Compiled & Edited
by Bill Bish,
National Coalition
of Motorcyclists (NCOM)
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.
QUOTABLE QUOTE:
“Success is not final, failure not fatal; it is the courage to continue that
counts.”
~Winston Churchill
(1874-1965), British Prime Minister and inspirational WWII leader
