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bornwildnfree
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 01:53 PM
I went yesterday down to the capitol to speak in front of the Colorado State Senate Transportation Committee about SB12-089 which would end the MOST program here in Colorado, leaving us with out a Safety program and with no backup plan.

The MOST program is not a state funded program. We, as motorcycle owners, pay $4 when we register a motorcycle or $2 when we renew our drivers licenses. The program offers many benefits, including paying for the CDOT signs, motorcycle safety advertising, and education. The biggest benefit the program offers is a $70 discount for any resident or military person wanting to take a motorcycle safety class if they take the class through a company enrolled in the MOST program. This allows companies in the MOST program to offer the basic training course $99-225 depending on the length of the class. The only training company not enrolled in the MOST program here in Colorado is the Harley Davidson program and they can not qualify because the bikes they use to train are too heavy and do not meet the MSF qualifications. Their class is over $300 per person.

If the MOST program was removed, most companies would have to raise their prices to around $300. It would also mean that the class would no longer waive the state testing. Colorado DMVs do not have the infrastructure to support testing and there are only two facilities in Colorado that even have the room to do motorcycle testing. This would mean a 4-5 month wait to take the test.

Senator Scott Renfroe proposed a bill to end the program. He did so after the first and only audit of the program since it's origin over 20 years ago was conducted and found some issues. One of the big issues was that some of the companies who were in the MOST program were not passing the discount to the students. ABATE and other stakeholders in the program had brought these issues forward in 09 and had proposed a bill to fix the issues. That bill was killed in the committee but the audit was ordered.

One of the biggest opponents of the MOST program is the Colorado Confederation of Clubs. The COC has such members as the Banditos, Sons of Silence and other patched clubs including the Rough Riders. It should be noted that the COC has approached the Colorado Sportbike Club many times asking us to join and have been turned down flat. They do not allow women members to vote or hold any position of power. They also require a hierarchy and their clubs must support the agenda of the COC politically.

They simply can not understand how a club can thrive with out tight controls and a year long admissions process. I was introduced to the Son's of Silence's Public Relations Officer at the swap meet earlier this year. He was very vocal about the removal of the MOST program and claimed he represented all motorcycle riders here in Colorado. This is when I decided to speak up. He represents the 1%ers. That leaves 99% and there was no way he was representing my voice.

I was given two minutes in front of the Senate panel. I explained that most of us believe in rider education and that while there are problems and issues with the program, they can be fixed. I am happy to report that the bill was killed 4-3. In the 5 minute break after it was all said and done, the COC representative approached me and asked why we weren't a member. I told him we weren't interested. That made him really mad and made me really happy in my special angry place :D.

salsashark
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 02:00 PM
Sounds like a good time was had by all. Thank you for being a voice of reason.




..and made me really happy in my special angry place

:lol: That's awesome...

UglyDogRacing
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 02:09 PM
Christi did a great job yesterday afternoon, not only for speaking on the behalf of the CSC but for also turning away the advances from Diablo, the COC president. :up:

grim
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 02:41 PM
:applause: well done Christi!!!

dirkterrell
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 02:43 PM
The COC sounds like a bunch of Neanderthals, but what was their argument against this particular program?

Nick_Ninja
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 03:04 PM
COC(k) does NOT represent the sport of motorcycling IMO. :down:

Christi you represent! :up:

UglyDogRacing
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 03:22 PM
http://www.colorado-coc.com/

As far as what their argument is, well they didn't really make a good argument when they spoke so it was hard to determine. But they are extremely anti-government and against the $4 annual fee on motorcycle registrations.

THoward
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 03:32 PM
Yes Christi did a great job!! Thanks again to all of you that helped out...even if it was just your signature on the petition. ABATE appreciates your support and efforts. On a personal note, so do I. We needed all the help we could get and you guys stepped up!!!!!

grim
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 03:34 PM
http://www.colorado-coc.com/

As far as what their argument is, well they didn't really make a good argument when they spoke so it was hard to determine. But they are extremely anti-government and against the $4 annual fee on motorcycle registrations.

One of the clubs they represent is for active, retired, fallen, and disabled vets to be as anti government as they are is pretty damn hypocritical to me.

Are they a "pay to be in our organization" type?

UglyDogRacing
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 03:38 PM
One of the clubs they represent is for active, retired, fallen, and disabled vets to be as anti government as they are is pretty damn hypocritical to me.

Are they a "pay to be in our organization" type?

There are plenty of legitimate clubs that are part of the COC. And there is also the Bandidos, Sons of Silence and these guys that got in trouble a few weeks ago - http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=243977
I would doubt if you asked all the clubs and members what the MOST program is that they would know.

bornwildnfree
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 03:39 PM
No, I don't think the clubs pay the COC but I could be wrong. I know that all the clubs that belong to the COC collect dues from their members. Most of the clubs in the COC are set up like Sons of Anarchy (administrative, not saying all the clubs are into illegal stuff). They just don't like having a motorcycle group out there that they can't control. On a plus note, I think I scared him because here I was speaking for a very large group of riders and they didn't have any warning and they have no control over us. Yea, that's right, I'm scary lmao.

THoward
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 03:57 PM
There are membership dues. I may not be correct in the amount as it has been a couple of years ago...but dues for an associate member...which is all ABATE can be because we are not a "club" was $150. ABATE members have consistantly voted down becoming members of COC since I have been involved with ABATE (13 years).

DemonRider
Wed Feb 22nd, 2012, 04:20 PM
Great job Christi, Terry, and all involved ;) We are Happy it all worked out, sure wish I could have done more but hey with a great group like this we are in "Good Hands" :)

Spooph
Fri Feb 24th, 2012, 12:05 PM
Fantastic!

fasterlaster
Fri Feb 24th, 2012, 09:14 PM
All I can think of is how strange it is there is a Club for Motorcycle Clubs to join. I had never heard of COC before.

Ninja2
Sat Feb 25th, 2012, 07:45 AM
Yay. That is wonderful news.:up:
Thank you Terry and Christi.

modette99
Sat Feb 25th, 2012, 08:17 AM
Not sure why a forum would join a Club like that...LOL Lets say it happened, and to be apart of this forum you had to pay $30 a year. I just go start another Colorado forum...LOL Or someone else would.

UglyDogRacing
Sat Feb 25th, 2012, 08:42 AM
All I can think of is how strange it is there is a Club for Motorcycle Clubs to join. I had never heard of COC before.

The COC isnt a club, it's a coalition of all the clubs. You have probably heard of the clubs that make up the COC: Sons of Silence, Bandidos, Ruff Ryders, Street Soldierz, etc.

Nick_Ninja
Sat Feb 25th, 2012, 10:44 AM
The COC is like mafia 'protection' in my book. :down: