OFF THE WIRE
By Bill Bish, thanks to Richard Lester and NCOM, with photos from the Bob T. collection.
THE AIM/NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE is brought to you by
Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) and the National Coalition of
Motorcyclists (NCOM), and is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester.
If you’ve been involved in any kind of accident, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or
visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com.
EMISSIONS TESTING NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR MOTORCYCLES
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has dropped its requirement that
Phoenix-area motorcycles undergo annual emissions inspections, the last place in
the country to require such testing. The federal agency has approved a request
from state environmental officials in Arizona that motorcycle tests be
discontinued, effective immediately.
The request to drop the testing
requirement came in response to a 2008 state law requiring the Arizona
Department of Environmental Quality to do an analysis of pollutants emitted by
motorcycles and make a proposal to the federal agency. “Our analysis has
determined that the cost and inconvenience is not providing a significant
environmental benefit,” said Trevor Baggiore, deputy director of air quality at
ADEQ.
Even though motorcycles account for 3.5% of vehicles on the area’s
roads, the department’s analysis determined that they emit “insignificant”
amounts of pollution, accounting for less than 1% of total emissions in the
Phoenix metro area.
Pima County (Tucson) and Maricopa County (Phoenix)
were the only areas in the United States that required motorcycles to pass
yearly emissions inspections at a cost of $19 per test, and Pima County halted
motorcycle testing in 2007.
Congratulations to ABATE of Arizona, the MMA
of Arizona and the Arizona Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (ACMC) for their
years of stalwart efforts to relieve Grand Canyon State riders of these
unnecessary costs and burdensome time wasted in long lines.
ANTI-ABORTION MEASURE RIDES MOTORCYCLE BILL THROUGH N.C.
HOUSE
In controversial political maneuvering, the
Republican-controlled North Carolina House recently pushed through anti-abortion
legislation, using as their vehicle a motorcycle safety bill that lawmakers had
stealthily gutted and turned into a measure to further regulate abortion
clinics.
Republicans introduced the legislation (S.B. 353) in the House
Judiciary Committee the previous morning by attaching the abortion provisions to
a motorcycle safety bill -- without first notifying either the public or their
Democratic colleagues. “This bill came hurriedly through the Senate, rerouted
through the House on a motorcycle," lamented state Rep. Alma Adams (D). "No
input from stakeholders, no public scrutiny, no transparency, no fiscal
note."
The final vote was 74-41 on July 13; the bill now heads back to
the GOP-led state Senate for approval, then on to Governor Pat McCrory (R) who
says he will sign the measure into law if it reaches his desk.
GUAM ENACTS “LIMITED HELMET LAW”
Originally, Senator Tommy
Morrison’s bill called for universal helmet use for all motorcycle riders in the
U.S. protectorate of Guam, but the revised version of his proposed helmet law
makes it mandatory only for riders under the age of 18 and for those with less
than 3 years riding experience.
After a lengthy public hearing and
receiving input from the community, Bill No. 87 “Limited Helmet Law” passed
unanimously, and also requires new riders to first complete a defensive
driving/motorcycle safety education course prior to being licensed and prohibits
licensees from operating a motorcycle or scooter of larger engine size than that
which they take the motorcycle exam on. In order to operate a motorcycle with a
larger engine, the operator must apply and test for a new license under that
engine size.
AMENDED HELMET LAW HAS POSITIVE ECONOMIC BENEFIT IN
MICHIGAN
Changes last year in Michigan’s mandatory helmet law have
had a positive effect on motorcycle riding in Michigan, according to ABATE of
Michigan. There has been an increase in motorcycle travel in Michigan since
April of 2012, said ABATE in a recent press release.
"Motorcycle tourism
is up. Motorcyclists across the country are coming to Michigan in droves. Very
few out-of-state motorcyclists were seen in Michigan before the adult helmet
requirement was modified,” according to ABATE. “Cyclists from across the country
are discovering the beauty of the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan. There
is an increase of out-of-state participation in Michigan motorcycle events by as
much as five times during the summer of 2012."
"Our members have reported
an increase in motorcycle tourism since the enactment of the rider choice law,"
added Scott Ellis, executive director of the Michigan Licensed Beverage
Association, which represents more than 1,800 restaurant, bar, party store,
hotel and casino establishments across the state. "From Monroe to Muskegon to
the Keweenaw Peninsula, more out-of-state motorcyclists are stopping, staying
and spending money at our restaurants, hotels and attractions," he told the
Midland Daily News.
Motorcycle sales also are up in Michigan, and ABATE
says that 2012 was the safest riding season in 10 years for licensed
motorcyclists in the state.
MOTORCYCLE CHECKPOINTS IN NEW YORK NET NEARLY A HUNDRED
TICKETS
More than 80 motorcyclists and their vehicles were checked
by specially-trained State Police motorcycle inspectors near Buffalo, NY in
mid-June, with two checkpoints resulting in the issuance of 92 traffic tickets
for offenses that included helmet and equipment violations.
New York has
been the epicenter for the Motorcycle-Only Checkpoint debate, which has resulted
in four states; New Hampshire, North Carolina, Virginia and California, passing
laws to prohibit law enforcement agencies from establishing motorcycle-only
checkpoints.
In addition, on the federal level Congressman Jim
Sensenbrenner (R-WI) has introduced H.R. 1861 “To stop motorcycle checkpoint
funding,” and also contains language “to force the DOT to focus motorcycle
safety efforts on crash prevention programs, not national helmet
mandates.”
MOTORCYCLE CLUB SUES CITY OVER DISCRIMINATION
A local
motorcycle club said it was just doing things by the book when it filed a permit
to hold a BBQ fundraiser at a local park in Rio Vista, California, but the city
and the police chief turned that simple request down. Now, the motorcycle club
is filing suit, claiming it was discriminated against.
"No one other than
us has ever tried to put in a permit," Saxon Creed MC President Rob Anderson
told News 10/KXTV. "We thought we were doing the right thing."
Last July,
the club wanted to hold its fundraising pig roast at Blackwelder Park, the same
park where dozens of other community events have been held. So, the group filed
for a permit with the city. But, the request was declined by the police chief
and the city.
The group held their pig roast this year without problems
at a Veteran's Hall, right next door to the park they applied to last
year.
Members of Saxon Creed MC say they feel like the request was denied
because they are bikers. The group has filed a discrimination lawsuit, claiming
its civil rights were violated. They're suing for $250,000 in damages on behalf
of their 15 members. "It makes me very angry," Anderson said. "This is America.
We all have rights. I don't like seeing anyone's rights trampled on."
MAN ON A MISSION
"This will be the most important thing I
have ever done." says Tim King, founder and news editor of Salem-News.com, in
regard to his scheduled 48-state motorcycle ride for Veterans. “I am riding 48
states this summer to educate Vets through talks and media appearances about
health issues that are taking lives; we're talking about PTSD/TBI, Agent Orange
and the effects of serving aboard toxic military bases.”
A former Marine
who has covered the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Tim and his wife Bonnie
received the NCOM Silver Spoke Award for Media in 2011 for advocating on behalf
of motorcycle clubs and riders and their civil rights, and they have also been
recognized by the Oregon Confederation of Clubs for Excellence in
Journalism.
Tim is riding thousands of miles to share the information he
has accumulated over his journalism career and nine specific years reporting for
Salem-News.com and he's doing it by himself, so your help can make Tim's trip
safer and more effective.
Tim's covering an ongoing war here at home
where Veterans are fighting for their rights, and he'll be checking in with
motorcycle riders who are busy defending their civil rights in regard to club
membership and other issues, so he’s enlisting the support of the motorcycle
community to publicize and help fund his mission. Along the way he’ll be writing
stories and posting photos and videos of the places and people he visits, and
you'll be able to track his progress at Salem-News.com and also via this
dedicated Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tim.king.146612?ref=tn_tnmn.
VERTICAL MOTORCYCLE LICENSE PLATE BILL CLEARS PA
HOUSE
Legislation allowing the vertical display of registration
plates on motorcycles was recently passed by the state House and now heads to
the Senate for consideration.
House Bill 1060 is sponsored by state Rep.
Mark Keller (R-86). “This legislation is specific to motorcycles,” explained
Rep. Keller. “Currently, the state vehicle code does not specify how a vehicle
registration plate may be mounted. However, regulations in Title 67 of the
Pennsylvania Code require horizontal mounting of vehicle registration plates and
do not give the option for vertical mounting.”
HB 1060 would also
“authorize the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to produce, upon
request, registration plates for motorcycles which display the identifying
characters in a vertical alignment.”
“Owners of custom-made or vintage
motorcycles are sometimes reluctant to mount the registration plate horizontally
on the rear fender because doing so interferes with the custom paint job or
other custom work done on the cycle,” according to Keller. “Many of these owners
have approached ABATE of Pennsylvania, the motorcycle advocacy group, about
making this legislative change, and ABATE supports my legislation.”
MORE RULES PROPOSED FOR CANADIAN RIDERS
Saskatchewan is
considering more requirements for new motorcycle licensees, supervision for new
riders and the possibility of mandatory gear. The ideas are among more than a
dozen changes to motorcycle safety, training and insurance rules proposed by
Saskatchewan Government Insurance as it looks for ways to reduce claims, save
money and quell the roar of angry riders.
One suggestion is for potential
riders to pass a basic skills test or complete a motorcycle training program
before they're issued a learner's license. New riders who don't take the
training courses could see an additional $500 a year fee or be restricted on the
size of the bike they use.
Helmets and eye protection are currently the
law in Saskatchewan and similar rules apply across the country, but no other
jurisdiction in Canada has mandatory rules for wearing gloves, ankle-covering
boots or clothing that cover arms and legs, according to SGI.
The review
was launched earlier this year after a proposed rate increase which would have
seen insurance costs for motorcycles go up by an average of 73% to cover a $9
million gap between what SGI takes in from motorcyclists in fees versus what is
paid out for collisions.
The public has until the end of July to comment
on the proposals and SGI is to report to the government in the fall. The goal is
to have the new rules in place for next year's riding season.
MOTORCYCLE BAN LIFTED IN PAKISTAN
After five years,
Pakistani authorities have lifted ban on motorcycle riding in Bajaur tribal
region. The ban on motorcycle riding was imposed in 2008 when the Taliban
stepped up their activities in the region, and the ban was aimed at controlling
insurgency and preventing targeted killings because motorcycles were being used
for attacks against anti-Taliban forces.
The announcement about lifting
the ban was made by Brig Ghulam Haidar, a sector army commander, during his
speech through the security forces-run FM radio channel (Radio Aman FM 88). “The
lifting of ban on motorcycle riding is a gift for the tribesmen on the eve of
the holy month of Ramadan. This good news may enhance happiness of Ramadan,” he
said.
Brig Ghulam said that imposing the ban on motorcycle riding was a
difficult decision but it was taken only in the larger interest of people of the
tribal agency.
