The Briefing Room
State Chapters => Texas => Topic started by: corbe on February 18, 2019, 07:26:49 pm
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Texas Bill Would Close Helmet Law Loophole
Justin Hughes
1 day ago
The proposed change would enable police to stop helmetless riders to ensure they comply with the legal conditions of helmetless riding.
Texas is one of many states that allow motorcyclists to ride without wearing a helmet. This freedom to ride with the wind in your hair comes with certain stipulations. Police currently do not have the authority to pull over riders based solely on not wearing a helmet, which means that many people ride bare-headed in violation of these stipulations without getting caught. A proposed bill in the Texas legislature would close this loophole and allow police to stop riders solely for not wearing a helmet.
Naturally, we encourage riders to wear helmets, and riding gear in general, at all times. But we also recognize the right of riders to forego protection in places that don't require it by law. Texas is a bit wibbly-wobbly in that way. The Lone Star State will allow you to ride without a helmet, but only under certain conditions:
The rider must be 21 or older. The rider must have completed a motorcycle safety course. The rider must carry adequate health insurance.
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http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/motorcycles/texas-bill-would-close-helmet-law-loophole/ar-BBTHIg5?ocid=ientp (http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/motorcycles/texas-bill-would-close-helmet-law-loophole/ar-BBTHIg5?ocid=ientp)
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When will they pass a law so they can pull over auto drivers just to see if they have insurance?
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When will they pass a law so they can pull over auto drivers just to see if they have insurance?
They know if you are currently insured when they run your plate.
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They know if you are currently insured when they run your plate.
Gee whiz. Motorcycles have license plates, too. This is just the opening for some serious fishing expeditions. "You are not under arrest, You are just being detained..."
"Quit resisting..."
Later..."Nice bike, we should be able to get a lot for it..."
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Gee whiz. Motorcycles have license plates, too. This is just the opening for some serious fishing expeditions. "You are not under arrest, You are just being detained..."
"Quit resisting..."
Later..."Nice bike, we should be able to get a lot for it..."
LOL! That's right. :beer:
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@corbe
Here in Texas where we are, north of Dallas, almost no one wears a helmet. I would say 99% do not wear one. We watch them, whether it is one or more, when we are on the highway, and we worry until we are away from hi/her/them, that nothing will happen while they are close.
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@corbe
Here in Texas where we are, north of Dallas, almost no one wears a helmet. I would say 99% do not wear one. We watch them, whether it is one or more, when we are on the highway, and we worry until we are away from hi/her/them, that nothing will happen while they are close.
Drive normally, and hope they do. Remember to stay back a little farther following, because a motorcycle can stop a lot quicker than a car. Check your blind spots while changing lanes because a motorcycle can be harder to see. Normal courtesy applies and keeps the road safer for everyone.
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Drive normally, and hope they do. Remember to stay back a little farther following, because a motorcycle can stop a lot quicker than a car. Check your blind spots while changing lanes because a motorcycle can be harder to see. Normal courtesy applies and keeps the road safer for everyone.
@Smokin Joe
Bob is the driver and there is none safer on the road. He has driven in many countries as he looked for oil around the world, so he has seen most everything that could happen on the road. We are never close to another car or truck and especially careful to stay away from bike riders.
This is a terrible thing he had to do when old enough to help his dad, who had the local funeral home and he was the asst. coroner of the country. In his teens, Bob helped him pick up bodies off the highway. He has seen bodies torn to pieces and knows what happened on the road to cause that. Yes, he is a fine driver.
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@Smokin Joe
Bob is the driver and there is none safer on the road. He has driven in many countries as he looked for oil around the world, so he has seen most everything that could happen on the road. We are never close to another car or truck and especially careful to stay away from bike riders.
This is a terrible thing he had to do when old enough to help his dad, who had the local funeral home and he was the asst. coroner of the country. In his teens, Bob helped him pick up bodies off the highway. He has seen bodies torn to pieces and knows what happened on the road to cause that. Yes, he is a fine driver.
When I was a firefighter/EMS we had a 4 mile long stretch of road that killed about 20 people every 6 months. All were high speed impacts. I have seen a few messes that were humans and helped pick up the pieces. About a year after I moved, the county put up flashing lights at two main problem intersections, and there have only been a handful of fatal accidents there in the 40 years since.
Now, that dates the experience, MD was just in their first years of flying people to Shocktrauma (Hopkins), and we helped package a few survivors for the flight. That has stuck with me all these years, and thirty+ years in the saddle on motorcycles has made me a very defensive driver. No surprise he'd be careful, I have a good idea of the things he has seen. Stay safe!
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@corbe
Here in Texas where we are, north of Dallas, almost no one wears a helmet. I would say 99% do not wear one. We watch them, whether it is one or more, when we are on the highway, and we worry until we are away from hi/her/them, that nothing will happen while they are close.
Our city has a rather large air force base. Usually every other week you'll hear about some airman that had an accident on his motorcycle and lost his life. Not enough money in the world to get me on one of those things.
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Our city has a rather large air force base. Usually every other week you'll hear about some airman that had an accident on his motorcycle and lost his life. Not enough money in the world to get me on one of those things.
What made me a defensive driver, aside from one experience in a car, was the complete recognition that no matter who had the Right of Way, if I got in a wreck on a motorcycle it was going to hurt. I won't say I never did some crazy stuff, and I have laid them down going forwards and backwards, but walked away every time.
There is a point where speed and situation can overwhelm skill and care, and there have been times and situations where I simply refused to ride. As the Eastwood quote goes, "A man's got to know his limitations."
Like with pilots, there are old riders, there are bold riders, but there are very few old bold riders.