I found out something interesting about local helmet laws.

[Crue]

I was just surfing around tonight and I found some interesting stuff. First the Motor vehicle act of Nova Scotia. Here's a link. I realize most of you don't live here but it might be worth your while to look into your local laws and regulations and find out specifically what they say. http://www.gov.ns.ca/legi/legc/statutes/motorv.htm

Here's the helmet law:
170 (1) No person shall operate or ride as a passenger on a motorcycle or motor scooter on a highway unless he is wearing adequate protective headgear of a kind prescribed by regulation of the Governor in Council.

(2) Regulations made under subsection (1) may adopt by reference or otherwise standards or specifications established or approved by the Canadian Standards Association or other testing organization with or without modifications or variations or may require that any headgear conform to the standards or specifications established or approved by the Canadian Standards Association or other testing organization or bear the approval of the Canadian Standards Association or other testing organization.



I read this over a couple of times and thought I should look into it further so I went to find out exactly what the regulation of the Govenor in council was. That's when I found this http://www.gov.ns.ca/just/regulations/regs/mvhelmet.htm


Citation
1 These regulations may be cited as the Helmet Regulations.

Motorcycle helmet
2 A person operating a motorcycle or motor scooter must wear a helmet that bears a mark indicating that the helmet is approved or certified as a motorcycle or motor scooter helmet by one or more of the following certification agencies:

(a) the British Standards Institute;

(b) the Snell Memorial Foundation;

(b) the United States of America Department of Transportation.



I find it funny that they don't specify that the helmet must be approved but instead specify that the helmet must bear a mark. I think if any of you with those little novelty helmets ever got a ticket for it you could fight the ticket and win. For that matter you could argue with the cop that the regulation states that the helmet bears the mark and yours in fact does, (assuming you have a DOT, SNELL, or BSI sticker on your beanie).

[CTRider]

I'm thinking if your helmet doesn't actually meet any of those standards, you have a bigger problem on your hands than a ticket.

[ispeed77]

nice find Crue. i know the guys down here would kill for info like that pertaining to MA !

[1400pilot]

thats why at sturgis you can buy D.O.T stickers at most places

[Vantage_TeS]

Hate to be a party pooper but you missed the important part: "mark indicating that the helmet is approved or certified" so yes it does have to be approved.

BTW I am from NS too, where are you? I'm in Antigonish [aka Antigonowhere].

[trikebubble]

Every fool and his dog on a cruiser here in BC wears a "novelty helmet" I have never seen or heard of a police officer issuing a ticket for one.

[ispeed77]

Hate to be a party pooper but you missed the important part: "mark indicating that the helmet is approved or certified" so yes it does have to be approved.

BTW I am from NS too, where are you? I'm in Antigonish [aka Antigonowhere].

i think the point he was trying to make is that any one can get a DOT sticker and put it on a helmet, and there is your mark that would indicate an approved helmet.
just a play on words

[ispeed77]

Every fool and his dog on a cruiser here in BC wears a "novelty helmet" I have never seen or heard of a police officer issuing a ticket for one.

around here they usually only give a ticket for that after a motorcyclist is stopped for some other violation.

[CTRider]

around here they usually only give a ticket for that after a motorcyclist is stopped for some other violation.

It's like places that have seatbelt laws - they usually won't stop you for just that. You usually have to be stopped for something else first.

[ispeed77]

It's like places that have seatbelt laws - they usually won't stop you for just that. You usually have to be stopped for something else first.

exactly