March 2009 Gunny's Sack

[texaskatfish]

From the

GUNNY'S SACK

Spring is coming up fast folks. The elections are over and our new President has his plate very full. It’s raining here instead of snowing although the weatherman says it could still snow before things get ready for spring and coming summer.
All these things don’t excuse us if we don’t do the necessary maintenance on our rides. Do it yourself or get that ride to the shop and get the oil changed, tires checked, chains or drive-lines looked at and lubricated. Everything that could either spell a good day or a disaster.
It’s your butt on that saddle so take care of it. Don’t like going to hospitals to see my brothers and sisters. Much better to meet them on the road for a good safe ride. Sign up for a rider course, ya might be surprised what you’ll learn or remember from times gone by. Tune you and the ride up. Makes for a better day on the road.

NEWSBITS ‘N’ PIECES:

VIRGINIA: Tom McGrath's Motorcycle Law Group is our Virginia AIM (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists) office, and they’ve has offered to represent free of charge any participants of the Myrtle Beach Freedom Ride that receive helmet tickets. The plan will be to set everyone's day in court to the same date should multiple tickets be issued. The AIM lawyers are always good friends to have if ya get in trouble with the law or are involved in an accident.

NEW YORK, NY: A proposed city law that would have let cops confiscate noisy motorcycles has been sent back to the legal shop for retooling.
The confiscation provision in a City Council bill drew a backlash of protest e-mails from motorcyclists and biker advocacy groups from all over the place. Just a sample of what grass roots action is all about.The bill would have allowed cops to ticket a stopped or parked motorcycle if it didn't bear a tag stating it meets noise-control standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
All that really was happening was it gave police the opportunity to pull ya over if they THOUGHT your bike was making too much noise. Great harassment tool for cops. mailto:flombardi@nydailynews.comNIGERIA: No helmet, no cooties! For commercial motorcycle taxi operators otherwise known as Okada, who are yet to meet up with their Federal Government's directive that they and their passengers should wear safety helmets, the battle has just begun. Okada drivers are saying they can’t afford to provide helmets that fit everybody. Besides, women don’t want their hairdo’s messed up, and passengers don’t want other passengers’ "cooties." Officials of traffic agencies are out to enforce compliance. Even with the three-month grace period given to enable them get their helmets for both the riders and passengers, not many of them have complied.

COLORADO HIGH: Our Colorado AIM Atty, Wade Eldrdige, is fighting the Denver noise ordinance that allows for CONFISCATION of your bike if your don't have an EPA stamp on your exhaust, if mfd after 1982, or have a certain decibel rating. The Denver ordinance makes it illegal to have a bike w pipes that are too loud (more than 82 dB @ 25 ft) and/or have a bike made after 1982 w/o an EPA embossed emblem! There was a big hoopla in the media when the ordinance was first enacted. In a "test case," the lead cop (who literally wrote the training manual for the enforcement of the ordinance), testified that "if pipes sound LOUDER THAN NORMAL," the cops have grounds to stop the biker to look for EPA stamp. He also testified he DOESN'T KNOW WHAT NORMAL IS! This noise thing is getting out of control. We can police ourselves folks. All loud pipes do is cause us unnecessary problems.

BEND, OREGON: The U.S. Forest Service is proposing 150 miles of off-road trails that could gain an OK. The trails, about 100 miles for motorcycles and about 45 miles for Jeeps and four-wheel-drive vehicles, are in an area called Lava Rock, between U.S. Highway 97 and the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. The agency is currently taking comments from the public about the plan. Most of these trails already exist, and were built by the users themselves. I think it’s much better than just closing off trails for off-roaders.

CANADA KIDS: They’re at it again, A member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario wants to prohibit riders under the age of 14 from riding as passengers on motorcycles. I guess that would eliminate the little bikes that youngsters ride off road and sanctioned racing for kids. What is this person thinking? I started riding as soon as I could reach the ground with both feet. Talk about taking control from parents. Is there no end to this?
mailto:hjaczek.mpp@liberal.ola.org

NEBRASKA LIDS: 2009 Bill to repeal their helmet law was introduced again. Term limits may bring new life to the often-defeated efforts. Freshman State Sen. Charlie Janssen of Fremont introduced the helmet-repeal bill. Last year's attempt failed by just two votes. Since then, term limits has removed nine opponents and seven supporters of the idea - a two-vote swing. Maybe they will make it this time. Go for it Nebraska and kudo’s to the freshman senator.

ITALY SCHMITALY: Scooter’s are here to stay. Classic Italian scooter maker Vespa just unveiled its newest and most powerful model at the New York Motorcycle Show. The sporty GTS 300 Super can hit speeds of up to 80 mph, and gets about 70 miles to the gallon. Who wouldn’t like that kind of gas economy? Price is an easy $6,199.Available in March in the U.S.

KOTA BAHARU, Malaysia: Turbans are not helmets, but a religious school student from here opted to serve two days behind bars for riding a motorcycle wearing not a helmet but a turban two years ago. He was fined at that time but refused to pay the fine. Ya breaks the law ya pays.

MILITARY BIKE DEATHS: Motorcycle fatalities among America's service personnel continues to be a cause for concern with officials in three military branches. Ya gotta take and pass an MSF rider course now just to take your scoot on a base. They must also wear helmets, regardless of state law, along with reflective material on their riding gear. The big problem seems to be sport bikes. Some of these folks ride like they are invincible and it’s getting them killed. These bikes are built to race but not on the street.

THE TEXAS 2-WHEEL: The Austin-Travis County EMS will soon put some paramedics on motorcycles to go where ambulances have a tough time reaching. The Greater Austin Crime Commission helped fund the project. This works in many other places all over the world and in the U.S. It often saves sending larger vehicles because they are not needed thereby saving money not to mention lives.

ITALY LITTLY: The top bosses at Ducati, the Italian motorcycle manufacturer, have taken a 10 percent pay cut and given up their future bonuses in view of the economic crisis. If some bankers here in this country did the same thing it would go a long way to solving some of problems with bank bailouts with taxpayer money in my view.
GUNNY AGAIN: AIM attorneys all over the country are involved in much more than helping in accident cases. They also spend untold hours and money with legislative issues, city ordinances, county directives, and so many other harassment issues that effect motorcycle riders it’s almost too much to absorb. Get in touch with your nearest AIM guy for any legal reason you have. They will help you. Call the national 1-800-531-2424, or 1-800-On-A-Bike, and they will hook you up. AIM online is www.aimncom.com Sam Hochberg here in Oregon is at 1-800-347-1106 or 503-224-1106. Sam’s email is SamBikeLaw@aol.com and his website is www.YourInjuryLawyers.com, with biker links. Gunny is at AIMGunny@aol.com.


Keep the round side on the bottom.
Gunny Oregon’s AIM Chief of Staff