FYI FROM JOHN

REPORT FROM ABATE LOCAL 6, TO THE SAN DIEGO CONFEDERATION OF CLUBS. MAY 2010

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – A report released today by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reveals that motorcycle fatalities declined in 2009 by at least ten percent The declines come on the heels of 11 straight years of dramatic increases in motorcyclist deaths.
The declines are notable in many states and in every region of the country. In California , for example, based on data for the first nine months, motorcycle deaths are predicted to be down 29 percent !

The news media has outdone themselves making up fictitious news articles about
The REASONS why this drop in MC fatalities has occurred…..such as : “the economy”, ”less motorcycles on the road”, “more people wearing helmets”, NONE OF THIS IS FACTUAL. NO ONE WITH ANY KNOWLEDGE OF AUTHORITY HAS RELEASED ANY REASON FOR THE CHANGE IN NUMBERS. That will probably be done in about six months.
Another good statistic to add to that….The National Insurance Crime Bureau said that motorcycle thefts are DOWN 13 % this year.
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Arizona HB 2475 has been unanimously approved by legislative committee.
Also known as white lining, motorcycles WILL BE allowed to pass between lines of STOPPED cars in heavy traffic in Maricopa County only which is around Phoenix, to begin with for a one-year trial starting next year. If all goes well, it will pass on to the entire state next year.
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The Police dept of Hawthorne , CA conducted a ’MOTORCYCLE ONLY” traffic checkpoint last week, stopping, ticketing or seizing 32 motorcyclists within 5 hours. The money to finance these checkpoints comes from nhtsa, through the CA Office of traffic safety (OTS) to the individual police departments, and they are supposed to stop motorcycles AND CARS who violate laws that could bring harm to motorcyclists. We have contacted the OTS three times in the past year regarding police departments who were abusing this grant money, and they have corrected the matter. We sent a complaint to the OTS last week, regarding the Hawthrone, CA checkpoint. We have already received a response from the OTS, informing us that they will investigate.
-------------------------------------------- One year ago the CHP issued CHP DIRECTIVE BULLETIN 209 to all CHP offices and all other Allied Agencies, . This bulletin was also sent to all police departments, and they are supposed to follow the CHP Directive.
Bulletin 209 instructs officers and Allied Agencies to “Not cite for hard-shell “beanie-type helmets” or “shall not seize any helmet, or purported helmet as evidence”.

To add to this, is a reminder that if you are stopped by a Law Enforcement Officer (L.E.O.) for any reason, and they ask you to remove your helmet and show it to them, you should ask for a Search Warrant. You do not have to remove anything or show them anything other than your License/Reggie/and insurance card if they do not have a Search Warrant. You are also NOT required to reply to questions about where you are coming from, or going to. “Where are you coming from ?” answer is “Point A”.
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The motorcycle awareness message "Save a Life, Look Twice for Motorcycles" will be posted on the Changeable Message Signs over the State's highways for about a week during May, for Motorcycle Awareness Month, and probably for another week during June for "Ride your Motorcycle to Work" day which is June 21. The CHP will issue a press release on this on Wednesday.
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At this time the ABATE board of directors has decided that we do not have
enough votes or political backing to enter a Helmet Law Modification bill this year. There are too many seats that will ‘term out’ this year and too many people coming in that we do not know who they are yet, to spend any time and money on them. A new Voters Guide is in the process of being prepared.
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The “LOOK TWICE, SAVE A LIFE, SHARE THE ROADS WITH MOTORCYCLES” program put together by the CHP, OTS, MSF, and ABATE is in full swing soon. ABATE is a consultant for this board. The PSA films are now being shown in movie theatres and on TV. pamphlets, flyers, maps, etc. are ready for distribution to the driving public

The “Motorcycle Awareness” messages will be posted on the Changeable Message Signs all around the state for about a week during May, because of Motorcycle Awareness Month, and for about a week during June because of “Ride Your Bike to Work” day, which is June 21st

ABATE sent a letter to the “ Share The Road With Motorcycles” group a few days ago, and suggested that because California is a 12 month riding state, and because the Electronic Motorcycle Awareness messages are being taken so well (90 - 95 % approval rate), and because the technical part of the program is already in place, we should have messages on the boards for one or two days each month. We just received an answer from the CA Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) saying that they thought it was a good idea.
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SB 435 will be back in June. It is less harmful than it was….due to everyone writing and emailing their Senators and Assembly Members. It is still dangerous though, because the rewrite ended up threatening ALL motorcycles rather than just those made after 2003….
Write a letter letter to the NEW Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, Assembly member Bonnie Lowenthal, telling her that you are opposing Senator Pavley’s SB 435.”

Bonnie Lowenthal (D) ( 916 ) 319-2054 (
BonnieLowenthal .com
PO Box 942849 Sacramento , CA 94249
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WEBSITE _______
The Local 6 Website has been updated, Check it out at abatelocal6.org. Thanks to our Webmaster Rick “animal” Henry.
The ABATE of Ca. Website is being constantly revised and has some good info in it. Check it out at www.abate.org
Thanks to Dennis Stalter._


John Del Santo