Daytona-bound bikers protest State Patrol checkpoints

OFF THE WIRE
http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2011/02/23/daytona-bound-bikers-protest-state-patrol-checkpoints/?cxntfid=blogs_political_insider_jim_galloway

Daytona-bound bikers protest State Patrol checkpoints

February 23, 2011, by jgalloway

The American Motorcyclist Association is calling on Gov. Nathan Deal to block a federally funded Georgia State Patrol program to set up traffic checkpoints targeting Daytona-bound bikers next month:

Tens of thousands of motorcyclists from around the nation could be subject to Georgia motorcycle-only checkpoints if those checkpoints are in place before, during and after Daytona (Fla.) Bike Week, which runs March 4-13….

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave Georgia a $70,000 grant to conduct one or more roadside motorcycle-only checkpoints. New York state has operated a similar program. The AMA has been tracking this disturbing development of motorcycle-only checkpoints since it first appeared in New York several years ago.

“The AMA believes that the primary source of motorcycle safety is in motorcycle crash prevention and not in arbitrarily pulling over riders and randomly subjecting them to roadside inspections,” [said Ed Moreland, AMA senior vice president for government affairs.]

The Insider is assuming that helmets are the issue. Georgia mandates their use for all motocyclists. In Florida, bikers over the age of 21 are permitted to ride without them.