and it is a $500 fine, plus towing and storage, cuz they seize your bike for 30 days. it ends up costing you a grand in the end. no helmet on a learners....same thing, plus you have to wait a year to get another learners. you are not even allowed a small speeding ticket. NOTHING! you have to be spotless for a year.

[Yellow2002Kat]

you know Steve, you kinda remind me of a non-smoker. not one of those non-smokers who never smoked in their lives, but the worst kind.....the kind that smoked for half their life then quit. it is like they do a complete 360 and look at other smokers like scum and are on the front lines to isolate all smokers.

I think you mean a 180. If he did a 360 he'd be smoking again since he'd be right back where he started . Just had to bust your chops on that one, couldn't help it.