OFF THE WIRE
AMA :September 29 Deadline for Representatives to sign Congressional
> letter to suspend motorcycle-only checkpoints
> Congressional letter aims to suspend NHTSA program to fund
> discriminatory motorcycle-only checkpointsTake Action!
> Urge your Representative to sign on today!
>
> Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) is taking the lead by sending a letter
> to Sec. Ray LaHood urging him to suspend a grant program that would
> expand the highly criticized practice of creating motorcycle-only
> checkpoints by law enforcement agencies.
>
> The program is the Motorcycle Law Enforcement Demonstrations Grant
> (DTNH22-10-R-00386), and has closed for new applicants as of August
> 13, 2010. However, you can view the grant notice by clicking here.
>
> The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) supports this important
> letter, and seeks to have as many Representatives sign on as possible.
> Therefore, the AMA needs your help immediately to contact your
> Representative and urge them to sign onto this letter.
>
> The AMA has formally questioned the potential discriminatory and legal
> nature of this program, administered by the National Highway Traffic
> Safety Administration (NHTSA). The AMA sent a letter to Administrator
> Strickland on August 9 urging him to suspend the grant program until
> questions have been addressed. To date, Administrator Strickland has
> not responded. To view AMA's letter, click here.
>
> While law enforcement officials may defend the program as a safety
> measure to decrease motorcycle crashes, injuries and fatalities, there
> is no proof of its effectiveness. The practice, first modeled in New
> York State, has drawn the ire of thousands of motorcyclists
> nationally.
>
> NHTSA is now seeking up to five other law enforcement agencies,
> besides the state of New York, to participate in motorcycle-only
> checkpoints, and is offering $350,000 in federal funding.
>
> The AMA believes that the best way for NHTSA to reduce motorcycle
> crashes is to employ proven strategies, such as rider education and
> motorcycle awareness programs, that decrease the likelihood of crashes
> from ever occurring. These strategies must be research-based, and
> motorcyclists would be much better served by applying the funding to
> the national motorcycle crash causation study that is currently
> underway at Oklahoma State University. This is a sentiment supported
> by Sensenbrenner and many of his colleagues in Congress through
> recently introduced H. Res. 1498.
>
> To urge your Representative to support this important resolution, click here.
>
> Be sure to forward this to your motorcycling friends! Ask them to
> contact their Representative and urge them to sign on to the
> Sensenbrenner letter requesting the grant offer be suspended until the
> concerns of the motorcycling community have been addressed. Just
> follow the “Take Action” option to send a pre-written e-mail directly
> to your Representative demanding no federal dollars be used to expand
> programs that discriminate against motorcyclists.
