OFF THE WIRE
EPA TO DROP FOUR GALLON MINIMUM GAS PURCHASES
Ethanol-laden
gasoline is known to cause engine damage, and many manufacturers warn that using
the product will invalidate warranties, so when the EPA approved E15 (fuel blend
containing 15% ethanol) it raised concerns amongst motorcyclists, off-roaders,
snowmobilers, boaters and others who use vehicles and equipment driven by small
gas-powered motors…none of which are approved for its use.
The EPA’s
response was to require a minimum four gallon purchase, the misguided rationale
being that it would dilute any residual E15 remaining in a gas pump’s lines.
Again, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency came under fire, with
powersports and automotive groups pushing back against the federal agency’s push
for the grain alcohol-blended biofuel.
Apparently realizing that a viable
solution to the problem needs to be conceived, the EPA is abandoning its
four-gallon minimum on blender pumps that dispense both E10 and E15 from the
same pump, and instead the government body says it will likely require gas
stations to label shared pumps, as well as offer a dedicated E10 pump/hose for
non-approved vehicles.
In the meantime, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia has denied a rehearing on the EPA decision to put E15 on
the market. The federal appellate court decision is a setback for the
oil-and-gas industry, which opposes the use of E15 and a federal biofuel
blending mandate that requires refiners to blend 36 billion gallons of biofuels
into traditional transportation fuels by 2022.
EUROPE SET TO MANDATE ABS FOR MOTORCYCLES
A Europe-wide
proposal to mandate anti-lock braking systems (ABS) for motorcycles bigger than
125cc manufactured from 2016 onwards was overwhelmingly approved by the European
Parliament by a vote of 643-16. Although the measure is still working its way
through the EU legislative process and must still be adopted by individual
member nations of the European Union, it is expected to be adopted
soon.
A European Union Commission presented the ABS requirement for new
framework regulation for motorcycles, and calculates that the proposal would
reduce the number of fatal motorcycle accidents by more than 5,000 over a
10-year period.
Although the first anti-lock braking system was installed
on a motorcycle in 1988, only 16% of all newly manufactured motorcycles in
Europe were equipped with ABS, and by comparison car manufacturers have made ABS
standard equipment since 2004 which has contributed to an estimated 49% overall
decline in fatal car accidents in the EU. Experts regard anti-lock braking as a
huge boost to safety, pointing to a Swedish highway study that showed that 38%
of all motorcycle accidents involve personal injury and 48% of all serious and
fatal accidents could have been prevented with ABS.
In the U.S., the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has considered requiring ABS on
new motorcycles sold in America, and will likely take up the issue in the near
future.
AUSTRALIAN TOP COP VOWS TO BAN BIKIES FROM PUBS
Declaring
that outlaw bikies “…are not the type of people who should be running licensed
premises,” Chief Commissioner Ken Lay has vowed to ban bikers from pubs and
clubs across Victoria. "The legislation is designed to ensure that doesn't
occur," he told the Herald Sun newspaper of his plan to move “bikies” out of
venue ownership, operation and security.
Earlier this year, police
swooped on bikies in a series of raids and seized 120 guns after ruling them not
fit people to have the weapons under the Firearms Act.
Meanwhile, police
are telling licensees not to allow patched-up bikies entry, so some
Melbournestrip clubs, bars and nightclubs are refusing entry based on a "dress
code standard," and some have even banned motorcycles from parking
outside.
Inspector Paul Ross, of licensing enforcement, said police
"advised" licensees "it's probably better if they don't allow outlaw motorcycle
gang members inside ... wearing colors."
One operator, who is enforcing
the ban, said police asked him and others to sign an agreement that the dress
code standard relating to bikies was upheld.
