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Image of ABATE-SW 23rd Annual Toy Run for Hurricane Katrina victims just before take off, October 2005.
for video clip
of run as it passed through Chatsworth in the Pine Barrens (2.75MB)
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| Posted December 29, 2005 Higher fines may prompt motorists to fight tickets in court The officer presented him with a ticket ordering him to pay $100 — even though, Hannon says, he was actually wearing his seat belt until unbuckling it to get his identification from the glove compartment. Hannon, of Tryon, has a court date next month, and says his passenger on that night will swear he wore a belt. Many others would bite the bullet and pay the fine. But a court fight has looked increasingly tempting as the fine for failing to use a seat belt or motorcycle helmet has increased. Drivers ticketed in North Carolina for leaving belts or helmets off now owe $100 — four times what they would have paid in 2001. Click here for full article |
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| Posted December 29, 2005 Patriot Act Temporarily Extended Senate leaders reached a bipartisan agreement Wednesday December 28 to extend expiring and controversial provisions of the misnamed Patriot Act for six months. The provisions were set to expire at year's end if not renewed. Controversial measures include those allowing the FBI -- with a "secret court" order -- to obtain secret warrants for business, library, medical and other records, and to get a wiretap on every phone a suspect uses." This will give the Senate additional time to develop a bill that will protect civil liberties and protect the nation at the same time. |
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| "As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the air - however slight - lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness." Justice William O. Douglas | |
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| Posted December 11, 2005 Are Helmet Laws Effective? Fact: There is no discernible difference in motorcycle accident or fatality rates between states with mandatory helmet laws and those which allow for freedom of choice. In fact, states which support voluntary use routinely achieve accident and fatality rates equal to or better than states with mandatory helmet laws for all riders. (American Motorcycle Association, 1995) Fact: Helmets are minimally effective in preventing most injuries. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report to Congress, the CODES Study, 1995) Fact: The average inpatient charge for a helmeted motorcyclist receiving a brain injury was equal to that of an unhelmeted motorcyclist receiving a brain injury. (NHTSA CODES Study, 1995) Click here for full article |
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Posted
December 7, 2005 They came from Luella, Allen, Rockwall, Gainesville and Fort Worth braving 35-degree temperatures and bearing gifts to help the Salvation Army. Motorcycle riders turned out in droves Sunday afternoon for the 11th-annual “For the Kids Toy Run.” Click here for full article |
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| Posted December 29, 2005 Helmets impair riders, could worsen crash In response to Stuart H. Henderson [letter] on Dec. 18, I'd first like to say there is no shortage of people who want to mind my business. Wearing a motorcycle helmet cannot keep a crash from occurring; however, riding without a helmet could allow a rider to respond more quickly or to visually recognize potential hazards, decreasing the severity of the injury sustained or avoiding injury all together. I've ridden motorcycles for 47 years, and I'm well qualified to speak on the subject whereas I think Henderson only has the qualifications to speak what he thinks. Let those who ride decide. Click here for full article |
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| Posted December 14, 2005 Myrtle Beach S.C. Mayor Loses Election Myrtle Beach, SC Mayor Mark McBride lost his bid for a third term as Mayor to political newcomer, John Rhodes. McBride lost by 576 votes. Mayor McBride's reckless comments made last month in which he revealed his desire to "nudge" bikers, presumably with his car, for wearing t-shirts that McBride deemed offensive set off a firestorm of Anti-McBride activity within the motorcyclists’ community in Horry County and beyond. These comments were made at a candidate forum sponsored by ABATE of South Carolina and repeated later in other public venues. Cynthia Powell lost her bid for Myrtle Beach Town Council. Her campaign centered on her desire to eliminate the two motorcycle rallies held in May each year in Myrtle Beach. Powell's brazen disdain for motorcycles and their riders fueled her desire to prohibit approximately five hundred thousand motorcyclists from assembling in Myrtle Beach during the month of May. AMA Government Relations News & Notes is a monthly service compiled and edited by the AMA |
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| Posted November 27, 2005 Motorcycles: More riders, more accidents Edward Lovell was riding down Route 6A in Yarmouthport earlier this month, commuting the way he always does: by Harley. A car swerved into his lane, out, and then in again. All Lovell, 77, could do to avoid a head-on collision was steer his Harley-Davidson motorcycle out of the way. The bike skidded and he went down. Rider training classes provided by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation helped him react. Protective gear saved him from severe road rash, but didn't insulate his left rotator cuff, which he tore. The driver was cited for failure to stay within marked lanes, driving without a license and making an improper turn. Click here for full article |
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Posted November 13,
2005 <<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Below is the ABATE response to the above. The article I read said that in Tim Buche's address to the Fifth International Motorcycle Conference, the President of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Tim Buche called for a "safety renewal" program, which essentially would involve ongoing rider training for all motorcycle riders. Your response clearly says that the MSF does not support mandatory training, however the comments by Tim certainly sound like he is calling for mandatory training for all bikers. Are you then claiming that is article is incorrect and that Tim did not say that? Sincerely, Rudy Avizius <<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Click here for the initial October 19 article by Bill Bish Click here for October 22 article by Rogue. <<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11-17-2005 Thank you for your response. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation is not calling for mandatory training for all motorcyclists, and Tim Buche did not make this reference at the September 2004 conference in Munich, Germany. We have attached the paper presented at the 5th ifz-Motorcycle Conference, "A Proposal for Defining, Measuring, and Documenting the Effects of 'Safety Renewal': A Concept Whose Time Has Come" for your review of the full issue addressed at that Munich conference. As we stated in our previous letter, the MSF believes that it is important to renew, refresh and improve skills and strategies over time, and encourages lifelong learning (via safety renewal) by providing riders a variety of useful and meaningful courses and training opportunities in which to voluntarily participate. In other words, "safety renewal," which we do promote, is not the same as "mandatory re-training," which we do not. We wish you continued success with your Alliance. Sincerely, Ken Glaser |
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Click here for
Issue 1-2 of "ABATE Speaks Out". This issue has a little attitude towards those who impose on our freedoms by favoring mandatory helmet laws. |
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| Posted November 3, 2005 The AMA's Justice for All Campaign Facing up to the consequences of crashes A van driver in Iowa crosses the center line of the road, running head-on into a group of six motorcyclists. Three are killed, and two more are seriously injured. The driver gets off with a fine of $70—less than an average speeding ticket. In Oklahoma, a driver runs over a motorcyclist who was slowing to make a right turn. The driver pleads guilty to negligent homicide. She is sentenced to 30 months probation and ordered to perform unspecified "acts of kindness." A U.S. congressman from South Dakota with a long history of traffic offenses blows through a stop sign at over 70 mph, causing a crash that kills a motorcyclist. A jury takes just a couple of hours to convict the driver of second-degree manslaughter, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. The judge gives him just 100 days. Outrageous? We think so. And there are literally dozens of cases just like them across the country, in which drivers seriously injure or kill motorcyclists, then get off with little more than a slap on the wrist. Click here for full article |
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| Posted November 3, 2005 MRF Endorses HR 2048 The Motorcycle Riders Foundation has formally committed to Support HR 2048 The Right to Repair Act of 2005. The Motor Vehicle Right to Repair Act of 2005 (HR 2048) was introduced this past May by Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX) and Edolphus Towns (D-NY), five months later the bill has over fifty bipartisan supporters. The legislative intent of this measure is to offer protections for the American motor vehicle owner by making it illegal for the manufacturer of the motor vehicle to withhold information necessary to diagnose service or repair the motor vehicle. We have formally committed to support HR 2048 because we believe that safeguarding individual ownership rights is an absolute must. Access to accurate information when it comes to repair or upkeep of a vehicle is essential to the safety and well being of the entire American motoring public. HR 2048 aims to guarantee that individual owners and repair shops have access to aftermarket parts and the same tools and training offered to those within the dealership network. “The fact is that consumers are entitled to the right to chose how their motor vehicle is maintained or upgraded” Said Jeff Hennie vice president of government relations for the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. Hennie continued, “One should not be confined to the dealership network; instead we as Americans should be able to choose our method of maintenance, be it in your driveway or at your local mechanic.” While the term motor vehicle is often used to describe four wheeled vehicles, the federal government describes motor vehicles as “any vehicle driven or drawn by mechanical power and manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways” which of course includes motorcycles. In turn this legislation will directly affect the motorcycling community. In fact the term automotive is largely paired with four wheeled vehicles but the expression actually refers to any self-propelled vehicle. The point is that while this legislation has been generated out of the car and light truck community it also covers all two and three wheeled vehicles. MRF will continue to support this legislation as long it continues to encompass the motorcycle community. The point of this legislation is not to discourage vehicle owners from using the dealership for service, but to protect the freedom of the American consumer to choose who and how the vehicle taken care of. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is encouraging its members to contact their federal representatives and ask them to please support HR 2048 by adding their name to the growing list of cosponsors. Motorcycle repair facilities and individual owners should openly support this much-needed legislation through letters to Members of Congress, local media outlets and websites. Many in the automotive industry are already doing this, Motorcyclists need to follow suit in order to see that motorcycles are continued to be included. Shops and individuals who have questions about this important legislation can call the Motorcycle Riders Foundation Washington, DC office. Passage of this legislation is imperative to the American way of life. The individual’s right to choose is one of the most significant pieces of the American lifestyle. Removing this building block of American freedom could have adverse ripple effects across industry and the economy. Currently the US Senate does not have any companion legislation and no committee action has occurred as of press time. Below is a list of the current co sponsors. Please review the list and then call the US Congress at 202-224-8601, or email your Representatives to ask them to co sponsor or thank them if they have already committed to support HR 2048, The Motor Vehicle Right to Repair Act of 2005. Current co-sponsors are: Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] - 6/8/2005 <<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The MRF proudly claims state motorcyclists' rights organizations and the very founders of the American riders' rights movement among its leading members. The MRF is involved in federal and state legislation and regulations, motorcycling safety education, training, and public awareness. The MRF provides members and state motorcyclists' rights organizations with direction and information, and sponsors annual regional and national educational seminars for motorcyclists rights activists, as well as publishing a bi-monthly newsletter, THE MRF REPORTS. |
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| Posted November 1, 2005 MOTORCYCLE DEATHS EXAGGERATED? Now, we all know what fun can be had with numbers. They can be skewed all sorts of ways. For example, when law enforcement reports traffic fatalities involving alcohol, a drunken pedestrian who is killed by a sober motorist is included in the alcohol statistics. “What is not being taken into account in the (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) study,” Miller wrote, “is the number of miles traveled by each registered motorcyclist. If a motorcycle sits idle, except for special occasions, prior to the helmet law amendment and is now ridden daily, because of the helmet law change, there are considerably more opportunities for crashes to occur. Miller noted that the number of registered motorcycles increased dramatically during the period between the studies, partly because more people want to ride if they don’t have to wear a helmet. Some believe they are safer riding without a helmet. Click here for full article |
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| Posted November 3, 2005 Did you know that you can be denied insurance benefits if you ride a motorcycle? The HIPAA Recreational Injury Technical Correction Act was recently introduced in the US House of Representatives by US Representative Michael Burgess (R-TX-26) HR 2793, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) recently introduced S 577 in the US Senate. The bills aim to end health care discrimination against individuals participating in legal transportation and recreational activities such as motorcycling, snowmobiling, horseback riding, and all-terrain vehicle riding. The legislation addresses a loophole created by a Department of Health and Human Services' rule which made it possible for health care benefits to be denied to those who are injured while participating in these activities. On August 21, 1996 President Clinton signed the Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The Act included provisions prohibiting employers
from denying health care coverage based on a worker's pre-existing medical
conditions or participation in legal activities, such as motorcycling. In 2001,
the Department of Health and Human Services released the final rule that would
implement these provisions. The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is urging all motorcyclists to
contact their Congressional delegation and urge them to co-sponsor and support
The HIPAA Recreational Injury Technical Correction Act. |
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| Posted October 13, 2005 Rising gas costs drive up number of motorcyclists Warm weather usually brings out the motorcycle enthusiast, but it’s now the heated price of fuel that has a biker thinking of a longer riding season. Haas says his group has noticed that motorcycle dealerships are experiencing a 25 to 60 percent increase in sales over this quarter last year.  for full
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| Posted October 6, 2005 Florida State Wants More Bike Safety That's one reason the state wants all motorcycle drivers to take a special safety course. It isn't just for youngsters anymore. Another factor is the boom in bike sales and use in recent years. A lobbyist for an organization of 7,000 motorcycle enthusiasts said that, when they have the choice, a lot of people who own a car and a motorcycle will take the one that gets 50 miles a gallon or more. "The bottom line is that nobody (since 2002) has been killed on the highways of Florida that graduated from this course"Click here for full article |
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| Posted October 6, 2005 Hawaii Doesn't Need Mandatory Motorcycle Helmet Law Pushed by Rep. Marumoto; State Republicans Aren't Supposed to Nanny Constituents It's always easier to pass laws that only the "other guy" has to obey. Someone should remind the distinguished state legislator that America was founded on the principles of liberty and limited government, not safety and minding other people's business. Click here for full editorial |
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Posted October 19, 2005 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>> |
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| Posted September 19, 2005 MASSACHUSETTS BIKERS HARASSED OVER HELMETS A group of about two dozen Massachusetts motorcyclists riding in the Yankee Homecoming parade on Sunday, August 7th were ordered by police to don their helmets. When one of them refused to obey, citing a newly enacted law excluding motorcyclists participating in public parades from the state’s helmet law, he was pulled from the parade by police. Motorcyclists are now accusing police of being ignorant of the law, and some of them are so angry about their confrontation with police that they are calling for another boycott of the city of Newburyport, similar to one three years ago when motorcyclists felt they were being unfairly targeted by police in a crackdown on loud pipes and told to stay out of town. Their participation in the parade, at the invitation of the city, was meant as an "olive branch" to show that relations between the city and the riders had improved. " There's just this negativity toward motorcyclists," said Paul Cote, legislative director for the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association. "The more things change, the more they stay the same." " I am the law," the officer said, according to Cote, the biker who was kicked out of the parade for refusing to put on his helmet. But the law was changed in February 2004, allowing an exception to the requirement that motorcyclists wear helmets for a "properly permitted public parade." Helmets are otherwise required at all times on roads in Massachusetts. Some of the riders challenged by police on Sunday were the very same ones who spent five years lobbying for that change in the helmet law, Cote said. The reasoning was that most parades travel at very slow speeds, and the whole point of being in a parade is so spectators can see them, something that is hard to do when faces are covered by helmets, Cote said. Helmets can also be very hot during a parade when the temperatures hit 90 degrees, as they did on that Sunday, he added. Police later admitted they were wrong, acknowledging that the law now allows motorcyclists to take off their helmets during parades, but have refused to issue an apology. NCOM NEWS BYTES Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish, National Coalition of Motorcyclists |
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| Posted September 18, 2005 More motorcycles, rider deaths in Montana Motorcycle deaths are approaching a 20-year high in Montana this year, reflecting a nationwide surge in deadly bike wrecks. In Montana, the rise follows an upswing in the number of motorcycles registered in the state, suggesting the rising death toll is the product of having more riders on the road, said Jack Williams, an operations research analyst for the safety office. "It's not like motorcycles are suddenly unsafe," Williams said. "It's a function of the number of motorcycles more than anything else." Click here for full article |
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| Posted September 15, 2005 Australia Random Motorist Drug Testing Bill Passed A BILL proposing random drug testing of motorists has been introduced into State Parliament - with the Government hoping to have the legislation passed by the end of the year. Drivers will have their saliva or blood tested for the presence of illicit drugs THC - the active ingredient in cannabis - and methamphetamine under the Bill. Click here for full article |
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| Posted September 1, 2005 N.J. DRIVER SHOT AFTER KILLING BIKER A New Jersey motorist got out of his car after a collision that killed a motorcyclist — and was shot by a mystery gunman, Newark police said. Click here for full article |
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There is a certain type
of mentality that thinks if you make certain inanimate objects illegal
their criminal misuse will disappear!
When the human race dies out it will be because it was brainwashed to be so totally, completely, utterly safe that it no longer dared to keep on living |
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Posted August 27, 2005 Remember, that the NHTSA has stated that education and training
is the most effective way to reduce motorcycle accidents. |
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Posted October 6, 2005 Mayor Samuel Co announced that executive order number 72 series
of 2005 will be implemented as a trial move to avert crimes involving
the use of motorcycles. |
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Posted October 3, 2005 Pennsylvania is now in its second year with freedom
of choice on whether to wear a helmet or not. However, even once
you have won this hard fought fundamental right, you cannot rest,
you must always be aware of what your legislators will do to you.
Morning All! Yesterday afternoon I had the opportunity to speak with gubernatorial candidate, Lynn Swann at the Republican Committee Picnic. He certainly didn't exude much charisma, but that could have been overlooked. We had a lengthy discussion re: freedom of choice for adult motorcyclists, and he is adamantly against it. He is a BIG fan of the Traumatic Brain Injury Foundation, and when I ended our conversation with the query of, "what could we do to possibly change your mind?" His response was, "Absolutely nothing." Jeff Piccola, who has repeatedly voted against up in the past, and Bill Scranton, who remains non-committal at this point are the others vying for the Republican nomination. Live to be free! |
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| Posted August 22, 2005 Motorcycle helmet law a no-brainer to both sides Pro-choice. Pro-life. Few topics trigger the innate American passion for choosing sides faster than those that touch on personal liberty. And few battles have been marked by the spirited discourse attending the debate over Florida's motorcycle helmet law. For both sides, the matter is literally one of life and death. Click here for full article |
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| Posted August 22, 2005 Almost 'hog' heaven, W.Va. Many of the bikes parked along the city's streets garnered admiring looks, including a 1969 Harley-Davidson former police special owned by Steve and Sharon Walker of Hagerstown. Nearly every helmet at Bike Night seemed to have at least one sticker plastered to it, with the sayings ranging from political commentary to crude humor. " Old age and treachery always overcome youth and skill," one sticker read. A few referenced the noise associated with motorcycles, including "Loud pipes save lives," and "If it's too loud, you're too old." Passionate riders had stickers such as, "For some there's therapy, for the rest of us there's motorcycles," and "My bike doesn't leak, it marks its territory." Scathing might be the best adjective to describe some of the stickers. Click here for full article |
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| Posted August 21, 2005 Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce Wants to End Bike Week As they represent our communities' leading businesses, their primary objective is to make May the family-vacation month it used to be. The scaling back and eventual departure of the motorcycle rallies would hard on certain restaurants and accommodations providers - hotels, motels, condos, etc. But chamber leaders, rightly in our view, think it wouldn't take too long for other tourists to discover the pleasures of a visit during one of the loveliest months of the year. Other visitors would more than make up for the lost biker revenue. Click here for full article |
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| Posted August 21, 2005 California Helmet Law Debate A number of states have enacted helmet laws and then repealed them. In every case, no exceptions, the death rate has declined by 20-40% in the first year after enactment, and the death rates have gone up by equally impressive numbers in the year after repeal of helmet laws. Again, there have been no exceptions. Why doesn't your web page post this imformation. If you are really concerned about the freedom to choose, shouldn't you be helping people make intelligent decisions with all the information available? Phil Brewer, MD |
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| Posted August 21, 2005 Feud is growing between Palomar Mountain locals and bikers San Diego: Unfortunately, a simmering feud has developed in recent years between Palomar locals who view the mountain as their idyllic home and motorcyclists who view the mountain as a holy destination. Socially, Palomar is a proud, tightly knit community that braces itself, especially on weekends, against motorcyclists challenging the mountain's famous hairpin turns, especially on South Grade Road. On the safety scale, it doesn't get much hairier than that. Click here for full article |
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Posted September 19,
2005 The Times Herald's editorial, "Accident spike illustrates need for helmets," was just awful. Aside from the statistics you used, it represented the typically simplistic "solution" most nonriders share. If helmets are so great, why not require them for automobile drivers as well? After all, far more people die from fatal head injuries in automobile rollover accidents. Even pedestrian strikes account for more. But it's always easier to pass laws someone else has to obey. Here's something to consider: When I drive to Michigan to visit my relatives, I don't spend a cent in Michigan, gassing up and eating in Ohio before I cross into your state. I also take weekend trips to nearby Delaware and Pennsylvania, where I freely open my wallet. Click here for full editorial |
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| Posted September 15, 2005 Bikers enjoy riding roads less traveled Interstates may offer a more efficient way of traveling from one place to another. But for most motorcycle riders, the fun is in the journey. Click here for full article |
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| Posted August 16, 2005 Boomers dying more often on motorcycles Buying a motorcycle is a dream many baby boomers are making come true. Thousands of them, finished with their family obligations, are buying the two-wheelers and enjoying the freedom of the open road. But, according to traffic enforcement officials, deaths among riders 40 and older are driving up the total number of fatalities each year in the state and the nation. Click here for full article |
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Posted August 12, 2005 ABATE is proud to be associated with Interfaith Helpers. They help
us to distribute the toys we collect on the October Toy Run as well
as help those in need around us. |
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Posted August 22, 2005 Some say just the opposite, that it's young guys on high-powered
rides pulling wheelies and racing on highways as if they're auditioning
for "The Fast and the Furious." "They pull out in front of you, they tailgate, they'll cut you off. I had two people drift into my lane on the way over here," Oxford biker Ara Burlinson, 30, said at a motorcycle cruise in Woodbury last week.
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The
following NJ legislators have communicated to ABATE Senator Anthony Bucco, -Republican – Denville, NJ |
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| Copies of receipts
for letters sent to Corzine and Forrester. There is no way that they can claim they did not receive communication from the ABATE of the Garden State. |
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| Posted August 21, 2005 HIGHWAY BILL FINALLY ENACTED: MOTORCYCLISTS' CONCERNS ADDRESSED Following ten deadline extensions dating back to September 2003, the 109th Congress voted on July 29th to enact HR 3, the sweeping $286.4 billion highway bill that reauthorizes federal transportation spending through September 2009, and President Bush signed the measure into public law on August 10th. The final version of the massive 1,681-page document contains numerous motorcycle provisions lobbied for over the past several years by national, state and local motorcycle rights organizations and concerned individual riders. In addition to providing much-needed federal funding to rejuvenate our nation's crumbling infrastructure, the bill also makes available $25 million in grant money for motorcycle safety training and awareness programs to individual states. The bill also provides for the formation of a motorcyclists advisory council to advise the Federal Highway Administrator regarding how motorcycles must be included when designing future Intelligent Transportation systems. HR 3 also includes nearly $3 million for a new scientific study of motorcycle crashes to be conducted by the Oklahoma Transportation Center, located at Oklahoma State University. This marks the first comprehensive research into motorcycle crashes since the Hurt Report was completed in the late 1970s. The reauthorization measure also stipulates that motorcycles will continue to be allowed to use High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, and continues to prohibit local governments from excluding motorcycles on roads maintained with federal funding. Lastly, for off-road riders, the legislation earmarks $370 million from gasoline taxes to fund the Recreational Trails Program. NCOM NEWS BYTES Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish, National Coalition of Motorcyclists http://www.ON-A-BIKE.com |
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| Posted August 18, 2005 Motorcyclists Roar Into City For Major Convention Next Week Chattanooga will become hog heaven next week as thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world converge on the city for CLUB H.O.G. Chattanooga. It will be one of the city's largest conventions ever, and one of the first major events at the renovated Ross's Landing Park. Candace Davis of the Convention and Visitors Bureau said the event is expected to generate $7.2 million for the local economy. She said most local hotels and motels are already fully booked for next weekend. Click here for full article |
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| Posted August 11, 2005 More could be done to promote safety In Tuesday's article, "More deaths follow helmet laws' repeal," The Herald reported an 81 percent increase in rider deaths, following the repeal of Florida's helmet law. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminiatration reports that "Deaths increased by 24 percent above what was expected from the increase in motorcycle registrations," and "Other factors that may have contributed to the fatality increase are alcohol use, speed, increased exposure, and the likely contribution of a change in motorcycle ridership." Click here for full article |
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| Posted August 11, 2005 Remember why the Florida motorcycle helmet law was repealed Click here for arguments from the St. Petersburg on both sides of the issue. |
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| Posted August 10, 2005 Thomson says helmet law not related to increase in fatals CONCORD - State safety officials say a rise in motorcycle fatalities in New Hampshire is not related to the lack of a mandatory helmet law, despite recent studies suggesting such a link elsewhere in the country. Thomson isn't sure why the state's numbers are up, but suspects it is influenced by Baby Boomers retiring and taking up riding. Others have speculated that those older riders are having trouble handling modern, powerful bikes. Click here for full article |
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Posted August 1, 2005 A $100 million federal lawsuit accusing three New York state troopers of improperly using deadly force to stop a group of motorcyclists alleged to have been speeding has been reinstated by the U.S. Court of Appeals after a judge in White Plains dismissed it last year. Click here for full article |
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Posted July 24, 2005 HIGHLAND PARK, Illinois -- Whenever I tell a non-motorcyclist that
I ride a bike, the responses are virtually automatic: 2. "Do you wear a helmet when you ride?" People who don't ride have developed some media- and Hollywood-fed misconceptions about motorcycling. So we who do ride tend to get a bit defensive about our chosen hobby, lifestyle, obsession, transportation mode, or whatever you want to call it. As a public service, I'd like to address the two misconceptions outlined by items 1 and 2 above. Click here for full article |
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Posted July 17, 2005 Said breakthrough resulted to the birth of SportVue MC2 which allows
radar to be mounted in a personal helmet. When the radar detector
goes off, the transmitter sends a signal to the receiver. The signal
is made apparent by a bright LED radiance that lights. |
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| Posted July 21, 2005 IF MOTORCYCLISTS DO IT" Deaths will sky rocket It will cost Billions; insurance rates will spiral out of control" Article By; Uncle Rock I hate to be the one to inform you, but they were right. Everything that they have been saying all along is true. The numbers for 2004 are in for PA and it is Very Grimm Indeed. I think our elected officials should do something about this carnage and needless waste of lives. No I'm not talking about helmet usage here, I'm referring to: MURDER BY MEDICINE For years doctors have fought to keep you from having freedom of choice concerning helmet usage. While they quietly kill multiple thousands each year. "There are no comparable benchmarks nationwide, but some federal agencies estimate that hospital-acquired infections afflict more than 2 million people and kill more than 100,000 every year." (Luis Fabregas Tribune Review) More than 11,600 patients contracted infections during hospital stays in Pennsylvania last year. The first-of-its-kind report issued yesterday by the council shows nearly 1,800 hospital patients who developed infections -- or just about 15 percent - died. Now compare that with the REVISED PA-DOT numbers for motorcycle deaths for 2004, which increased by 1. No that is not a misprint ONE, even though motorcycle registration went up by 22,835 during the same period. Lets see 1800-157(MC deaths) = 1643 people killed by Grimm Reaper health care services, in PA 2004. Incidentally that number 1643 lives taken by GR health care in just 1 (ONE) State, equals half or 50% of all MC deaths nationwide. "Hospital-acquired infections in Pennsylvania added $2 billion to hospital costs and extended hospital stays by 205,000 days last year, according to the report by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council." (MARTHA RAFFAELE A.P.) Did it make insurance rates go up, yeah, just look at the ridiculous cost for health care for a family of 4. Unaffordable for the average family, without some assistance from their employer. Add to that 2 Billion above 615,000 lost possible work shifts that PA did not collect revenue from and the cost just grows bigger. So just by looking at the numbers we have for PA (I'm not picking on them they are the only state that has reported numbers, a small step in the right direction) You are almost 12 times more likely to die from catching an infection at the hospital, than riding a motorcycle with or without a helmet. Maybe these medical personnel should take time out from their social
engineering program of trying to tell people how to live and go wash
their dirty hands. Want more, check out http://www.solriders.com/bikerstuff Sons of Liberty Riders http://www.solriders.com |
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Posted July 24, 2005 Tennessee started out its 2005 legislative session with a brand
new lobbying team and a brand new Legislative Chairman. No files,
no experience, no expertise. "From day one, we knew we were
going to be working at least 8 different bills," said John R.
Pierce, CMT/ABATE State Legislative Chairman, adding "Talk about
learning to swim by being thrown into the deep end of the pool!" |
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Posted
July 16, 2005
According to the California Highway Patrol, the answer
is yes . "It is legal for a motorcycle to share a lane in between
other vehicles," CHP spokesman Don Oxley said. "If someone
is going to lane split what we want to do is make sure traffic is
going no more than 15 to 20 mph." |
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Click here to
view a map of helmet laws state by state. Click on a specific state to see their statutes |
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| Posted July 13, 2005 Let's Hope This Doesn't Happen Here! British Department of Transport is set to reveal plans for a new road charge scheme which charges for every mile you cover. The pilot programs set-up within two years, although the plans are unlikely to become reality before 2015. Road use would be measured by satellite tracking, with quiet country lanes costing 2p a mile, and the busiest areas costing £1.30 ($2.28). And riders would need to have tracking devices fitted. There's currently no official line on whether motorcycles will be included, with the Transport saying that they can't answer any specific questions, but it could see bikes and cars priced off the roads. As an example, commuting ten miles in rush hour at the top price would cost £13 ($22.82) one way. To get home during rush hour doubles it to £26 ($45.64). And work five days a week and you'll be paying £130 ($228.15) just to get to and from work. Do that every week and you'll pay £6760 ($11,863.81) just to commute. AMA Government Relations News & Notes is a monthly service compiled and edited by the AMAGovernment Relations Staff to keep motorcyclists informed of happenings around the world. |
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| Posted July 17, 2005 Editorial: Patriot Act protection comes with a price The Patriot Act, drawn up and signed into law while the physical dust and emotional debris of Sept. 11 was still settling, is up for renewal at the end of the year. While the act itself remains law, there are key provisions that must be renewed as they were meant to expire at the end of this year. The Patriot Act has become a political hammer used to bash opponents as unpatriotic and anti-American. The act has allowed law enforcement to expand surveillance of suspects, increase the use of warrants, seize property secretly and obtain access to personal information without the subject knowing about it. It’s the secret seizure and the snooping into medical, library, video-rental
records and e-mails that should make all of us -- conservative and liberal
-- nervous about extending such powers or especially making them permanent. |
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| Posted July 13, 2005 A Head-y Debate When word spread that motorcycle deaths had actually dropped in the first full year since Pennsylvania repealed its mandatory helmet law, bare-headed bikers said they felt vindicated. "In every state in which the helmet law has been repealed ... the number of fatalities has gone up and the number of motorcyclists dead at the scene also has come up," said Doug McGee, executive director of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians. " Helmets don't save lives, education does," said Sue Molnar, who's been riding for 10 years. The Forward Township woman joined the Mon Valley chapter of ABATE when she first started riding and now serves as chapter president. "We need to make the public aware we're on the road." Click here for full article |
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 Bonfire being started at dusk during the June 18 -19, 2005 ABATE-SW Sunset Ride and Campover. |
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| Posted July 9, 2005 U.S. government secrecy reaches historic high WASHINGTON — Government secrecy has reached a historic high by several measures, with federal departments classifying documents at the rate of 125 a minute as they create categories of semisecrets bearing vague labels such as "sensitive security information." But there is concern the hoarding of information could backfire. Thomas Kean, chairman of the Sept. 11 commission and a former Republican governor of New Jersey, said the failure to prevent the 2001 attacks was rooted not in leaks of sensitive information but in the barriers to sharing information among agencies and with the public. "You'd just be amazed at the kind of information that's classified; everyday information, things we all know from the newspaper," Kean said. "The best ally we have in protecting ourselves against terrorism is an informed public." Click here for full article |
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| Posted July 9, 2005 Sisterhood of Chrome and Steel HAGERSTOWN, Md. -- The motorcycle gang sauntered out of a hotel on the Dual Highway, wearing eye shadow, rouge and, in at least one case, a hairnet. The bikers slugged down coffee from lipstick-stained cups, flaunting their sleeveless, baby-blue vests as they waited for the Big Run to begin. North America's oldest motorcycle club for women, the Motor Maids, rolled into Maryland for its 65th anniversary convention this week -- a gang of young singles, mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers united by their love of chrome-splashed, loud but sensibly outfitted, two-wheeled roadsters. Click here for full article |
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Posted
July 7, 2005 Last week a Ride
for Freedom came through our area. This ride visited 100 cities
in 10 days starting from Miami on June 25th and reaching the Liberty
Bell in Philadelphia on July 4th, 2005! A reception and the ride
was hosted by Barb's Harley Davidson in Camden County while it
was in this area. This is a great example of what a citizen can
do to bring awareness to others of the threats that face us as
bikers and Americans. We are losing our inalienable rights, long ago guaranteed
in the Constitution of the United States. With unwavering force and
speed, our elected officials have whittled away free speech and due
process, guaranteed by the original Bill of Rights. |
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| Posted July 1, 2005 Georgia Motorcycle Students Get Revved Up, Road Ready Each one had a reason for being there. For some, it was the chance to experience something new. A couple of them needed to sharpen skills dulled over time. The program — which takes about 24 hours over 2 1/2 days — helps riders learn how to control and maneuver a motorcycle. Students spend most of the session — about 18 hours — on the motorcycles at the facility's large practice course. Click here for full article |
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| Posted July 1, 2005 Critics Argue Against Patriot Act RAPID CITY -- Critics of the USA Patriot Act took their case Thursday to congressional field offices, arguing that personal liberties should not be killed in the nation's war on terror. Davis and others at the meeting said the law gave too much authority to law-enforcement and counter-terrorism agencies. In broadening the authority of government to seize assets, search private homes and offices without a warrant, monitor Internet communications and examine what individuals choose to read at libraries, the law also took away essential protections for individual liberty, they said. "The enhancement of homeland security must be done in a way that preserves the civil liberties that are the cornerstone of democracy," Herseth said. "It would truly be a sad irony if, in our quest to strengthen our security, we were to undermine the very freedoms we seek to protect." Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 28, 2005 New Hampshire Law Banning 'Straight Pipes' on Motorcycles OK'd Motorcycle riders will face stiffer penalties come August for bikes that are too loud. Police from Portsmouth, Exeter, Rye and Seabrook were the driving force behind the legislation, but they had hoped to also change the parameters for testing motorcycle noise. Click here for full article It will be interesting to see how this will affect riders visiting the Laconia rally. Remember, we can "vote" with the dollars we spend. |
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Posted
June 20, 2005
A special thanks to Bob Hicks for hosting
the party and to George who went out and gathered over 20 pickup
truck loads of wood for the bonfire which was still burning the
following morning. |
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| Posted June 20, 2005 Maybe We Should Help Solve Their Problem by Not Attending Bike Week in Myrtle Beach? They may find they miss our money! Ousting May Bikers Interest in scaling down - or getting rid of - the May Harley-Davidson and Bikefest motorcycle rallies runs high among local residents and business owners. But translating interest into action would be a complex challenge requiring unprecedented cooperation - and sacrifice - by local elected officials, interest groups and business owners. On the law-enforcement side, Myrtle Beach police - perhaps with help from other local and S.C. law enforcement agencies - would have to exercise true zero-tolerance of motorcycle noise and other violations. The noise ordinance already allows officers to make limited subjective judgments about loud noises. Bikers given tickets should be hit with maximum fines. The council also might consider stepping up police power to impound motorcycles that violate the noise ordinance or local or state traffic laws. Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 28, 2005 Would Honda Hoot be bigger without helmet law? KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Registration for the Honda Hoot kicked off Tuesday with an estimated 18,000 motorcycle enthusiasts pouring into town. Tennessee is one of several states with a mandatory helmet law. Some riders wonder whether the Hoot would have more visitors if Tennessee didn't require helmets. Honda Hoot festivities will continue through the weekend with different events
happening everyday. It's estimated that even without those who decided not
to come because of the helmet law, the Honda Hoot will generate more than $33
million for the Knox County economy. |
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Posted June 9, 2005 Michigan motorcycle enthusiasts filled the Capitol lawn for an annual
rally aimed at repealing the mandatory helmet law. Motorcyclists
from across the state gathered to hear members of the State Transportation
Committee talk about legislation that would make it legal to ride
without a helmet. The bikers say it boils down to 1 issue- choice. |
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| Posted June 20, 2005 Wheelie school makes students prepped to pop Proper society might call the idea of rearing up on your back wheel at more than 60 miles per hour ridiculous, but this crowd was beguiled enough by the challenge to pay $495 to learn. The class, On One Wheel, is affiliated with the California Superbike
School, a chain of instructional centers run by Keith Code. Code,
a well-known motorcycle racer, started the school more than two decades
ago. The wheelie course began in 2002, using a patented device that
serves as a kind of training wheel. |
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| Posted June 2, 2005 Motorcyclists bypass area; helmet law a deterrent The hundreds of thousands of bikers who came to the Grand Strand the past three weeks may have spent millions of dollars in Horry and Georgetown counties, but their effect in neighboring Brunswick County, N.C., was minimal at best. Several Brunswick County businesses said Monday that vacationing bikers only made up a small fraction of their sales. Lou Hewett, a rental reservationist for Cooke Realtors in Ocean Isle Beach, said she might have had a dozen bikers rent a home or condo in the past month. Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 15, 2005 Michigan Bikers Want to Change Helmet Law For nearly three decades, ABATE members have been urging lawmakers to give them more freedom. State lawmakers have resisted the change, but this spring, ABATE supporters reached what they believe could lead to a breakthrough: A bill passed the Michigan State Senate, home of a long-standing roadblock. Passage is expected in the House and the group is lobbying Gov. Jennifer Granholm
to sign the legislation or endorse a compromise measure. |
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Posted June 1, 2005 The head of the Missouri Department of Transportation is apologizing
for letting his nose do the talking in last week's column. Rahn remarked
that a few motorcycle riders who lobbied for helmet rights this year
seemed like "they hadn't bathed in two weeks." |
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| Posted May 28, 2005 PENNSYLVANIA MOTORCYCLE FATALITIES DROP AFTER FIRST YEAR OF HELMET CHOICE If helmet-less motorcycling is leading to more fatalities in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation statistics aren't backing that up. Fatalities actually went down in 2004, the first full year in which experienced motorcyclists have had a choice in whether or not to wear headgear. To make this statistic even more compelling, motorcycle registrations also increased by 29,000 during the same period. Click here for full article Of course the doctors who would take away our right to have kitchen knives (see article below) are still arguing for mandatory helmets. Perhaps we should mandate helmets for all golfers to protect them from potentially harmful injuries? It is doubtful that the doctors would support that one. |
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Posted May 28, 2005 <<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>> Three emergency-room doctors called Friday for long, pointed kitchen knives to be banned in a bid to reduce the number of stabbings in Britain. "Government action to ban the sale of such knives would drastically reduce their availability over the course of a few years." Click here for full CNN article. |
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| Posted June 2, 2005 Nude Motorcyclist Reported. Was he wearing a helmet? MONTPELIER – Or she? That's what Police Chief Doug Hoyt had to ask when we called to inquire about a report in the police logs from Saturday night. It seems someone called police at about 11 p.m. to report a motorcyclist driving nude. Or is that driving while nude? DWN? The person who allegedly spotted the nudist saw the person driving the motorcycle
near the intersection of College and Main Streets. |
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| Posted June 2, 2005 Nebraska Motorcycle Helmet Bill Dead For Year LINCOLN, Neb. -- A proposal to change Nebraska's motorcycle helmet law is dead for the year. Sen. Adrian Smith of Gering did not get enough votes Wednesday to end a filibuster against his measure. Speaker Kermit Brashear of Omaha said the bill will not be debated again this session. for full
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| Posted June 2, 2005 Motorcycle Taxi Drivers Protest Islamic Ban on Women Passengers Moped-taxi drivers in the mainly Muslim northern Nigerian city of Kano carried leafy branches on their bikes on Tuesday in a symbol of protest at an imminent ban on carrying female passengers. "The law is meant to regulate and sanitise the traffic in Kano in accordance with the Sharia; to ease movement of women as well as alleviate transportation problems," the governor told reporters on Monday. Click here for full article |
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Posted May 24, 2005 Here is an example of how a biker who cares about his rights did something and made a difference! ..................................................................... Thanks to all of us bikers, Fastclick's just pulled their offensive "cop
shooting bikers" game ad! We understand your concern regarding the controversial biker Sincerely, Fastclick Support -----Original Message----- hear: Word of Mouth I'm appalled by your total lack of regard and morality towards We motorcyclists have more than enough of a bad stigma already to deal with now, given to use by the mass media, without you giving the public an extra avenue to look down on and belittle us too. And with the way some kids are being brought up these days with
very little or no supervision, one of them just might think he can
really try shooting at a real biker, which might not be taken lightly. Thank you!
<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>> From another activist: As a motorcyclist and a retired police officer, I find your animated ad depicting a police officer shooting motorcyclists offensive and in extremely poor taste. Harry T |
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| Posted May 12, 2005 Senate defies White House on highway funding Nearly three dozen Republicans joined with Democrats to lift the budget ceiling that held transportation spending to $284 billion, which was proposed by the Bush administration and included in the version approved by the House of Representatives in March. The Senate also defeated an amendment that would have restored a law, repealed 10 years ago, that would require motorcycle riders nationwide to wear helmets. Preliminary highway death figures for 2004 showed a 7.3 percent increase in motorcycle fatalities to 3,927. Click here for full article |
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| Posted May 22, 2005 WEIRD NEWS: EXPLOSIVE SITUATION Heidi Brown was told she could park her new scooter outside the vehicle registration office in London while she waited to get number plates. But to her horror, it was blown up by the army after someone reported that it might be a bomb. Police in Ipswich confirmed that a moped had been blown up in a controlled explosion after local business people "raised concerns" that it could be a bomb. "The moped was chained to the perimeter fence outside the building. We weren't able to identify whose vehicle it was because there were no number plates on it," said a spokeswoman for Suffolk police. She said the surrounding office buildings were evacuated and three roads were closed off. The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported the scooter belonged to Brown, a 22-year-old
care worker, who said she had been told she could leave it there awaiting inspection. |
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| Posted May 9, 2005 Tornado While Riding Northeast of Russell Springs, KS. Myself and good friend Chandler Fortner were on a Harley ride from Witchita, KS to Boulder, CO. It was around 4 PM and a lady at a gas station told us to be careful because a tornado had just been spotted nearby. We did not believe her until we saw this amazing spectacle in person! Click here for picture |
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| Posted May 7, 2005 It's Like Riding a Bike Fans around the NFL have been wondering about the play of Kellen Winslow, Jr. ever since he broke his leg in the second game of last season against the Dallas Cowboys. I have nothing against motorcycles personally, nor do I believe them to be inherently dangerous, but I do think it is reasonable for teams to prohibit their highly-paid athletes from riding them, simply because the risk for career-threatening injuries is greater. Woody Paige also made a comment that insinuated since only 9% of traffic accidents involve motorcycles, the logical next step for teams would be for them to forbid players from driving cars. Click here for full article |
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| Posted May 4, 2005 Tennessee Motorcycle Helmet Law May be Repealed Motorcycle riders may need one less thing with them the next time they ride, a helmet. The Tennessee State Senate passed a bill that repeals Tennessee's helmet law. State Senator Tim Burchett, (R) Knoxville, says bikers deserve the right to
make their own decision about wearing helmets, and that lawmakers did not have
a choice about helmet laws in the first place. That is because Federal highway
funds were tied to enacting helmet laws when they were first passed. Now that
the funding ties are gone, Senator Burchett wants the helmet laws gone as well. |
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| Posted May 2, 2005 Tennessee Helmet-Law Change Scheduled for Key Vote This Week NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Legislation that would make wearing a helmet optional for Tennessee motorcyclists is slated for a key vote this week in a House subcommittee, where safety advocates and doctors hope it will be stopped once again. Helmets have been required here since 1968. But the bill would make wearing
them an option for anyone over 21 and who has at least $10,000 worth of medical
insurance against injuries received in a wreck. |
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| Posted April 30, 2005 Restrictions May Loosen For North Carolina Motorcycle Riders Motorcycle riders could face fewer restrictions if a state legislator has his way. The bill, introduced by Rep. John Sauls of Sanford, would allow riders to go without a helmet, if they are over the age of 21, have had a motorcycle license for at least one year and have insurance. Their passengers would also be exempt if they have insurance and are over the age of 21. Many motorcycle riders agree with the proposed new law. Click here for full article |
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Posted April 30, 2005 WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration issued a veto threat again Tuesday against a popular highway bill, saying the president would be likely to reject any legislation that exceeds a White House-set spending ceiling or adds to the deficit. But the chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, James Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican, said, "Those of us who are conservatives really believe this is something we should be doing here." He said that in addition to making roads safer and less congested, the bill could "easily be the biggest jobs bill in the history of America." Supporters frequently quote Transportation Department estimates that every $1 billion in highway spending translates to 47,500 jobs.Click here for full article |
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| Posted May 13, 2005 Missouri repeal of state's mandatory helmet law could be close SPRINGFIELD -- A Missouri law meant to protect motorcycle riders is one step closer to becoming a thing of the past. State representatives approved a bill that would repeal the law that requires all motorcyclists to wear helmets. Cyclists over 21 would not have to wear helmets if the law would pass.  for full article |
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| Posted April 21, 2005 Nebraska Senator: Looser Helmet Law Would Boost Tourism LINCOLN, Neb. -- If the Nebraska Legislature passes a new helmet law this week, motorcycle riders over age 21 would not have to wear a helmet as they ride across the state. The bill's sponsor believes tourism profits would rise as a result. Click here for full article and for video on the debate to modify the existing law. |
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| Posted April 19, 2005 Debate Begins On Nebraska Motorcycle Helmet Bill LINCOLN, Neb. -- Legislative debate begins Tuesday on a measure to change Nebraska's motorcycle helmet law. Click here for full article |
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| Posted May 7, 2005 Tennessee Legislators Consider Helmet Law Change Some Tennessee lawmakers hope the third time's a charm for a bill that would make wearing a helmet optional for motorcycle riders. If the bill passes, all bikers over the age of 21 could make the choice themselves,
keeping the current law could save a lot of lives and a lot of money. |
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Posted April 18, 2005 Fast forwarding from 1998 to 2005 finds ABATE partner "interfaith
helpers" extending their ministry of service to one of the world's
poorest country's, Malawi , in Africa. One out of every six adults
has HIV/AIDS and the life expectancy there is only thirty-seven years
of age ! wages are about $5 per week. out of the total population
of 12,000,000 almost half of the peole are sixteen years of age or
younger ! |
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| Posted April 18, 2005 More Motorcycles on Roads, Accidents Follow The non-profit group ABATE, American Bikers Aiming Toward Education, is aggressively lobbying state lawmakers to make helmets optional, saying it should be the rider's choice. Whether or not there are fewer helmets, as the summer comes drivers should know there will most likely be more motorcycles. Click here for full article |
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| Posted April 27, 2005 Nebraska Lawmakers Advance Motorcycle Helmet Bill LINCOLN, Neb. -- Sen. Adrian Smith of Gering is not what most folks would consider a gambler. But Smith had to decide Monday whether to call for a vote to end a filibuster against his bill (LB70) to change Nebraska's motorcycle helmet law in hopes of having enough votes to advance the measure. He rolled the dice and won. |
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| Posted May 28, 2005 Highway Bill Extension Passed and Conference Committee Formed The US Congress has passed a 30-day extension of current highway and transit programs, buying Congress more time to negotiate a conference report on a long-term highway reauthorization bill. Both extension bills passed by voice vote, this is the seventh time Congress has extended the 1998 surface transportation law since September 2003. The current extension expires May 31. Conferees were also named after the extension was passed. The 92 person Conference Committee, which will be chaired by Don Young (R-AK), is comprised of 30 Senators of which there are 16 Republicans and 13 Democrats and one Independent representing the Senate Environment and Public Works, Banking, Commerce, and Finance committees. They are: Senators Inhofe (R-OK), Warner (R-VA), Bond (R-MO), Voinovich (R-OH), Chafee (R-RI), Murkowski (R-AK), Thune (R-SD), DeMint (R-SC), Isakson (R-GA), Vitter (R-LA), Grassley (R-IA), Hatch (R-UT), Shelby (R-AL), Allard (R-CO), Stevens (R-AK), Lott (R-MS), Jeffords (I-VT), Baucus (D-MT), Lieberman (D-CT), Boxer (D-CA), Carper (DE), Clinton (D-NY), Lautenberg (D-NJ), and Obama (D-IL), Conrad (D-ND), Inouye (D-HI), Rockefeller (D-WV), Sarbanes (D-MD), Reed (D-RI), and Johnson (D-SD). The House appointed 62 Members to the panel; of the 62 there are 37 Republicans and 25 Democrats representing the House Transportation and Infrastructure, Budget, Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, Government Reform, Homeland Security, Judiciary, Resources, Rules, Science, and Ways and Means committees. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) was also named a roving conferee who can sit in on all negotiations. They are: Young (R-AK), Oberstar (D-MN), Reps. Tom Petri (R-WI.), Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.), Howard Coble (R-N.C.), John J. Duncan (R-TN.), John L. Mica (R-FL.), Peter Hoekstra (R-MI.), Spencer Bachus (R-AL.), Steve LaTourette (R-OH), Richard Baker (R-LA.), Gary Miller (R-CA.), Robin Hayes (R-N.C.), Robert Simmons (R-CT.), Henry Brown (R-S.C.), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Bill Shuster (R-PA), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), Peter A. DeFazio (D-Ore.), Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Corrine Brown (D-FL.), B The MRF will continue to keep you informed on the developments of this conference process. MRF E-MAIL NEWS |
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Posted April 23, 2005 Click here for full article and to take an online survey if motorcyclists over 21 years old be required to wear helmets. |
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| Posted April 23, 2005 Keeping the Fear Alive The fear and chaos surrounding the attacks of 9/11 led to the swift passage of the Patriot Act in 2001, a quick effort to make the homeland more secure. This week Congress is reviewing the act to determine whether its measures are still appropriate nearly four years later. Originally passed while the World Trade Center was still smoking, the Patriot Act was not even read in full by most members of Congress, who were understandably more focused on pushing through heightened security measures than on preserving civil liberties. But 9/11 has long since passed, and it is time to revisit some of the law's most invasive portions. A coalition of liberal and conservative groups such as the ACLU and the American
Conservative Union, argue that the expansion of powers granted by the law have
been used for actions unrelated to terrorism prevention. |
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| Posted April 23, 2005 West Coast Bikers Head to Annual Laughlin River Run The bikers are back in town.The 23rd annual Laughlin River Run, a rally that draws tens of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts, is under way through Sunday in this Colorado River town on the Nevada-Arizona border. Billed as the West Coast's largest motorcycle event, the River Run features
a custom bike show, performances by Eddie Money, Styx and others, and a long
line of vendors offering biker wares along Casino Drive. The party-like atmosphere
also includes events like "Rockin' On the River" and the "Best
Buns Contest." |
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| Posted April 23, 2005 Older Riders Add to Rise In Motorcycle Fatalities More than 3,900 people died on motorcycles in the United States in 2004, up 7.3 percent from the year before, according to preliminary highway safety numbers released yesterday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That's the seventh straight year of increases in motorcycle deaths on U.S. roadways, for an 85 percent overall rise since 1997. The majority of the increase in motorcycle deaths -- 60 percent -- involved riders over age 40, the agency said. Click here for full article |
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| Posted April 23, 2005 MEDIA BLASTS MOTORCYCLISTS: Brian Dickerson, of the Detroit Free Press, is the latest to call for motorcyclists to be de-facto organ donors. What's worse, he suggests that injured bikers not be given medical treatment at all. This writer is either completely brain dead himself, or thoroughly brainwashed by the safetycrats about motorcycles. Maybe he's been showering too much – I once heard that there are more head injuries in the bathroom than there are on motorcycles – better tell this fellow to wear a helmet while he's in the shower. In serious injury cases, he says, bikers should automatically be classed as organ donors with the organs harvested as quickly as is possible, so people waiting should not be kept waiting. He doesn't stop there. He lumps bikers in with the right to die groups and links us to Dr. Kevorkian and the recent Terri Schiavo situation. You can reach this squirrel on the net by dialing up: dickerson@freepress.com Needless to say, I had a word or three for him. This isn't the first time stupidity has arisen from the press about us. Just
last September, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg characterized riders
as organ donors in a column headlined "Hop on a motorcycle, fill out your
donor card." And, because of the tremendous response by all of us, he
eventually admitted in print that he spoke without facts. But by suggesting
that injured motorcyclists be left to die, this Dickerson has really reached
the bottom of the barrel. |
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| Posted April 21, 2005 Senator Baker: State's helmet law 'flawed' Nebraska State Sen. Tom Baker defended his position on a bill that would repeal the state's motorcycle helmet law this morning during his weekly McCook Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee teleconferecnce call. Nebraska has a flawed law, Baker told the group. "When was the last time there was a ticket written for riding without a helmet? Baker queried. Click here for full article |
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| Posted April 19, 2005 Vermont Makes It Easier for Towns to Block Motorcycle Events Vermont's local lawmakers would have an easier time blocking motorcycle rides before they even start, under a bill introduced in the Vermont General Assembly. Introduced by state Reps. Richard Hube (R-Londonberry) and Richard Marek (D-Newfane), House Bill 421 would require leaders of an organized motor vehicle event to get a permit from the council or select board of any affected municipality. Failure to get the permission would result in a fine of up to $1,000 plus reasonable costs incurred by the town as a result of the violation." This proposal also would make it easier for towns to restrict the types of motor vehicles allowed on certain roads and trails because it would do away with the requirement that the town get approval from the state transportation director before restricting access to roads. AMA notes that this bill would make it easier for local politicians to stop recreational motorcycle events in places like Jamaica, which inappropriately stopped a dual-sport ride before it began last summer. Even though the Vermont Attorney General's Office took issue with many of the steps taken by Jamaica's Board of Selectmen and local law enforcement officers to stop the Red Fox Turkey Run last year, HB 421 would give even greater discretion to local politicians. Also HB 421 defines an organized motor vehicle event so broadly that any group of seven or more motorcyclists (street or dual-purpose) would be required to get a permit to access town roads. If you live in Vermont and want to take action, go to the Statewatch
section of http://www.amadirectlink.com |
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| Posted April 18, 2005 WEIRD NEWS: HYDROGEN-POWERED MOTORCYCLE IS TOO QUIET The world's first hydrogen-powered motorcycle has been launched in Britain. It can reach 50mph in 12 seconds, produces no emissions and is as quiet as a laptop computer -- but that could be a problem. While anti-noise groups welcome the prospect of a quiet motorcycle, engineers are considering adding an artificial "vroom" as they worry its silence might be dangerous. Harry Bradbury, chief executive of manufacturer Intelligent Energy, said: "There
has never been a silent bike produced, so no one is used to it." As it
goes forward towards production, we're going to give thought to some light
noise modulation." He is planning to introduce an artificial engine noise
which could be used in an urban setting to alert other road users but switched
off in the countryside to allow for a peaceful ride. The bike is powered by
a briefcase-sized cell filled with high-pressure hydrogen, which needs to be
refilled every 100 miles. |
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Posted April 18, 2005 But this year motorcycle groups, such as ABATE of Colorado, have called for a national boycott of the rally because New Mexico law enforcement authorities have failed to prosecute a 15-year-old boy who drove his truck head-on into two Colorado bikes during the rally last year, killing two men from Pueblo, Les Walker, 59, and Tim Serles, 41. Serles' wife, Jennifer, and Walker's fiancée, Kathleen Pullara, were both severely injured. Pullara lost part of her left leg.
Click here for ABATE of New Mexico official statement |
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| Posted April 11, 2005 They Hear Your Bikes - Let Them Hear Your Words! Just how do ordinary riders make a difference when it comes to dealing with law-makers. Like the routine maintenance on your ride, you need the right tools for the job when dealing with legislators: Visit: Be civil, but be yourself. Whatever "ride of life" you come from, whether your collar be blue or white, whether you ride a two, three or four-wheeler, don't try to be something that you aren't. If you and your group have long-hair and tattoos don't be afraid to organize with other clubs that wear ties to work; like-minded, but culturally varied groups show the politicians that riders represent a wide base of their constituents and they'll get the message. Write: Handwritten letters have the most impact, but typed or word-processed letters with a signature work fine. Keep your letters short, direct and civil. Make sure that you always include your full name and mailing address or your carefully-crafted words will end up going out with the day's garbage. Call: Pick up that phone when time is short before a vote. Like an in-person visit or a letter, the more clearly you state the case, the better off you are. Ask for and note the full name of the staff member that takes your call and thank them for their time. Legislators often rely on their staff to be up on not only the wording of a bill, but also the public response. Knowing the name of a staff member automatically give you a "contact" in that office. E-mail: Like a phone-call, e-mail is best reserved for last-minute efforts or immediate-vote issues. Like letters, they will only be read if you include your full name and mailing address (not just your e-mail address). E-mail is quickly becoming an effective and respected form of public lobbying. Form Cards & Letters: While not as effective as an individual visit, letter, phonecall or e-mail, form cards and letters do have their uses. If you are part of an organization and can gather thousands of such forms, they will have impact when dropped off at a legislator's office. Petitions: By themselves, petitions are the least effective tool, but can be used to good effect in conjunction with a combination of the above communication methods. are the least effective tool. Petitions should only be used to augment a greater effort. The most important tool, as with working on a rig, is your head. Search for current bills being floated through the legislature. Research the lobbying groups and join the one(s) you feel will do riders the most good. Read up on the "heavyweight" documents: the Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution and the constitution of your state. Finally, know the positions of those running for office before you vote! by Shawn H. Kerr |
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Posted March 23, 2005 Click here for full article |
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| Posted March 20, 2005,
Updated April 2, 2005 Michigan Helmet repeal bill heads for showdown Debate on measure shifts to House floor; Threat of Governor Granholm veto hangs over issue. LANSING -- Lawmakers again are moving ahead with legislation to repeal the state law requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets. Action now shifts to the House after the Senate passed the measure
last week. The riders may have their best chance of gaining full legislative approval of the proposed law change this year.
Click here for
full article |
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Posted March 18, 2005 DEARBORN, Mich., March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Michigan lawmakers today
(March 17) passed Senate Bill 297, which repeals the state's 36-year-old
mandatory motorcycle helmet law. It is estimated that the repeal
will result in 22 additional fatalities each year, along with 132
more incapacitating injuries, 610 other injuries and $140 million
in added economic costs to Michigan citizens |
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| Posted March 12, 2005 Maryland Helmet Bill Defeated in Committee The Environmental Matters Committee of the House of Delegates voted on HB 450 late in the afternoon on March 9, 2005. The vote was 11 NO votes and 9 YES votes. Two members of the committee were absent. Thus, HB 450 received an unfavorable report from the committee. This means that the bill will not advance to a full floor vote. More details will be forthcoming when the official tally sheet is available. Bill updates can be located via this link: ABATE of Maryland, Inc. |
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Posted February 27, 2005 Click here for full article |
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| Posted March 12, 2005 A Comparison of Motorcycle Accident and Fatality Rates between Mandatory Helmet Law States and Voluntary Helmet Use States. The following write up on helmets undoubtedly proves that helmet is not a good choice in many cases. In fact, the accidents statistics show death and accident rates in mandatory helmet rule states in in USA are higher than voluntry helmet rule state. And there is NO evidence that shows that helmets have significant effect on reducing death rate per fixed registrations. On the contrary there is evidence which shows that helmets cause more accidents and deaths per fixed registration. More accidents are because of inherent problems of helmets. More deaths are because of more number of accidents. Therefore, helmets could be a dangerous choice. Click here for full comparison |
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Posted February 18, 2005 Some Oregon lawmakers are talking about rolling back the law that requires all motorcycle riders to wear helmets. The bill would change the law so that it only applies to riders under the age of 21. Click here for full article |
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Posted February 17, 2005 A North Carolina bill to prohibit children under the age of ten (10) from riding as passengers on motorcycles has been sponsored by Representative Nelson Cole (D-Rockingham County). House Bill 39 was introduced on February 2, 2005 and referred to the House Committee on Transportation. HB39 assumes that legislators know better than parents when a child
should be allowed to ride as a passenger on a motorcycle. AMA Government Relations News & Notes |
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Posted February 17, 2005 Although Missouri’s mandatory helmet law has existed since the late 1960s, the law has come under fire in recent years from proponents of motorcyclists’ rights. This marks the seventh consecutive year that state legislators are considering a bill to repeal the helmet law. Click here for full article |
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| Posted March 5, 2005 Motorcycles Can Help Relieve Traffic Pollution & Congestion With serious shortfalls in federal and state transport budgets, these two problems are likely to get worse before they get better. Motorcycling is at least a partial answer to these problems. Motorcycles conserve fuel; 50 miles per gallon is not uncommon. Motorcycles act as an antidote to parking and traffic congestion; in urban centers, motorcycles complete the commute in roughly half the time of cars. Moreover, at a nominal 500 pounds gross vehicle weight, motorcycles cause no road wear. Cars, on the other hand, consume fuel, congest traffic and require extensive infrastructure (e.g., mammoth parking garages). Click here for full article |
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| Posted February 9, 2005 Connecticut Mandatory Helmet Bill Connecticut has been a free state since 1975. There is now a bill to reinstate a mandatory helmet law. for
article on Connecticut's battle to keep the mandatory helmet
law from returning. |
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| Posted January 25, 2005 Virginia Fire Official Proposes Motorcycle Medic Teams A motorist having a heart attack while stuck in traffic in the Midtown Tunnel could have a long wait for an ambulance. Portsmouth emergency officials think they have a solution: medics on motorcycles. Click here for full article |
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Posted February 27, 2005 With a biker in the Governor’s Mansion, supporters of helmet-free
motorcycle riding in West Virginia may have better prospects of getting
legislation passed than in previous years.
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Posted February 21, 2005 Karl Vincent sees it all the time: high-speed performance motorcycles whizzing past his truck at speeds in excess of 100 mph, cutting off motorists on Interstate 97 and other roads near his Anne Arundel County home. Click here for full article |
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Are you aware that NJ has lowered the legal blood alcohol content from .1 to .08? Click here to find out how much you can drink before you are legally DUI. Remember, impairment starts after the first drink. |
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Posted February 18, 2005 The sponsor, state Rep. Walter Wheeler, D-Kittery, is convinced
a helmet law is a good idea for Maine. He expects the mandate would
play out like a law banning smoking in bars, which incensed some
smokers when it first took effect last year. "Now, you don't
hear anything about it," he said. Rudy Avizius Click here for an article about helmet bills in New England |
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| Posted January 30, 2005 New Bikers Right of Way Website Have you ever been cut off by someone who neglected to give you the right of way? Have you ever lost a loved one or friend by someone who ignored a right of way? Did you know that in one state a driver killed 3 bikers after driving on the wrong side of the road and was fined $213? That's $71 for each person killed. A new website is now up that will provide you with information about this critical issue. It has forums, stories, legal answers, and other valuable information. This will be the cutting edge foremost reference for all motorcyclists looking to obtain info for their respective states!  |
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This is a great site that is looking for input and to spread our ideas. |
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Posted January 22, 2005 Question: Response: There is no NJ regulation that says the health carrier is primary. Its just that in most instances, there is no other coverage for the rider. |
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| Posted January 25, 2005 Maine Considering Helmet Bill AUGUSTA — With arctic winds still blowing and snow flying across northern New England, motorcycle season is still a ways down the road. But the debate over helmets will soon begin Click here for full article |
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| Posted January 30, 2005 Nebraska Helmet Law Bill Before Nebraska Legislature  for
more information |
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| Posted January 30, 2005 Let's Get Beyond Helmet Law Issue to the Prevention of Biker Deaths The simplistic statement that deaths have increased since the change of Florida's mandatory helmet law is also misleading. The National Transportation and Highway Safety Administration reports that despite more states allowing adults to choose when to wear a helmet, helmet use in all motorcycle fatalities has increased from 1998 to 2001. If the use of a helmet made that big of a difference why are the fatalities per registration ratios lower now than before? Click here for full article |
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| Posted January 21, 2005 Oregon Bikers Fight Again to Repeal Mandatory Helmet Law They may have grayed a bit since they first started fighting Oregon's helmet law. An 18-year losing streak can have that effect. But hundreds of Oregon motorcycle riders plan to demonstrate this week that they're as passionate as ever in their quest to repeal the mandatory helmet law that has been on the books since 1987. The helmet issue will not simply go away. Fundamental freedom is the issue here and it keeps returning on the legislative agenda year after year. Click here for full article |
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| Posted January 25, 2005 Maine Considering Helmet Bill AUGUSTA — With arctic winds still blowing and snow flying across northern New England, motorcycle season is still a ways down the road. But the debate over helmets will soon begin Click here for full article |
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| Posted January 17, 2005 The Motorcycle Safety Foundation Strikes Again As of January 1, there is no training in most of the San Francisco area. MSF has terminated the two contracts for four separate sites held by James La Barbera with a two-day notice before it was effective--a notice that arrived after the office was closed for the holiday weekend. The shutdown occurred, according to California Motorcycle Safety Program (CMSP) administrator and MSF employee Rob Gladden, after serious safety violations were found at one out of the four sites. Gladden, in a phone interview with Motorcycle Consumer News, said the specific violations that led to the termination were "bald tires, dead batteries and helmets without liners." He says MSF does not move quickly to terminate contracts when only administrative issues are involved, but they do when there's serious safety violations. La Barbera, he said, was "unwilling" to work with MSF to correct the problems. However, further investigation revealed there was only one dead battery on Gladden said that the shutdown followed numerous site visits by multiple highly trained evaluators over a period of six months. Examination of the reports show there were three separate visits--though several sessions were observed at each. There was one in September and two in December. The one in September done by Sherry Williams, Director of Quality Assurance who learned to ride this summer. Williams' name does not appear on the report, but she was identified by those present on that date. Williams visit was in conjunction with a RiderCoach update held in SF. Coincidentally, at the Friday night session Williams asked what people thought
of the BRC and MSF's administration and La Barbera, by his own admission, was
very frank and unflattering in his responses. The following morning, Williams
arrived at his San Mateo site and then gave a strongly negative evaluation
including the dead battery and the missing liners--though that the liners were
paper was not noted and so appeared to be a safety rather than cleanliness
issue. La Barbera, who has been in the training business for years, says he
had not received such negative evaluations in the past when the administration
was handled by Crane The next MSF evaluation was done from Dec 3-5 at the same site, San Mateo,by David Crouch, and he also found violations--including the allegedly bald tires. The third visit was done by Mark Lytel from the Alameda site on Dec 19th at Novato and did not find any of the safety violations noticed earlier. Despite the clean bill of health on the last visit, a week and a half later, on December 30th, MSF notified La Barbera of the termination of all four sites via fax sent at 6 p.m. after everyone had left. The fax said the termination was effective January 1, although the cover page had the effective date as January 7th. It was only after the office reopened on the 3rd that La Barbera learned he was out of business. Incidentally, MSF had already granted a contract to Redwood Region Motorcycle Training for a double-range site in Novato in September,2004,before the update. The new double site would've been near La Barbera's if it had remained open. According to Gladden, La Barbera learned that a double-range site would share his territory at the update meeting when it was "broadcast to the entire room." He said he did not find it inappropriate that La Barbera found out that way. When asked why the new range would be located so near another site, Gladden said that it was necessary since the wait time was 45 days for classes in Novato --though La Barbera says it was actually 30 days. Wait time in other parts of the country, however, are up to a year, according to an earlier MCN interview with MSF, and, according to our investigation, often run two months at many other sites in CA. According to another site manager who requested anonymity, official MSF rules and guidelines also state that wait time should not exceed 90 days. He did not know if that guideline had changed recently. Gladden also said that one of the new ranges would be devoted only to ERC According to an unnamed source, Gladden also said that the motorcycles were too old at the San Mateo site. But, after termination, La Barbera said that Gladden asked him to give all his motorcycles to MSF. Gladden says that training will hopefully resume in two weeks. Sam La Pore, La Barbera's silent financial partner in the SF proper and Vallejo sites, is in the process of contracting with MSF to run the San Francisco and Vallejo sites. La Pore was contacted for comment, but did not return our call. Dave Sullivan, who owns the Petaluma site, will take on the San Mateo site in a new location. The Petaluma site has a single range and is about 15 miles away from Santa Rosa, with its double range, and is also about 15 miles away from the new double range site in Novato. According to Gladden, those who are taking over the sites are "eager
to work with MSF." The shutdown in SF follows within months a similar
action, narrowly averted, of a shutdown of Red Runyon's sites in Los Angeles. Wendy Moon has posted this report to the LA Bikers list. She sent |
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| Posted January 17, 2005 Pennsylvania Increases Penalties for Careless Driving A Pennsylvania General Assembly bill to increase penalties for careless driving when someone is injured or killed has cleared and been signed into law by the Governor Edward Rendell. The measure, HB-873, received final approval in the House by a 192-2 vote on November 21. ABATE of PA was the driving force in getting the bill passed, backed by the AMA, as part of the AMA's national Justice for All campaign that seeks increased penalties for those who kill or injure vulnerable road users, including motorcyclists and bicyclists. Under the new law, drivers convicted of careless driving when the offender unintentionally causes the death of another person face increased fines of $500 and a six-month drivers license suspension. A careless driving offense that results in serious bodily injury to another person carries a $250 fine and three-month license suspension. Under current law, a careless-driving conviction results in a $25 fine plus costs and fees, as well as three points off a person's license. No further penalties currently exist if a death or serious injury results from a careless-driving violation. The bill is the latest victory for motorcyclists in efforts nationwide to increase penalties for drivers who injure or kill vulnerable road users, and to educate drivers to share the road. Similar laws have been passed in Washington New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Washington, and Massachusetts. The AMA's national Justice for All campaign focuses on the inadequate sentencing
of drivers who kill or seriously injure others on the road. The campaign seeks
to get three measures passed in all 50 states. Those measures will: increase
penalties, including jail time, for those who commit manslaughter with a motor
vehicle; impose fines and drivers license suspensions on drivers who commit
traffic offenses that injure or kill others; and get motorcyclist-awareness
instruction included in each state's driver-education program. |
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You Really Can Make a Difference! Click here to find out how to join our activist network. |
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Posted December 14, 2005 • ALLOW AGENTS TO OBTAIN PERSONAL RECORDS WITHOUT REQUIRING
ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN RECORDS SOUGHT AND SUSPECTED TERRORISTS Senator Corzine: (202) 224-4744 This is a huge moment. Senators from both parties have formed a
coalition of both liberals and conservatives and are standing together
to protect privacy and liberty in a time of war—and they're
ready to go all the way. It's important to support them and to show
those who are still on the fence how important this issue is to you. 3. ACLU: Reform the Patriot Act 5. ACLU: Summary of Patriot Reauthorization Act Conference
Report 6. "The FBI's Secret Scrutiny," |
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"They
that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" Benjamin Franklin |
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Posted December 11, 2005 What have MRO's (Motorcycle Rights Organizations) done to help New Jersey riders? We now have fair weather inspection dates Remember, that the NHTSA has stated that education and training
is the most effective way to reduce motorcycle accidents. |
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| Posted December 7, 2005 Sri Lanka bans Tamil motorcyclists from wearing helmet In most countries of the world it is a legal requirement to wear a helmet whilst riding a motorcycle. The same is also true for Sri Lanka. However, the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has decided to apply this law to the Tamils of Jaffna in a twisted form. Sources from Jaffna told this website that the SLA has banned them from wearing helmets while riding motorcycles. |
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| Posted December 5, 2005 Piecing together a crash's puzzle Reconstructionists' focus: What happened, how, why Crushed metal and shattered glass glisten in the July sun. The smell of motor oil fills the air. Tire marks stretch across the left eastbound lane of Interstate 72. A blue 1998 Chevrolet Blazer lies on its top, facing west in the grass median. A utility trailer is overturned in the grass. DeRenzy, 50, is the senior crash reconstruction officer for District 9 of the Illinois State Police. Though he's seen his share of fatal rollovers in 10 years as a reconstructionist, he makes no assumptions. His mind focuses on three basic questions: what happened, how and why? "I
almost always find out the 'what' and 'how.' Sometimes 'why' is never assessed," he
said. |
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Those
who are Free are killed by those who mouth the slogans of Freedom
and salute the flag, then pull the trigger or swing the axe in
their anger to prove how free they are. |
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| Posted December 4, 2005 The Best Pick-Up Line for a Middle-Aged Man: "Wanna Ride On My Harley?" The Harley, once the icon of lawless nomads, has come to signify enduring youth with an undeniable sense of individualism and coolness. Nothing sounds like a Harley and nothing generates the throbbing, pulsating power of sexual rhythm (if you catch my drift) like a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The problem with Harleys is that they don't give them away. In fact, those who sell Harleys understand they are selling Milwaukee Iron manhood extenders and price them accordingly. Introduction into the club requires more than a little jack. Click here for full article |
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| Posted December 4, 2005 Josh's Recovery Nothing Short of Miraculous Four weeks ago I wrote one of the hardest columns I've ever felt compelled to pen. It was about our friend and colleague Josh Staloch, an integral member of our South Valley Newspaper family who had been in a horrific motorcycle crash and had been hospitalized with severe life-threatening injuries. Today I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be writing a column that defines
the very essence of the strength and determination that comes from within the
human spirit. |
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| Posted December 4, 2005 Single-issue constituents succeed in changing California law California's motorcycle helmet law, signed in 1991, stemmed from the personal persistence of Mary Smith, a Rio Linda woman whose son died in a motorcycle accident. Smith approached dozens of lawmakers before then-Assemblyman Dick Floyd, D-Hawthorne, agreed to take on her fight. Click here for full article |
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| Posted November 27, 2005 Course helps keep motorcyclists alive In 2003, 42,643 people died in traffic crashes. Of those deaths, 3,661 were motorcycle fatalities. Of 834 people killed in Indiana crashes that year, 81, or 9.7 percent, were motorcyclists. About 50,000 students have graduated from ABATE training courses since 1979. In 1986, the Indiana Department of Education got involved with the ABATE program and fatalities have dropped 65 percent. ABATE contracts with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles to provide motorcycle license examinations. Most ABATE license examiners are safety instructors, and each instructor has undergone more than 100 hours of training. The course teaches the basic skills of braking, shifting, turning, straight line and curve riding, along with street riding strategies, special riding situations, proper riding attitude and complex physical skills, such as advanced turning, maximum braking and swerving techniques to avoid accidents. Click here for full article |
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| Posted November 27, 2005 Cruising boomers kick-start yet another trend Riding choppers and big, noisy motorcycles was once the way to "stick it to the man." Now "the man" is riding choppers and big, noisy motorcycles. Cruisers — road bikes with big engines that are customized
to the point of uniqueness — have become the bike of choice
in the motorcycle industry as more and more baby boomers saddle up. |
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| Posted November 20, 2005 Clearing the Air Over the EPA Emissions Issue...2006 Edition I've heard a bit of feedback lately from little shops, and even
from one of the motorcycle rag editors in the last few weeks about
the EPA emissions ruling. OH! That's right...they were too busy making millions off the Discovery
Channel. Now that Discovery has DISCONTINUED the bike build-offs....now
they come crashing back to earth and expect us to help THEM??? Right.
They can't even find $125 bucks in their petty crash drawer to join
as Business Members...great friends to the sport they are. ONLY S&S
Engines got involved and had the ballz to help us out. Tier 1. If you need more info on this or any other subject just go to the Sons of Liberty Riders Info Zone http://solriders.com/ or http://bikers4row.org |
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| Posted November 20, 2005 U.S. Trade Deficit Hangs In a Delicate Imbalance Bob Miller, a stocky 60-year-old who imports motorcycle helmets, was giving a tour of his Southern California home to Scott Hong, an executive of a South Korean helmet manufacturer. The back yard, which features a swimming pool, Jacuzzi and tennis court, elicited murmurs of awe from Hong. But an even greater marvel materialized at Miller's bed, where at the touch of a button, a video screen descended from the canopy. Miller indulges in quickie trips to Las Vegas and boasts a collection of classic cars. His firm, Helmet House, buys helmets in large quantities from Asia for distribution in the United States. Spread across millions of Miller's and Hong's fellow citizens, this behavior adds up. In the United States, imports exceeded exports last year by $617.6 billion, a record gap equal to 5.3 percent of gross domestic product. The U.S. trade deficit has swelled even further in the first nine months of this year compared with the corresponding period in 2004. Click here for full article Bet he supports mandatory helmet laws. (For our own good of course!) |
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| Posted November 20, 2005 Helmets Help Increase US Trade Deficit SEOUL -- As U.S. Trade Gap Grows, So Do Asian Banks' Foreign Reserves. A few hundred yards from the Nam Dae Mun market -- a vast jumble of alleys where sunglasses, underwear and jade stones are on sale alongside giant mushrooms and dried octopus -- stands a stately, Renaissance-style building. There can be found an answer to the question: Who are the foreigners to whom the United States owes trillions of dollars in debt? The building houses South Korea's central bank, the Bank of Korea, the country's
equivalent of the Federal Reserve. The Bank of Korea is the final destination
for many of the dollars earned by Korean exporters such as HJC Helmets, the
No. 1 supplier to the U.S. motorcycle-helmet market. As a result, it has become
one of the United States' biggest creditors. |
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| Posted November 13, 2005 Freedom Riders - How motorcyclists won the right to feel the wind in their hair—and why drivers still have to buckle up. While almost every state requires adults to wear seat belts, most
do not require them to wear motorcycle helmets, even though riding
a motorcycle is much more dangerous than driving a car. The story
behind this anomaly is both inspiring and discouraging—inspiring
because it shows that a highly motivated minority can make a successful
stand for freedom, discouraging because it shows that politics is
more important than principle in determining why certain laws aimed
at protecting people from their own risky behavior become widely
accepted while others remain controversial. |
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October 2005 ABATE of the Garden State-SW Toy Run with Steve Kiley from FOX29 News as Grand Marshall |
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| Posted November 7, 2005 Ohio Mandatory Helmet Law Bill Introduced Wake up, OHIO Bikers, the safety nazis are back and this time they're beating at OUR door. Introduced this week, HB 406 proposed that a fulltime helmet law be put in place for ANY operator and passenger under the age of 25! It further proposes that if anyone is charged under this statute, if enacted, a mandatory fine of 500.00 SHALL be imposed (good-bye judicial discretion) which will go to fund a Traumatic Brain Injury fund, some of which will be used to fund a study of traumatic brain injuries (you know where that one is heading, don't ya brothers and sisters? Can you say MANDATORY, FULL TIME HELMET LAW?) Anyway, here's the short description of the bill's intended purpose and a link to the full text of the bill. As Introduced Representatives Patton, T., Williams, Koziura, Brown, Allen To amend sections 3304.23, 3304.231, 4507.164, 4509.101, 4510.11, 4510.12, 4510.14, 4510.16, and 4511.53 and to enact sections 3304.232, 4501.40, and 4509.106 of the Revised Code to require persons who are under 25 years of age to wear a helmet while riding on a motorcycle either as the operator or as a passenger, to require persons convicted of failing to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle, driving under license suspension, driving without a valid driver's license, driving under OVI suspension, driving under financial responsibility suspension, and failing to produce proof of financial responsibility in certain circumstances to pay a mandatory $500 fine, to permit those persons in certain circumstances to choose between a jail term of two consecutive weekend days or attendance at a safe and responsible driving instructional class, to create the Traumatic Brain Injury Fund and the Safe and Responsible Driving Instructional Fund, and to require some of the fines paid by such persons to be deposited into these new funds. http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=126_HB_406 Get out those pens or break out that phone book and call your State Representative and tell them to just say NO! Remember to that our General Assembly is getting ready to go into holiday recess and they will be back in their districts. Invite them to speak at an ABATE chapter meeting and let them hear, firsthand, how your chapter members feel. If your not sure who your state representative is just go to: http://www.house.state.oh.us/jsps/Representatives.jsp or, if you don't have computer access, call me at the ABATE of Ohio Legislative office (330) 270-0875 Let's bury these people under a mountain of email, mail, phone calls, a mountain made up entirely of the word, "NO" peace be the journey |
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| Posted November 3, 2005 Wierd News! Man riding motorcycle with body charged TIJUANA – A man arrested after riding a motorcycle through the city with a corpse is facing homicide charges, Mexican authorities said. Authorities said Salas put a helmet on Martínez and strapped him to his back to make him look like a passenger. Salas then rode the motorcycle through the city and looked for a place to leave the body, authorities said. Click here for full article |
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| Posted November 1, 2005 More's involved than no helmets Motorcycle fatality figures don't tell the whole story — or even the facts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2004 Fatalities Report, released two months ago, stated that the number of motorcycle-related fatalities in the state of Florida have increased dramatically since the helmet laws were amended in 2000. They're right! Motorcycle riders are dying on Florida roads. What is not being
taken into account in this study is the number of miles traveled by each registered
motorcyclist. If a motorcycle sits idle, except for special occasions prior
to the helmet law amendment and is now ridden daily, because of the helmet
law change, there are considerably more opportunities for crashes to occur.
The study would have you believe motorcycle riders are dying because they aren't
wearing helmets. |
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Posted October 23, 2005 While natural disasters in the Gulf Coast and the man-made disaster in Iraq continue to grab the public's attention, a constitutional disaster quietly threatens the nation. The USA Patriot Act's renewal is now almost a fait accompli--accepted by all but the most steadfast civil libertarians in Congress. The House and Senate have separately voted to approve the law with only minor changes, and the final conference committee action and vote is expected within the next week or so. None of the provisions of the law that were slated to sunset now appear likely to do so. Click here for full article |
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| Posted October 8, 2005 Impacting the Legislative Process The tools of a grassroots activist include acts of civil-disobedience, personal visits, letters, phone calls, emails, pre-written postcards or form letters, and petitions. Each has a different purpose and level of effectiveness. These items are listed in their approximate order of importance and impact. Click here for more detailed information on each of the above strategies, what works best and what does not. From ABATE of SC. |
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| Posted October 8, 2005 Click here for information on New Jersey Motorcycle Laws from the AMA database. |
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| Posted October 8, 2005 Motorcycles, Scooters Combat High Gas Prices Dealers throughout the area say motorcycle sales, particularly scooters, are accelerating in large part because of middle-aged buyers who want to avoid high gas prices. "This time of year, sales usually slow down, but they haven't this year," said Jeff Bach, owner of the Extreme Toy Store in Rock Hill, where Simpson bought her Aprilia scooter. "People are buying them for practicality." Click here for full article |
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| Posted October 3, 2005 Writer does not understand thrill of motorcycle In reply to the statement about “middle-age motorcycle morons” (“Something must be done about motorcycle noise, “Sept. 19 Palladium-Item): In reply to the statement about “middle-age motorcycle morons” (“Something must be done about motorcycle noise, “Sept. 19 Palladium-Item): At first, I wanted to lower myself to the writer’s level and name call. Then I realized I didn’t want to disgrace the thousands that have died for our freedoms of choice. Click here for full editorial |
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| Posted October 1, 2005 New Statistics Show Motorcycle Drivers Dodge Death by Not Wearing Helmets Many folks are surprised about new figures released from the Department of Motor Vehicles. They show that motorcycle drivers who do not wear a helmet are less likely to die in crashes than those that do. The figures come from Florida's annual traffic crash report from 2004. Click here for full article |
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Posted October 19, 2005 A major research institution has recently announced the discovery of the heaviest element known to science. The new element has been named " Governmentium." Governmentium has one neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can
be <<<>>>>>>> Well, that explains why we have a government in a free society that takes away our freedoms. Next thing you know they will be mandating air bags on motorcycles or making all motorcycle riders take training "safety renewal" programs no matter how many years of riding experience they have. |
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| Posted September 27, 2005 No Motorcycles Travel In South Dakota? As most everyone in the motorcycling community knows, the state of South Dakota is currently hosting the largest motorcycle rally in the country in Sturgis. Ironically, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has learned the State of South Dakota has reported ZERO vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for motorcycles in its annual reports to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) each year since 1997. In fact, according to information provided to the MRF by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there was absolutely no motorcycle VMT reported not only for South Dakota, but also for Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania or Texas from 1997-2003. . Click here for full article. Makes one wonder about the accuracy of government reports. |
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| Posted September 21, 2005 Motorcycle club gives columnist ride on the wild side "Born to be Wild" I wasn't. Yet when the founder of the Ankeny Motorcycle Club invited me to join the group on a ride, I was intrigued. At first I laughed off the idea. But after more thought, it didn't seem so
crazy. I could handle riding on the back of a motorcycle at highway speed through
the Iowa countryside, right? |
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| Posted October 8, 2005 ABATE of Florida Press Release “Helmetless” Riders are Less Likely to Die in Motorcycle Crashes on Florida Roads The 2004 Crash Statistics for Florida wipe away NHTSA’s prediction of a blood bath. According to the recently released, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles annual Traffic Crash Statistics Report for 2004, motorcycle riders wearing helmets were more likely to sustain an injury or suffer a fatality than their non-helmeted counterparts. The huge increase in death and injury to non-helmeted motorcycle riders, predicted by NHTSA (National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration) in a report released this summer, has not been substantiated. The numbers are going to disappoint the proponents of helmet laws while simultaneously confirming the facts presented to the public by ABATE of Florida, Inc. (American Bikers Aimed Toward Education). ABATE is a non-profit motorcycle rights organization in Florida and has spent years focusing on motorcycle related issues, including crash prevention and stiffer penalties for negligent vehicle operators who kill and injure motorcycle riders. Of the 388 motorcycle riders killed in crashes on Florida roads during 2004, over 51% were wearing safety helmets. The crash facts also demonstrate that riders wearing safety helmets were more likely to sustain injuries than non-helmeted riders. In each of the statistical focus topics presented in the study, the percentage numbers were very close between helmeted and non-helmeted riders, except for non-injury crashes. The study stated that non-helmeted riders were 20% more likely to walk away from a crash without injuries than riders who were wearing helmets. This disparity could be due to the visual and physical limitations imposed by a helmet. Wearing a motorcycle helmet cannot keep a crash from occurring, however, riding without a helmet could allow a rider to respond more quickly or to visually recognize potential hazards, decreasing the severity of the injury sustained or avoiding injury all together. There are no statistics available for crashes which riders were able to completely avoid due to training or equipment use. According to the crash statistics, the top three contributing causes of all motor vehicle crashes include careless driving, failure to yield the right- of-way and driving under the influence of alcohol. None of the three include equipment failure, environmental or weather related issues. Each of the top three causes for crashes are directly linked to driver error or negligent action by the motor vehicle operator. Therefore, in stands to reason that a significant number of crashes could be avoided if motor vehicle drivers took personal responsibility for operating a deadly weapon prior to engaging their engines. People can only control two things in their lives; what they think and what they do. Personal responsibility cannot be legislated. Political and governmental entities cannot mandate ethical and honorable actions. It is society, which dictates acceptable public behavior. Rehabilitation programs rely on education and a series of problem identification and behavior modification systems to alter behaviors that are harmful to a group or individual. Reeducating the public on safe operation of their motor vehicles or rehabilitating vehicle operators that habitually drive impaired or recklessly is an enormous job, however, ABATE of Florida, Inc. is taking on one piece of that task. The group is getting information out to the public on motorcycle safety and awareness through high school drivers education programs, posters, flyers, the presentation of a free Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Program, along with a series of annual safety seminars for the motorcycle riding and non-riding public. In conjunction with the Florida legislature, ABATE is putting billboards throughout the state to encourage drivers to be aware of motorcycles and to drive alertly. In other words, to take personal responsibility for their driving actions and to think about the way they operate their vehicles. James “Doc” Reichenbach, president of ABATE of Florida, Inc. who’s group lobbied strongly for motorcycle helmet reform in 2000, said, “The numbers from the crash report for 2004 may favor our point of view, but even one death is too many. We… (motorcycle riders)… have to ride defensively and we have to educate everyone we meet.” To help educate the driving public, four billboards with motorcycle safety messages have already been installed on major Florida highways. Within the next few months, Mr. Reichenbach expects approximately ten more billboards to be in place in areas where high motorcycle injury rates have been reported. Motorcycle shop owner, Dan Fish of Doc’s Southern Cycles in Pace, Florida, said, “I’ve had five times as many people in the shop in the past week looking for bikes under 600cc’s.” He said people are worried about getting around and are looking for economical transportation. The motorcycle population has more than doubled in the past five years with over 700,000 endorsed riders. With the marked increase in gasoline prices and concern over fuel availability, the number of motorcycle riders on Florida highways could easily reach 1.5 million in the next five years. Motor vehicle operators will be encountering an ever- increasing number of two wheeled travelers in the future. Motorcycles are smaller and can easily be lost in blind spots of larger vehicles. Drivers need to be aware of the presence of all vehicles in their vicinity and give motorcycles their full lane of travel. Perception of the speed that a motorcycle is traveling is often misjudged and failure to yield the right-of-way is sighted as the cause in a significant number of motorcycle versus automobile crashes. Statistical reports, no matter how reliable the source, will not stop the motorcycle helmet usage debate, however, the real issue is crash prevention. To get involved in motorcycle crash prevention or to find out more about the Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Programs being offered, contact ABATE of Florida, Inc. at P.O. Box 2520, DeLand, Florida, 32721 or visit www.abateflorida.com |
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| Posted August 26, 2005 Riders need to stay aware We've all heard the arguments, pro and con, and both sides have legitimate points. However, one argument touted by the anti-helmet group is totally invalid. They say, "Helmets restrict visibility and hearing, making the rider more vulnerable." Nonsense. These riders are failing to maintain "situational awareness." That is where a driver-rider maintains a constant vigil of road conditions, traffic patterns, relative vehicle speeds, lane positions and projecting what will happen 30 seconds from now. This allows him or her to maintain a safe position on the roadway in respect to other vehicles. On a motorcycle this is done by actually looking around as you ride, using your mirrors, keeping track of where that black pickup is now compared with 10 seconds ago, etc. The most demanding profession in the world (when it comes to situational awareness) is a fighter pilot. They must be aware in three dimensions, not just two, and the helmets they wear contain headphones tuned to several different radio frequencies all broadcasting at once and restrict peripheral vision much more than any motorcycle helmet. However, by constantly scanning where they are, where others are and flying ahead of themselves, they live to fly and fight another day. Anthony C. Shawley, Nixa I would not presume to tell a pilot how to fly since I am not experienced in that area. I suggest that they do not presume on telling us how to "survive" when riding a motorcyle. I have posted this editorial and our response on our web site. http://www.gardenstateabate.org Rudy Avizius |
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| Posted October 3, 2005 Motorcycling Sees Boomer Boom It's Day Three of motorcycle school. Forget tentative. I twist the throttle and attack the turns. These are fast times for motorcycling. In 2003, there were 5.4 million registered cycles in the U.S. — up 40 percent from a decade earlier, according to the Department of Transportation [DOT]. Expect interest to accelerate. An average bike achieves about 50 miles per gallon, scooters much more. And if training programs continue to rev up, look for the reversal of another statistic: While last year's overall vehicle fatality rate on U.S. highways was the lowest since record-keeping began 30 years ago, motorcycle fatalities rose 8 percent to more than 4,000, according to the DOT. Fatalities among the over-40 set have soared. Click here for full article |
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Never doubt that a small
group of dedicated individuals can change the world. In fact, it
is the only thing that ever has. American Anthropologist - Margaret Mead, 1901-1978 |
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| Posted September 19, 2005 Vets want renewed bid to find MIAs, POWs On Sunday morning, about 3,000 motorcyclists left a park in Elizabeth and zoomed south toward the arena, site of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial. There are some 78,000 Americans unaccounted for from World War II, more than 8,000 from the Korean War, about 2,000 from Vietnam and one from each of the Persian Gulf wars, said Artie M. Muller, Rolling Thunder's national executive director and a Vietnam veteran. Click here for full article |
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| Posted September 19, 2005 Fuel Cell Motorbike to Hit U.S. Streets A sleek, almost silent, nonpolluting fuel cell-powered motorcycle is set to begin gliding down U.S. streets by the end of 2006. ENV makes no more noise than a home computer and emits only heat and water.Users have compared riding the nearly silent motorbike to skiing, sailing, surfing, and glider flying. Click here for full article  The ENV (or "envy") motorcycle is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell that can run almost silently at a top speed of 50 miles an hour. Fuel-cell-powered vehicles, which emit only heat and water vapor, are gaining public interest as an environmentally-friendly travel option. Photograph courtesy Intelligent Energy |
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| Posted September 8, 2005 Total Motorcycle Fuel Economy Guide As oil prices rise across the world gas prices just keep rocketing up too. Cheap gas seems to be a memory of the past as we all look to save money on fuel and saving is never all that fun. Why not do both? Save your money and have fun at the same time, on a motorcycle! No matter what you call it, Petrol, Gas or just plain old fuel, motorcycles are some of the best vehicles to give you the best economy, efficiency and gas milage. Click here for a fuel economy guide for all brands of motorcycles. |
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Posted August 12, 2005 USA TODAY's story about the rise in motorcycle deaths suggested
that the increase is due to new, inexperienced riders, lack of helmet
laws in some states and more motorcycles on the road. The story failed
to mention that new drivers are not taught to drive alongside motorcyclists
("Motorcycle deaths rise sharply," News, Tuesday). |
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| Posted September 1, 2005 Motorcycle Motor Oil So how do you make an intelligent choice? Will $1.00 a quart automotive oil work okay or do you need to pay $4 to $12 a quart for "motorcycle" oil? You have to answer that question yourself, but here are a few facts to help you make the best decision for your situation. Click here for full article |
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Picture from the 2005 Sunset Ride and Campover event. |
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| Posted August 26, 2005 The Truth about Motorcycle Helmets The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has conducted a number of compliance tests of motorcycle helmets over the years to determine if the helmets were in compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218 (FVMSS218). In the last 15 years, there have only been 2 years that more helmets have passed than failed. Click here for full article |
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| Posted August 22, 2005 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was an eye-opening experience This is the 65th year the celebration of all things motorcycles has been held in the sleepy little community of Sturgis, which has a usual population of about 2,000. During the week, well over a half-million "bikers" were estimated to have participated in the rally. I have to admit to being overwhelmed by the sheer number of people, bikes, vendors and traffic. As the week went on, I grew accustomed to it, but was never really comfortable. Flying down I-90 at 80 mph in thick traffic where other bikers are splitting lanes and the drivers in the boxes are hitting their brakes puts a whole new perspective on things. Click here for full article |
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| Posted August 10, 2005 Finding a third way in helmet debate This is the point where a responsible person would call for mandatory helmet laws to be reinstated, but I am not a responsible person. I get nervous when government gets overprotective of individuals, and this is near -- but not over -- the borderline of what I'm entirely comfortable with. So instead, the law should concentrate on protecting people other than riders -- to wit, taxpayers. I'd suggest this: Have the state issue two different flavors of motorcycle tag. Helmeted motorcyclist tags and unhelmeted motorcyclist tags. Click here for full article |
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Posted August 7, 2005 For AMA member Mike Williams of Dallas, it was decision time. |
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Posted August 6, 2005 At first, it’s the noise that fascinates me. Harley-Davidsons
roar like thunder. |
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| Posted August 5, 2005 Storied motorcycle rally has wide appeal STURGIS, S.D. (AP) - Dusting off a hefty Harley-Davidson perched on a carrier at the rear of his upscale motor home, retired sales executive Jerry Boen said he is drawn to the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally by the thrill of riding through the Black Hills. Bikers of all kinds - from motorcycle gang members to doctors and lawyers - trek from every corner of the nation for the rally. Many are lured by the stark beauty of Badlands National Park, the patriotic aura of Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the simple serenity of the Black Hills. Gary Raabe, 58, drove 383 miles from Denver on his motorcycle to attend the rally. A retired airline pilot, he tries to avoid the large crowds by coming a week before the official start. ''You can't move around here during the rally. It's just too crowded,'' he said. Another draw is South Dakota's lack of a helmet law, Raabe said. ''It's nice not having it mandatory,'' he said. ''It's still freedom of choice.'' Click here for full article |
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Posted August 3, 2005 Click here to view the chart. |
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| Posted August 3, 2005 Bluetooth Wireless Freedom for Motorcyclists PITTSBURGH, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardo Systems, Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of wireless Bluetooth(TM) devices for the consumer market, today began shipping the scala-rider(TM), a unique Bluetooth headset for motorcycle helmets. Specially designed for motorcycle helmets, the scala-rider includes a wind-resistant microphone that provides clear audio for communicating whileriding a motorcycle at speeds of up to 75 m/h. for full article |
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| Posted August 2, 2005 Media focus on motorcycle helmets Two motorcyclists are riding down the road when a car comes across the line and hits them. One ends up down the road 100 feet, and the other goes through the car’s windshield. What are the violations? The first biker is charged with leaving the scene of the accident and the second biker is charged with breaking and entering. What is the main focus of the media? “They were not wearing helmets.” Click here for full article |
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| Posted August 8, 2005 Clinton Doesn't Wear a Helmet Click here for picture |
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| Posted August 6, 2005 Understanding Head & Neck Trauma (Or, why helmets increase the danger!) 'G-forces' are what determines the extent of injury to the head or neck in many motorcycle accidents. When a body is stopped (due to crashing into a stationary object) or is hurled into space with a three pound helmet flexing the neck, the force of gravity causes the body to weigh many times its actual weight. For example, a male human head, without helmet, weighs about 10 pounds. If subjected to 10 'G's', that head briefly weighs about 100 pounds, passing that stress and load onto the neck. Consider adding a 3 pound helmet, and you begin to appreciate the forces your neck has to contend with. Click here for full article |
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| Posted August 3, 2005 Helmet Laws: Heading Off Personal Freedom Contrary to the propaganda of some helmet law activists, America’s roads and highways are not littered with the mangled corpses of motorcycle riders. A mere 2 percent of all vehicles are motorcycles. And while their riders do represent a greater percentage of vehicular fatalities, they account for a smaller percentage of total accidents—just 1 percent. Furthermore, the nation’s motorcycle accident rate is falling, not rising. In light of the nation’s disturbing—and growing—acceptance of social-engineering schemes, the question posed by helmet-law foe Stephen W. McDermott is a valid one: "Will anyone be left to stand with you when your pastime becomes regulated?" Click here for full article |
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| Posted August 2, 2005 Congress includes funding for motorcycle study in transportation bill A new, scientific study of the causes of motorcycle crashes will be conducted for the first time in more than two decades, thanks to years of work by the AMA Government Relations Department and AMA members who contacted their representatives. Funding for the study was included in the huge transportation bill approved today by both houses of Congress. The bill now goes to President Bush, who is expected to sign it within a week. Click here for full articleClick here for another article on this subject |
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| Posted August 1, 2005 Motorcycle Deaths Have Doubled since 1997 More from the new NHTSA report: Motorcycle deaths have nearly doubled since 1997, and it's being said older riders are a big reason. Riders 40 and older had 47 percent of deaths last year, up from 33 in 1997, and 14 percent in 1990. These numbers, as you might guess are from NHTSA stats. Nevertheless, they frighten me because I'm one of those older riders. One might think we are not capable of handling the big rides we prefer. I personally don't think that's the case. Many of these OLDER riders are NEW riders, or they're coming back after years of not riding, and then getting into trouble. RIDER ED would help, I'm sure. The truth is that us old guys own more than half the bikes sold and most of them are big bore scoots. The story is BE CAREFUL out there. Older riders die at nearly triple the rate of others on the road. The thought that big brother might decide to limit the size of bike I can ride bothers me. They are saying we might not have the skills we need to handle the big stuff. If your comin’ back from a long lay-off or an older newby, take a riding course just to make me feel better. Hell, ya might accidentally learn something. THE AIM/NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE |
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| Posted August 1, 2005 MOTORCYCLE LESSONS Ever since Idaho legislation enacted the Star program back in 1994, motorcycle fatality rates have declined. Click here for full article |
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| Posted July 30, 2005 HIPAA Update The legislation to close the loophole currently allowing some health insurance providers to discriminate against motorcyclists is gaining momentum in the Congress. Bills have been introduced in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate bill, S. 577 has gathered six co-sponsors to date, they are: Senators Coleman (R-MN), Dayton (D-MN), Durbin (D-IL), Feingold (D-WI), Hatch (R-UT), and Stabenow (D-MI). Susan Collins (R-ME) and Russ Feingold (D-WI) are the chief sponsors of the Senate legislation. The House of Representatives companion legislation, HR 2793, has an impressive 43 co-sponsors to date, impressive because the legislation has only been introduced for a little over a month. Those co-sponsoring are: Blunt (R-MO), Boozman (R-AR), Boswell (D-IA), Christensen (D-VI), Davis (R-VA), Fossella (R-NY), Frank (D-MA), Gordon (R-TN), Graves (R-MO), Green (R-WI), Hayes (R-NC), Hinchey (D-NY), Holden (D-PA), Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Johnson (R-IL), Kennedy (R-MN), Kirk (R-IL), Kline (R-MN), LaHood (R-IL), McCotter (R-MI), McGovern (D-MA), Ney (R-OH), Norwood (R-GA), Oberstar (D-MN), Payne (D-NJ), Platts (R-PA), Price (D-NC), Ramstad (R-MN), Rogers (R-MI), Ryan (D-OH), Sanders (I-VT), Schakowsky (D-IL), Schiff (D-CA), Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Shimkus (R-IL), Shuster (R-PA), Simpson (R-ID), Stark (D-CA), Strickland (D-OH), Terry (R-NE), Tiberi (R-OH), Waxman (D-CA), Wexler (D-FL). Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Ted Strickland (D-OH) are the chief sponsors of the House legislation. MRF LEADERS' REPORT |
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| Posted July 28, 2005 Get tough on bikers, says Canadian Conservative A legal war on the Hells Angels gathering steam in British Columbia hasn't been matched in Alberta, says a top biker cop. And now it's time the federal government enacted tougher laws to combat organized crime, says federal Conservative justice critic Vic Toews. Click here for full article |
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Posted July 18, 2005 Compared to pillion riding, the rules on helmets are simpler and
much more straight forward but we’ll repeat them here anyway
just so there is no ambiguity. A motorcyclist is allowed to wear
a helmet provided it has a clear visor but if he has a shaded visor
he isn’t allowed to wear a helmet even if his pillion passenger
is wearing a helmet with or without a visor and regardless of whether
it is shaded or clear. Everything understood so far? Right. To continue:
however, if the pillion passenger who shouldn’t be there in
the first place isn’t wearing a helmet with a visor and the
child sitting on the fuel tank is wearing a fancy hat and pink plastic
sunglasses, then the driver is allowed to wear a visor provided he’s
not wearing a helmet. Terrorists are not allowed to ride pillion
and, but if they insist, should refrain from wearing helmets so they
can be easily recognised at checkpoints. People wearing turbans,
heads of state and government and security personnel can do whatever
they like. |
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| Posted July 13, 2005 Watch Your Speeding! New Jersey will launch a 30 day speeding ticket frenzy. The state estimates that 9 million dollars will be generated in speeding tickets. 1 million dollars will go to pay state troopers over time. There will 50 state troopers on duty at all times patrolling the 9 main Warning for everyone: Now 5 mph above the limit can justify a ticket and every state trooper is supposed to pull a car over and write a ticket every 10 minutes. They have issued 30 brand new unmarked Crown Victoria cruisers and they are bringing in all their part timers on full time. If you work in New Jersey, New York, or CT, you must take one of there interstates, routes, or parkways. It's up to you how fast you are doing when they do. I was told 101.5 FM confirmed all of this. So be safe and don't forget speeding tickets are on you. |
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Are you aware that NJ has lowered the legal blood alcohol content from .1 to .08? Click here to find out how much you can drink before you are legally DUI. Remember, impairment starts after the first drink. |
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| Posted July 21, 2005 Another Internet hoax? On your home page, you have an article titled "Watch Your Speeding!" posted on July 13 about New Jersey troopers going on a ticketing frenzy. This is a chain-mailed hoax and you can find it de-bunked here: http://www.snopes.com/politics/traffic/newjersey.asp (But ride safely, anyway.) Bob F. <<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Well, we published the email on this web page and maybe we goofed. Click here for the original posting and make up your own mind. |
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"They
that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin |
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| Posted July 18, 2005 Motorcycling deaths on the rise Identifying trends in Wyoming is complicated somewhat by the relatively small number of fatalities from year to year and the fact the statistics do not differentiate between motorcycle deaths and those that occur on Wyoming roads with four wheelers and similar vehicles. National statistics, however, paint a similar picture. Slightly more than 2,000 people died in motorcycle crashes in 1997, according to Rae Tyson, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spokesman. The numbers increased each of the following years, with nearly 4,000 deaths reported in 2004. Tyson said the data shows a number of other trends. For one thing, he said,
an increasing number of riders 40 and older have been dying in motorcycle crashes.
One explanation for this finding is fairly simple. |
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| Posted July 16, 2005 Attorneys find Dykes on Bikes patently offensive, reject name Vic Germany thought registering a federal trademark for San Francisco's iconic Dykes on Bikes organization would be no problem. After all, the nonprofit lesbian motorcycle group has become internationally known for riding in the lead position at San Francisco's pride parade every year for nearly three decades. Instead, the group has spent a humiliating two years slogging through the swampland of trademark law, with no end in sight, said Germany, president of the San Francisco Women's Motorcycle Contingent, a.k.a. Dykes on Bikes. Click here for full article |
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Posted July 14, 2005 Hi there... I'll try to make this short... |
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| Posted July 9, 2005 Massachusetts Bill to Allow Motorcycle Riding on the Shoulder House No. 2017, a bill which would allow motorcyclist the use of the breakdown and access lanes on highways during backed up traffic, has been introduced in Massachusetts to allow traffic relief for motorcyclists and to avoid overheating in heavy traffic. Click here for full article |
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Posted July 7, 2005 Last week a Ride
for Freedom came through our area. This ride visited 100 cities
in 10 days starting from Miami on June 25th and reaching the Liberty
Bell in Philadelphia on July 4th, 2005! A reception and the ride
was hosted by Barb's Harley Davidson in Camden County while it
was in this area. This is a great example of what a citizen can
do to bring awareness to others of the threats that face us as
bikers and Americans. We are losing our inalienable rights, long ago guaranteed
in the Constitution of the United States. With unwavering force and
speed, our elected officials have whittled away free speech and due
process, guaranteed by the original Bill of Rights. |
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| Posted July 9, 2005 HOUSE APPROVES TOUGH NEW ANTI-GANG MEASURE The U.S. House of Representatives voted May 11th to approve a bill that changes the definition of criminal street gangs and imposes mandatory minimum sentences for gang-related crimes, and making them a federal offense with a schedule of penalties ranging from 10 to 30 years, with a sentence of life in prison or capital punishment for a gang crime that results in a death. The Republican-backed bill, approved overwhelmingly 279-144, is one of several aimed at establishing minimum penalties to replace mandatory sentencing guidelines struck down by the Supreme Court. H.R. 1279, the Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act, was introduced by Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-VA) after a Supreme Court ruling in January allowed judges to deviate from the harsh penalties specified in federal sentencing guidelines. Supporters say the "Gangbusters" bill was designed to give prosecutors and law enforcement officials tools for dealing with gangs similar to those that the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act gives them to combat organized crime. The legislation revises the legal definition of a "criminal street gang" from at least five to at least three people who have committed at least two crimes together, at least one of them a violent crime. Minimum mandatory sentencing guidelines would impose death or life imprisonment for any crime resulting in death; at least 30 years in prison for kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse or maiming; and at least 20 years for an assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Convictions for other gang crime -- defined as violent crimes and other felonies committed to further the activities of a street gang -- would result in a minimum prison term of at least 10 years. Gang members would be able to avoid the toughest sentences if they cooperate fully with prosecutors. President Bush endorsed the bill shortly before the vote, with a White House statement declaring that increasing the penalties for illegal gang activity will "deter violence and encourage cooperation from gang members." The bill's prospects in the Senate are uncertain. Senators Dianne
Feinstein (D-CA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) have introduced an anti-gang
bill that, unlike Forbes' bill, contains funding for crime prevention
programs and does not include mandatory minimum sentence provisions. |
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| Posted July 1, 2005 Clarifying Pennsylvania's Motorcycle Helmet Law To the Editor: In The Valley Indepen-dent editorial "Stricter motorcycle regulations needed" published June 24, the Pennsylvania motorcycle helmet law was stated incorrectly by the author. The Pennsylvania motorcycle helmet law does not allow untrained motorcyclists to ride without a helmet. The law states "Helmet optional for a person 21 years of age or older who either have been licensed to operate a motorcycle for not less than two full calendar years, or who have completed a motorcycle rider safety course approved by the Department or the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. The passenger of a person is exempt from this subsection, if the passenger is 21 years of age or older." Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 28, 2005 Notebook: Helmetgate alive and well Helmetgate was alive and well at the Mellon Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational on Friday, thanks in part to questions still arising over Ben Roethlisberger's unwillingness to wear a motorcycle helmet. Charles Barkley also weighed in on the subject."Any jock who rides a motorcycle is stupid," he said. "If you're an old has-been, you can do whatever you want. Any jock playing today, to ride a motorcycle is flat-out stupid. Period. Helmet or not." Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 29, 2005 Helmet Decision Up to Riders I just rode my motorcycle from Virginia to New Hampshire and back. I intentionally maximized my route through Pennsylvania because your state doesn't force me to wear a helmet. I bought gas, food, and supplies and told every merchant why I preferred to spend my money in a state that trusts and respects its citizens. I don't skydive, and I don't feel remotely qualified to tell someone how to pack a parachute. Most non-riders have no clue about managing risk on a motorcycle, yet they love helmet laws. But if you're successful at reinstating that onerous helmet law, that's okay. Delaware is just as close as Pennsylvania. Click here for full editorial |
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| Posted June 29, 2005 Philippines Riders Protest Anti-Motorcycle Laws For the last six years motorcycle riders in the Philippines have been actively fighting against laws, legislation and even rules dreamed up by construction companies that put motorcycle riders in danger or restrict their freedom as tax paying motor vehicle owners. While much of the modern world is actively encouraging the use of motorcycles to reduce congestion and polution the Philippines is largely doing the opposite and being anti-motorcycle. Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 28, 2005 "Unusual flock" has thousands of patriotic feathers In a recent article written by Spartanburg Herald – Journal Staff Writer Robert W. Dalton, House Speaker Pro Tem Doug Smith, R – Spartanburg is quoted as making what I consider derogatory remarks aimed at ABATE of South Carolina. According to the article, Smith, while discussing helmet laws in South Carolina, said, “It’s something the General Assembly looks at nearly every year, and we get an extremely unusual flock (emphasis added) of individuals who invade the Statehouse.” Smith is talking about ABATE of course, and their effort to protect individual freedom in South Carolina. A few times each year, members and supporters of ABATE organize and meet at the Statehouse in Columbia, SC, to have their voices heard. The media has dubbed ABATE members as leather-clad lobbyists, which coming from the press, is most likely not meant to be a compliment. I consider the “label” as a derogatory and discriminatory characterization of patriotic voters, constituents, South Carolinians, and Americans. The fact the Smith used the words “unusual” and “invade” is disheartening and should concern South Carolinians deeply. Perhaps he needs to be reminded that he is a trusted public servant and ABATE represents a large sector of that "public." Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 21, 2005 Cycle safety course going full throttle to stem fatalities Almost 24,000 riders took the course last year at 65 sites across the state. Since 1985, nearly 225,000 riders have gone through the state's Motorcycle Safety Program. Motorcycle ridership in Pennsylvania is becoming increasingly popular. Pennsylvania had 762,649 licensed motorcycle riders in 2004 and 286,531 registered bikes. In 1996, there were 749,388 licensed drivers in the state and 173,070 registered bikers. Accidents involving motorcycles also are increasing. " The problem is, I don't think they can keep pace with the number of people who want to take the course," said Charles Umbenhauer, state lobbyist for ABATE. According to ABATE's Web site, 90 percent of motorcycle riders involved in crashes have not taken any motorcycle safety training course. Thirty-three percent of riders killed in motorcycle crashes are not properly licensed. Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 14, 2005 THE RESULTS OF CALIFORNIA'S MANDATORY HELMET LAW Did the helmet law in California cause a drop in fatalities? While death's did go down, the number of riders decreased at even a greater number. That coupled with a national trend of continued fatality decreases, it's hard to credit the helmet law with anything more than causing a financial disaster in California. There was a 26% drop in new motorcycle sales in 1992-1993. Ridership was down an estimated 18%. How does that compute to dollars lost to California? Over $1 million less was received in gasoline tax, over $15 million in sales taxes, payroll taxes and in state income taxes. The state lost $950,000 in registration fees. California used to account for 1/5 of all motorcycles in the United States. They are now experiencing the lowest totals since 1969. With the increase in court challenges to the law, at a great cost to the state, there is no way to estimate the total cost. But it was all unnecessary. Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 13, 2005 Easy Rider We sipped our coffee with helmet-head talking about what else-motorcycle accidents. Local John Parker said that some guys OD on testosterone. John spoke with an easy air like he had always just stepped out of meditation. "These guys," he said, "get bikes that go 180 miles an hour, but their talent runs out at 70.""They don't wear helmets?" I asked like a nerd. "When you're going that fast," said Gary, "a helmet is just a hat." Helmets are designed to protect the rider against head trauma, but it may
take a little head trauma to ride in the first place. |
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Posted June 9, 2005 CONGRESS APPROVED the USA Patriot Act in a flush of fear following
the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, but it had the good sense to put a
time limit on many of the most controversial sections so they expire
next Dec. 31. It ought to assess their effectiveness and potential
for abuse rather than toughening the act, as one influential senator
proposes. |
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| Posted June 8, 2005 Maryland Governor Pulls Plug on Night Vision Goggles Maryland state police will not be using night vision equipment to spy on motorists to see if they are wearing seat belts. Reacting quickly to complaints, Gov. Robert Ehrlich on Monday directed the state police to discontinue testing the effectiveness of the equipment. Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 1, 2005 Rolling Thunder Ride Focuses on POW/MIA Cause Hundreds of thousands of Vietnam veterans and motorcycle enthusiasts gathered in the Pentagon's North Parking lot early May 29 for the 18th annual Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom. Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 13, 2005 PennDOT revises its motorcycle statistics After its numbers buoyed bareheaded motor bikers, PennDOT skidded and wiped them out. Motorcycle deaths really haven't dramatically dropped in the first full year since the state repealed the mandatory helmet law, state Department of Transportation officials now say. Originally, PennDOT reported a nearly 10 percent drop in fatalities statewide between 2003 and last year (from 174 to 157 deaths). Now, the agency's data, confirmed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, says there were 156 fatalities in 2003 - one less than reported last year. Click here for full article |
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| Posted June 9, 2005 Bill To End Health Care Discrimination Against Motorcyclists, Others Introduced In Congress Today The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced that a bipartisan bill to end health-care discrimination against motorcyclists and ATVers has been introduced in the U.S. House. Federal bureaucrats have reversed the HIPPA law, writing rules that allow health-insurance discrimination against motorcyclists and others who engage in legal activities like motorcycle riding, ATV riding, or horseback riding. Click here for full article |
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| Posted May 28, 2005 A Message from NCOM Founder, Richard M. Lester H.R. 1279 GANG BILL ON THE FAST TRACK-WE MUST ACT NOW It is critical that we get these letters signed and sent to your Senator and Congress Members. More Info Can Be Found At The New Texas COC Freedom Page Comments From NCOM Founder Richard Lester While we have been pushing these letters to Senate and Congresss regarding all these bills that are taking our rights away as American Citizens, Congress has managed to sneak in a new bill, which we have talked about at the meetings. The bill is H.R. 1279, which is related to S. 155, and H.R. 970, which is all Gang, related bills. HR. 1279 was introduced on March 14, 2005 by Representative Randy J. Forbes: this bill has made it further under the chain of command then any other Gang Bill, and as you all know that if you ride in a group of three or more you are considered a Gang. We all have to get our letters in to Senate and Congress to get this bill stopped, it is moving so fast we will have to work quickly. A Mark-up session was held on April 13, 2005, the views of both sides are studied in detail and at the conclusion a vote is taken to determine the action of the subcommittee. It may decide to report the bill favorable to the full committee, with or without amendment, or favorable, or without recommendation. The subcommittee may also suggest that the committee table it or postpone action indefinitely. Each member of the subcommittee, regardless of party affiliation, has one vote. Proxy voting is no longer permitted in House committees. It was ordered to be reported amended on April 20, 2005, to a full committee meeting. Final committee action is a full committee meeting; reports on bills may be made by subcommittees. Bills are read for amendment in committees by sections and members may offer germane amendments. Committee’s amendments are only proposals to change the bill as introduced and are subject to acceptance or rejection by the house itself. A vote of committee members is taken to determine whether the full committee will report the bill favorably, adversely, or without recommendation. As you can see time is of the essence, we are going to have to move fast on the bill as it is on the fast track, this bill has passed further through all the committees and subcommittees than any other Gang Bill, while we set idly by and let it happen without evening knowing it. As American Citizens our rights are being stripped from us and we don’t even know it. As American Citizens we must all stand together and let the government hear our voices, as we are the voices for this country and we have that right to be heard. We are Not Gangs, we are men and women from all walks of life that enjoy the freedom of riding our bikes, enjoying the company of other fellow riders, and enjoy life and they are trying to take that away from us. What’s next, they go after our children for hanging out with friends, and riding their Bicycles. What is this country coming to, that they can tell us we can’t ride in a group of three or more or if we do we are a Gang, or they will decide who you can associate with. I thought we lived in the Land of the FREE, which is no longer. The government is trying to dictate our lives and that is not being FREE. What happened to FREEDOM of CHOICE? Sample Letters Are Ready To Go At The Texas COC Website Thanks .... |
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| Posted June 2, 2005 Patriot Act A Threat To Privacy The dubiously named "USA Patriot Act" was passed hurriedly in the weeks after 9/11 to give authorities more tools to thwart terrorist attacks. Most of the law is non-controversial, though you wouldn't know it from the noise raised by its loudest critics, but some parts are open to serious abuse. Now, with portions of the Patriot Act scheduled to expire at the end of this year, a key Senate committee working behind closed doors is trying to hustle through permanent renewal of the law. Instead of fixing the problematic parts, however, the panel is moving to give yet more unfettered authority to law enforcement. Click here for full article Click here for more information |
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| Posted May 19, 2005 These Bikers Had a Really Bad Day Edgar Ponce, a Mexican actor, was killed -probably by a (very) drunk driver- during an unauthorized shoot of a TV commercial on Cinco de Mayo. A group of riders were being filmed as they rode through a main artery in Mexico City when a car plowed into the group from behind. The footage is as spectacular as it is tragic... Click here for video |
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Posted May 22, 2005 As Congress considers whether to expand government powers to fight
terrorism, 15 New Jersey municipalities and two counties are opposing
portions of the USA Patriot Act, and state lawmakers are considering
similar action. |
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| Posted May 17, 2005 Patriot Act Represents Threat to Bikers I just got back from the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) Convention, this year in Nashville, Tennessee. This one was way beyond huge. Every year it seems to grow by leaps and bounds. For those of you who missed it this year, a good part of your Sack this month is my report. THE PATRIOT ACT, we learned, is still prevalent in our lives and is affecting brothers and sisters all over the country, and possibly even in Idaho, where we hear there is legal action brewing over the Act and how it may be applied to BIKERS. The good former Senator from Colorado, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, explained that this law was still gonna raise its ugly head, even AFTER the sunset clause, because it's scheduled to be revamped and reinstated. That seems to give ‘em the right. It's all pretty scary. Here's why: A lot of us fight the good fight about helmets, but we seem to ignore
the problem that's much more insidious: The power today of all levels
of government to walk into our homes, unannounced, snoop, and leave,
all without telling you, and all with NO WARRANT. What have we come
to? I was talking to Sam Hochberg, my boss and the Oregon AIM Attorney,
and he reminds us: There IS a Fourth Amendment to our Constitution
that says a little something about unreasonable SEARCH AND SEIZURE.
Sam and I don't get how they get away with it. Wartime, supposedly. |
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Posted April 23, 2005 Click here to find out how to join our activist network. |
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Posted May 22, 2005 During bike week, a funny thing happens: Myrtle Beach can start to sound like a foreign country. Well, to some, that is. Veteran bikers communicate in their own language, using words the average person struggles to connect to motorcyles. We tested a few nonbikers on their knowledge of biker lingo and then revealed the real meanings of these words that any well-oiled HOG (see below) member would know. Click here for full article |
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| Posted May 5, 2005 SOUTH JERSEY MOTORCYCLE THEFT RING BROKEN State police on Wednesday announced the arrest of 19 people who they say were involved in a theft ring in which a couple hundred motorcycles were stolen in Burlington, Camden and Mercer counties. At least a dozen of the motorcycles were taken out of state and resold, investigators said. Efforts to recover those motorcycles are under way in Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, Delaware, Georgia, and California. Click here for full article Click here for another article |
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Posted May 14, 2005 To the editor: |
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Posted May 9, 2005 and updated May 12, 2005 Remember Senator Lautenberg when the next election rolls around. Here is how our area Senators voted: New Jersey Alabama: Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shelby (R-AL), Nay |
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| Posted May 11, 2005 Pennsylvania Bikers Rally for Safety Awareness And in what may surprise a lot of people, the number of Pennsylvania
motorcycle fatalities actually dropped in 2004, about 25 fewer than
the 171 of 2003, said Kevin Snyder, state coordinator for ABATE,
or Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education. Click here for full article |
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| Posted May 4, 2005 Government Set to Broadly Define "Gangs" In the next two weeks, the House of Representatives will be voting on legislation that would dramatically expand the use of the death penalty and could result in the conviction of innocent people on broadly defined “gang-related” charges. The legislation could also curtail judges’ ability to use
their discretion during sentencing procedures. Under the current
proposal, people could be convicted and sentenced to death for the
crime of illegal “participation” in a gang based on broad
definition of a “gang,” which could be as few as three
people. The bill’s loose definitions and expansion of the death
penalty could increase the probability that people are wrongly convicted
and possibly even executed. Click here for more information on this issue and how take action |
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Posted May 4, 2005 With summer just around the corner, the IGTSB, a bureau of the Iowa Department of Public Safety, would ask motorcycle riders and other motorists to be extremely cautious as increased motorcycle traffic begins on Iowa's highways. Click here for flyer with details |
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| Posted April 30, 2005 IRAQ SOLDIER'S FAMILY IN NEED OF HELP If any one can help this family out please call Cheryl. Rolling Thunder Chapter 4 is pledging $500. I'm sure any other help will be appreciated. I have a family in Mays Landing that is in need of some assistance. The soldier is deployed with the 119th and is currently in Iraq, leaving his wife and three children back here to cope in his absence. I know they are desperately trying to keep their children in Catholic school while trying to live on his reduced income. They also recently had their washing machine break. I know they would be grateful for any assistance you and your members would wish to provide. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any further information. Sincerely, Cheryl Betten Thanks, |
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| Posted April 23, 2005 Helmet Editorial Response "Another misquoted statistic is that helmets are only designed to withstand a 14 mph crash. This is true, but taken out of context. The speed an average human head is traveling when it strikes pavement after falling off of a motorcycle is about 14 mph. This is true whether the forward velocity of the biker is 0, 30, or 70 mph." ["Don't
repeal helmet law" [http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1094509.html] |
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| Posted April 23, 2005 Colorado House Rejects Sunday Motorcycle Sales and Keeps Blue Laws DENVER - A House committee on Wednesday got all revved up over a bill that would have allowed for Sunday sales of motorcycles in Colorado. But after more than two hours of heated testimony before the Business Affairs and Labor Committee, House Bill 1323 quietly sputtered and died on an 11-3 vote. The proposed legislation, authored by Rep. Mark Larson, R-Cortez, was loudly opposed by a majority of the state's motorcycle dealers as well as lobbyists for the auto industry, which encouraged legislators to keep the state's so-called "Blue Laws" intact. The Blue Laws, which date to the 1950s, forbid the sale of alcohol - except
3.2 percent beer - and motor vehicles on Sundays. Colorado is one of only 10
states still enforcing Blue Laws. |
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| Posted April 23, 2005 Patriot Act represents a serious threat to biker freedom The Patriot Act as it stands now, combined with anti-gang legislation represents a very serious threat to the freedom and liberty of all bikers, not just clubs. Click here for information on the federal bill that targets bikers Click here for a Bikernet article on the Patriot Act Click here to visit Biker Rights And Legal Issues Library |
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| Posted April 18, 2005 FEDERAL HIGHWAY FUNDING BILL ON THE MOVE AGAIN Following six deadline extensions since October 2003, the massive federal highway funding bill is on the move again, this time passing the House on March 10th by an overwhelming 417-9 vote. The House version, H.R.3, the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU), contains several motorcycle safety provisions including providing federal grant money to promote rider training and motorcycle awareness. With the current extension expiring on May 31st, the Senate is expected to bring their version of the comprehensive highway funding bill, to the floor for a vote soon. Once the Senate passes their own highway bill, S.732 or SAFETEA, which also contains pro-motorcycling safety provisions, both measures will go to a conference committee to iron out any differences and then would go to the President for his signature or veto. In other news from the Capital, Senate Bill S.577, the HIPAA Recreational
Injury Technical Correction Act (Senators Susan Collins R-Maine and Russ Feingold
D-WI) " To promote health care coverage parity for individuals participating
in legal recreational activities or legal transportation activities" was
re-introduced on March 9 and is essentially the same bill as last year. S.577
would close a loophole that allows health insurance providers to deny medical
coverage to insureds who are injured while participating in so-called "risky
activities" such as motorcycling, snowmobiling, skiing, horseback riding
and other legal activities. The Senate passed similar legislation last session,
but time ran out before the House of Representatives could act on it. |
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| Posted April 23, 2005 EBay Auction Leads Deputies To Motorcycle Chop Shop The investigation started with information obtained by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Auto Theft Unit and a complaint from a victim who saw his property offered on eBay, the popular Internet auction site, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter. Two rented garages at an upscale New Tampa apartment complex concealed a chop shop specializing in stolen motorcycles, authorities say. Click here for full article |
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| Posted April 21, 2005 Drivers can help prevent motorcycle accidents Gholson, a junior business major from Chicago -- got his first car two months ago. He has been riding motorcycles, rain, snow or shine for seven years. Many riders like Gholson pay close attention to other drivers on the road because any distraction could mean life or death. Drivers of larger motor vehicles like cars and trucks can help prevent motorcycle accidents. Visibility is the largest problem for motorcyclists. Gholson said it is important for the driver of a car to not only check the rear-view and side-view mirrors, but also turn around and look at the road before changing lanes or turning.
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| Posted April 11, 2005 What they didn't teach in MSF I found some pretty good riding tips and thought you might find this article of use. The MSF classes must teach an enormous number of facts and skills to people who must be assumed to have no experience whatever with motorcycles. As such, they do not have time to teach the kinds of things that are found in these various Tips & Techniques articles, or they have insufficient time to emphasize these various ideas to the extent that I do. [Lest anybody gets the wrong idea, this Tip is not meant to be antagonistic towards the MSF nor of its teachings - I am one of the strongest advocates of MSF training to be found anywhere.] Click here for full article |
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| Posted April 11, 2005 Helmet battle: Michigan motorcyclists hopeful state will ease requirements To Jim Heany, there's nothing like riding on his Harley-Davidson, whether it's the right-left, right-left route to the A&W or the two-week trip to New Mexico he has planned. "To me, it's like freedom," said Heany, a Dimondale resident who has been motorcycling since the 1960s. "It's the smells and the sunshine in your face." But Heany finds the experience so much better when he has freedom not to strap on his helmet - a freedom he has in 30 states, but not in Michigan. Click here for full article |
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Posted April 10, 2005 As a result of last year's dramatic jump in motorcycle deaths, state and private agencies have for the first time teamed up and allocated $100,000 from the state's federal highway safety funds to promote motorcycle safety. Next week, for example, radio listeners will start hearing $50,000 worth of public service announcements reminding drivers to be on the lookout for motorcycles. Later this month, the state will pass out $8,100 worth of bright yellow bumper stickers - 75,000 of them - carrying the same message. Click here for full article |
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| Posted April 10, 2005 IDAHO COALITION FOR MOTORCYCLE SAFETY, INC. THE MSF WON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER The Idaho Motorcycle Safety Program (known as Skills Training Advantage
for Riders, STAR) had told the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) that
Idaho would no longer be looking to the MSF as a vendor for curriculum
product in view of the new program pushed by MSF. That is the Basic Rider
Course (BRC) that the MSF has been pushing for the last four years or
so. The first volley the MSF sent was a cease and desist letter regarding
Idaho's use of the old curriculum, the RSS (Riders Street Skills). That
curriculum had proven itself over the years. In addition, a lawsuit for
infringement was threatened. |
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| Posted April 6, 2005
ABATE urges all motorcyclists to join the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. This organization is the best representation for motorcycle rights we have at the federal level.
Click here for more information about MRF. |
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| Posted April 2, 2005 Trooper Says 'Too Bad' To 911 Caller After Deadly Crash LISBON, Conn. -- A Connecticut state trooper has been suspended for 15 days without pay after he was heard on a 911 tape saying "too bad" to a caller seeking help for a man injured in a motorcycle accident. When he reported the accident, Peasley said, "Yeah ... too bad," and hung up, according to a tape obtained by WTNH-TV. Another friend made a second call. "Yeah," the officer responded. "Help will get there. Shouldn't be playing games." A third emergency call was answered by a different dispatcher, who asked about Sawyer's condition and advised those nearby to not touch him. Click here for full article and to vote in an online survey on whether the 15 day suspension was an appropriate consequence. |
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| Posted April 2, 2005 Maine Committee Rejects Motorcycle Helmet Bill AUGUSTA, Maine -- A strong majority of a legislative committee has voted to kill a bill to make motorcycle helmets mandatory in Maine, decreasing its chances of passage after it reaches the House and Senate. Click here for full article and to vote in an online poll on whether Maine should have a helmet law. |
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| Posted April 2, 2005 Pennsylvania Motorcyclists want more lights for bikes ABATE, a Harrisburg-based advocacy group for Pennsylvania motorcyclists, is backing a bill that would allow motorcyclists to put additional lighting on their bikes. “Visibility’s always been a problem,” Umbenhauer said. “Whenever there’s an accident, the first line of defense is always, ‘I didn’t see him.’” Click here for full article |
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Posted April 2, 2005 Legislative year 2005 continues to unfold as a success. On February 2nd, we held our first Legislative Day in decade. It was cold and nasty out but nonetheless 87 participants arrived. Members met for the first time, friendships were made, and several who attended were not members but are now. A number of people discovered that legislative work was a lot more interesting than they had thought it was and are now actively working and contributing to our effort. On the Legislator's side, 42 members met with our freedom fighters, many for the first time and many good relationships were started there as well. Legislators and staff alike are still telling me they enjoyed being invaded by the "motorcyclists." Our proclamation declaring May as Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month was passed in the House where the House Clerk removed his suit coat and put on black leather jacket with Harley-Davidson on the back. We had members standing on the floor and members in the gallery when the House unanimously proclaimed the passage of our resolution. The entire House stood and applauded. We all finished the day feeling good about what we had accomplished. We have six different helmet bills, an apehanger bill, two ROW bills, a bill to allow motorcycle tags with military service noted, and a bill to kill our flashing brake light law from 2003. That would be a plateful for an experienced team. For a brand new team led by an inexperienced chairman, it's a recipe for lots of work and some very busy people. I am happy to announce that the legislators who were carrying the bill to kill our blinking brake light legislation from '03 have withdrawn it. Thankfully, they chose to put safety over the bureaucratic desire of a Memphis City Vehicle Inspector. The inspector was fearful that all of us having flashing brake lights would confuse Memphis drivers into believing there were hundreds of tiny fire trucks running around town. (I'm still trying to find a good place for the ladder on my Dyna.) Our helmet bills have survived a surprisingly vicious attack from
three professional lobbyists belonging to Vanderbilt University
Hospital. They arrived with some very questionable statistics that
they presented but have so far refused to provide source information
for verification. They said it costs an average of $80,000 to treat
a helmeted rider and an average of over $140,000 to treat an unhelmeted
rider. All the research we have says more like $28,000 with no
discernable difference between helmeted and unhelmeted. Vanderbilt
is a Level I trauma unit that only gets the worst cases and many
of those arrive by way of a $14,000 helicopter ride. I'm confident that we will win the fight to remove the apehanger provision from Tennessee law. Right now we have some legislators who think that Tennessee should in fact, regulate one and only one engineering parameter of motor vehicles sold in this state. We see no compelling reason for Tennessee to do that. They were pretty amazed when the local Big Dog dealer showed up and told them he had just sold four bikes, generated $6,000 in sales tax and that all four bikes violated our current apehanger law. Our ROW bill is about to start its lengthy process through the legislature and we have high hopes for it. This is something new for everyone but rest assured that we have some legislators who would like to restore some semblance of justice for motorcyclists maimed and killed by people who violate our right of way. We've had some fine successes but there are plenty of challenges in the near future. Our successes have been thanks to the fine team that has come together to do the hard work and to the membership in general that supports us. Please forgive any of those who have worked so hard if there is a little delay in getting answers to email etc. The expertise and experience being gained right now is going to continue to help us move forward in the years to come. Respectfully submitted,John R. Pierce |
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| Posted April 2, 2005 New Hampshire House bans straight pipes on motorcycles CONCORD — Without debate, the House passed a legislation on Wednesday in an effort to combat excessive noise from motorcycles.Lawmakers passed House Bill 326, supported by police chiefs on the Seacoast and the Lakes Region. The legislation bans so-called straight pipes on motorcycles and imposes fines between $200 and $500 on motorcycle riders who do have straight pipes. Click here for full article |
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| Posted March 20, 2005 | |
| Washington State May Allow "Lane Splitting" for
Motorcycles A bill that would legalize lane-splitting and provide all motorcyclists some other protections has been introduced in House of Representatives in Washington State. House Bill 3159 proposes allowing motorcycles to ride between lanes of "congested" traffic. |
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| Posted March 17, 2005 Can you believe a professional said this? " They are the scrounge on our highway." "They are an epidemic." "They continue to clog the trauma centers of America." Dr. Jeffery W. Runge http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/email.cfm Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen! Got in from NC in the wee small hours of the AM and haven't yet been able to pull the words together to give a proper accounting. I'm still pretty overwhelmed at my brief stint of sleeping with the enemy. We have a multi-BILLION dollar industry solely aimed at de-voiding us of our freedoms in one capacity or another. It was surreal. Above is our fearless NHTSA leader's direct quote at the Awards Presentation for 2004 at the Lifesavers' Convention. Wow! I guess you can pretty much figure who the "they" are. Also, if any are so inclined, the link above is the contact NHTSA page. Couldn't find a direct link to Runge, but if any of y'all come up with it, I sure would be interested in obtaining it. I think I'm gonna try to run with this. If you are so inclined to commit, please bcc me a copy. More info will follow in the near future. Live to be Free! Yours in scoungery, |
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| Posted March 16, 2005 Michigan Senate panel approves bill to let bikers ride without helmets LANSING -- After decades of lobbying, Michigan motorcyclists could be roaring closer to being allowed to ride without a helmet. A state Senate panel on Tuesday approved a bill to let bikers ride without helmets if they are older than 21 and either have been licensed to operate a motorcycle for at least two years or have taken a safety course. Click here for full article |
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| Posted March 12, 2005 Bill in Washington State To Allow Bikers to Ride Between Lanes Washington House Bill 1176, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Morris (D-Anacortes), would allow motorcyclists to ride between lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic. The practice, known as lane splitting, is tolerated though not legally provided for in California, where it's seen as helping reduce traffic congestion. The Washington Road Riders Association is neutral on the practice because member polling showed its members split on the issue. The House Transportation Committee also heard testimony on a bill that
would allow motorcyclists to turn left against red lights at intersections
controlled by sensors that fail to detect motorcycles. That bill, HB
1466, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Flannigan (D-Tacoma), would require motorcyclists
to wait through a full cycle of lights before proceeding and would not
exempt them from tickets if they run a red light not connected to a sensor. |
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Posted February 10, 2005 and updated
February 13, 2005
As you can see, we have made significant progress.
It is not unreasonable to assume that elected representatives look
at surveys such as this. It is in our interests to let them know
how strongly we feel about this issue. No one will vote FOR a polictician
because they voted for a mandatory helmet law, but there are plenty
of people who will vote AGAINST them for taking away our freedom
of choice. |
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| Posted February 9, 2005 Virginia Helmet Reform Bill Defeated Click here for full article |
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Posted February 27, 2005 I was in Salem four times last week. We lobbied and we testified. This is a slightly modified version of my testimony before the committee. The work of a republic often comes down to reconciling the needs
of the individual with those of society as a whole. Our representatives
face these questions constantly and do their best to make decisions
that benefit constituents, while meeting their standards of common
sense. Our opponents in the heath care and insurance fields argue
based on their best perceptions of reality. Still, when it comes
to statistical arguments, they are just as likely as any other
interest group to cite only those facts that support their positions.
Insurance companies benefit from laws that lower their business
risks and remove additional variables from actuarial tables. Medical
professionals “know” that helmetless riders who get
into accidents are an intolerable burden to society. It’s
just common sense to people who are dedicated to minimizing risk
and to dealing with the effects of trauma. Yet no one has
demonstrated convincingly that injured bikers are a significantly
greater societal burden than injured automobile drivers. |
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| IDAHO COALITION FOR MOTORCYCLE SAFETY, INC. © 2005 ICMS. All Rights Reserved. Post Office Box 2732 Boise, Idaho 83701 Chuc Coulter, Legislative Liaison ironhors1@mindspring.com THE MSF WON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER The Idaho Motorcycle Safety Program (known as Skills Training Advantage for Riders, STAR) had told the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) that Idaho would no longer be looking to the MSF as a vendor for curriculum product in view of the new program pushed by MSF. That is the Basic Rider Course (BRC) that the MSF has been pushing for the last four years or so. The first volley the MSF sent was a cease and desist letter regarding Idaho's use of the old curriculum, the RSS (Riders Street Skills). That curriculum had proven itself over the years. In addition, a lawsuit for infringement was threatened. When that threat didn't work, the next volley was a honey and sugar
letter. To set the stage, this year the Idaho Coalition for Motorcycle Safety (ICMS) and riders worked with Ron Shepard, STAR Coordinator, to lobby a new funding formula through the legislature. We were successful and on the date the bill hit Governor Kempthorne's desk, we received this last letter. A copy of the letter was sent to the Governor. The letter is a poorly done, unedited, cut and paste job full of errors
and misstatements. That part might be expected but the real crux of the
letter 1. Tim Buche doesn't even know to whom he should address the letter. 2. At the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) Meeting of the Minds in
St. 3. Tim Buche's letter of April first lists the benefits that Idaho will miss out on: Idaho doesn't use the BRC material; Idaho doesn't use the RERP (Rider Education Recognition Program), because Idaho will not let MSF control its program; Tim Buche has never communicated with the entities that control the Idaho program nor its stakeholders (the riders); Idaho does not use the MSF completion cards, STAR has its own cards; the STAR program is not insured by the MSF; STAR certification of instructors is more stringent than MSF and has not used MSF certification for over 5 years; the MSF has no qualified technical, administrative or promotional assistance that would assist the Idaho program; the STAR motorcycle loan program is not MSF's, STAR has its own motorcycle program; the student referrals in Idaho use the STAR toll-free number; the MSF on-line resource guide does not support the STAR program; and, the professional development program of MSF will not serve Idaho's program. All of those "benefits" Idaho will "miss" out on don't exist for Idaho. Tim Buche's letter goes on to say that the MSF will issue a press release so that residents of Idaho are aware that Idaho's curriculum is obsolete and no longer supported by or affiliated with the MSF. Again, this was sent to the Governor as the funding legislation was being considered. Then Mr. Buche represents that significant efforts by the MSF have been ignored, i.e. letters and telephone calls. The significant efforts on the part of MSF have been one telephone call over a year ago threatening Ron Shepard, a threatening letter in August, 2004, the sweet letter in January, 2005, and now the April first letter. (These letters are posted on the Idaho page at http://www.mrf.org/id.php. As a salesman, Mr. Buche is not credible. Idaho has no desire to engage in dialog with Mr. Buche, and argue over a product Idaho doesn't want (a vendor Idaho has chosen not to use). MSF can't take no for an answer. The tone of the letter is that the Idaho Motorcycle Safety Program can't continue without Mr. Buche. Though Mr. Buche claims that NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Mr. Buche, the STAR program is alive and well in Idaho and it enjoys "overwhelming support" as evidenced by Idaho's legislature passing STAR's new funding formula. ICMS |
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| Posted February 7, 2005 Maryland and Virgina Helmet Bills Well folks, I have good news and I have bad news. The bad news is that Virginia lost its helmet bill in the House of Delegates 46-51. I have been assured that the bill will be resubmitted again next year. The good news is that Maryland’s bill has 52 sponsors and has been assigned a bill number. Below is more information of where they are with this bill. Wouldn’t it be nice to have 3 contiguous states Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland where you could ride and never have to worry about wearing a helmet? YOU CAN HELP TO MAKE IT HAPPEN! Our emails really do make a difference. It makes the legislators take notice that there are people who care deeply about this issue. Won’t you take the 10 minutes that it will take to help make this possible? Please pass this email on to as many others who care about freedom of choice and have them pass it on as well. This will exponentially increase the effectiveness of the campaign. I have included a sample email you can copy and paste when emailing the legislators. Rudy Avizius ------------------------------------------------------------------- The motorcycle helmet law modification bill was filed, assigned a bill number. The bill number is HB 450. Bill details can be located at http://mlis.state.md.us/2005rs/billfile/hb0450.htm. There are 52 co-sponsors. The hearing for this bill will be in the House of Delegates Environmental Matters Committee on February 15, 2005 at 1 pm in Annapolis. We encourage everybody who is able to be there for the hearing to attend. Information about locating the hearing room will be provided in a subsequent legislative alert. The motorcycle helmet bill will eliminate mandatory motorcycle helmet use by adult riders. The 2004 bill includes some language that is similar to the recently enacted Pennsylvania helmet bill. These provisions are that a rider must be over 21 and must have either two years of riding experience or must have taken a motorcycle safety course. It also includes provisions for passengers and three-wheeled vehicles. The primary sponsor for HB 450 is delegate Norman Conway. Co-sponsors include Delegates Cluster, Aumann, Bartlett, Bromwell, Boschert, Costa, Hogan, Impallaria, Haddaway, Frank, Glassman, Gilleland, Edwards, Eckardt, Dwyer, Minnick, McConkey, Kelly, McKee, Murray, O'Donnell, Shank, Sossi, Stull, Weir, Weldon, Stocksdale, Bates, Bohanan, Boteler, Bozman, Cadden, Cane, C. Davis, Elmore, Goodwin, Harrison, Haynes, Heller, Jameson, Jennings, Kach, King, Kirk, Myers, Oaks, Parker, Ramirez, Shewell, Smigiel, and Wood. The first milestone that we must pass is to achieve a positive committee vote. House of Delegates Environmental Matters Committee members are listed below. When contacting a sponsor of the bill, please be sure to thank them for their support. When contacting those who have not yet stated a position ask them to vote for HB 450. Many delegates will vote for our bill, but prefer not to be listed as a sponsor. Be polite and respectful when making your request. If you live in the Delegates district, make sure to mention that in your letter or e-mail. Maggie L.McIntosh, Chair (410) 841-3990, (301) 858-3990, James E. Malone, Jr., Vice-Chair (410) 841-3378, (301) 858-3378, Rudolph C. Cane (Sponsor), (410) 841-3427, (301) 858-3427, John W. E. Cluster, Jr. (Sponsor), (410) 841-3365, (301) 848-3365, Barry Glassman (Sponsor), (410) 841-3289, (301) 858-3289, Patrick N. Hogan (Sponsor), (410) 841-3240, (301) 858-3240, J. B. Jennings (Sponsor), (410) 841-3334, (301) 858-3334, Tony McConkey (Sponsor), (410) 841-3223, (301) 858-3223, Rosetta C. Parker (Sponsor), (410) 841-3326, (301) 858-3326, Richard A. Sossi (Sponsor), (410) 841-3543, (301) 858-3543, Paul S. Stull (Sponsor), (410) 841-3107, (301) 858-3107, Michael H. Weir, Jr. (Sponsor), (410) 841-3328, (301) 858-3328, John S. Arnick, (410) 841-3458, (301) 858-3458, Kumar P. Barve, (410) 841-3464, (301) 858-3464, Elizabeth Bobo, (410) 841-3205, (301) 858-3205, Virginia P. Clagett, (410) 841-3211, (301) 858-3211, Barbara A. Frush, (410) 841-3114, (301) 858-3114, Tony E. Fulton, (410) 841-3030, (301) 858-3030, Marvin E. Holmes, Jr., (410) 841-3098, (301) 858-3098, Karen S. Montgomery, (410) 841-3380, (301) 858-3380, Joan F. Stern, (410) 841-3045, (301) 858-3045, Contact your Delegates today and ask them to vote for HB 450. If your Address letters to: If you receive a response from any of the delegates who are not yet Bill details can be located at: Obtain information about members of the House of Delegates : Locate your legislators via this link: Contact your legislators via this link: ABATE of Maryland, Inc. Dear Representative, This means that I will be patronizing your gas stations, restaurants, hotels and motels while I am visiting. I currently spend most of my vacation time riding in Pennsylvania since that state respects my rights to make an adult decision on whether to wear a helmet or not. The amount of money that motorcyclists spend in free states is not insignificant, Did you know that: Daytona Beach takes in $650 million in one week during bike week? Johnstown, Pennsylvania had 70,000 bikers last year during Thunder in the Valley Sturgis, South Dakota had 850,000 bikers last year during the Sturgis Rally. Laconia, New Hampshire attracted 300,000 bikers this year. These biker rallies are not insignificant sources of income for these
communities. Every dollar that is spent locally creates an additional
$3 of economic ripple effect. These figures do not take into account
the hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists who will visit these states
for day trips, weekend stays, and longer vacations. |
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