Can I wear earplugs while I ride? [Archive] - Hypercycles - Motorcycle Club and Sportbike Enthusiast Forums

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Bryant

09-05-2004, 11:28 AM

From an AMA press release:
California SB 315 has been signed into law. Included in this bill was a provision to allow for use of "foam" style non-custom earplugs by street motorcycle riders. Thanks are due to State Senator Debra Bowen (Democrat, District 28, Redondo Beach) who worked closely with the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) to make this change in the law. The AMA is asking riders to let Senator Bowen know they appreciate her assistance by sending her an email. The new law takes effect January 1, 2004.
"Requiring motorcyclists who want to drown out road noise by using ear plugs to buy custom-made plugs is an outdated law that makes absolutely no sense," said Senator Bowen. "The test ought to be whether a rider using ear plugs can still hear a car's horn or a siren from an emergency vehicle. If a set of ear plugs can meet that test, then a rider ought to be able to use them, regardless of who makes them or how they're made. The only people the custom-made requirement helps are, surprise, the people who make custom ear plugs. It doesn't help riders and it doesn't help the police, emergency vehicle operators, or other drivers who count on a motorcyclist to be able to hear their horns or sirens. As long as over-the-counter plugs do the job, there's no reason why ear plugs should have to be custom-made, so junking that requirement is a common sense change that's long overdue."
The bill was signed on 9/28/03, chaptered on 9/29/03, and will take effect on 1/1/04.

Senator Bowen!! :headbang:

BioTek

09-05-2004, 01:16 PM

Good to know that I wont risk getting aggrovation or a ticket for wearing ear plugs to protect my hearing .
:clap:
I always thought they should give tickets for actually wearing leathers for protecting soft flesh too.
:lol:

Nenna

10-19-2004, 05:21 PM

I took a two hour ride up to venice beach and didn't realize i should be using ear plugs with a yoshi... dumb. i couldn't hear anything by the time i got back to sd

Andre Alforque

10-19-2004, 06:08 PM

More important to wear ear plugs because of wind noise caused by air flow over/through helmet, then the noise of your bike.

remusR6

10-19-2004, 07:16 PM

Finally! I never really used them ...but some time in long rides and after market pipe,wind noise...they come in handy.

Good to know....Thanks Bryant!

Remus

Nenna

10-19-2004, 08:45 PM

what? noise at 100mph? no... ;) At least my bike's a little bit upright, not too bad on long rides. feet on passenger pegs, though

Johnnyd

10-19-2004, 10:19 PM

Fornstar

12-04-2004, 09:07 AM

Originally posted by Johnnyd
Unfortunately, some CHP and other LEOs don't get it...

If you see me out riding, I usually have a supply of these cards...
I alway keep one in reserve along with the rest of my paperwork...

http://dwulet.com/27400.GIF

I got one from you and I keep it with the rest of my paper work also. I cant ride without them.

tresani

12-13-2004, 10:23 PM

It says here you can't have headset or earplugs in both ears. Does this mean you could wear an earbud-style headphone in one ear, and an earplug that reduces noise in the other ear? I'm not saying I'll try this, but i would like to know if its legal to ride with an earbud in one ear.

Thanks guys

BioTek

12-16-2004, 08:36 PM

Unfortunately, some CHP and other LEOs don't get it...

If you see me out riding, I usually have a supply of these cards...
I alway keep one in reserve along with the rest of my paperwork...

http://dwulet.com/27400.GIF

Met you at Borrego a few months back and you gave me a card, thanks. Wish I'd been there to see the officer come to your work to apologise and squirm. :thumbsup: :bowdown: (That doesn't mean I hate cops, just bogus tickets)

My Quantum F is so friggin loud that if I didn't wear plugs I'd be deaf in a few months. :errf:

LIF

02-01-2005, 04:13 AM

I've been riding with my iPod. A friend told me that it was legal, but he's no law enforcer. Earplug = Earphones?

Johnnyd

02-01-2005, 08:56 AM

I've been riding with my iPod. A friend told me that it was legal, but he's no law enforcer. Earplug = Earphones?
If you have an earpiece from the iPod in each ear - you are in violation of the law.

kawboy

02-01-2005, 09:39 AM

http://dwulet.com/27400.GIF

I couldn't get the link work. Could be these stupid DoD computers.

LIF

02-01-2005, 05:26 PM

Thanks. So no more iPod for me. How about in 1 ear?

Johnnyd

02-01-2005, 08:17 PM

Thanks. So no more iPod for me. How about in 1 ear?
Technically, one ear is legal.

Johnnyd

02-01-2005, 08:19 PM

Ear protection card

nocontrol

11-20-2005, 09:46 AM

So, I guess that having an "IPOD" type device for listening to music is out of the question, or can you listen in one ear?

Not saying that I "need" to listen to music, but it would be nice.

what?!

11-20-2005, 12:11 PM

naw it says "a person operating a motor vehicle...may not wear a headset covering, or eaplugs in, both ears. this prohibition does not apply to any of the following:..." blah blah blah...

so yeah, one-ear'ed ipod ok...

but i'm still stuck on the "can i wear an earbud and an earplug" thing...

teamgreenzx7r

11-20-2005, 08:09 PM

Thanks for the info

RC 51 in SD

05-11-2006, 01:33 AM

Dissident

05-11-2006, 10:52 AM

Seems like you would be legal if you used plug headphones "specifically designed to reduce external noise"? Maybe. But, those will give you the best sound anyway.

Out of all the things we do to get tickets, you guys are worried about your iPods?:ha: I'd either be lucky to get a ticket jsut for thaqt, or I'll have so many other worries the iPod ticket would be the last thing on my mind....

I bring earplugs for the people riding behind me ;)

ITisURturn

06-04-2006, 03:05 AM

I was just stopped for the first time on my bike (first time in CA). The officer walked up and asked me if I knew how fast I was going. I asked him if he would please give me a second to remove my helmet and earplugs. He didn't mind at all, and he didn't seem to think twice about them. :thumbsup: