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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 ! |
