<link /> <description /> <docs>http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification</docs> <generator>mojoPortal Forum module</generator> <item> <title>AMA Contacts Virginia Governor Over Motorcycle-Only Checkpoint Conducted May 28  

 

http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=44673

 

AMA Contacts Virginia Governor Over Motorcycle-Only Checkpoint Conducted May 28, During Rolling Thunder Event

 

Jun 01, 2011, 

 

From a press release issued by American Motorcyclist Association:

 

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has expressed concern to Gov. Bob McDonnell over a recent motorcycle-only checkpoint in northern Virginia, calling the stop "discriminatory."

 

The Arlington County (Va.) Police Department conducted a motorcycle-only checkpoint on May 28 during the annual Rolling Thunder gathering in Washington, D.C. The Rolling Thunder event, held May 27-29, involved tens of thousands of motorcyclists riding to the nation's capital to seek accountability for prisoners of war and service personnel missing in action.

 

In the letter, dated May 31, AMA Washington Representative Rick Podliska told McDonnell that motorcycle-only checkpoints are discriminatory and profile only motorcyclists.

 

"The AMA urges the Commonwealth of Virginia to suspend the use of motorcycle-only checkpoints until questions raised by the motorcycling community have been addressed," Podliska wrote.

 

Those questions include: How do motorcycle-only checkpoints increase the safety of motorcyclists? Where do states draw their authority to conduct motorcycle-only checkpoints? Is "probable cause" required to stop a motorcycle and, if so, what constitutes probable cause?

 

"The safety of motorcyclists is better served by efforts that minimize injuries and fatalities by preventing crashes in the first place," Podliska wrote. "The most efficient way of doing so is not through sporadic, discriminatory roadside checkpoints, but by mitigating crash causation."

 

Copies of the letter were also sent to Arlington County Police Chief M. Douglas Scott, Virginia House of Delegates Transportation Committee Chairman Joe May and Virginia Senate Transportation Committee Chairwoman Yvonne Miller.

 

The Virginia motorcycle-only roadside checkpoint is the latest in a series of the discriminatory checkpoints that have been conducted in Utah, New York state and Georgia. The AMA is strongly opposed to this practice.

 

In a victory for motorcyclists, lawmakers in New Hampshire recently approved, and the governor signed into law, a bill that prohibits law enforcement agencies or political subdivisions from accepting federal money for motorcycle-only roadside checkpoints.

 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave Georgia a $70,000 grant to conduct one or more roadside motorcycle-only checkpoints and the state police did so as thousands of motorcyclists rode through the state on their way to Daytona Beach, Fla., for Bike Week March 4-13.

 

The AMA opposes the federal motorcycle-only checkpoint grant program, and U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and some of his colleagues have asked U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to suspend the program. Sensenbrenner has also introduced H.R. 904, which would prohibit the U.S. transportation secretary from providing funds for motorcycle-only checkpoints.

 

"The NHTSA should focus on decreasing the likelihood of crashes from occurring in the first place," Podliska said. "No public money should be applied to promoting such a program without first addressing questions from the motorcycling community."

 

In addition to letters submitted to the past and present governors of Georgia, the AMA also sent a letter to NHTSA Administrator David Strickland urging him to suspend the grant program that gives states money for motorcycle-only checkpoints until questions have been addressed.

 

To view the AMA's letter to McDonnell, click here:

 

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Libraries/Rights_Documents_State/5_31_2011_GovMcDonnell_MOC.sflb.ashx?download=true.

 

About the American Motorcyclist Association

 

Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world's largest motorcycling rights organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists' interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through its support of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

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http://scmra.org/Forums/Thread.aspx?pageid=3&t=109~-1#post114 BillBrews http://scmra.org/Forums/Thread.aspx?pageid= Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:48:35 GMT Riders asked to oppose Georgia motorcycle-only checkpoints www.americanmotorcyclist.com/NewsView/11-02-23/Riders_asked_to_oppose_Georgia_motorcycle-only_checkpoints.aspx

Riders asked to oppose Georgia motorcycle-only checkpoints
February 23, 2011

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is urging riders nationwide to contact Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal to urge him to stop the Georgia
State Patrol from conducting any motorcycle-only traffic checkpoints.

Tens of thousands of motorcyclists from around the nation could be subject to Georgia motorcycle-only checkpoints if those checkpoints are
in place before, during and after Daytona (Fla.) Bike Week, which runs March 4-13.

Ed Moreland, AMA senior vice president for government affairs, suggests that riders contact the governor through the AMA website at
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/rights/issueslegislation  and ask that any motorcycle-only checkpoints be suspended until key questions
are answered. Those questions, which have been posed by the AMA to Deal and other officials, include: How do motorcycle-only checkpoints
increase the safety of motorcyclists? Where do states draw their authority to conduct motorcycle-only checkpoints? Is "probable cause"
required to stop a motorcycle and, if so, what constitutes probable cause?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave Georgia a $70,000 grant to conduct one or more roadside motorcycle-only
checkpoints. New York state has operated a similar program. The AMA has been tracking this disturbing development of motorcycle-only checkpoints
since it first appeared in New York several years ago.

"The AMA believes that the primary source of motorcycle safety is in motorcycle crash prevention and not in arbitrarily pulling over riders
and randomly subjecting them to roadside inspections," Moreland said.

"The NHTSA should focus on decreasing the likelihood of crashes from occurring in the first place," Moreland said. "No public money should be
applied to promoting such a program without first addressing questions from the motorcycling community," he said.


In addition to letters submitted to the past and present governors of Georgia, the AMA has questioned the potential discriminatory and legal
nature of this program and submitted a list of questions for clarification to the New York State Police concerning that agency's program.

The AMA also sent a letter to NHTSA Administrator David Strickland urging him to suspend the grant program that gives states money for
motorcycle-only checkpoints until questions have been addressed. To view the AMA's letter, click here:
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/legisltn/documents/Strickland_Law_Enforcement_Grant_8-9-2010.pdf .

To view Strickland's response, click here:
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/legisltn/documents/Strickland_11-15-2010.pdf .

James Holter


http://www.newyorkfreedomriders.com
New York Freedom Riders
Riders Against Constitutional Erosion
"Freedom Is NOT A Spectator Sport"

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http://scmra.org/Forums/Thread.aspx?pageid=3&t=62~-1#post65 BillBrews http://scmra.org/Forums/Thread.aspx?pageid= Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:07:38 GMT
AMA Motorcyclist of the Year 2010  

http://motorcyclesafetynews.com/?p=1353

Motorcycle Safety News

 

Reporting the news, culture and gear behind motorcycle and scooter safety Schwarzenegger is AMA’s Motorcyclist of the Year by Jeff on December 8, 2010

The AMA is expressing its displeasure over California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s legislative approval of S.B. 435 by naming him Motorcyclist of the Year.

It’s not an overstatement to say the AMA abhors the California law mandating strict controls on motorcycle sound, and named the man allegedly most responsible for it, one who claims to be a motorcyclist, to be the recipient of its annual prize.

“As a motorcyclist, Gov. Schwarzenegger should have known better,” AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman said. “Now California’s motorcyclists, as well as key segments of our industry, are going to be negatively impacted.”

The AMA justified the award by announcing, “… the AMA Motorcyclist of the Year designation recognizes the person(s) who has had the most profound impact on the world of motorcycling, for better or worse, in the previous 12 months.”

Will the Governator go to a banquet dinner held in his … honor?

Talk about a back-handed political slap.

Here is an honor bestowed seemingly to cast shame.

AMA Press release:

The AMA announced today its AMA Motorcyclist of the Year. Awarded annually, the AMA Motorcyclist of the Year designation recognizes the person(s) who has had the most profound impact on the world of motorcycling, for better or worse, in the previous 12 months.

For 2010, that distinction belongs to outgoing California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose signature on a controversial law will have far-reaching and potentially harmful effects on the motorcycling community nationwide.

With no fanfare, Schwarzenegger signed a poorly crafted bill on Sept. 28 that fundamentally changes how California will regulate motorcycle exhaust systems. The new law also maps a path for the rest of the country, as other state and local lawmakers look for their own answers to address excessive motorcycle sound. The full story is in the January 2011 issue of American Motorcyclist magazine, the journal of the AMA.

“Gov. Schwarzenegger signed a piece of legislation that has rocked the motorcycling world, and will impact motorcyclists in other states as well for years to come,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “This makes him the logical choice for the 2010 AMA Motorcyclist of the Year.”

The legislation, California Senate Bill 435, the Motorcycle Anti-Tampering Act, requires every new motorcycle or aftermarket exhaust system built starting in 2013 to carry a stamp on the exhaust certifying that it meets federal Environmental Protection Agency sound requirements. For most motorcycles, the law is a de-facto OEM (original equipment manufacturer) exhaust mandate because the federal standard was not designed for aftermarket manufacturers, and compliance for the scores of low-volume production models now on the market is extremely problematic.

The AMA has long advocated reasonable measures be adopted for the regulation of excessive motorcycle sound, and cites the Society of Automotive Engineers J2825 motorcycle sound testing procedure as the most fair, economical and practical solution to the problem vexing communities nationwide.

“The California law is a poorly crafted piece of legislation that’s discriminatory and does little to address the core problem of excessive sound from all sources, not just motorcycles,” Dingman said. “Rather than objectively regulate offensive noise, this law creates all sorts of problems for riders, law enforcement and aftermarket manufacturers.”

An EPA certification label is no guarantee of sound compliance, and the lack of a label is no guarantee that an exhaust is too loud. The only way to know if a motorcycle exhaust is compliant is to test its actual sound output, Dingman noted.

“As a motorcyclist, Gov. Schwarzenegger should have known better,” Dingman said. “Now California’s motorcyclists, as well as key segments of our industry, are going to be negatively impacted.”

Currently, only two aftermarket manufacturers offer EPA-sound-stamped exhaust systems for a handful of late-model Harley-Davidsons. The process of certification is complex and expensive. For the millions of owners whose motorcycle models were made in relatively small numbers, the requirement to replace an aging exhaust system with an expensive OEM system is onerous and discriminatory. Owners of automobiles and trucks don’t have to meet the same standard, and they can buy less expensive replacement exhaust systems at local muffler shops.

Schwarzenegger’s selection as AMA Motorcyclist of the Year was reinforced by California’s position as a role model for the rest of the country.

“In many cases, we’ve seen other states follow California’s legislative lead on a number of issues,” Dingman said. “There’s no reason to think that trend won’t continue with respect to S.B. 435. With the stroke of his pen, Gov. Schwarzenegger significantly altered the motorcycling landscape for motorcyclists everywhere, and this is the reason why his selection as AMA Motorcyclist of the Year is so impactful.”

The full story of Schwarzenegger’s involvement with motorcycling goes beyond S.B. 435, and is detailed in the January issue of American Motorcyclist. Schwarzenegger has, during his tenure, been an ally of motorcycling with key appointments to decision-making committees that deal with off-highway riding issues, as an example. In addition, as a known motorcyclist himself, Schwarzenegger has drawn attention to motorcycling and, after a high-profile crash in 2006, the need for proper motorcycle licensing.

“We will continue to work with municipal governments and state legislatures to implement reasonable measures, such as the SAE J2825 standard, to address excessive motorcycle sound,” said Dingman. “But we now have the added burden of showing how California’s new measure is not an effective solution, and we have Gov. Schwarzenegger to thank for that.”  

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http://scmra.org/Forums/Thread.aspx?pageid=3&t=35~-1#post37 BillBrews http://scmra.org/Forums/Thread.aspx?pageid= Thu, 09 Dec 2010 23:58:51 GMT
AMA - Federal helmet law a possibility  

 

 

Federal helmet law a possibility

Federal helmet law a possibility

Take Action!

Contact your Senators now!

 

On September 28, 2010, Administrator David Strickland of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) called for efforts to "actively work with Congress to promote helmet use." Strickland made this comment at a Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance hearing titled "NHTSA Oversight: An Examination of the Highway Safety Provisions of SAFETEA-LU" of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
 
Strickland's comment was part of his overall testimony regarding how safety provisions within the transportation reauthorization bill (SAFETEA-LU) played a role in reducing highway fatalities.  

Strickland stated the following regarding motorcycle fatalities:
 
"However, you will notice that there is one indicator that is moving in the wrong direction, motorcycle fatalities. Between 2004 and 2009, the number of motorcycle riders killed increased from just over 4,200 to almost 4,462, an 11 percent increase. The number of motorcycle fatalities did fall between 2008 and 2009, the first time we have seen a decrease in more than a decade. We need to work to build on last year's progress. The most important step we could take would be to assure that all riders wear a DOT-compliant helmet, which are 37 percent effective in reducing fatalities. We estimate that helmets prevented over 1,800 fatalities in 2008, and that more than 800 additional fatalities could have been avoided if all riders wore helmets. NHTSA will actively work with Congress to promote helmet use."

To view Strickland's complete testimony, click here.

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is concerned that Strickland may be recommending the re-institution of a federal helmet mandate. If a helmet mandate is passed into law, it would penalize any state without a mandatory motorcycle helmet law for all riders by denying federal transportation and safety dollars to that state. The AMA supports states' rights to determine their respective helmet policy free from the threat of federal sanctions. Congress affirmed this right as recently as 1995 in the National Highway System Act when they removed federal penalties placed on states without mandatory helmet laws.

The best way for NHTSA to reduce motorcycle crashes is to employ proven strategies, such as rider education and motorcycle awareness programs, that decrease the likelihood of crashes from ever occurring. These strategies must be research-based, and motorcyclists would be much better served by applying the funding to the national motorcycle crash causation study that is currently underway at Oklahoma State University. This is a sentiment supported by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and many of his colleagues in Congress through recently introduced H. Res. 1498.

To urge your Representative to support H. Res. 1498, click here.
 
The AMA encourages you to contact your Senators and urge them to prevent the NHTSA from solely focusing on federal helmet mandate legislation but to employ proven strategies to reduce motorcycle crashes from occurring in the first place.  
 
Contact information for your Senators is available at AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Rights > Issues & Legislation by entering your zip code in the "Find your Officials" box. A prewritten e-mail is available for you to send to your Senators immediately by following the "Take Action" option and entering your information.
 
To view an archived webcast of Strickland's comments at the hearing, click here.
 
Please write or call your Senators today and urge NHTSA to employ proven strategies, such as rider education and motorcycle awareness programs, that will be better served for motorcyclists.

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Rapid Response Center

Contribute to the Cause

Get Involved

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Join the AMA

AmericanMotorcyclist.com . Rapid Response Center . Contribute to the Cause . Get Involved . Register to Vote
AMA Facebook Page . RSS Feed

 

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http://scmra.org/Forums/Thread.aspx?pageid=3&t=15~-1#post16 BillBrews http://scmra.org/Forums/Thread.aspx?pageid= Tue, 28 Sep 2010 23:19:46 GMT