Motorcyclist Profiling
The American Motorcyclist
Association has long advocated for the rights of motorcyclists and the
motorcycling lifestyle. The AMA, in diligently scrutinizing government
policies directed at motorcyclists, is concerned over motorcyclist
profiling. This includes motorcycle-only checkpoints and what is a
predisposition in many cases of law enforcement officers targeting
motorcyclists solely because they are wearing motorcycle-related
clothing.
In the past few years, a number of
efforts have been undertaken to address these issues. For example, the
states of Washington (S.B. 5242 in 2011) and Maryland (S.B. 233 in 2016)
have passed legislation specifically forbidding the profiling of
motorcyclists, and other states are considering similar legislation.
Additionally, California adopted Assembly Bill 1047 in 2012,
specifically outlawing motorcycle-only checkpoints. Checkpoints are also
restricted by state law or judicial action in: Alaska, Louisiana,
Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, Illinois, New Hampshire, Idaho,
Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas,
Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The AMA strongly condemns the
profiling of motorcyclists by government agencies and has long
championed the undeniable fact that the vast majority of riders and
enthusiasts are upstanding, law-abiding citizens. Motorcyclists and
motorcycling enthusiasts represent the full range of Americans and
should be judged on their specific behaviors and actions, not their
chosen mode of transportation or association with others.