As most know, North Carolina motorcyclists were successful in passing legislation to prohibit the use of motorcycle-only checkpoints within the State of North Carolina. Targeting motorcyclists for random stops is a clearly discriminatory practice that serves no public safety purpose. Every motorcyclist should oppose such practices. All riders need to be concerned about motorcycle-only checkpoints. Putting an end to them in a few states does not protect us as riders since most of us tend to ride inter-state.
Motorcycle-only checkpoints are still alive and well in most of the country. Georgia in particular is seeing quite a few. The majority of the checkpoints are being funded with federal grant money. Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) has introduced H.R. 904 which would prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from providing grants or any funds to states or local governments to be used for any program to create motorcycle-only checkpoints. You can read more about this bill at the following link: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:h.r.904:
The problem is that out of 435 members of the House of Representatives only 55 members have signed on as a co-sponsor. Out of North Carolina’s thirteen members only two, Howard Coble and Walter Jones, have signed on as co-sponsors. Out of South Carolina’s six members, two, Jeff Duncan and Joe Wilson, have likewise signed on as co-sponsors. I would ask every motorcyclist to write, call or email members of your state’s delegation of the House of Representatives and ask them to support H.R. 904 and to become a co-sponsor of this important piece of legislation. You will find a link to each of the members of the House of Representatives from North Carolina at the following link: http://www.house.gov/representatives/#state_nc You will find a link to each of the members of the House of Representatives from South Carolina at the following link: http://www.house.gov/representatives/#state_sc
As always if you have any questions or comments about anything that I have written please feel free to contact me.
Matt Danielson
McGrath & Danielson
Tom McGrath's Motorcycle Law Group
1-800-321-8968
Motorcyclelawgroup.com