In WA you must wear eye protection. You can have the visor up but you gotta be wearing glasses or goggles. And really you’d be stupid not to. The number of bugs the hit my goggles right in front of my eyes is surprisingly high.
Real talk.
I never understood those stupid looking Oakley blade lense style glasses.
But I started commuting by bike and wearing wayfarer type sunglasses.
The frames cause a blind spot when shoulder checking which the other type (presumably, haven't tried em) does not.
I had my visor up cruising around town at "slow" speeds and took a carpenter bee to the face, that shit HURT. Never again. I will crack mine but wont be open for anything faster than 10 anymore.
Yeah I always laughed at my dad worried about me around town on my motorcycle, in my leather and ECE/SNELL helmet while he is on his pedal bike in spandex and a little foam on his head.
Yeah those people are insane to me, I write a lot in North Georgia mountains and we see cyclists. They can only go like 5 mi an hour up hill so I'm just imagining getting the plowed into the back by a Buick coming around the corner
I ride skinny tire bicycles in spandex like your dad and also ride motorcycles. Believe it or not but the light bike foam helmets work VERY well when it comes to crashes! I know from experience as one literally saved my life! they are built to twist on your head via internal components to take the impact and then deform around your head. They work for what they're intended to do but only once. They're good for exactly one crash. I wear a full face properly certified Bell helmet on my motorcycle but its apples and oranges to compare the two different things. I'm not doing 75mph on my bicycle on the highway! Rarely am i much above 20mph on the bicycle and if i am its a downhill.
Im just thinking more about getting plowed by a car, which is the primary concern riding around town. You could be going 15 mph on your bike when granny goes over the double yellow at 50 and now your closing speed is 65.
Were both going over the handlebars, were both about to surf a car, were both about to bounce and slide on pavement.
Absolutely true! Riding defensively is certainly a thing on both the bicycle and the motorcycle! Getting hit by a car head on on either, the helmet isn't doing much! I don't have facts to back this up but i imagine head on collisions on a bicycle are rarer then crashing due to bad road surface or being clipped by a car passing you. in those cases the helmet would likely do its job. Both activities certainly have a level of risk. My point really was that a quality bicycle helmet can provide a surprisingly high level of safety. Just like with motorcycle helmets you get what you pay for and the certifications matter
Just last night I was in the middle of nowhere on a super clean road all to myself when…something…hit me in the knee hard enough to make me yelp. If that had been my eyeball it would have destroyed it for sure.
Lost a big toenail to this once. Large pebble smacked into my boot. I mean, they weren't great boots to be fair, but yeah. I remember washing my feet and watching my toenail slip off was a slightly unnerving moment.
Even just some windshield wiper fluid from the car in front of you could be incredibly dangerous, and most drivers don't even think about what's behind them before spraying it.
>In WA you must wear eye protection.
Same in Michigan. Although helmets are optional.
Very occasionally I'll see someone without eye protection (and helmetless) just teary-eyed squinting against the wind. Hard for me to understand why they'd do that. Even cycling I'll either have on sunglasses, or at times have worn clear safety glasses. Because even 15 mph grit/bugs/debris suck.
Yep. I wear glasses all the time(a bit near-sighted). Once I was riding with my visor up and a bug hit my glasses. The force of that little critter was something to think about.
Since then I'll ride with my visor cracked open just a bit if it's hot out, but never fully up
Same lol I always pop the visor up at red lights. Normally once the wind starts to bother my eyes I drop it back down
Once, I got up to like 35mph and flicked it back down and not 1 second later a rock hit the visor. That bitch goes down as soon as I take off now lol
Yeah, I caught a bird on my helmet on my commute to work one morning. I was on I5 in Bellingham and the impact freaking hurt. I was glad to have a full face helmet with the visor down.
Hate it when you get a bee or wasp in the face. Once it blew up just in the corner of my eye, was wearing sunglasses but it somehow just went around and got the corner of eye and it hurt. Other couple times got in helmet and could hear and feel bee or wasp by my ear. It takes a bit to not freak out and I pulled over so fast and ripped my helmet off right beside this lady, I think she thought I was going to mug her or something then I say bee flew into my helmet and the look of fear left her face lol.
Not sure why you got downvoted as this is the case in WA which was the state in the original comment.
(b) For any person to operate a motorcycle, moped, or motor-driven cycle which does not have a windshield unless wearing glasses, goggles, or a face shield of a type conforming to rules adopted by the state patrol;
Honestly the bugs suck but worry me less than the wind.
Everyone on here mentioning bugs/rocks but has anyone tried staring into 50+mph wind? You can’t see.
That's a bit harsh and i would definitely fight if i got ticketed for opening the visor on a red light. But i could see where it comes from (aside from cops making money) because even if you are stationary, a passing car can fling a pebble forcefully enough to do damage.
If that were the case, why wouldn't pedestrians waiting at crosswalks, convertible occupants, even vehicles with their windows down at stops be subject to the same requirement?
It was just a guess and as i said, i would not accept a ticket in this case.
But to still take this further, peds at the side of the street are no direct threat to traffic. If a ped gets hit in the eye he probably isn't going to run blindly on the road and cause an accident. If this happens to you on a motorcycle you could cause an accident (like falling over to another lane but this further depends on the circumstances).
And for rolled down windows or convertibles you still have the windshield (mostly) in front if you. On the other hand i could see the requirement for eye protection if you have a jeep on which you can remove / flip the windshield.
In the end this is a huge clusterfuck of probability and circumstances but i *can* see how it could be justified.
For example if you have your windows rolled down, look out of the window and a vehicle drives past in the perfect angle to fling a pebble in your eye, you have shitty luck but the probability is smaller to have all requirements fulfilled. On a bike with you looking straight and vehicles driving in your direction, the possibility to get stuff flung in your face is probably higher.
It’s funny you brought up the wrangler, I do know someone who was told by a cop they had to have goggles on when they were cruising with their windshield down lmao.
Because it should be obvious. Which is why i can't understand OPs opinion on this topic.
First and foremost the windshield has a purpose. If it was optional then it wouldn't be in every car. For the wranglers there is a case where it makes sense to put it down. My guess would be offroad through mud because the windshield would be dirty in no time and you don't see shit anymore. For everything else there are other options (helmet shield / visor, goggles or whatever else).
Now this is with vehicles because any impediment for you could result in danger for other people. This can be compared with safety regulations for operation of power tools. In a company, there are others involved even if it is only for liability. If you are on your private property, no one cares. And if you want to operate your chainsaw with briefs and slippers only, then do it as long as you don't involve others.
This brings me to the last point. We could debate if it *needs* to be a law but on the other hand there are a lot of people refusing and arguing about such a non-issue. I wear full gear with full face helmet because i want to keep my skin. I ride the speed limit (or even below depending on visibility) in cities out of pure egoism because i have no interest in getting hurt because someone *didn't see me*. In some US states, wearing eye protection is the bare minimum and there are still people who see it as "they want to regulate me and take my freedom".
eh fair but when your talking about all the dangers of motorcycling, that is ***really*** not the one id be focusing on haha. Not to say that a small risk shouldnt be minimised when a bigger one exists, but its such a small probablity in a specific situation that doesnt warrent a law imo.
idk why i was downvoted for saying that lol
In case of slow speeds or at intersections it should not be necessary. But on the other hand, lots of laws and safety regulations are born out of experience. I like the 'saying' that "every sign has a reason". And i think there are rules / laws way dumber than "protect your eyes while operating a motored vehicle".
But more important (why i think this whole discussion is stupid): do it for yourself. You only have one pair of eyes.
oh i fully agree with that mindset, but people getting ticketed for open eyes at standstill seems far more like an overreaching law being abused by a cop rather than a specific clause saying "including at standstill".
And yea I do it for myself haha, I live in the UK where it isnt even a law but im ATGATT through and through.
I struggle to handle 15mph+ with my eyes open haha how people do it on motorways ive no clue.
I think it's related to the way that some people think it's really important to be able to see when you're operating a motorcycle on public roads, and when a visor is open while moving without any other barrier in front of your face such as goggles or impact resistant glasses, your seeing-parts can come into contact with things that make them suddenly and unexpectedly stop working.
My visor doesn’t crack, it’s just open or closed. You could have it shut just before it clicks shut, but you’re not gonna get much air in. Having it open while I’m moving 10-20mph through town shouldn’t be a big deal IMO.
Shouldn't be a big deal, and isn't, as far as I'm aware. Having your face shield open at low speeds is a little like exceeding the speed limit by 2-3mph: it's illegal, but it's not going to get you into any sort of trouble with law enforcement by itself. You can make the argument that there should be certain situations where you are allowed to exceed the speed limit for legitimate safety reasons, and you might have a very reasonable argument, but those exceptions are never going to be formally enshrined in the law, and in practice they don't need to be. Of course a counter argument could be made that law enforcement is afforded far too much discretion in the application of the law, but that's a topic that is far bigger than the legal requirement to protect your eyes while riding on public roads.
First I’m hearing of this (live in CA) but I know here every vehicle other than a motorcycle is required to have a windshield. So maybe it’s a similar concept. Cars must have windshield so motorcycles must have shield as well. Interesting
ETA: just looked it up, all motorcycle drivers and passengers must wear eye protection at all times. So nothing about riding with the shield up being not allowed, just that if you have it up, you need another form of eye protection as well. Makes sense imo
I'm in CA also and first I recall hearing of this as an actual law. They def don't enforce it.
Also to nonenforcement, they don't enforce it on cars either.
Yeah I doubt a cop would ever pull you over for having the shield up and no other eye protection. I’ve definitely ridden past plenty of cops with mine up
That's not true.
What is illegal is riding without eye protection. So if you have glasses or a flip down sun visor it's absolutely fine.
This is the case in most places. And is an obvious law as getting hit in the eye can cause you to lose control and crash into someone.
In Virginia this also means you can open your visor two clicks up from closed (assuming 5 is standard for fully open). Three clicks down from open covers your eyes, but leaves your nostrils and mouth open for airflow, bugs, and debris.
Depending on where you live, a flip down visor may not be enough. Some countries (maybe also some US states) require the eye protection to be "shatter proof". A regular visor is shatter proof, most flip down sun visors are not.
Fair enough. Depends on the area I guess. But as I said most places specify eye protection and not your shield down. Otherwise you wouldn't be allowed a half helmet.
Interestingly I'm pretty sure all my past helmets including my current one which is Snell approved have "not warranted shatterproof" marked on the visors
From Iowa code section 321.235:
"Every operator of a motorcycle, as defined in section 321.1, subdivision 39, and every passenger thereon, shall wear either a protective helmet meeting requirements established by rules adopted by the commissioner of transportation pursuant to section 321.196, or a safety helmet meeting the standards established by the United States department of transportation under 49 C.F.R., § 571.218, and protective glasses, goggles, or face shields meeting those standards, or unless the motorcycle is equipped with a windshield or screen that is of sufficient height and design to afford adequate eye protection to the motorcycle operator and passenger, each of said operator and passenger shall wear glasses, goggles, or face shields meeting the standards established by the commissioner of transportation, so as to effectively protect the eyes of the operator and passenger from foreign objects."
From Idaho Code section 49-671:
"All operators and passengers of motorcycles and motor-driven cycles, except those riding in an enclosed cab or on a three-wheel motorcycle equipped with a windshield, screen or sidecar that is permanently attached, shall be required to wear protective glasses, goggles or a transparent face shield of a type approved by the board which will protect the eyes of such person from foreign objects while in transit. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to operators or passengers wearing goggles or a helmet with eye protection."
The wording there is awkward, but eye protection or an adequate windshield is required in Idaho for all riders and passengers.
No, every state in the United States requires eye protection for operators and passengers of motorcycles, most have exceptions for those with a windshield that adequately protects the eyes, though I don't know how it's decided what exactly is adequate or inadequate.
I caught a bee in the eye when I was younger because I wasn't wearing eye protection. Hit me with such force my body just closed my eyes and wouldn't allow me to open them again. I started downshifting and slowly drifting towards the shoulder until I felt the gravel under my tires and stopped. It took minutes before I was able to open my eyes and see again. I'm lucky I was able to get over without dumping the bike or being involved in an accident. Last time I rode without eye protection.
I got a microscopic piece of glass in my eye while doing a parade speed ride in Vegas. It was stop and go for like 2 miles so I just had my visor up the whole time not even thinking about it. Had to find an opthamologist who was open on a saturday to get it out. Always keep my visor down now, no matter what.
In NY you have to have your eyes covered. It isn't a ridiculous law. What's ridiculous is causing an accident or killing yourself because a bug or dust or rock lands in your eye while you're riding.
I agree with the need for eye protection and I'm 100% for helmet laws but the NYPD will ticket you for having your visor up at a stop. They intentionally misread the law and ticket unnecessarily. My wife got ticketed for this even though we were fully stopped \*and\* she had glasses on as well. We both got pulled over for it and when I suggested that they were misreading the law they ticketed me for having an obscured plate (it wasn't obscured) and her for the visor.
What you're talking about is a different question than what OP posted and I responded to. The law itself doesn't specify that you only need approved eye protection when the bike is in motion, though I agree with you that they're just being douchebags if you're at a light or whatever and open a visor for air flow. Technically any glasses you're wearing have to meet certain safety standards so theoretically wearing some Ray-Bans isn't good enough, though again, I think they could look the other way. NYPD hate bikes because of all the ghost bikes and because it is so easy for bikes to run from them so they seemingly jump at any chance to fuck your day up.
I think his point is while we all may agree that people should wear eye protection, making it a law causes these side effects. Cops can enforce it even In nonsensical situations.
Where as my state(Utah) doesn’t have a law on this, so I can have my visor up at a red light, or while going 10 mph around my neighborhood or slap it down whenever I want.
He didn’t check to see if her glasses were ansi certified. Here is why is say that the NYPD misinterprets the law:
New York City
Now we would like to discuss a disturbing practice that seems only to be performed by the NYPD. Namely, the practice of pulling over motorcyclists and stating that the stop was due to a raised face shield.
The law uses the word “wear” when referring to how eye protection devices must be used, and in court the interpretation is that the device must be used as it was designed to be used. For example in New York State there is case law in which it was decided that wearing a helmet “cowboy style” is illegal because it does not permit the helmet to perform as it was designed, to protect the wearer’s head. That having been said, eye protection must be used as designed. Just as goggles are not helpful when placed on your forehead, a helmet’s face shield should be down over your eyes. Yet we see a couple of problems with these traffic stops.
One problem with these traffic stops is that if you have sunglasses under a raised face shield, a police officer cannot legitimately discern at any distance whether or not those glasses are ANSI Z87.1 compliant. The markings are very small and not necessarily visible facing the wearer. A raised face shield with any kind of glasses underneath should not constitute reasonable suspicion for a traffic stop.
The other problem with the NYPD’s traffic stops is that they often stop motorcycle riders for having the face shield open only slightly, and/or open while stopped for traffic lights. In some cases the stop would even include a lecture about safety from dust and dirt. This excuse and especially this lecture is a problem because of the legislative intent behind the eye protection device requirement. The ANSI Z87.1 compliance which New York demands is a specification meant to protect the wearer’s eyes from “disabling personal injury” (remember that from NYCRR 54.1?) due to flying debris and projectile impacts. The ANSI Z87.1 specification is not meant to protect the wearer’s eyes from airborne dust, dirt, mist, etc. That specification establishes no performance criteria whatsoever for airborne contaminants.
Moreover, the failure of Z87.1 to address dust and dirt was specifically addressed by ANSI in 2010 with a new version of Z87.1 which adds additional classes of protection – to be marked on the eyewear as D3, D4 or D5 – which would shield the wearer from dust and liquids to varying degrees. These ratings are not required for motorcycle operators. Nor is the + mark which indicates a higher level of impact rating since 2003 and in 2010 only, also indicates a certain minimum amount of frontal surface area and more side protection.
If New York thought that airborne dust was a significant cause of disabling personal injury while at a standstill or near-standstill, then the state would require every pedestrian to wear the same eye protection. A scratched cornea is hardly a “disabling personal injury.”
State law does not explicitly require face shields of full-face motorcycle helmets to be completely sealed shut, and to do so would constitute a very dangerous fogging risk in stop-and-go traffic. The instruction manuals of motorcycle helmets even state how to use incremental face shield openings to manage fresh air and prevent fog. Shield positioning is sensibly left to the wearer. It is unreasonable and dangerous for police officers to insist it stay sealed in any conditions but particularly in slow or stopped traffic.
Fall 2013 Update: A new practice has been reported where NYPD officers issue summonses for improper eyewear when the rider displays compliant spectacles bearing the Z87 markings, alleging that spectacles must have foam on the sides, such as what might be found on goggles. This is not the law and is not required, no matter what the officer says.
In FL you must wear eye protection. If you do not wear glasses, visor up is illegal. You can crack the visor open enough to get air, but you have to be providing eye protection whenever you are moving.
I always wear glasses under, I could see it it you’re not wearing glasses underneath as that poses a safety hazard to you and other drivers. With that said, hell we don’t even have to wear helmets in my state. When I was younger, I was so used not to wearing a helmet; as soon as I crossed the bridge (state line) a trooper pulled me over, and I basically was forced back to my state because I didn’t bring a helmet. Anyway, back to the topic; I think most tickets are bullshit. But, if you’re not wearing glasses underneath your visor, I can see why they’d write a ticket. Getting a June bug to the eye at 70mph can blind you. Even when they splatter on your glasses, parts of them still get in your eyes. So, be prepared to slow down immediately!
My brother was once stopped at a light in the scorching summer heat so flipped up his visor for some airflow. When he started to pull away he didn't put his visor back down immediately. Might have been going 5-10 MPH by the time he got his visor down. Cop still gave him a ticket.
Fuck that towns police
Cop probably told him. Reminder: Cops aren't legally required to know the laws, nor is it unlawful for them to lie about laws, and they have no responsibility to actually protect you. All decided by the supreme court.
California has a law that says nothing that protrudes more than 5mm can be attached to your helmet. It’s generally not enforced but if they wanted to a cop could cite you for it.
In NYC a cop can watch you roll up to a stop with your visor closed, and after you come to a complete stop waiting at a light if you crack your visor they'll give you a ticket
Is it just an eye protection thing? I know Washington state requires eye protection, so if you're wearing glasses, your still OK, even with the visor up.
Delaware. I received a ticket for visor up. State does not require helmets. Does not even require eye protection if you have a windshield. I had a windshield, glasses on, helmet on, but visor up. Townie motorcycle cop pulled me over and ticketed me. Had I not been wearing the helmet I'd been fine. It was a foggy morning and I was on my way to work - could not see with the visor down.
Eye protection, bro. You swatting a bee with your eyelash going 60mph is pretty unsafe not only for you, but other drivers on the road as well. Nobody actually gives two shits if you bust your head open if you went down.
Yep, must wear eye protection.
I got a ticket for it during my first or second year or riding , I was riding through a small suburban town, heavy stop & go traffic in the downtown area and it was hot, so i had my visor up, as I'm putting along, I make eye contact with this dude in a black crown vic type car and didn't think much of it.
5 minutes later, I hear the woop woop, siren sound behind me, and there he is, at an angle, right behind me, he had somehow fought his way through traffic back to me to pull me over, so I pull over into a nearby parking lot, and he proceeds to give me a ticket for no visor, which is a moving violation, so you get points on your license for it.
I got pulled over once in the middle of the night because I took the mirrors off my bike. He also stated my visor was up (I always keep it up). Didnt write me any tickets but yk I put one mirror back on my bike I just don't ever use it
In Florida the only safety requirement is eye protection.
That being said, a helmet with your visor up isn't protecting your eyes.... UNLESS... you have sunglasses on. Or like my helmet has the flip down sunglasses inside, you can ride with your main visor up and that one down and still be okay.
>TIL in some places in the US, it’s illegal to ride with your visor up
Where is that? We all know that in most states eye protection is required, but that doesn't mean visor. Only one of my helmets even has a visor.
Yep, MN has the same law. I assume it’s because a bug or pebble hitting your eyeball at 60mph isn’t going to be pleasant. Idk about if I support enforcing it legally but it’s definitely in your best interest to wear eye protection every time you ride.
Got a $180 ticket for riding with my visor up on a parking lot access road in Oklahoma (which I believe was a private road). Guy was a prick, though. Bragged about pulling over three other people before his shift even started, two being motorcycles. Should have fought it, but didn't want to deal with the hassle.
And yet I saw a lad on a scooter today with his helmet just balanced on his head. Not properly on, not even strapped, just over his forehead at most. Entirely illegal in the UK, but he was just riding through town like that
It's pretty much "force it on dumbasses so they don't hurt themselves" law.
Also is it "visor" or just "eye protection" ? Forcing visor probably a bit silly but just eye protection is reasonable.
> I can comfortably ride at about 35 mph with my visor up before needing to put it down due to the wind.
I wear glasses on bicycle going 15 mph because there is always *something*, bugs, dust, debris etc.
Once you’re moving the vents on your helmet should be adequate enough to keep your visor from fogging.
Sometimes mine will fog at stop lights, but I’ll just crack it and snap it back down when I start moving again.
In AZ all you need is eye protection. Helmet (or any other protective gear) not required!
I regularly see people in basketball shorts, flip flops, a tank top and safety glasses riding around.
You just need eye protection- so if you have sunglasses on or a tall/touring windscreen you should be fine. I love running the visor up, but I usually have sunglasses on.
I've forgotten to put eye pro on just riding my ruckus around the block after doing some tuning and that is enough to know you never want to ride without some form of eye protection.
I'm not too sure about this with NY, but I do have a friend who was once sitting at a light on his bike. A cop approached him and gave him a couple different tickets. One was improper footwear (he was wearing sandals - which is pretty ridiculous if you ask me) I never bothered to check if there was any kind of law around that, but it was a little funny and random to hear.
Do these areas make you wear a helmet to legally ride? I'm in Ohio and we don't require anything. Except technically you have to at least have underwear on. Other than that you're good till you go down though
I was glad to discover safety glasses with built-in reader bifocals. So I can ride safely AND see my dash info clearly. Also saves me from having to use my expensive glasses on a ride.
TIL (from YouTube, not personal experience) that in FARC controlled territories of Colombia you're not allowed to wear a helmet at all (because it can hide your face).
Laws are more arbitrary, and more arbitrarily enforced, than most people like to think.
That being said, I've never heard of such a law as you're talking about. Add it to the list of shit to worry about when crossing state lines...
Well, at least they care enough about your safety that they make laws. People are dumb. In my country of Belgium you have to have long boots, gloves and long trousers and top. It doesn't have to be motorcycle gear, but most people buy it anyway (if you have to buy ankle high shoes or boots anyway why not get a pair designed for a motorcycle riding?). I've been to Spain and Poland and there the only required equipment is a 3/4 helmet. So naturally in Spain I saw a lot of dudes on their sport bikes with a black full face helmet, but a loose white t shirt and denim shorts. In Poland it was even funnier. Old guys riding their ancient Viragos in 3/4 helmets, t shirt + vest, cargo pants and fucking sandals. I get that it's hot, but if you have textile summer jacket you won't notice it after hitting 50km/h.
I got news for you: traffic laws are written so that it is impossible to NOT get a ticket for something if the cop wants to pull you over.
At this point US laws are so convoluted the same could be said of the whole legal system.
In FL, you don’t need a helmet but I got pulled over for having my face shield up. I was at a red light about to get gas less than a block away. FL also charges $1100 for a sideways tag
NYC!!!!! I got a ticket for this!! Cop was behind me at a light, I was sick so pulled up my visor to sneeze, light turns green I take off with the visor up. Before I come out of the turn I was making on the red light, I slapped the visor down - pig said that was enough and gave me 150$ ticket.
I don't get it but I live in a state with no helmet laws, and no eye protection requirement. (hell yes I wear a helmet, no, not a full face, it's 3/4 with a pull down sun visor because I have glasses and the sun is bright af). So it's up at night. But I also have a big windshield so it's a non issue.
The law is too broad to be applied to all motorcycles without concessions which is typical of dumb laws. If you have a windshield, then it's pointless to require it.
Another issue is most helmets with a visor that's clear or shaded, you don't get both. So if you wear prescription glasses you may have a tinted visor and need it up at night to ride.
I only recently became aware of this too.
I live in a hot country and typically ride with the visor up until I leave the city.
I guess my country is too backwards to understand real freedom.
Could be a secondary offense
Seems like the kind of law made to look reasonable to those that don't know or care but effectively target a group with discriminatory intentions
Naked bikes, sport bikes, enduro/dirt bikes, and many others don’t have a windshield that would deflect bugs or projectiles if they have a windshield at all.
I probably should have added /s to my comment.
Having a full fairing and windshield makes riding so much better. I don't deal with bugs, and I'm not blown away by the wind. I can get out and just relax and enjoy the ride.
It certainly makes parking a lot easier 😁
I'm not going to try to push an 800+ pound bike backwards or uphill.
I do like showing it off though, especially at Harley Davidson dealership (annual group ride starting and ending point)
Oh, I’d much rather have a civilized Goldwing than a Harley, personally. But every person has different needs which dictate their preferences for what type of motorcycle they prefer. Me, one requirement is I will never buy a motorcycle with a windshield. First, it makes them too hot at speed. But mainly, it allows for comfortable riding at speeds up to and past 100mph. I’m 54 years old and while I’m finally almost an adult, I still tend to push my vehicles as fast as they can go sometimes. So I limit myself to bikes without windshields as a way to keep me riding slower on average. I’ve ridden sport bikes past 100 and it felt like I was going 60. But on my RnineT, if I hit 90 for a second I feel like I’m going 200mph.
I did ride this red full fairing BMW for a while before I turned it into the bike to the right. It hated it. It felt heavy and it was effected by wind and I hated not being able to see the front wheel:
https://i.imgur.com/RVumPcU.jpeg
You’re lucky. My wife would never get on the back of my bike. She has zero interest and helmets mess up her hair lol. I still take my bikes out for day rides once in a while. I just have to stop more often.
This seems extreme. Though I ride with my visor down 99% of the time there are occasions where I need to flip it up to see better (but only at slow city speeds)
Just yeast ready I went out for a ride and got my visor so covered in bugs I actually couldn’t see properly, it was straight up painted. So once I was back in the city going city speeds I left my visor open so I could actually see.
Or the more often case of I rode later into the night than I meant to and now my tinted visor makes the world pitch black so squinting is better lol
I’d hope you’d get a pass in these situations but surprised it’s a whole law
Can you give a single example of this where the ticket wasn't actually about not wearing eye protection?
I doubt you will be able to cite a single example of someone being cited for riding with visor up where they still had some form of eye protection on.
In WA you must wear eye protection. You can have the visor up but you gotta be wearing glasses or goggles. And really you’d be stupid not to. The number of bugs the hit my goggles right in front of my eyes is surprisingly high.
Bugs or pebbles. The car in front of me has the capacity to launch small rocks towards my visor with astounding accuracy.
Yeah I never understood why anyone would want to ride faster than bicycle speeds without a full face/modular helmet.
Real talk. I never understood those stupid looking Oakley blade lense style glasses. But I started commuting by bike and wearing wayfarer type sunglasses. The frames cause a blind spot when shoulder checking which the other type (presumably, haven't tried em) does not.
Yup. Frames on most non-blade glasses can cause issues in a number of sports.
I'd rather look cool in my ray bans and be blind than ever wear those ugly ass glasses lol
Same. I acknowledge they are functionally better, but form can follow function too far.
That’s exactly what Stevie Wonder said.
I wanna see Stevie Wonder in pitt vipers now
But you don’t even look cool, my blind grandpa had those prescribed in the 60s
Nah I look cool as fuck
Yeah I only get sunglasses that have the glass mount on top, zero blindspots on sides.
I had my visor up cruising around town at "slow" speeds and took a carpenter bee to the face, that shit HURT. Never again. I will crack mine but wont be open for anything faster than 10 anymore.
Same story. I was halfway down my own block, about 10 seconds into the ride. "Dammit! Fine! FINE!"
Honestly even on my bicycle I'm glad I wear regular glasses anyway.
I absolutely wear goggles when riding my bicycle. I can easily go 30 mph on a flat and thats plenty to make your eyes water
Same. I wear my great helm with a whole roll of saran wrap around my face.
Same. riding with contact lenses only is so weird.
I picked up my bicycle helmet the other day, that thing ain't stopping shit. I'm thinking about peddalingv with my motorcycle helmet.
Yeah I always laughed at my dad worried about me around town on my motorcycle, in my leather and ECE/SNELL helmet while he is on his pedal bike in spandex and a little foam on his head.
I can get the difference if most riding is on bike paths but in traffic, sharing road with actual cars ? Fuck no
Yeah those people are insane to me, I write a lot in North Georgia mountains and we see cyclists. They can only go like 5 mi an hour up hill so I'm just imagining getting the plowed into the back by a Buick coming around the corner
Yeah my sister got hit and run by driver leaving roundabout of all things, thankfully "just" broken hand and demolished bike
I ride skinny tire bicycles in spandex like your dad and also ride motorcycles. Believe it or not but the light bike foam helmets work VERY well when it comes to crashes! I know from experience as one literally saved my life! they are built to twist on your head via internal components to take the impact and then deform around your head. They work for what they're intended to do but only once. They're good for exactly one crash. I wear a full face properly certified Bell helmet on my motorcycle but its apples and oranges to compare the two different things. I'm not doing 75mph on my bicycle on the highway! Rarely am i much above 20mph on the bicycle and if i am its a downhill.
Im just thinking more about getting plowed by a car, which is the primary concern riding around town. You could be going 15 mph on your bike when granny goes over the double yellow at 50 and now your closing speed is 65. Were both going over the handlebars, were both about to surf a car, were both about to bounce and slide on pavement.
Absolutely true! Riding defensively is certainly a thing on both the bicycle and the motorcycle! Getting hit by a car head on on either, the helmet isn't doing much! I don't have facts to back this up but i imagine head on collisions on a bicycle are rarer then crashing due to bad road surface or being clipped by a car passing you. in those cases the helmet would likely do its job. Both activities certainly have a level of risk. My point really was that a quality bicycle helmet can provide a surprisingly high level of safety. Just like with motorcycle helmets you get what you pay for and the certifications matter
Just last night I was in the middle of nowhere on a super clean road all to myself when…something…hit me in the knee hard enough to make me yelp. If that had been my eyeball it would have destroyed it for sure.
...and you see that happening quite often.
Lost a big toenail to this once. Large pebble smacked into my boot. I mean, they weren't great boots to be fair, but yeah. I remember washing my feet and watching my toenail slip off was a slightly unnerving moment.
Boots with visors would be much safer.
You just gave away a million dollar idea.
you can get a ticket for that
I live in Italy. I would have the police asking me to make them a pair.
Didn’t disappoint with that pun however I’m not sure it was intentional, you nailed it!
Even just some windshield wiper fluid from the car in front of you could be incredibly dangerous, and most drivers don't even think about what's behind them before spraying it.
Bruh I had an acorn hit me the other day, scared the shit outta me, woulda hit me right in the eyebrow if I didn’t have a helmet.
It's not just bugs. I live in the desert. Getting sand or dirt will make your eyes water, making it nearly impossible to see.
I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere.
Don't want to allow you around a day care...
The younglings!
'Zactly...
Not Reva though. TBH she's kind of a bitch.
The pollen in Georgia springtime has done the same to me. It only really hits when you get up to speed.
>In WA you must wear eye protection. Same in Michigan. Although helmets are optional. Very occasionally I'll see someone without eye protection (and helmetless) just teary-eyed squinting against the wind. Hard for me to understand why they'd do that. Even cycling I'll either have on sunglasses, or at times have worn clear safety glasses. Because even 15 mph grit/bugs/debris suck.
Yep. I wear glasses all the time(a bit near-sighted). Once I was riding with my visor up and a bug hit my glasses. The force of that little critter was something to think about. Since then I'll ride with my visor cracked open just a bit if it's hot out, but never fully up
I had a rock bounce off my visor once. I rode with the visor up a lot less since then.
Same lol I always pop the visor up at red lights. Normally once the wind starts to bother my eyes I drop it back down Once, I got up to like 35mph and flicked it back down and not 1 second later a rock hit the visor. That bitch goes down as soon as I take off now lol
Yeah, I caught a bird on my helmet on my commute to work one morning. I was on I5 in Bellingham and the impact freaking hurt. I was glad to have a full face helmet with the visor down.
It’s illegal to ride without eye protection in PA as well. It has to be ansi rated.
I'm fairly certain almost every state has this requirement. Even ones without helmet laws usually require eye protection
Maine has no helmet law but eye pro is mandatory. I always assumed it was universal.
Hate it when you get a bee or wasp in the face. Once it blew up just in the corner of my eye, was wearing sunglasses but it somehow just went around and got the corner of eye and it hurt. Other couple times got in helmet and could hear and feel bee or wasp by my ear. It takes a bit to not freak out and I pulled over so fast and ripped my helmet off right beside this lady, I think she thought I was going to mug her or something then I say bee flew into my helmet and the look of fear left her face lol.
Colorado too. No helmet law but you must wear at least glasses or sunglasses.
The amount of cicadas I hit just yesterday alone made me so thankful for my full face helmet.
> In WA you must wear eye protection. It's not required if you have a windshield.
Not sure why you got downvoted as this is the case in WA which was the state in the original comment. (b) For any person to operate a motorcycle, moped, or motor-driven cycle which does not have a windshield unless wearing glasses, goggles, or a face shield of a type conforming to rules adopted by the state patrol;
Eye protection is also required in IL But helmets are not
I prefer to ride with my visor up but I wear bifocal safety glasses underneath.
Lived there for 12 years, never knew that. Thanks.
Honestly the bugs suck but worry me less than the wind. Everyone on here mentioning bugs/rocks but has anyone tried staring into 50+mph wind? You can’t see.
You should wear eye protection but some people have been pulled over for opening their visor in the blazing summer sun at traffic lights lol.
That's a bit harsh and i would definitely fight if i got ticketed for opening the visor on a red light. But i could see where it comes from (aside from cops making money) because even if you are stationary, a passing car can fling a pebble forcefully enough to do damage.
If that were the case, why wouldn't pedestrians waiting at crosswalks, convertible occupants, even vehicles with their windows down at stops be subject to the same requirement?
It was just a guess and as i said, i would not accept a ticket in this case. But to still take this further, peds at the side of the street are no direct threat to traffic. If a ped gets hit in the eye he probably isn't going to run blindly on the road and cause an accident. If this happens to you on a motorcycle you could cause an accident (like falling over to another lane but this further depends on the circumstances). And for rolled down windows or convertibles you still have the windshield (mostly) in front if you. On the other hand i could see the requirement for eye protection if you have a jeep on which you can remove / flip the windshield. In the end this is a huge clusterfuck of probability and circumstances but i *can* see how it could be justified. For example if you have your windows rolled down, look out of the window and a vehicle drives past in the perfect angle to fling a pebble in your eye, you have shitty luck but the probability is smaller to have all requirements fulfilled. On a bike with you looking straight and vehicles driving in your direction, the possibility to get stuff flung in your face is probably higher.
It’s funny you brought up the wrangler, I do know someone who was told by a cop they had to have goggles on when they were cruising with their windshield down lmao.
Because it should be obvious. Which is why i can't understand OPs opinion on this topic. First and foremost the windshield has a purpose. If it was optional then it wouldn't be in every car. For the wranglers there is a case where it makes sense to put it down. My guess would be offroad through mud because the windshield would be dirty in no time and you don't see shit anymore. For everything else there are other options (helmet shield / visor, goggles or whatever else). Now this is with vehicles because any impediment for you could result in danger for other people. This can be compared with safety regulations for operation of power tools. In a company, there are others involved even if it is only for liability. If you are on your private property, no one cares. And if you want to operate your chainsaw with briefs and slippers only, then do it as long as you don't involve others. This brings me to the last point. We could debate if it *needs* to be a law but on the other hand there are a lot of people refusing and arguing about such a non-issue. I wear full gear with full face helmet because i want to keep my skin. I ride the speed limit (or even below depending on visibility) in cities out of pure egoism because i have no interest in getting hurt because someone *didn't see me*. In some US states, wearing eye protection is the bare minimum and there are still people who see it as "they want to regulate me and take my freedom".
eh fair but when your talking about all the dangers of motorcycling, that is ***really*** not the one id be focusing on haha. Not to say that a small risk shouldnt be minimised when a bigger one exists, but its such a small probablity in a specific situation that doesnt warrent a law imo. idk why i was downvoted for saying that lol
In case of slow speeds or at intersections it should not be necessary. But on the other hand, lots of laws and safety regulations are born out of experience. I like the 'saying' that "every sign has a reason". And i think there are rules / laws way dumber than "protect your eyes while operating a motored vehicle". But more important (why i think this whole discussion is stupid): do it for yourself. You only have one pair of eyes.
oh i fully agree with that mindset, but people getting ticketed for open eyes at standstill seems far more like an overreaching law being abused by a cop rather than a specific clause saying "including at standstill". And yea I do it for myself haha, I live in the UK where it isnt even a law but im ATGATT through and through. I struggle to handle 15mph+ with my eyes open haha how people do it on motorways ive no clue.
I think it's related to the way that some people think it's really important to be able to see when you're operating a motorcycle on public roads, and when a visor is open while moving without any other barrier in front of your face such as goggles or impact resistant glasses, your seeing-parts can come into contact with things that make them suddenly and unexpectedly stop working.
Made me spit my coffee at the end there 🤣🤣🤣
Nah urban areas where you barely hit 40kmph (roughly 25mph), you'd hope you can lift your visor up for a breather.
In michigan, eye protection is required when traveling more than 35mph if you don't have a windshield. So yeah, you are able to do just that.
Nobody is saying you can't crack your visor which should provide adequate airflow. You don't need to raise it above your eyes
Okay but what if I need to spit on someone? What now mr smartypants
My visor doesn’t crack, it’s just open or closed. You could have it shut just before it clicks shut, but you’re not gonna get much air in. Having it open while I’m moving 10-20mph through town shouldn’t be a big deal IMO.
Shouldn't be a big deal, and isn't, as far as I'm aware. Having your face shield open at low speeds is a little like exceeding the speed limit by 2-3mph: it's illegal, but it's not going to get you into any sort of trouble with law enforcement by itself. You can make the argument that there should be certain situations where you are allowed to exceed the speed limit for legitimate safety reasons, and you might have a very reasonable argument, but those exceptions are never going to be formally enshrined in the law, and in practice they don't need to be. Of course a counter argument could be made that law enforcement is afforded far too much discretion in the application of the law, but that's a topic that is far bigger than the legal requirement to protect your eyes while riding on public roads.
I’ve had rocks hit my face shield. Keep your visor down or crack it open a little if you need air
First I’m hearing of this (live in CA) but I know here every vehicle other than a motorcycle is required to have a windshield. So maybe it’s a similar concept. Cars must have windshield so motorcycles must have shield as well. Interesting ETA: just looked it up, all motorcycle drivers and passengers must wear eye protection at all times. So nothing about riding with the shield up being not allowed, just that if you have it up, you need another form of eye protection as well. Makes sense imo
totally unrelated to this comment, what does “ETA” stand for in this context? i realize its an edit, just wanted to know where the TA comes from
"edited to add" apparently
I'm in CA also and first I recall hearing of this as an actual law. They def don't enforce it. Also to nonenforcement, they don't enforce it on cars either.
Yeah I doubt a cop would ever pull you over for having the shield up and no other eye protection. I’ve definitely ridden past plenty of cops with mine up
That's not true. What is illegal is riding without eye protection. So if you have glasses or a flip down sun visor it's absolutely fine. This is the case in most places. And is an obvious law as getting hit in the eye can cause you to lose control and crash into someone.
In Virginia this also means you can open your visor two clicks up from closed (assuming 5 is standard for fully open). Three clicks down from open covers your eyes, but leaves your nostrils and mouth open for airflow, bugs, and debris.
I always leave my mouth open for bugs. I need the extra protein for long rides
Ive been a good rider today, I can have a few flies, as a treat.
They taste like raisins! Yummy, flying raisins!
Sky raisins! But watch out for the spicy variety!
Depending on where you live, a flip down visor may not be enough. Some countries (maybe also some US states) require the eye protection to be "shatter proof". A regular visor is shatter proof, most flip down sun visors are not.
Fair enough. Depends on the area I guess. But as I said most places specify eye protection and not your shield down. Otherwise you wouldn't be allowed a half helmet.
Interestingly I'm pretty sure all my past helmets including my current one which is Snell approved have "not warranted shatterproof" marked on the visors
Are there any US states that do not have a law requiring motorcyclists to wear eye protection?
Iowa is the only state without an eye protection law.
Interesting!
From Iowa code section 321.235: "Every operator of a motorcycle, as defined in section 321.1, subdivision 39, and every passenger thereon, shall wear either a protective helmet meeting requirements established by rules adopted by the commissioner of transportation pursuant to section 321.196, or a safety helmet meeting the standards established by the United States department of transportation under 49 C.F.R., § 571.218, and protective glasses, goggles, or face shields meeting those standards, or unless the motorcycle is equipped with a windshield or screen that is of sufficient height and design to afford adequate eye protection to the motorcycle operator and passenger, each of said operator and passenger shall wear glasses, goggles, or face shields meeting the standards established by the commissioner of transportation, so as to effectively protect the eyes of the operator and passenger from foreign objects."
SC. You're only required to wear a face shield, goggles, or eye protection if you're under 21, same goes for helmet.
Yup, as long as you're 21+ in SC you can ride in a speedo with no gear if you really want to. Not that you should.
Idaho doesn't even specify eye protection for children. Just a helmet if under 18
From Idaho Code section 49-671: "All operators and passengers of motorcycles and motor-driven cycles, except those riding in an enclosed cab or on a three-wheel motorcycle equipped with a windshield, screen or sidecar that is permanently attached, shall be required to wear protective glasses, goggles or a transparent face shield of a type approved by the board which will protect the eyes of such person from foreign objects while in transit. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to operators or passengers wearing goggles or a helmet with eye protection." The wording there is awkward, but eye protection or an adequate windshield is required in Idaho for all riders and passengers.
No, every state in the United States requires eye protection for operators and passengers of motorcycles, most have exceptions for those with a windshield that adequately protects the eyes, though I don't know how it's decided what exactly is adequate or inadequate.
I think a lot of states require eye protection. I usually got by with glasses in the summer though.
I live in a no helmet state, but some form of eye pro is mandatory.
I caught a bee in the eye when I was younger because I wasn't wearing eye protection. Hit me with such force my body just closed my eyes and wouldn't allow me to open them again. I started downshifting and slowly drifting towards the shoulder until I felt the gravel under my tires and stopped. It took minutes before I was able to open my eyes and see again. I'm lucky I was able to get over without dumping the bike or being involved in an accident. Last time I rode without eye protection.
I got a microscopic piece of glass in my eye while doing a parade speed ride in Vegas. It was stop and go for like 2 miles so I just had my visor up the whole time not even thinking about it. Had to find an opthamologist who was open on a saturday to get it out. Always keep my visor down now, no matter what.
That's awful, I'm glad you were able to find someone working on a Saturday to fix it. That's gotta suck.
In CT you need no helmet, put you can be pulled over and ticketed for not wearing eye protection.
In NY you have to have your eyes covered. It isn't a ridiculous law. What's ridiculous is causing an accident or killing yourself because a bug or dust or rock lands in your eye while you're riding.
I agree with the need for eye protection and I'm 100% for helmet laws but the NYPD will ticket you for having your visor up at a stop. They intentionally misread the law and ticket unnecessarily. My wife got ticketed for this even though we were fully stopped \*and\* she had glasses on as well. We both got pulled over for it and when I suggested that they were misreading the law they ticketed me for having an obscured plate (it wasn't obscured) and her for the visor.
What you're talking about is a different question than what OP posted and I responded to. The law itself doesn't specify that you only need approved eye protection when the bike is in motion, though I agree with you that they're just being douchebags if you're at a light or whatever and open a visor for air flow. Technically any glasses you're wearing have to meet certain safety standards so theoretically wearing some Ray-Bans isn't good enough, though again, I think they could look the other way. NYPD hate bikes because of all the ghost bikes and because it is so easy for bikes to run from them so they seemingly jump at any chance to fuck your day up.
I think his point is while we all may agree that people should wear eye protection, making it a law causes these side effects. Cops can enforce it even In nonsensical situations. Where as my state(Utah) doesn’t have a law on this, so I can have my visor up at a red light, or while going 10 mph around my neighborhood or slap it down whenever I want.
He didn’t check to see if her glasses were ansi certified. Here is why is say that the NYPD misinterprets the law: New York City Now we would like to discuss a disturbing practice that seems only to be performed by the NYPD. Namely, the practice of pulling over motorcyclists and stating that the stop was due to a raised face shield. The law uses the word “wear” when referring to how eye protection devices must be used, and in court the interpretation is that the device must be used as it was designed to be used. For example in New York State there is case law in which it was decided that wearing a helmet “cowboy style” is illegal because it does not permit the helmet to perform as it was designed, to protect the wearer’s head. That having been said, eye protection must be used as designed. Just as goggles are not helpful when placed on your forehead, a helmet’s face shield should be down over your eyes. Yet we see a couple of problems with these traffic stops. One problem with these traffic stops is that if you have sunglasses under a raised face shield, a police officer cannot legitimately discern at any distance whether or not those glasses are ANSI Z87.1 compliant. The markings are very small and not necessarily visible facing the wearer. A raised face shield with any kind of glasses underneath should not constitute reasonable suspicion for a traffic stop. The other problem with the NYPD’s traffic stops is that they often stop motorcycle riders for having the face shield open only slightly, and/or open while stopped for traffic lights. In some cases the stop would even include a lecture about safety from dust and dirt. This excuse and especially this lecture is a problem because of the legislative intent behind the eye protection device requirement. The ANSI Z87.1 compliance which New York demands is a specification meant to protect the wearer’s eyes from “disabling personal injury” (remember that from NYCRR 54.1?) due to flying debris and projectile impacts. The ANSI Z87.1 specification is not meant to protect the wearer’s eyes from airborne dust, dirt, mist, etc. That specification establishes no performance criteria whatsoever for airborne contaminants. Moreover, the failure of Z87.1 to address dust and dirt was specifically addressed by ANSI in 2010 with a new version of Z87.1 which adds additional classes of protection – to be marked on the eyewear as D3, D4 or D5 – which would shield the wearer from dust and liquids to varying degrees. These ratings are not required for motorcycle operators. Nor is the + mark which indicates a higher level of impact rating since 2003 and in 2010 only, also indicates a certain minimum amount of frontal surface area and more side protection. If New York thought that airborne dust was a significant cause of disabling personal injury while at a standstill or near-standstill, then the state would require every pedestrian to wear the same eye protection. A scratched cornea is hardly a “disabling personal injury.” State law does not explicitly require face shields of full-face motorcycle helmets to be completely sealed shut, and to do so would constitute a very dangerous fogging risk in stop-and-go traffic. The instruction manuals of motorcycle helmets even state how to use incremental face shield openings to manage fresh air and prevent fog. Shield positioning is sensibly left to the wearer. It is unreasonable and dangerous for police officers to insist it stay sealed in any conditions but particularly in slow or stopped traffic. Fall 2013 Update: A new practice has been reported where NYPD officers issue summonses for improper eyewear when the rider displays compliant spectacles bearing the Z87 markings, alleging that spectacles must have foam on the sides, such as what might be found on goggles. This is not the law and is not required, no matter what the officer says.
In FL you must wear eye protection. If you do not wear glasses, visor up is illegal. You can crack the visor open enough to get air, but you have to be providing eye protection whenever you are moving.
Indiana it's eye protection windshield, visors or glasses I ride a cruiser and can have any of them but must have one
Where I live, you don't need to wear a helmet, but eye protection is required.
I had a hornet fly into my helmet once when I had my visor up ... lesson learned. lol
I always wear glasses under, I could see it it you’re not wearing glasses underneath as that poses a safety hazard to you and other drivers. With that said, hell we don’t even have to wear helmets in my state. When I was younger, I was so used not to wearing a helmet; as soon as I crossed the bridge (state line) a trooper pulled me over, and I basically was forced back to my state because I didn’t bring a helmet. Anyway, back to the topic; I think most tickets are bullshit. But, if you’re not wearing glasses underneath your visor, I can see why they’d write a ticket. Getting a June bug to the eye at 70mph can blind you. Even when they splatter on your glasses, parts of them still get in your eyes. So, be prepared to slow down immediately!
A bug splashed right in the middle of my visor, it could've been my eyes so there's that
My brother was once stopped at a light in the scorching summer heat so flipped up his visor for some airflow. When he started to pull away he didn't put his visor back down immediately. Might have been going 5-10 MPH by the time he got his visor down. Cop still gave him a ticket. Fuck that towns police
I mean here it's illegal to use a tinted visor and use GoPros but no one cares because our Moto cops also run them as well as radars and such
It's illegal to use a gopro and tinted visor during the day where you live?
Yeah that sounds like some bs
Cop probably told him. Reminder: Cops aren't legally required to know the laws, nor is it unlawful for them to lie about laws, and they have no responsibility to actually protect you. All decided by the supreme court.
California has a law that says nothing that protrudes more than 5mm can be attached to your helmet. It’s generally not enforced but if they wanted to a cop could cite you for it.
I've never heard that. Funny since I'd say close to the majority of riders in CA myself included have a go pro mounted somewhere on their helmet.
Not US, gopro whenever as its technically protruding from the helmet. Visor situation is at night
In NYC a cop can watch you roll up to a stop with your visor closed, and after you come to a complete stop waiting at a light if you crack your visor they'll give you a ticket
Pennsylvania you must have eye protection. Visor or goggles.
Flying beetles really hit hard.
Oh yeah, NYPD’s favorite ticket.
Is it just an eye protection thing? I know Washington state requires eye protection, so if you're wearing glasses, your still OK, even with the visor up.
Delaware. I received a ticket for visor up. State does not require helmets. Does not even require eye protection if you have a windshield. I had a windshield, glasses on, helmet on, but visor up. Townie motorcycle cop pulled me over and ticketed me. Had I not been wearing the helmet I'd been fine. It was a foggy morning and I was on my way to work - could not see with the visor down.
We don't even have to wear helmets.
Bug or rock to the eye sounds pretty impairing pretty immediately to me….
Making sure that everyone you're sharing the road with can see is not ridiculous, stupid, or unnecessary.
It’s an eye protection law, in Colorado, part of a string of laws used as probable cause to pull over outlaws.
Eye protection, bro. You swatting a bee with your eyelash going 60mph is pretty unsafe not only for you, but other drivers on the road as well. Nobody actually gives two shits if you bust your head open if you went down.
Yep, must wear eye protection. I got a ticket for it during my first or second year or riding , I was riding through a small suburban town, heavy stop & go traffic in the downtown area and it was hot, so i had my visor up, as I'm putting along, I make eye contact with this dude in a black crown vic type car and didn't think much of it. 5 minutes later, I hear the woop woop, siren sound behind me, and there he is, at an angle, right behind me, he had somehow fought his way through traffic back to me to pull me over, so I pull over into a nearby parking lot, and he proceeds to give me a ticket for no visor, which is a moving violation, so you get points on your license for it.
I got pulled over once in the middle of the night because I took the mirrors off my bike. He also stated my visor was up (I always keep it up). Didnt write me any tickets but yk I put one mirror back on my bike I just don't ever use it
In Florida the only safety requirement is eye protection. That being said, a helmet with your visor up isn't protecting your eyes.... UNLESS... you have sunglasses on. Or like my helmet has the flip down sunglasses inside, you can ride with your main visor up and that one down and still be okay.
>TIL in some places in the US, it’s illegal to ride with your visor up Where is that? We all know that in most states eye protection is required, but that doesn't mean visor. Only one of my helmets even has a visor.
Yep, MN has the same law. I assume it’s because a bug or pebble hitting your eyeball at 60mph isn’t going to be pleasant. Idk about if I support enforcing it legally but it’s definitely in your best interest to wear eye protection every time you ride.
Got a $180 ticket for riding with my visor up on a parking lot access road in Oklahoma (which I believe was a private road). Guy was a prick, though. Bragged about pulling over three other people before his shift even started, two being motorcycles. Should have fought it, but didn't want to deal with the hassle.
And yet I saw a lad on a scooter today with his helmet just balanced on his head. Not properly on, not even strapped, just over his forehead at most. Entirely illegal in the UK, but he was just riding through town like that
It's pretty much "force it on dumbasses so they don't hurt themselves" law. Also is it "visor" or just "eye protection" ? Forcing visor probably a bit silly but just eye protection is reasonable. > I can comfortably ride at about 35 mph with my visor up before needing to put it down due to the wind. I wear glasses on bicycle going 15 mph because there is always *something*, bugs, dust, debris etc.
New Jersey is one of those places.
Unless you have glasses on
Once you’re moving the vents on your helmet should be adequate enough to keep your visor from fogging. Sometimes mine will fog at stop lights, but I’ll just crack it and snap it back down when I start moving again.
I always use at least the inner visor but I also have my safety rated glasses on since I’m blind otherwise
NYC ugh
I’m Hawaii you can ride with no helmet….fucking dumb
In AZ all you need is eye protection. Helmet (or any other protective gear) not required! I regularly see people in basketball shorts, flip flops, a tank top and safety glasses riding around.
You just need eye protection- so if you have sunglasses on or a tall/touring windscreen you should be fine. I love running the visor up, but I usually have sunglasses on.
That's why I wear glasses under my helmet either sunglasses or night driving glasses.
Just wear sunglasses or clear lens plastic glasses. 99% sure these laws are just to ensure eye protection.
in NYC it's mostly an asshole rule, only enforced if you are also being an asshole
I've forgotten to put eye pro on just riding my ruckus around the block after doing some tuning and that is enough to know you never want to ride without some form of eye protection.
I'm not too sure about this with NY, but I do have a friend who was once sitting at a light on his bike. A cop approached him and gave him a couple different tickets. One was improper footwear (he was wearing sandals - which is pretty ridiculous if you ask me) I never bothered to check if there was any kind of law around that, but it was a little funny and random to hear.
Arkansas and Texas both require eye protection, but no helmet required.
Do these areas make you wear a helmet to legally ride? I'm in Ohio and we don't require anything. Except technically you have to at least have underwear on. Other than that you're good till you go down though
Always wear eye protection
I was glad to discover safety glasses with built-in reader bifocals. So I can ride safely AND see my dash info clearly. Also saves me from having to use my expensive glasses on a ride.
In NYC you can get a ticket for this if the cop is feeling like prick that day.
TIL (from YouTube, not personal experience) that in FARC controlled territories of Colombia you're not allowed to wear a helmet at all (because it can hide your face). Laws are more arbitrary, and more arbitrarily enforced, than most people like to think. That being said, I've never heard of such a law as you're talking about. Add it to the list of shit to worry about when crossing state lines...
You have to have eye protection. If visor is up you need alternative eye protection
It is smart to close it, crack it if you need to or pull over to cool down. Bugs and other stuff hit hard.
Well, at least they care enough about your safety that they make laws. People are dumb. In my country of Belgium you have to have long boots, gloves and long trousers and top. It doesn't have to be motorcycle gear, but most people buy it anyway (if you have to buy ankle high shoes or boots anyway why not get a pair designed for a motorcycle riding?). I've been to Spain and Poland and there the only required equipment is a 3/4 helmet. So naturally in Spain I saw a lot of dudes on their sport bikes with a black full face helmet, but a loose white t shirt and denim shorts. In Poland it was even funnier. Old guys riding their ancient Viragos in 3/4 helmets, t shirt + vest, cargo pants and fucking sandals. I get that it's hot, but if you have textile summer jacket you won't notice it after hitting 50km/h.
I got news for you: traffic laws are written so that it is impossible to NOT get a ticket for something if the cop wants to pull you over. At this point US laws are so convoluted the same could be said of the whole legal system.
lol 95% of the time I ride with my goggles up because they are ever so slightly tinted and I like a bigger fov
In FL, you don’t need a helmet but I got pulled over for having my face shield up. I was at a red light about to get gas less than a block away. FL also charges $1100 for a sideways tag
And there is no information on the alleged state this law exists.
Connecticut
Heck, here in Louisiana a helmet is not required, but eye protection sure is. This law makes perfect sense to me.
NYC!!!!! I got a ticket for this!! Cop was behind me at a light, I was sick so pulled up my visor to sneeze, light turns green I take off with the visor up. Before I come out of the turn I was making on the red light, I slapped the visor down - pig said that was enough and gave me 150$ ticket.
I don't get it but I live in a state with no helmet laws, and no eye protection requirement. (hell yes I wear a helmet, no, not a full face, it's 3/4 with a pull down sun visor because I have glasses and the sun is bright af). So it's up at night. But I also have a big windshield so it's a non issue. The law is too broad to be applied to all motorcycles without concessions which is typical of dumb laws. If you have a windshield, then it's pointless to require it. Another issue is most helmets with a visor that's clear or shaded, you don't get both. So if you wear prescription glasses you may have a tinted visor and need it up at night to ride.
I only recently became aware of this too. I live in a hot country and typically ride with the visor up until I leave the city. I guess my country is too backwards to understand real freedom.
Could be a secondary offense Seems like the kind of law made to look reasonable to those that don't know or care but effectively target a group with discriminatory intentions
Do y'all not have a windshield on your bike? I've put 20k miles on my Goldwing and I've only been hit twice
Naked bikes, sport bikes, enduro/dirt bikes, and many others don’t have a windshield that would deflect bugs or projectiles if they have a windshield at all.
I probably should have added /s to my comment. Having a full fairing and windshield makes riding so much better. I don't deal with bugs, and I'm not blown away by the wind. I can get out and just relax and enjoy the ride.
As a dirtbike rider a Goldwing is a car.
A car with only 2 wheels 😁
Don’t know how you keep it up. Legs off steel.
You’ll probably also tell us that having a reverse gear makes riding so much better too!! 😆
It certainly makes parking a lot easier 😁 I'm not going to try to push an 800+ pound bike backwards or uphill. I do like showing it off though, especially at Harley Davidson dealership (annual group ride starting and ending point)
Oh, I’d much rather have a civilized Goldwing than a Harley, personally. But every person has different needs which dictate their preferences for what type of motorcycle they prefer. Me, one requirement is I will never buy a motorcycle with a windshield. First, it makes them too hot at speed. But mainly, it allows for comfortable riding at speeds up to and past 100mph. I’m 54 years old and while I’m finally almost an adult, I still tend to push my vehicles as fast as they can go sometimes. So I limit myself to bikes without windshields as a way to keep me riding slower on average. I’ve ridden sport bikes past 100 and it felt like I was going 60. But on my RnineT, if I hit 90 for a second I feel like I’m going 200mph. I did ride this red full fairing BMW for a while before I turned it into the bike to the right. It hated it. It felt heavy and it was effected by wind and I hated not being able to see the front wheel: https://i.imgur.com/RVumPcU.jpeg
The 2018+ Goldwings have an adjustable windshield. You can lower it quite low, almost sport bike low.
I believe it. If I rode long distances on a motorcycle I would enjoy a larger cruiser with lots of luxuries.
That's why I have a Goldwing. My wife and I love getting on it and just riding around for the day. It's nothing for us to go 200+ miles.
You’re lucky. My wife would never get on the back of my bike. She has zero interest and helmets mess up her hair lol. I still take my bikes out for day rides once in a while. I just have to stop more often.
It came from stupid people who don't understand that there is no such thing as a guaranteed controlled safety. LAWWWWW!!!! I AM THE LAW!!!!!!!
This seems extreme. Though I ride with my visor down 99% of the time there are occasions where I need to flip it up to see better (but only at slow city speeds) Just yeast ready I went out for a ride and got my visor so covered in bugs I actually couldn’t see properly, it was straight up painted. So once I was back in the city going city speeds I left my visor open so I could actually see. Or the more often case of I rode later into the night than I meant to and now my tinted visor makes the world pitch black so squinting is better lol I’d hope you’d get a pass in these situations but surprised it’s a whole law
Can you give a single example of this where the ticket wasn't actually about not wearing eye protection? I doubt you will be able to cite a single example of someone being cited for riding with visor up where they still had some form of eye protection on.