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View Full Version : Deadline today for Rep's to sign Congressional letter suspend motorcycle checkpoints



UglyDogRacing
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 10:03 AM
I know everyone is busy but please take a minute to send your representative a message supporting the suspension of motorcycle only checkpoints. If you haven't heard of this, please read the details below. This something we don't want and without everyone's help, it could come to a neighborhood near you. It's very easy, just follow the instructions and your pre-written e-mail will be sent directly to your Representative. Today is the deadline!!!

http://www.ama-cycle.org/legisltn/rapidresponse.asp

Action Alert
http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-bookmark-en.gif (http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pub=hmuljadi) http://americanmotorcyclist.com/images/ama_logo_small.jpgCongressional letter aims to suspend NHTSA program to fund discriminatory motorcycle-only checkpoints
Urge your Representative to sign on today! Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (http://amacycle.capwiz.com/bio/id/639) (R-WI) is taking the lead by sending a letter to Sec. Ray LaHood (http://www.dot.gov/bios/lahood.htm) urging him to suspend a grant program that would expand the highly criticized practice of creating motorcycle-only checkpoints by law enforcement agencies.

The program is the Motorcycle Law Enforcement Demonstrations Grant (DTNH22-10-R-00386), and has closed for new applicants as of August 13, 2010. However, you can view the grant notice by clicking here (http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=55792).

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) supports this important letter, and seeks to have as many Representatives sign on as possible. Therefore, the AMA needs your help immediately to contact your Representative and urge them to sign onto this letter.

The AMA has formally questioned the potential discriminatory and legal nature of this program, administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The AMA sent a letter to Administrator Strickland on August 9 urging him to suspend the grant program until questions have been addressed. To date, Administrator Strickland has not responded. To view AMA's letter, click here (http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/legisltn/documents/Strickland_Law_Enforcement_Grant_8-9-2010.pdf).

While law enforcement officials may defend the program as a safety measure to decrease motorcycle crashes, injuries and fatalities, there is no proof of its effectiveness. The practice, first modeled in New York State, has drawn the ire of thousands of motorcyclists nationally.

NHTSA is now seeking up to five other law enforcement agencies, besides the state of New York, to participate in motorcycle-only checkpoints, and is offering $350,000 in federal funding.

The AMA believes that 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 Sensenbrenner and many of his colleagues in Congress through recently introduced H. Res. 1498 (http://capwiz.com/amacycle/issues/bills/?bill=15218551).

To urge your Representative to support this important resolution, click here (http://capwiz.com/amacycle/issues/alert/?alertid=15219101).

Be sure to forward this to your motorcycling friends! Ask them to contact their Representative and urge them to sign on to the Sensenbrenner letter requesting the grant offer be suspended until the concerns of the motorcycling community have been addressed. Just follow the “Take Action” option to send a pre-written e-mail directly to your Representative demanding no federal dollars be used to expand programs that discriminate against motorcyclists.

MetaLord 9
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 10:23 AM
Good work Jim, this cannot be allowed to pass. I feel that it would stricken down in a court of law as it would qualify as a discriminatory search

Sarge
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 10:27 AM
Signed a few days ago, forwarded to some friends to spread the word.

PROFLYER
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 10:32 AM
done

Nick_Ninja
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 10:46 AM
Done.

TinkerinWstuff
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 11:32 AM
Done
Thanks for the heads up

THoward
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 12:00 PM
Thanks for posting Jim. This is serious stuff, they are conducting them in New York and ABATE of New York is fighting it. It can very likely happen here, states are looking for money!!

SOCAL4LIFE!!
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 12:04 PM
Got er dun

Sarge
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 12:06 PM
On a side note, I don't know how many of you might be aware, but they've been doing these Motorcycle-Only checkpoints on Fort Carson. I was driving out Gate 4 shortly before I deployed and an MP stops in the middle of the road, waves me by, stands in front of a rider and guides him towards a few MPs sitting the MSF lot they have. They were there all afternoon. Granted, they're checking for slightly different reasons, namely whether or not paperwork is straight, but don't they do that stuff at the registration sites and at the gates? I mean, if you don't have an MSF class on post and a motorcycle endorsement, you don't get stickers for the bike. You don't have stickers, you don't ride on post. Why not give stickers that expire whenever your MSF, license or insurance do? Why alienate bikers every chance we can get?

salsashark
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 12:32 PM
On a side note, I don't know how many of you might be aware, but they've been doing these Motorcycle-Only checkpoints on Fort Carson. I was driving out Gate 4 shortly before I deployed and an MP stops in the middle of the road, waves me by, stands in front of a rider and guides him towards a few MPs sitting the MSF lot they have. They were there all afternoon. Granted, they're checking for slightly different reasons, namely whether or not paperwork is straight, but don't they do that stuff at the registration sites and at the gates? I mean, if you don't have an MSF class on post and a motorcycle endorsement, you don't get stickers for the bike. You don't have stickers, you don't ride on post. Why not give stickers that expire whenever your MSF, license or insurance do? Why alienate bikers every chance we can get?

I don't know about Carson, but at Buckley, we don't need stickers anymore to get on base. Stop at the gate, flash an ID and I'm on. Neither of my bikes are "registered" with the base. The truck is, but it doesn't have stickers on it. As a contractor, I don't need to take an MSF course to get a license and I didn't need to show proof of MSF to register my bikes (when they issued stickers).

Military bases have their own rules and they do random checks all the time. I've never been stopped and checked on the bike, but the truck has been searched several times and I had a rental car when I was in DC that got searched constantly... I'm just glad I didn't pack my lunch because one of my coworkers lost his to the guard dogs.

IMO, MPs are looking for more than an non stock pipe or some other lame assed attempt to ticket a rider.

**Oh, and done as well**

asp_125
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 12:40 PM
Done :up:

Cap'n Crunch
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 01:11 PM
Check. Thanks for bring this up.

CYCLE_MONKEY
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 03:49 PM
DONE!

Also, I needed a sticker to get on the Naval Weapons Center base in China Lake, and this was back in the early '80's, I can imagine it's all worse now. I left there in '91 right after they started requiring us to wear the stupid orange safety vests and "hard-soled" shoes.

gtn
Wed Sep 29th, 2010, 03:59 PM
Thanks for the reminder.