Police Booking Motorbike Riders for Wearing Tinted Visors

tightarse on 02/12/2014 - 20:56
Last edited 02/12/2014 - 21:01

In the past month, two colleagues of mine have been fined just under $300 and 3 demerit points each for wearing a tinted visor on their motorbike helmets. They were both riding in daytime.

The police allege tinted visors render the helmets 'non-standard' and 'non-AS1698 compliant'. Both helmets are Shoei and both carry the AS1698 stickers. They said the visors must have a separate AS1609 sticker to make them compliant. The original clear visors that came with the helmets have no stickers on them. I believe all police motorbike helmet visors are tinted.

My argument is that open-face helmets are okay to wear with sunglasses, yet this is seen as braking the law?

Would love some feedback from OzB bikers, as one of them is preparing to take his case to court.

Many thanks. TA.

Automotive

Comments

  • D6C1 on 02/12/2014 - 21:23
    +3

    Wow seriously? I'd understand if the visor is very very tinted, but this is beyond a joke. I never wear tinted visors, as I dont want to be caught out at night.

    Desperate times call for desperate measures. $$ ching ching

  • [Deactivated] on 02/12/2014 - 21:25
    +4

    By replacing the visors with a tinted one that doesn't meet the separate standard for the visor they have essentially invalidated the AS1698, this can be an issue because some insurance companies will use this as an excuse to not cover in case of an accident. The original clear visor would have been assessed as part of the granting of the AS1698 and that is why it won't have a sticker, its the full package.

    Open face helmets with sunglasses aren't breaking the law because the helmet is certified with no visor, whereas changing the visor changes the helmet to an uncertified product. I have a lot of experience with product certification and know that even the smallest changes can cause big problems, I personally wouldn't bother changing anything in a mandatory standard.

    It does seem like the police are trying to get anyone for anything at the moment. Your colleague can take the case to court, but unless they have documentation to show that the visor change meets the standard I don't think they will have a whole lot of luck. Shit luck to be done during the day as well, most people I know that get done for tint is at night- crazy to ride at night with tint though.

    • tightarse on 02/12/2014 - 21:34

      Thanks for the reply bercilak. How do you prove the original clear visor is in fact the original, if it has no sticker on it? Also, can you remove the visor completely and use the helmet without a visor, or does this contravene AS1698 as well?

      • [Deactivated] on 02/12/2014 - 21:55
        +1

        I think with a clear visor you could probably get away with just saying that it came with the helmet, even if you had replaced it. If it has no noticeable tint they would have no reason to stop/ask questions about the visor anyway provided the helmet shows the AS1698 certification.
        I'm not so sure about removing the visor, if AS1698 related to full face helmets only I would say that yes it would most like contravene the standard, but as it relates to all helmets including open faced and you can ride with the visor raised I wouldn't think it would be a problem (I'll give my dad a ring and ask him- policeman and motorcycle lover).

      • [Deactivated] on 02/12/2014 - 22:41
        +1

        Ok, asked my dad- he said there is no problem with removing the visor from a helmet in terms of meeting standards. (He is SA police, but helmet laws are generally pretty standard between states)

  • [Deactivated] on 02/12/2014 - 21:40
    +2

    I think the police need to spend more time policing the ridiculous noise some motorbikes put out. Every night down Beaconsfield parade in Port Melbourne, all you hear are Harley's with ridiculous exhausts, riding up and down in packs, every night, and other groups of people on sports bikes, accelerating as fast as they can from the lights, popping monos and wheelies, doing well in excess of 100kmh. The police literally do nothing about it, I guess they are too scared to confront the real trouble makers, and instead pick on law abiding citizens for silly infringements like a visor tint.

    • 2jzzzz on 02/12/2014 - 22:13

      That's because the comancheros are in South Melbourne and Hells Angels in Port Melbourne.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/12/2014 - 22:16
    +4

    I was dicked for this on Saturday in Melbourne. I plastered the fine and my helmet all over Facebook. The Herald sun did an interview today and should be printing the article on Thursday.

  • snappy1234 on 02/12/2014 - 22:57
    -4

    Sick of noisy bike riders jail them all ;)

  • nomoneynoproblems on 03/12/2014 - 01:19

    I have personally had no issues with tinted visors and the 5-0. I have been pulled over 4 times in the past 2 years, 3 of those times i have been infringed but none regards a tinted visor. The last time i was pulled over by a motorcycle cop and he didn't look twice at my visor. Perhaps this is a new thing that cops are targeting?

    Having said that its a known issue and I've always risked it by wearing my tinted visor. I have an AGV helmet and when i purchased my visor is explicitly states that it is NOT to be used on the road and is only for track use as it doesn't comply with any road regulations. My clear original visor doesn't have a sticker on it, but it does have the AS1698 etched on the side.

    But to keep on topic this has been happening since the day 1 and does not surprise me in the least.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/12/2014 - 10:38
    +2

    Right, an OPEN FACE helmet is more compliant than an ENCLOSED helmet with EYE SHIELDING.

  • onlyletters on 03/12/2014 - 10:47
    +1

    Thats Melbourne for ya!

  • tools99 on 04/12/2014 - 11:25

    Did the article come out in the Herald Sun? keen to see if the Police can confirm if they have been instructed to get us riders on this, many people need to be warned or we face fines and points. they need to be crystal clear and make the rules easy to find and read.

    • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2014 - 12:14
      +1

      I havent had a chance to get the paper/check. The reporter said she'd give me a heads up and I havent heard from her yet so not sure :(

      • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2014 - 17:35
        +1

        I was informed that It will be out either tomorrow combined with another story or Monday.

  • hellbound on 04/12/2014 - 12:49
    +2

    Rear fender requirements on motorcycles have changed recently so they're targeting the next lowest hanging fruit.
    I have a photochromic visor that I can wear day or night without affecting visibility but it still doesn't come with AS compliance. Sunnies don't fit comfortably in my helmet, and looking through 2 lenses is a bad idea anyway.

    They've made it so you either break the law or ride half-blinded by the sun. In 5 or so years hopefully Australia will catch up with the rest of the civilised world, until then it's easy money for the cops.

  • tools99 on 04/12/2014 - 13:44

    Agree hellbound, funny how they are happy to steal our money but not happy to throw a bit of common sense into the stupid backward laws made by non riders.

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