10 Weird Motorcycle Laws In The US That You Didn't Know About
Motorcycle laws are there to keep the roads safe. If you’ve got a motorcycle license, you will have spent a considerable amount of time reading about them and committing the most important ones to memory.
But if you dig deeper, there’s a whole world of obscure motorcycle laws that are incredibly specific, seemingly outdated, or just plain bizarre. Below, you’ll find ten weird motorcycle laws from across the U.S. that we guarantee you didn’t know about.
1. No Driving in a Costume
Next time you’re on your way to a fancy dress party in Virginia, leave your motorcycle at home.
The state doesn’t allow people to hide their identity in many public places, including on a motorcycle.
2. No Reading Comic Books While Driving
We all know that reading or other forms of inattention can be dangerous while driving. In Oklahoma, though, laws against reading on your vehicle seemingly only apply to comic books!
You’ll have to wait until you’re home to dive back into that Superman comic.
3. No Late-Night Honking
No one appreciates loud noise at night. But Arkansas appears to have taken the hard-line in a very peculiar manner.
In the state, it’s illegal to honk your horn near any place where sandwiches or cold drinks are served after 9 PM.
4. No Hunting Game (Except Whales) From a Moving Motorcycle
Tennessee outlaws hunting game from a moving vehicle, including motorcyclists.
However, there’s an exception: feel free to try your luck shooting harpoons at whales while riding.
5. No Gorillas on Board
Ok, so this law isn’t specifically about gorillas. However, in Massachusetts, motorcyclists are prohibited from having dangerous wild animals on board.
You might be able to get away with pets, but expect repercussions when riding around with a gorilla.
6. No Wheelies
Title 29-A 2062 in Maine’s motoring legislation states that “a person may not intentionally or knowingly raise the front wheel of a motorcycle off the surface.” The Chicago-based Motorcycle Lawyers reiterate this, saying, “Motorcyclists can be published with both fines and jail time in Illinois for wheelies or stunts.”
So, you can’t pop a wheelie on purpose. However, this doesn’t seem to preclude wheelies that happened by accident (wink wink).
7. No Riding the Wrong Way up a One-Way Street Unless You Have a Lantern
You would think that riding the wrong way along a one-way street would always be frowned upon in the eyes of the law.
However, you can get away with this act in Alabama provided that you have a lantern attached to your motorcycle.
8. No Dirty Tires
While we also discourage dirty tires, rendering it an offense does seem like overstepping the mark.
In Minnesota, a motorcycle with dirty tires is viewed as a “nuisance that affects public peace, safety, and general welfare.” As such, a muddy bike might land you a ticket.
9. No Driving Blindfolded
Driving with your vision intact seems like a sensible idea. That said, we are left wondering how this particular law ever came about.
If you were planning on riding your motorcycle blindfolded in Alabama, think again.
10. No Riding Without Sending Off a Flare Every Mile
This might be our favorite law yet. Pennsylvanians are required to let off a rocket signal for every mile of country road they ride down.
After the flare is sent, they also have to wait 10 minutes for the road to clear of livestock before they can continue their journey.
11. No Cursing While Driving
Make sure to be on your best verbal behavior when driving in Maryland. Cursing from your vehicle is considered a misdemeanor in this state.
If you are stuck in traffic congestion, just take some deep breaths and count to ten.
12. No Running Out of Gas
We can not think of many motorcyclists that would try to run out of gas on purpose, so classifying it as a punishable offense seems rather odd.
But in Youngstown, Ohio, running empty can lead to a fine. Better keep your eyes on that meter.
Motorcycle laws are there to keep you safe!
While these weird motorcycle laws are good to poke fun at, they do sit alongside other serious laws in the traffic and motoring codebooks. These are used to protect motorcyclists and other road users from the dangers that come with driving.
In the event of a motorcycling accident, laws are also used to assess the incident and ascribe blame. This can have important consequences for injured motorcyclists who may be eligible for compensation if they are not found to be at fault for the crash.
However, it is often difficult for normal people to navigate complex laws. Affected parties are best served by experienced motorcycle injury lawyers that can explain their legal options and remedies with professional insight.