OFF THE WIRE
Sent by Rogue
Press Release
Contact:
David "Lockdown" Rich
Public Relations Trustee, ABATE of Florida, Inc.
386.490.4821 FAX: 396.490.4482
statepr@abateflorida.com
http://www.abateflorida.com/
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
ABATE of Florida, Inc. Fights for Stiffer Penalties for Negligent Drivers
Deland, FL, January 27, 2011 – ABATE of Florida, Inc. once again begins our fight to get stiffer penalties levied upon careless and negligent drivers that hit, injure, and many times kill the motorcyclists on the roadways of Florida. Our battle begins this year with the filings of Florida House Bill 403 and Florida Senate Bill 608 this week, both titled "Traffic Offenses".
Over the last two years, we know of at least 24 motorcyclists that have been killed by careless, negligent, and/or drunk drivers. Of those cases, the vast majority of offending drivers have either not been charged at all, or have only been cited with "failure to yield". Out of these deaths, only three drivers have been sentenced to over $166, with none sentenced to any time in jail. Florida House Bill 403, filed by Representative Baxley, and Florida Senate Bill 608, filed by Senator Evers, are both intended to establish a Florida law that will bring justice in sentencing when an offending vehicle driver injures and/or kills a motorcyclist.
Representative Bill Baxley is currently the Chair of the Criminal Justice Sub-Committee and the Vice Chair of the Transportation and Highway Safety Sub Committee. He has served in the past as Florida's Speaker Pro Tempore. Senator Evers sponsored our Stiffer Penalties Bill last year while a Florida House of Representatives member, and currently serves as the Chair of the Criminal Justice Committee and the Vice Chair or Transportation Committee in the Florida Senate. Both are members of ABATE of Florida and have been huge supporters of motorcyclists' rights.
ABATE of Florida, Inc. has been trying for years to get the penalties sentenced drivers convicted of hitting motorcyclists after negligent and/or reckless vehicle operation not only enforced, but made more severe. Now that our Stiffer Penalties Bills have been filed, we wish all to contact your elected representatives and ask them to support Senate Bill 608 and House Bill 403 in an effort to let your legislators understand that motorcyclists' lives are worth more than a traffic ticket.
The reason that ABATE of Florida has not been able to get this passed is because it singles out motorcyclist and does not include pedestrians, bicyclist etc.
They have been told that when their other bills with similar wording failed.
Many motorcyclist and other people in Florida are against this proposal because It Makes Money For The State and does nothing for the victim and or their family.
There are those in government that like it though as it does bring in money to them. The question is why does ABATE of Florida continue to push for legislation that makes the state money?
Rogue
I withheld comment until I looked at the actual bill.
It can be found at this humongous link:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=45243&SessionIndex=-1&SessionId=66&BillText=&BillNumber=403&BillSponsorIndex=0&BillListIndex=0&BillStatuteText=&BillTypeIndex=0&BillReferredIndex=0&HouseChamber=H&BillSearchIndex=-1
The bill continues to depend on whether or not the investigating officer accuses a moving violation against the person who causes the accident, so it does nothing to address fair and equal justice applied to all. As we've seen over and over again, some people are not charged, and it is often due to their position in life or their association with government.
As I've always said, there is no need to afford motorcyclists more protection than pedestrians or bicyclists. The effect is an unwanted increase in public resentment against motorcyclists. The result is an unwanted increase in the power for the state government to rob people blind and increase prison labor.
If there is an accident, an accident is an accident, and most people who cause an accident will feel remorse that will stay with them their entire life. There is no need to criminalize the truly remorseful.
If a crash is intentional, that's a true criminal. They should be evaluated for violent tendencies towards others, then treated as a criminal, stripped of the right to operate a motor vehicle, and should also be stripped of gun ownership. I would make sure legislation spells out that law enforcement is not provided any immunity from prosecution.
If a crash is caused by extreme negligence, that is totally different than all the above. I would add such things as text messaging or other strange distractions such as polishing one's toenails, to how extreme negligence is arrived at.
Florida ABATE is going to do what Florida ABATE is going to do, and since we are not in a position to influence them, we must just treat them with all the courtesies we might treat any other organization such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (those commie sleazebags!). They dare refer to themselves as a motorcyclist rights organization to the motorcycling community, and are primarily comprised of people who are motorcyclists, but we know what is really happening. So, we can take that knowledge and either be silent about it, or we can ask magazine to list them as a motorcycle safety organization, and spread the idea that there is no open membership motorcyclist rights organization in Florida, and that there is a need for an open membership MRO which allows fair elections.
As for other so-called mro's in any other state which models themselves after Florida ABATE, or CBA/ABATE of NC, when they show their true colors as a MSO rather than an MRO, I extend the same courtesies (those commie sleazebags!)
That's my philosophy anyhow.
jan
