The information compiled in this newsletter is
gathered from news publications on and off line. The information in no way
suggests the views of the editor compiling the information; nor is she
responsible for the contents. This eZine is just informational containing news
from other sources which are credited for the origin.
http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/5983KTM North America Off-Road
Motorcycles About 550 Off-Road Motorcycles were recalled by KTM North America,
Inc. of Amherst, Ohio due to a front fork failure in which the front fork
inner tube on the off-road motorcycles can crack and separate from the fork
axle, posing a risk of injury or death to the operator. This recall is being
conducted to prevent possible injuries and involves model year 2009 KTM Off-Road
Motorcycles. The model name and KTM™ logo are located on the right and left
shrouds. The following models, which are all Orange/Black, are involved: 125SX,
150SX, 250XC-W, and 300XC-W.
The recalled KTM North America Off-Road
Motorcycles were manufactured in Austria and sold by KTM dealers nationwide from
December 2008 through April 2009 for between $6,000 and $8,000.
The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately
stop using these vehicles and contact their local KTM dealer to schedule a free
repair. Registered owners of the recalled off-road motorcycles are being sent a
direct notice. KTM can be reached toll-free at 1-888-985-6090 between 8:00 a.m.
and 5:00 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, at the firm’s Website at
www.ktmnorthamerica.com
Nearly 120 motorcycles ride into the Geneva
County courthouse to present money to Geveva County Sheriff's Deputy Josh Myers
and his family
Posted by: Melissa McKinney - bio | email
GENEVA, AL (WSFA) - It's a sight Geneva County
Sheriff's Deputy, Josh Myers, never thought he'd see.
"I just thought, well, they must be headed
somewhere else," he says of the more than one hundred motorcycles approaching
the Geneva County courthouse Saturday morning.
But they weren't headed elsewhere. Instead, they
were coming straight for him.
The Iron Warriors Motorcycle Club--made up of law
enforcement officials just like Deputy Myers-- rode from Montgomery, giving
their Saturday morning to give back to one of their own. The group rode to raise
money for Deputy Myers after he lost his wife, Andrea, and middle child,
Corrine, when a gunman killed ten people during a shooting spree in Geneva
county in March.
The club raised $6,000 dollars--all of it going
to the Josh Myers Family Tragedy Relief Fund at Superior Bank in Samson.
"Our hearts hurt for everyone here that's in
Geneva and the tragedy that it went through. Being a public safety motorcycle
club, [we're] showing our support to a brother," says Iron Warrior, Michael
Smith.
Nearly 120 motorcyclists rode in support of
Myers, and many say they've never even met him.
"You can feel their pain. It leaves you without
words. It's so hard to explain why we're here. It's just something I felt I
needed to do," says Iron Warrior Traci Madderra.
It's support like this helping the Myers family
make it through each day. And with Mother's Day just around the corner, it's
something Myers says would have made Mom smile.
"I know Andrea would have loved to see it. She
loved motorcycles."
A love they share, and a passion the Iron
Warriors used for good.
CALIFORNIA has more than 830,000 registered
motorcycles, and up to 85 percent of them have modified exhausts that are loud
and polluting, the California Air Resources Board reports.
Many of those modifications are illegal, too.
Which is why two bills making their way through the state Legislature would
mandate smog tests, either every year or every other year, for cycles built
after 2000.
Motorcycle riders who remove catalytic converters
from their bikes contribute more than 5.2 tons of smog a day into California
air. Manufacturers claim that's a minuscule portion of the 5,691 tons of
pollutants from all sources in California. Yet motorcycles, which account for
less than 1 percent of registered vehicle-miles traveled, contribute 10 percent
of passenger-vehicle-produced smog, according to a recent news report.
When the catalytic converter is removed from a
motorcycle, it produces twice the amount of smog. And a dramatic increase in
noise.
That shrieking noise, often the result of
altering a motorcycle's exhaust system, is reason enough to clamp down on
illegal cycles. But mandating smog tests still won't solve the problem. Some
aftermarket exhaust systems that owners routinely install cost up to $4,000, and
you can be sure they would be reinstalled after a smog test.
Motorcycle groups support riders' rights to
customize their bikes, and we do too - to an extent. But when this customization
hurts others in the form of pollution - both air and noise - their protests ring
hollow. Californians love their vehicles, and customize them in many creative
ways. Which is fine, as long as what they do to their cars, bikes and trucks is
legal. Targeting motorcycles that pollute is one way to reduce smog (5.2 tons a
day less is nothing to sneeze at). It's also a way to reduce the shrieking noise
from illegal exhaust systems on bikes that come up behind you between lanes at
high speeds.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, arguably the state's
most famous motorcycle rider, hasn't taken a stand on the two bills - SB 435 and
AB 859. But if they are passed, he should get out his pen and sign on the dotted
line.
=====
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2318688/Motorcycle run to help cancer
patient pay bills Sat. May 09, 2009; Posted: 07:58 AM Are you looking to
increase your ETF knowledge? LAS CRUCES, May 09, 2009 (Las Cruces Sun-News -
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- HOG | Quote | Chart | News
| PowerRating -- A benefit motorcycle run for Lisa MacDonald-Dungan, who is
suffering from cholangiocarcinoma, a rare form of cancer, will begin at 10:30
a.m. Sunday at Barnett's Las Cruces Harley-Davidson at Interstate 10 and Avenida
de Mesilla. MacDonald-Dungan was diagnosed just months after being laid off from
her job and losing her insurance, according to a news release.
Cholangiocarcinoma is a cancer of the bile ducts, which drain bile from the
liver into the small intestine.
Stops along the benefit ride will include the Pic
Quik on Picacho, Farm & Ranch Museum on Dripping Springs Road, Andale's on
Avenida de Mesilla and Stahmann's on N.M. 28.
Doctors have given MacDonald-Dungan six to 18
month to live unless she received life-saving surgery, according to the release.
For more information on Sunday's benefit run,
call (575) 541-1440 or (866) 789-7077.
Our View: Clamp down on motorcycles
Posted: 05/08/2009 05:26:28 PM PDT
CALIFORNIA has more than 830,000 registered
motorcycles, and up to 85 percent of them have modified exhausts that are loud
and polluting, the California Air Resources Board reports. Many of those
modifications are illegal, too. Which is why two bills making their way through
the state Legislature would mandate smog tests, either every year or every other
year, for cycles built after 2000. Motorcycle riders who remove catalytic
converters from their bikes contribute more than 5.2 tons of smog a day into
California air. Manufacturers claim that's a minuscule portion of the 5,691 tons
of pollutants - from all sources in California. Yet motorcycles, which account
for less than 1 percent of registered vehicle-miles traveled, contribute 10
percent of passenger-vehicle-produced smog, according to a report in the L.A.
Times.
When the catalytic converter is removed from a
motorcycle, it produces twice the amount of smog. And a dramatic increase in
noise.
That shrieking noise, often the result of
altering a motorcycle's exhaust system, is reason enough to clamp down on
illegal cycles. But mandating smog tests still won't solve the problem. Some
aftermarket exhaust systems that owners routinely install cost up to $4,000, and
you can be sure they would be reinstalled after a smog test.
Motorcycle groups support riders' rights to
customize their bikes. But when pollution - both air and noise - is at issue,
their protests shriek hollow.
More than 5,000 motorcyclists were killed in
2006. In one month, more U.S. Marines were killed riding sport bikes than died
while serving in Iraq. Countless thousands are injured, sometimes permanently,
in the most awful collisions. Hardly a day goes by that traffic reports don't
report a "motorcyclist down." Californians love their vehicles, and customize
them in many creative ways. Which is fine, as long as what they do to their
cars, bikes and trucks is legal. Targeting motorcycles that pollute is one way
to reduce smog (5.2 tons a day less is nothing to sneeze at). It's also a way to
reduce the shrieking noise from illegal exhaust systems on bikes that come up
behind you between lanes at high speeds.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, arguably the state's
most famous motorcycle rider, hasn't taken a stand on the two bills - SB 435 and
AB859 - but if they are passed, he should get out his pen and sign on the dotted
white line.
Posted: 05/09/2009 09:26:02 PM PDT Updated:
05/10/2009 03:24:52 AM PDT
Motorcycle officer Anthony Gioletti gives a
riding demonstration Saturday, May... ( Patrick Tehan )«1234»Their black leather
vests said "Rolling Thunder," and their matching leather jodhpurs spelled
trouble. But the hair on the five Rolling Thunder heads at the California
Highway Patrol's motorcycle safety seminar Saturday was all white as cumulus
clouds.
And most of their rumbling didn't come from the
gleaming Harley-Davidson hogs they rode in on. It was about these wild baby
boomer kids in their 50s who have been crashing motorcycles, and killing
themselves, at an alarming rate in recent years. There were 549 fatal motorcycle
accidents in California during 2008 — eight in San Jose — more than double the
total a decade ago.
"They ride these real sleek jobs like maniacs,"
said Jeanne Piazza, 61, a Rolling Thunder biker chick, who straddles the big
Harley behind her husband, Ron, 64.
The couple was part of a motorcycle-loving gang
numbering more than 150 — many old enough to remember Marlon Brando in "The Wild
One" — lined up for safety demonstrations and tips from CHiPs in San Jose on
Saturday.
"Today's bikes are so much more advanced than
when I started riding 14 years ago," said CHP officer Steve Grieffer. "When you
combine the power of these bikes, the speed they can go, and the inexperience of
the rider, you hit the trifecta of conditions that lead to accidents."
Trifectas isn't all these newer older riders have
been hitting.
"A lot of the baby boomers have money to buy
these powerful bikes, but they have no training, so they don't know how to
ride," said Rolling Thunderer Bill Rianda, 62. "They scare the hell out of us
when they go flying by."
Fellow Thunder-head Ron Steele, 60, agreed. "You
have to be aware when you're on a motorcycle," he said. "I pay attention to
things on a bike I wouldn't even think about in a car."
More on road
The elder easy riders who have stormed onto
thunder road over the past several years have swelled the number of licensed
riders in the state to more than 1.2 million. That group was very much on the
mind of the officers assembled at the Highway Patrol's San Jose headquarters.
"Last year, because the price of gas was going up
so fast, a lot more inexperienced riders were hitting the road," said CHP
spokeswoman Brandie Dressel. Unfortunately, they were often hitting the road
head first.
"They are our job security," said Becky Jackson,
a nurse assigned to the Stanford Life Flight air ambulance, whose crew flew in
for the event. "We call them donor-cycles, or murder-cycles."
When Jackson is passed on the highway by a
motorcycle rider wearing a T-shirt and shorts, it conjures up a discouraging
mental picture of the twisted wreckage of metal and man she has helped airlift
to trauma centers. "I think they're crazy," she said. "It just blows me away
that people don't consistently adhere to safety precautions."
According to a government study cited by the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, on a mile-for-mile basis, motorcycle
riders died in 2006 at a rate 35 times faster than people driving cars. Those
kinds of statistics haven't prevented Tyler Risk from riding her 1998 Triumph
Trophy the length and breadth of the state for the past nine years. But the
inherent risk of riding has given Risk pause now that her 17-year-old daughter
has completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructional course.
"I'm thrilled," Risk said, "and terrified."
At 50, Risk has been riding solo for nine years,
and feels so comfortable in her black and powder blue leathers that she has
formed a riding club called Dangerous Curves (www.DangerousCurves.org) for
female riders, many of whom have turned to motorcycles during life's second act.
Proper training
"A lot of the time, they're getting their
instruction from a neighbor down the street, so they end up improperly trained,"
she said. "And motorcycles today are much more powerful than they used to be. A
first-time rider can pick up a huge horsepowered bike, something much more
powerful than they're qualified to handle."
There was a mannequin on display that was dressed
in leathers designed to look like the CHP uniform. Officers don't actually wear
leathers, but they were recommending that everyone else should.
"It's kind of hypocritical," Grieffer
acknowledged. "We can't wear them because it would be too restricting. But we
want people who have motorcycle accidents to be able to get up and dust off
their leathers. It's a lot easier than growing new skin."
A year ago, a conversation between a biker and a
police officer in Old Town Temecula often involved a ticket and hard feelings.
Now, police and motorcycle enthusiasts are
working together to put on an Old Town festival benefiting families of law
enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.
"We're not unfriendly to bikers at all," said
Craig Puma, a restaurant owner and head of the Old Town Temecula Association.
"But we are unfriendly to anyone who wants to tear up our town."
Story continues below
Frank Bellino / The Press-Enterprise Bikers
cruise down Front Street in Old Town Temecula. In the past they have complained
about run-ins with ticket-happy Temecula police. Now the two groups have teamed
up to raise money to help slain officers' families. Sponsored by a Temecula
Harley-Davidson dealership, police agencies and others, the Help Ride is
scheduled for Aug. 29 in Old Town. The event will feature bikes on display, a
biker girl fashion show and live music. The city has agreed to close off streets
in Old Town for the festival.
Gregg Hassler, a principal with festival sponsor
Golden Crown Productions of Temecula, said the event is modeled after the Love
Ride, an annual Glendale charity fundraiser that attracts scores of bikers and
celebrities.
Organizers hope the Help Ride cements a
biker-friendly image for Old Town, where motorcycles are a common weekend sight.
Last spring, some bikers reacted angrily after
police started pulling over motorcycles and issuing tickets for noise, improper
helmets and other infractions.
Temecula Police Chief Jerry Williams said he
ordered a step-up in enforcement after getting complaints about noisy
motorcycles that set off car alarms. But the move was never meant to discourage
bikers from coming to town, said Williams, a motorcyclist himself.
Story continues below
Frank Bellino / The Press-Enterprise Motorcycles
line the parking lot at Texas Lil's in Old Town Temecula. Police say they never
wanted to keep motorcycles out of Old Town. To quell bikers' ire, Williams said
he reached out to motorcycle Web sites and magazines to assure riders that they
were welcome in Temecula.
Bikers were "within a half-inch of blacklisting
Temecula" after the crackdown, said Ron Muir, owner of Slap N' Leather, a biker
apparel shop in Old Town.
Things have since improved, he said. "I like the
response we're getting," Muir said.
He added that bikers turn out in large numbers
for events like the Help Ride. "I've never seen a thousand Mercedes-Benzes line
up and go to a charity event," Muir said.
Other Inland biker groups and havens report good
relationships with the authorities.
In Yucaipa, police are "really cool" unless a
biker does something stupid, said Wayne Wong, manager of Angels Roadhouse Bar &
Grill.
The San Gorgonio Pass area to Temecula is a
biker-friendly area, said Don Messler, president of the San Gorgonio Pass
Touring and Riding Association. Cities near the ocean tend to be stricter on
motorcycles, he said.
Vail Daily Editorial Board Vail, CO, Colorado
newsroom@vaildaily.com Share on Facebook Email Print Comment Recommend As our
weather gets warmer, ever more folks are coming out to play on two wheels. And
that means it’s time for drivers of four-wheeled vehicles to shift their
attention a bit. It’s also time for a shot of reality for motorcycle riders.
There are far more bicyclists than motorcyclists
in the valley, and drivers need to keep their eyes open for their pedaling
neighbors as well as those on motorbikes.
But motorcyclists seem to be hurt and killed far
out of proportion to their numbers on the roads. And in those cases, cell
phone-yakking drivers aren’t always to blame.
We received a press release recently from the
Colorado Department of Transportation that put some stark numbers to the
problem. Motorcycle accidents accounted for 18 percent of Colorado traffic
deaths in 2008 — a total of 98 people — although motorcycles made up only 3
percent of all registered vehicles.
More disturbing, state officials say 80 percent
of all of the fatal motorcycle crashes were the riders’ fault. The vast majority
of those people weren’t wearing helmets.
Our motorcycle-commuting business editor is a
dedicated helmet wearer, and believes all motorcyclists should do the same, but
our state leaves riders the option of riding with or without protective
headgear. It’s your choice, but we like helmets.
We’d also encourage anyone new to the sport to
take at least some training. That’s a little harder to come by on the Western
Slope than on the Front Range, but local dealerships can steer new riders to
safety courses.
At the very least, get a motorcycle endorsement
on your driver’s license. The questions riders have to answer are simple, but
it’s good information.
Longtime riders cringe when people call them
“murdercycles” or “donorcycles,” but one look at the numbers shows the reality
behind those grim nicknames. Riders, we know most of you are grownups, but
please be careful out there.
=====
» MOTORCYCLE POKER RUN, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Greeley
Harley-Davidson/Wild West Motorsports Dealership, 3010 W. 29th St., Greeley.
Sponsored by the Greeley Harley Owners Group, Chapter No. 1462 and Greeley
Harley-Davidson/Wild West Motorsports Inc. Benefits the American Cancer Society
Relay for Life Team “Who Let the Hogs Out.” Details, (970) 302-2662.
Mystic - It was a year ago today that two people
were killed in a motorcycle crash here after police said they were drinking at
John's Cafe on Cottrell Street.
On Wednesday a spokeswoman for the state Liquor
Control Division said the agency continues to investigate the bar's alleged role
in the deaths of Lenn Eller, 33, of Ledyard and Morna “Paige” Marolda, 26, of
Noank.
The popular bar is where police have said Eller
and Marolda were drinking with friends just before they were involved in the
crash.
Police said Eller's blood-alcohol level was .14
and that Marolda also exceeded the .08 limit for legal intoxication at the time
of the crash. They have declined to release her blood alcohol level, saying it
was not a contributing factor to the crash.
John's Cafe now faces possible discipline from
liquor officials for allegedly serving intoxicated persons.
In an e-mail Wednesday, Liquor Control Division
spokeswoman Claudette Carveth said the agency received a referral, or complaint,
last October from Stonington police after they completed their investigation.
She said that as part of its review, the division
received further police reports and statements about the incident within the
past month. She said there has not yet been a determination as to whether the
investigation will be sent to the agency's Legal Division for scheduling of a
hearing. She said there is also no timetable for completion of the
investigation.
The division's investigation and subsequent
hearing would determine if the bar violated state liquor laws and whether it
will face any penalties such as a fine or suspension of its liquor license.
Police said Eller and Marolda the pair left
John's about 1 a.m. and got on Eller's motorcycle, with him driving, according
to witnesses. Police said Eller was driving north on Hewitt Road at 1:04 a.m.
when he lost control on a curve that follows a long straightaway. Both Eller and
Marolda, who were not wearing helmets, were pronounced dead at the scene.Eller
was prohibited from driving in Connecticut at the time of the accident. His
Georgia driver's license was suspended by Connecticut officials on April 16
after he failed to appear for a hearing. He was also driving without insurance
or license plates for the motorcycle, both of which are required by law.
J.WOJTAS@THEDAY.COM
=====
Connecticut Cruise News, Don Clady & Haymond Law Presents
DRIVE for 75
CRUZIN' ' 4 YOUR CHANGE
Help us Drive Out Cancer to benefit the Jimmy Fund Research for
Cancer
June thru August
Message from Don Clady
I have been involved since I was 10 years old with the Jimmy Fund
Cancer Research. My Uncle Bill Pullan has raised money with 100% of the
proceeds to benefit this great cause since I can remember. He has raised
to date over $925,000.00. His goal this year is to break the million
dollar mark and needs to raise another $75,000.00, to do so. This is
where I came up with the Drive for 75 Idea. Each of the Connecticut
Cruise News Events, we are asking our friends to help us with Cruzin 4
Your Change. "We will have containers at each event June thru August
Cruising the Green New Milford Event and all we are asking is for your
spare change!" Connecticut Cruise News will start the challenge with a
$500.00 donation along with a $500.00 donation from our friend at
Haymond Law and with your help, we can help him achieve this goal for
another great cause. Other donations can also be made thru Connecticut
Cruise News. All checks made out to the Jimmy Fund. For this special
event, we will have awards for the Top Fund Raising Bike Club, Top Fund
Raising Car Club, Top Fund Raising Group, Top Fund Raising Business and
Top Fund Raising Male & Female Individual. Awards will go to the Top
Two in each category.
Some fund raising Ideas:
* Run A Cruise Night 50/50
* Donation from Club or Club Events.
* Collection Canisters at your work or business location.
* Or Simply Bring Your Spare Change.
Awards will be presented at The Cruising The Green New Milford Show in
August.
Bethea_Smith.jpgThomas Cain PhotosThe community
members who turned out for the Freddie Fixer cleanup Saturday at the 200 block
of Dixwell Avenue included young and old, musicians and motorcycle club members.
Organizer Maurice Smith (at right in picture) said the turnout bodes well for
the Freddie Fixer Parade this coming Sunday, May 17.
“It looks like we’re going to have a parade equal
to if not bigger than 2007,” Smith said. “Right now, we have a commitment from
at least 40 groups, and letters went out to another 120, so if we get 20 more
out of that, it’s a wrap.”
In addition to the cleanup outside the now-closed
Dixwell Community “Q” House, he said, this year two other groups were at work,
one on Congress Avenue and the other on Chapel Street, and local businesses have
been asked to join in the effort.
“Our goal is to get the whole city involved in a
city-wide cleanup day,” he said, “and we’re picking up a lot of momentum.”
DrumCorps.jpgDoug Bethea (at left in top photo),
founder of Nation Drill Squad and Drum Corps, said that after having marched in
the parade himself for 30 years, he hopes the community will continue to come
together to make Freddie Fixer more like it used to be — an event the children
he mentors, and all of the city’s young people, can take part in and enjoy.
“It shows that we still have black pride in the
community,” he said, “but it’s going to take everybody to step up, not just the
politicians and not just the police. This is our community.”
KamalWilson.jpgKamal Wilson, a fire marshal at
Yale University and a member of the 203 Riders motorcycle club, said his group
is among those coming back to the event after several years of
non-participation.
“We’re trying to make the parade like it used to
be, give the kids something to see and let them know that you can be part of a
motorcycle club and still have a normal job and not be on the streets,” he said.
TruSaga.jpgDevon “Vinnie” Alston, of Tru Saga
Recordz, who recently moved to the area after getting married, also came to help
the cleanup effort, along with one of the artists he represents, Norman “Dizz”
Dorsey.
Although this was Alston’s first year at Freddie
Fixer, Dorsey grew up in the Dixwell neighborhood and said he had played the
drums in Bethea’s Drum Corps and marched in the parade for four years when he
was younger.
“Hopefully this year it will turn out to where we
don’t have to worry about anything going on and then next year it will be
longer, because it actually used to go all the way downtown, and this year it’s
not.”
Alston agreed: “Tru Saga’s more a movement than a
record label, and we’re trying to bring back the fun, bring back the peace.”
DougBethea.jpgUltimately, Bethea said, he hopes
the Freddie Fixer events will begin drawing participants from all over the
state.
“In five years, we would like to see this just
like the Macy’s Day Parade,” he said, “but first we’ve got to understand that
the violence has to stop. You’re not going to get marching bands from Guilford,
from Cheshire, from Trumbull, if all you hear on the news is that in New Haven
they shoot people.”
The Cleanup
Cleanup_1.jpgTaheshema Taylor and Tianna Young,
8, raked leaves outside the Dixwell Community “Q” House.
Cleanup_2.jpgLeAndre Clark, 13, shoveled leaves
into bags.
Cleanup_3.jpgMichaela Frasier, 15, hauled a leaf
bag away for disposal. The City of New Haven donated some of the trash bags and
brooms for the event.
Cleanup_4.jpgMichaela, along with Torre Cogswell,
9, left, helped collect sticks and branches.
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) Wilmington police have
charged two men in a fatal shooting near the Thunderguards Motorcycle Club hall.
Police said Thursday that 29-year-old Joseph
Tabron and 19-year-old Mateo Pinkston are charged with first-degree murder,
attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, conspiracy and weapons
charges. They're being held without bail.
Police say 22-year-old Jarell Spivey and two
other men argued with three men early Saturday and were later approached by a
group of men as they left the Thunderguards Club after a party.
Spivey and his companions were shot during a
fight that broke out. Spivey was pronounced dead at the hospital, the second man
was in critical condition and the third had a superficial injury.
Information from: The (Wilmington, Del.) News
Journal, http://www.delawareonline.com
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Daytona Beach, FL (JusticeNewsFlash.com) — Most
of us know that Florida law imposes a duty on business establishments that serve
alcoholic beverages to ensure that their employees refrain from selling,
furnishing, or giving alcoholic drinks to any person under the age of
twenty-one. Likewise, it is also unlawful for an employee or agent of such an
establishment to permit another employee or agent to serve an underage person or
otherwise permit an underage person to consume alcoholic beverages on the
business premises. Referred to as the Dram Shop Act, Florida statutes §§ 768.125
and 562.11 not only subject business owners to criminal liability for the
willful and unlawful furnishing of alcohol to minors but also serve as the basis
for imposing civil liability when minors are involved in accidents as a result
of becoming intoxicated at a bar, restaurant or similar venue.
A twenty year-old young lady recently sought the
legal services of Rue & Ziffra because she was the unfortunate victim of a local
establishment’s carelessness in serving her numerous alcoholic beverages. The
young lady presented no false identification nor did she misrepresent her age in
any manner whatsoever. One of the aims of the Dram Shop Act is to protect
minors, by virtue of their infancy, from making irresponsible and hazardous
decisions that may put their safety and/or the safety of others in jeopardy.
After becoming inebriated at the bar/restaurant, the female victim was persuaded
to ride with an adult motorcyclist who had also been drinking at the same
establishment. Additionally, the motorcycle operator was served so much alcohol
at the establishment so as to allow him to attain a blood alcohol level of
0.199, nearly two and a half times the legal limit in Florida! The victim’s
decision to accompany the intoxicated adult on a motorcycle venture is precisely
the sort of irresponsible and dangerous decision the Dram Shop Act is designed
to guard against. While driving intoxicated, the operator of the motorcycle
crashed and caused the passenger-victim to sustain serious and considerable
injuries.
Fortunately, the victim contacted Daytona Beach
Florida Motorcycle Accident Law Firm Rue & Ziffra to represent her in her action
for damages against the alcohol vendor. Our personal injury lawyers conducted a
thorough investigation in an effort to put forth substantial and persuasive
evidence that the business in question did not attempt to confirm the victim’s
age at the time of sale or otherwise prohibit her from consuming alcohol at any
time while she was on the business premises. Ultimately, Rue & Ziffra secured
the victim a $400,000.00 settlement which will be used to help the victim pay
her enormous medical bills, both past and future, and compensate her for the
mental anguish and related pain and suffering she has had to endure as a result
of the motorcycle accident.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an
automobile, motorcycle, or any other form of accident, contact the Florida
Motorcycle Accident Attorneys at Rue & Ziffra so that our Florida accident
lawyers professional team can help you achieve the award you and your family
deserve.
Florida Motorcycle Accident Law Firm serving:
Central Florida region of: Orlando, Palm Bay, Lakeland, Melbourne, Deltona,
Daytona Beach, Kissimmee, Altamonte Springs, Sanford, Orange City and
surrounding areas.
SUBMIT AD Editor: I was amused with your April 29
editorial about Florida's seat belt laws, "Make buckling up in vehicles
mandatory," and the people who say; It's up to the driver on seat belts.
I agree because in Florida you are allowed to
ride a motorcycle without a helmet or a face shield because it's a individuals
free choice.
Check out the numbers of people killed in Florida
each year on motorcycles.
Take a hard look at how some motorcycle riders
scream around as fast as they can so they can hear their loud pipes and lack of
proper mufflers. Florida enforces no motorcycle violations because of Daytona
International Speedway, Bike Week, Biketoberfest. Not only do some motorcycles
travel at loud high speeds or in wolf packs, they take a go-to-hell attitude
"were bikers,'' and I love my (bike) that's built for speed and noise.
True, there are good and reasonable motorcycle
riders and they ride with respect of others and themselves. Often they wear
helmets and their motorcycles are quiet and clean.
I think many people drive their cars respecting
others and themselves. The windshield keeps the bugs out of their eyes so they
can see and don't run off the road and hit a tree because of a bug in the eye.
The driver of a car does not need a helmet to protect their head as they skid
across the pavement because of careless drivers and etc.
Wouldn't it be fair to say what's fair for one "a
seat belt'' or the other "a helmet and quiet mufflers.''
Are seat belts for public safety? Or are
motorcycles for tourists and the person who doesn't give a damn.
There is more revenue in car and truck license
plates than in motorcycle license plates meaning it's easier to regulate the
motorcycle traffic. The word would travel fast -- don't violate Florida's
driving rules.
Bet you don't hear from the good motorcycle
people on this.
POSTED: May 11, 2009 Save | Print | Email | Read
comments | Post a comment Email: "'Swamp Fest' to highlight motorcycle safety"
*To: <--TO Email REQUIRED! *From: <--FROM Email REQUIRED!
Fact Box Harley-Davidson/Buell of Fort Myers and
Naples Harley-Davidson promote May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month
One out of every nine U.S. road fatalities
accounted for last year involved motorcycle riders. This steady increase in
fatalities over the past decade represents one of our Nation's greatest
challenges.
Motorcycle fatalities now account for 11 percent
of total road fatalities and have increased each year to nearly 5,000 in 2006.
So while there has been continued success in reducing vehicle deaths in recent
years, this progress is being negatively affected by the rise in motorcycle
fatalities which has more than doubled.
To help encourage drivers to "Share the Road,"
Harley-Davidson/Buell of Fort Myers and Naples Harley Davidson are joining with
other federal, state and local highway safety, law enforcement, and motorcycle
organizations to proclaim May 2009 as "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month." All
motorists are reminded to safely "Share the Road" with motorcycles and to be
extra alert when driving to help keep motorcyclists safe.
Motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than
passenger vehicle drivers in the event of a crash. Research shows that
approximately 80 percent of motorcycle crashes injure or kill a motorcycle
rider, while only 20 percent of passenger car crashes injure or kill a motor
vehicle driver or passenger.
Here are several important tips for drivers to
help keep motorcyclists safe on our roadways:
- Remember: a motorcycle is a vehicle with all of
the rights and privileges of any other motor vehicle on the roadway. Always
allow a motorcyclist the full lane width-never try to share a lane;
- Always make a visual check for motorcycles by
checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic
and at intersections;
- Always signal your intentions before changing
lanes or merging with traffic;
- Don't be fooled by a flashing turn signal on a
motorcycle motorcycle signals are often not self-canceling and riders sometimes
forget to turn them off. Wait to be sure the motorcycle is going to turn before
you proceed;
- Remember that road conditions that are minor
annoyances to other vehicles pose major hazards to motorcyclists;
- Allow more following distance, three or four
seconds, when following a motorcycle, so the motorcyclist has enough time to
maneuver or stop in an emergency. And don't tailgate. In dry conditions,
motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars.
- Motorcyclists have responsibilities, too, by
following the rules of the roadway, being alert to other drivers, and always
wearing DOT-compliant helmets and protective gear.
- All too often after a crash, the drivers of
other vehicles involved say they never saw the motorcyclist and were unable to
respond in time. This is no excuse. Too many crashes are occurring and too many
lives are being lost.
Harley-Davidson/Buell of Fort Myers and Naples
Harley-Davidson encourage all drivers to get involved and take the necessary
precautions to help make this the first year in recent years when motorcycle
fatalities do not increase. Do your part by safely "Sharing the Road" with
motorcycles.
DOWNTOWN PUNTA GORDA — Some rumbled into town
solo. Others arrived in packs.
So many came that both sides of Marion Avenue
became lined with motorcycles, handlebar to handlebar, for three blocks, as the
city's first downtown Bike Night got under way late Saturday afternoon.
Local motorcycle builders and accouterment
vendors said they welcomed the event. It seemed to breathe new life into their
businesses during tough economic times. But for some passersby, the sight — and
sound — offered a chance to take a ride down memory lane.
“I rode a bike for 50 years,” said retiree Bob
Demmink, as he strolled down Marion Avenue with his friend, Carol Carter. “It
makes me lonesome for those days, you bet — just the sound of them.”
Some city councilmen had been apprehensive about
allowing the event downtown, instead of in Laishley Park, where the first bike
event was held in November 2008.
But event organizer Ken “Shadow” Fish of White
Line Motorcycle Magazine argued that the intent was to show motorcyclists how
far the city has come since Hurricane Charley — to bring in some business for
downtown.
“This is something to blow off some steam and
bring people down here,” explained William Knuttel, sales manager for White Line
Magazine.
Under one tent, the setting sun glared off chrome
in a row of custom bikes built by Panther Cycle of Punta Gorda.
“I think this is a great idea,” said Steve Ehrie,
owner of Panther.
He said he's displayed his bikes at similar
events in Fort Myers and Cape Coral over the years.
“There's always a crowd and these bikers aren't
afraid to spend and have fun,” he said.
“I think it's fantastic, it's overdue,” added
Dennis Peck, whose organization, the Christian Motorcycle Association, sponsored
a tent Saturday.
Peck said he recently visited a three-day
motorcycle festival in Leesburg, Fla. The annual event, which has been held for
15 years, brought in an estimated $15 million for the local economy, he said.
Whether such motorcycle events become degraded by
troublemakers depends on the tone the organizers set at the beginning, Peck
said.
“Ninety-nine percent of bikers are great,”
Demmink said. “It's that 1 percent that can give them a bad name.”
Some of the proceeds from Punta Gorda's Bike
Night will go to a breast cancer foundation and a Disabled American Veterans
post, organizers said.
Bikes, bikinis part of Memorial Day event
Clay Today | May 11, 2009 | 0 Comments Special to Clay Today
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – There’s a new Memorial Day
weekend event in Clay County, and organizers are hoping it has the right
combination of activities to make the event grow in popularity.
The Party at the River, which begins a two-day
run at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 24, at Reynolds Park Yacht Center on State Road 16,
will feature motorcycles, classic and custom hot rods, live entertainment and
fireworks Memorial Day evening.
The event is sponsored by Ham Jam, Cripple Dog
Events, Love 2 Ride and North Florida Show Car Association.
Cripple Dog Events is based in Charlotte, N.C.
Owner Greg Holloway said he met Ham Jam promoter Ronnie Muncie through the
owners of a new motorcycle consignment shop in Green Cove Springs, Ike and Dee
McCollum.
The two began talking and came up with an idea
for Memorial Day, Holloway said.
Holloway’s company has put on a classic car show
in Charlotte the past three years.
“We have everything you need to put on a car show
and festival,” he said. “We even have our own power supply if needed.”
Holloway met the McCollums when they helped him
liquidate a motorcycle equipment business and they sold the items through their
store on U.S. 17 in Green Cove Springs.
“I was also familiar with the Northeast Florida
Show Car Association,” he said.
While many car shows are more male oriented,
Holloway says his show is designed for the entire family. While the dads can
check out the custom hot rods and motorcycles, the kids can be playing in a fun
zone and moms can get a facial and massage from Jon’ Ric Salon of Fleming Island
at the “Ladies Oasis” set up in a large cathedral tent.
To mark the holiday, the event will hold both
opening and closing ceremonies. There will also be a flyover Monday by the
Dreamland Squadron, a group of former military aviators who fly experimental
aircraft.
The event will also feature free unlimited exit
and entrances with the price of admission, Holloway said.
“This is being done in coordination with the
Riverfest event (at Spring Park in Green Cove Springs.) People can leave, go to
the Riverfest and then come back,” he said.
But most folks choose to stay because there’s so
much to do. “Typically, at one of my shows, the family will stay for the day,”
he said.
Several car, motorcycle, boat and RV dealers will
have displays of new vehicles at the event. The event also is holding a bikini
contest with a patriotic theme. Female contestants wearing American flag bikinis
will compete for $600 in prizes.
Daily tickets are $10 for adults; children 12 and
under get in free. The price of admission includes a free drink.
Other events include:
• Trophies for top 50 cars, trucks and
motorcycles
• Cripple Dog’s Black Hole slide
• Little Talladega Speedway R/C car races
• Beer pong contests all weekend
• All American bikini contest
• Dyno drag racing for cars and motorcycles
Car show contestants will pay $25. In exchange
they get a two-day pass for two people.
There will drawings with prizes with proceeds
going to the Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
For more information about the car show or bikini
contest call (904) 529-2009 or go online to www.CrippleDog.com
Posted: 10:24 PM May 10, 2009 Last Updated: 10:43
PM May 10, 2009 Reporter: Whitney Martin
ROCKFORD- It’s been more than a year since Andrea
and Brandon Barton were nearly killed on a Rockford road .With two fatal
motorcycle accidents happening just this week, the couple remembers what it's
like to feel invisible.
"You can take some ones life in a second, it
doesn’t matter how much you pay attention you need to be aware" said Andrea
Last April, a car turned in front of the Barton’s
motorcycle at Central avenue near Prairie road causing them to collide. Since
then, the couple has replaced their two wheel ride for a pair of crutches and a
cane. They haven't ridden ever since.
."I couldn't even get into a car after I was able
to home” said Andrea "I close my eyes”
.."I’m still going through therapy working on
getting my leg straight" said Brandon
It's that physical and mental pain that Harley
Davidson store owner Karl Kegal says is motivating riders to be seen and heard
by drivers.
“When people have slightly louder pipes on their
motorcycle than it can promote safety " said Kegal..
and for riders like the Bartons, it's that sense
of safety that drivers and motorcyclists should share, along with the road.
Mason City, IA- Troubling statistics in the
nation's military as casualty numbers for 2008 show more marines died while
riding motorcycles in the US than those serving in Iraq.
The pentagon is requiring stricter rules when it
comes to motorcycles.
On most sunny days you can find Navy Recruiter
Monte Ames on his Harley Davidson. He says all servicemen are required to get
motorcycle certified before riding on military bases.
"I just took the state sponsored safety course
two weeks ago and I've been riding for quite a few years and I actually learned
stuff which is great," he said.
But it's his Marine friends who are concerning
the pentagon. 25 of them died in the past 12 months on bikes across the nation.
All but one on sport bikes called “crotch rockets.”
"It doesn't really surprise me, obviously just
because motorcycles are pretty dangerous," said US Marine Staff Sergeant Chad
Hyatt.
Hyatt is a recruiter for the United States Marine
Corps. He just bought a sport bike less than two weeks ago.
Both he and Ames say accidents on motorcycles
aren’t always the riders fault.
"For the motorcycles I wouldn't necessarily
sayits the military in general if you look at 25 deaths, ya it’s a lot of deaths
but out of 202,000 marines just the numbers right there," said Hyatt.
"There's just as many motorcycle accidents are
military as there are are civilian, I mean its just because its military its a
bigger deal," said Ames.
Now the Pentagon is requiring marines who ride
sport bikes to take a second training course. Those caught riding on leave
without certification are subject to punishment.
"You have to have your motorcycle license and
then anytime to ride the bike you have to have your protective boots you have to
have your vest on reflective vest and you have to wear your helmet," said Hyatt.
When asked if it's the fear nothing mentality of
those in the military, Both servicemen we talked to say no.
The rise in motorcycle deaths isn't just in the
marines. The US Navy is reporting a 65 percent jump in deaths on bikes from the
year before
AP Photo/Bill Haber Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal,
left, and New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson announce a new deal between the
Saints and the state on April 30. The House Appropriations Committee today takes
up the cash portion of House Bill 2, the $5.3 billion state construction budget
that includes $85 million in Superdome upgrades to help keep the Saints in
Louisiana. As the $27 billion state budget bill marinates on the House floor,
awaiting an all-day hearing on Thursday, other issues fight for the spotlight as
a busy Week Three gets underway today in the Louisiana Legislature.
• The House Appropriations Committee takes up the
cash portion of House Bill 2, the $5.3 billion state construction budget that
includes $85 million in Superdome upgrades to help keep the Saints in Louisiana.
While the "capital outlay" bill has a little something for everyone - that's why
it usually passes unanimously - the idea of subsidizing a pro football franchise
in New Orleans with surplus dollars still rankles some rural and Baton
Rouge-area legislators.
It would be surprising to see the bill pass out
of committee with anything less than a unanimous endorsement. But the discussion
among lawmakers, occurring in the same committee that last week agreed to deep
cuts to health-care, higher education and other programs in the operating
budget, should tell us a lot about whether legislators will be as quick to
acquiesce to Gov. Bobby Jindal on the Saints deal as they were on the
Farmerville chicken-plant bill that was approved last week.
• The annual debate over mandatory motorcycle
helmets, postponed last week, roars into the House Transportation Committee,
where Rep. James Morris, R-Oil City, brings House bill 639, which would make
helmets optional for riders 21 and older. A similar bill cleared the House last
year but died in a Senate committee. But this year Jindal has made the issue a
priority, arguing that it's an economic development issue since some riders may
avoid the state due to the helmet law.
• Religion and politics will mix it up in the
House Civil Law Committee, where Rep. Bernard LeBas, D-Ville Platte, will get a
second hearing for his House Bill 517 backed by the Louisiana Family Forum. It
would grant civil immunity to health-care providers who refuse to perform
certain services on moral grounds. Opponents of the bill, which got a cool
reception in the same committee last week, say state and federal law already
gives enough protection.
• The simple words that define religious freedom
in Louisiana's constitution - that "no law shall be enacted respecting an
establishment of religion or the free exercise thereof" - aren't good enough for
Rep. Cameron Henry, R-Jefferson. His House Bill 340, also up for debate in the
Civil Law committee, would add language guaranteeing everyone the right "to
engage in or refrain from activity based on a sincerely held religious belief"
unless the government proves that it has a compelling reason to stop the
activity.
• Another year, another fight between trial
lawyers and health-care interests over the definition of medical malpractice.
This year it comes courtesy of Rep. Greg Cromer, R-Slidell, whose House Bill 72
also is scheduled for debate in Civil Law.
• The days of giant budget surpluses may be over,
but Sen. Nick Gautreaux, D-Abbeville, wants to make sure legislators have the
option of giving taxpayers a rebate the next time government takes in more than
it can spend. His Senate Bill 8 gets its first hearing in the Senate Finance
Committee.
Meanwhile, on the House floor, lawmakers will
take up House Bill 499 by Rep. Nickie Monica, R-LaPlace, requiring every
passenger in a vehicle to wear a seat belt; and House Bill 855 by Rep. Reed
Henderson, D-Violet, mandating that the left lane is only for passing.
**************************************
MAINE:
Hey
everyone! The time is coming for Southern Maine Black Sheep
Harley-Davidsons for Christ Annual Biker Breakfast and Bike
Blessing. This year it will be held at 9:00 am on Saturday, June 13
at Hollis Center Baptist Church, Route 202, Hollis. Many of you
have already asked us for the date and have seen the attached
poster, but we wanted to get it out by email so you can invite your
friends to this FREE event. There will be four trophies given for
the bike show this year (1st and 2nd place
Peoples’ Choice, as well as 1st and 2nd Place
Judges’ Choice, and a BUNCH of door prizes, so come join us! Please
pass this on to whoever you know that might be interested.
3rd Annual Biker Breakfast and Bike Blessing.
Saturday, June 13, 9:00 am
Hollis Center Baptist Church
Route 202, Hollis
Eggs, Pancakes, Bacon,
Sausage ... the works ...
Pins for the first 150
attendees
FREE
TONS OF DOOR PRIZES\
Peoples' Choice and Judges'
Choice Bike Show
prizes for 1st and 2nd
places
registration begins at 8:30
am
ALL Bikes ... ALL RIDERS ...
WELCOME
sponsored by Southern Maine
Black Sheep Harley-Davidsons for Christ fNM
Wicked Local photo/Wesley Ennis Motorcycles are
parked three-abreast on Main Street.
By Kathryn Koch GateHouse News Service Posted May
10, 2009 @ 10:00 AM
PLYMOUTH — Reports of some bad behavior by
motorcyclists parked on the waterfront, including swearing at meter enforcement
officers, isn’t the reason the PGDC is reviewing its decision to allow four
bikes per parking space.
The legality of allowing four motorcycles to park
in one space has been brought into question. But board members are also
concerned about the treatment of enforcement officers.
The PGDC board voted, 4-1, in March to allow four
motorcycles to park lawfully per designated space, but the new regulation has
not been finalized. A review of the town’s 1954 parking regulations and state
law is still needed, PGDC President Leighton Price said.
“We’re going to go back and take a look at all
Massachusetts state laws,” he said.
When the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association
asked the PGDC to consider allowing more than one motorcycle to a space,
Plymouth County representative Darryl Stoddard argued it would open up more
parking spaces for other vehicles.
The PGDC still supports the idea. The motorcycle
association represents about 10 percent of the registered motorcycle owners in
the state. Stoddard wanted it to be clear the association has no say with
non-members who may have an attitude.
“I’m not going to stand up for people who go
outside the law,” he said.
Stoddard said his group is a family-centered
organization that understands Plymouth is a family-oriented tourist destination.
The members of the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association members would be fully
informed of the rules for parking in Plymouth once final approval is granted, he
added.
Price said he feels confident after meeting again
with Stoddard Tuesday that the message about the need to follow the rules will
get out to MMA members, but enforcement officers will decide if police need to
be called if motorcyclists violate the rules and become openly hostile.
=====
The
Massachusetts Motorcycle Political Action Committee (MMPAC) has a new address:
Political Action Committees (PACs) operate under very strict rules by law and
are limited in their activities by government regulation. PACs accept donations
only from individuals and there are limits on how much an individual may donate.
All income and its distribution to political candidates must be carefully
accounted for.
The
MMA strongly supports the MMPAC which is a completely separate organization that
exists for the specific purpose of financially supporting political
candidates. The MMA continues to encourage our members to support MMPAC
through individual donations. Donations can be made when you join or renew your
membership through our website, by visiting www.MassMotorcyclePAC.org, or you
can mail a check or money order to MMPAC, PO Box 503, Harwichport, MA 02646.
Please consider making a donation today – The current Massachusetts Legislative
Session is in full-swing and we need the support of riders all across the
Commonwealth. Your donation of $5 or $10 or more makes a big difference.
Donations may be make by check to the PO Box, PayPal to
contact@massmotorcyclepac.org or directly from the MMA Web Site.
New Advancement In Motorcycle Safety Tools 13 e
By Liz Tufts Story Published: May 7, 2009 at 7:40 PM EDT
Story Updated: May 8, 2009 at 10:19 AM EDT
May is Motorcycle Awareness Month, and this year
it's more important than ever. In the last few weeks alone, three people were
injured in motorcycle accidents across the Pioneer Valley and one died. But a
new device could help keep bikers safe, by keeping others from driving into
them.
Related ContentSafe Rider Website It's estimated
almost 180-thousand people in Massachusetts ride a motorcycle, and 36 of them
died last year. Across the country more than 5-thousand people lost their lives.
Here in the Pioneer Valley Four accidents since March left one person dead, and
three others seriously injured.
Tim Aloisio is a veteran rider, but even he
hasn't escaped injury.
"Two years ago I was coming home from downtown
Springfield and went through a green light at an intersection and someone pulled
out in front of me, I went down," explains Aloisio.
Aloisio admits his driving has become a lot more
defensive over the past few years. He says drivers who don't share the road and
talk on their cell phones put riders like himself most at risk.
"A big fact is they don't treat you as a real
driver, they cut you off, you feel like you are lower class of drivers, " adds
Aloisio.
But a new invention is designed to get the
attention of other drivers, and keep motorcycle riders alive. It's called Safe
Rider. A flashing brake light that warns motorists that a motorcycle in front of
them is slowing down.
"Motorcycle riders stop a lot faster than cars,
trucks, vans, so they don't have enough time to stop, we want to warn them so
they can see, " says inventor of the product, Paul Grzebielucha.
It's been on the market for only six weeks, but
it's been getting rave reviews from riders.
"We believe its going to save a tremendous amount
of lives- 22 percent of accidents happen at stop lights and we want to reduce
the number of riders getting hit from the rear, " adds Grzebielucha.
But this invention is just the beginning. Eugene
Carabine oversees the state's motorcycle training schools, and runs awareness
programs.He says the first step in staying safe is education.
"You can go to the registry and get a permit just
by taking a 25 question test, you can leave at that time buy a motorcycle and
ride it, " explains Carabine.
Carabine says knowing your surroundings and
paying attention is the best advice for riders...and of course wearing a helmet.
"You have to be responsible in riding by not
speeding, paying attention to traffic, and be aware of surroundings," adds
Carabine.
Tim Aliosio installed his own safety lights on
his bike and hopes this latest invention will do even more to protect riders
like himself. He just hopes drivers will learn how to share the roads so he wont
end up a statistic.
"Look twice safe a life, that life you could save
could be mine, " says Aliosio.
=====
PGR:
We received this invitation to support Cape
Cod Cares For Our Troops; this will our fourth year of participation.
Thank you to everyone who helped Cape Cod
Cares for the Troops during 2008. Over 4600 care packages have been sent to our
troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan including 600 Christmas Care Packages,
Dylan made three visits and provided gifts for
our Wounded Warriors at Bethesda Naval Hospital and Walter Reed Medical Center,
boxes of supplies have been sent to orphanages, schools, medical and dental
clinics in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
We are hoping everyone will join us for the
5th Annual Troops in the Spotlight to show support for our troops serving in the
"War on Terror" and honor all of our veterans who have proudly served our
country.
DATE: Sunday 24MAY
OPENING CEREMONY: 1130
RIDE CAPTAIN: Ron Hill
We will leave the staging area and ride in to
the opening ceremony with a LEO escort.
Staging time and place will be forwarded when
finalized.
Jim Boland
State Captain
=====
The following are the details for Tyler's wake,
funeral service and internment.
WAKE: Tuesday 12MAY 09 from 3-8PM
Perry Funeral Home
111 Dartmouth St
New Bedford, Ma
MAP LINK: http://tinyurl.com/ohgj3h
We will set up a flag line at 1:45PM prior to
arrival of the family at 2:00PM. The street in front of the funeral home will be
closed by the police department. We have been assured that the police will allow
the Patriot Guard to get to the funeral home.
Stage at the home 1:15; parking across the street
from the home. It is estimated that the flag line will be set up until 4:00;
after that, attend on you own.
FUNERAL: Wednesday 13 May 09 11:00AM
St John Newman Church
157 Middleboro Rd (RT. 18)
East Freetown, Ma
STAGING: Robins Limousine directly across from
the Church
Note- The media will also be utilizing the
parking lot
INTERNMENT: Massachusetts National Cemetery,
Bourne, MA
If you plan on going to Bourne please make sure
you have fuel prior to arrival at the staging area; food, coffee and gas are not
available; there are bathrooms facilities.
FREE RMV REMINDER SERVICE for
ALL MASSACHUSETTS DRIVERS AND RIDERS!!
Can't remember to renew your plates, your
license, what month you're safety inspection sticker expires? How would you like
to sign up for a free service that will send you a reminder when all of these
need attending to?
If that idea suits your fancy, read on, and
see what innovative steps one of my carriers, Plymouth Rock is providing:
Dear
Betsy:
We
are expanding the MYLES eReminder Service to all
Massachusetts drivers, regardless of insurance carrier.
Non Plymouth Rock
customers are now eligible to receive the same free
license renewal, registration renewal, and vehicle
inspection reminders we offer Plymouth Rock customers
through eServices.
This program is designed to raise awareness for the
Plymouth Rock brand and will create a pool of
individuals who will become more willing to consider our
value proposition when it comes time to review their
coverage. Ultimately, the MYLES eReminder Service will
make it easier for you to suggest Plymouth Rock
Assurance to potential customers and retain the
customers you already have.
The MYLES eReminder program will
begin on 5/11/2009 with a
significant email and public
relations campaign. We will also
create agent fact sheets you can
provide your customers.
I hope you share our excitement
about this expansion of the
MYLES eReminder Service. If you
have questions or comments,
please contact your Marketing
Representative.
Sincerely,
Mark Sweeney
Vice President, Marketing
Just go to:http://prac.com
to the lower left hand corner and sign up! Enjoy the free service, and should
you like to receive a FREE Quote on your auto and/or motorcycle insurance, call
me in the office, at: 781-393-9330, thanks! Gypsy
=====
Kelly's House of Harley-Davidson, Inc.
1 Chelmsford Road
North Billerica, MA 01862
www.kellysh-d.com
=====
Outcast Motorcycle Club Boston invites you to:
Friday and Saturday nights at the
Outcast Clubhouse
566 N. Main Street Brockton, MA.
10:00 PM til ???
get together.
Also, Saturday July 11th, Annual Boar Cruise 7PM- 10PM
Sail Boston 2009 Tall Ships Regatta
Boat Cruise after party 10pm - 1AM.
For more information contact: 508-588-CAST
Outcast MC reserves the right to refuse admission.
By Jenna Russell Globe Staff / May 9, 2009 Email|
Print| Reprints| Yahoo! Buzz| ShareThisText size – + FALMOUTH - They call
themselves outlaws and pirates, and they try to stay out of sight as they
crisscross the Cape, zooming through the woods and bogs on narrow paths,
watching over their shoulders for police.
Discuss COMMENTS (124) Mostly young and mostly
male, they are the recreational riders of all-terrain vehicles - three- and
four-wheel ATVs and off-road motorcycles known as dirt bikes - whose buzzing
engines and slashing tire tracks unleash a seasonal torrent of complaints about
noise and property damage.
Police on the Cape say they are fed up with
riders who rocket illegally over public and private property, from landfills and
sand pits to the ammunition-studded fringes of the Massachusetts Military
Reservation. Last month, police in Bourne announced a crackdown, vowing to tow
unregistered ATVs and ticket their owners. At the military base, officials have
installed cameras and sensors to try to catch trespassers. Environmental
officers in Falmouth helped draft proposed legislation to tighten restrictions
on ATVs - and ban all riding by children under 14 - that awaits a hearing at the
State House.
Critics of the pastime say safety is their
priority. They complain of parents who let children ride unsupervised and riders
who recklessly flee police and whose accidents require difficult rescues in
remote places. When the weather warms, police say, the number of riders spikes,
and accidents multiply. On April 28, as the temperature in Southeastern
Massachusetts climbed into the 80s, a 6-year-old crashed an ATV in his Rockland
backyard. The boy was wearing a helmet, but his arm was almost severed.
"Every spring, you know it's coming, that kids
will get hurt," said Chuck Martinsen, a police officer who investigates ATV
complaints for the Falmouth Department of Natural Resources. "ATVs and dirt
bikes are marketed as toys, and that doesn't show the danger."
ATV riders say they have been backed into a
corner. With no legal place on the Cape to enjoy their hobby, besides their own
backyard courses, some say they have been pushed into riding illegally on land
where they are unwelcome.
By trying to stamp out their fun, some riders
argue, police aggravate the situation, making riders jittery, causing accidents
and driving them to more distant, dangerous locations.
"Once they started to clamp down, it was kind of
like riding like pirates, staying in the woods, cutting across properties,
making new trails through the woods that turned out to be people's property,"
said Brian Rebello, a motorcycle rider who built a dirt bike course in his West
Barnstable backyard so his children could ride legally. "It's definitely a slap.
They have definitely taken something from us."
Those who ride by the rules say they too feel
trapped. Steve Perra, 16, of Falmouth, sculpted a legal ATV track in his
backyard, but whenever he and his sister fire up their dirt bikes or
four-wheeler, neighbors call police to complain about the noise.
As a result, the siblings often opt to stay
inside. "I'm stuck here; it's a bummer," Perra said, sitting dejectedly on his
mother's couch. "If there was one place to ride, where no one had to chase us,
everyone would be a lot happier."
Discuss COMMENTS (124) Tensions on the Cape over
off-roaders have escalated over the years. Development devoured open space where
riders once roamed freely, and denser neighborhoods brought more noise
complaints and enforcement by police. Private landowners who had tolerated the
activity moved to shut it down, unsettled by the threat of injuries and
lawsuits. Public properties in the region, including Miles Standish State Park
in Plymouth, also shut out ATVs, leaving state parks in the Berkshires the last
to welcome four-wheelers.
As the popularity of the vehicles increased, the
rise in accidents contributed to fears and closings. State officials estimate
that 90,000 households own an all-terrain vehicle. Massachusetts had 10 fatal
ATV crashes between 2005 and 2007, compared with 56 total fatalities in the 22
preceding years, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Child-sized ATVs typically weigh 200 or 300
pounds and travel at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. But most children who
die in ATV accidents are riding larger, faster adult models, which can weigh
twice as much.
Sean Kearney, an 8-year-old Plymouth boy, was
riding an adult-sized ATV at a friend's house when he was killed in 2006. A
16-year-old from Harwichport, Justin Ramshur, was riding with his mother when he
was killed in a crash in Connecticut in 2007.
Dr. Peter Masiakos, a pediatric surgeon who has
treated ATV accident victims at Massachusetts General Hospital, said that
children younger than 14 lack the size, strength, and coordination needed to
handle the vehicles safely and that most riders younger than 16 lack the needed
perception and judgment.
Devotees of the pastime say it is misunderstood
and no more dangerous than biking. They say they are stereotyped as wild and
reckless, when most who ride are families with children.
"It kind of reminds me of going to a picnic with
the wife and kids, and all these tree huggers are trying to make it out to be a
Hell's Angel thing," said Steve Coyne, a dirt bike rider from Dennis.
In recent months, a group of 75 ATV riders on the
Cape has tried to find a town willing to provide a public place for ATVs. They
formed a nonprofit association, drafted a 66-page proposal, and approached a
half-dozen Cape towns, the airport in Hyannis, and the military reservation.
Their efforts have gone nowhere, said Rob Anderson, their leader.
"We've met with total resistance," he said.
"Nobody wants it."
The proposition is difficult, said Cape
officials. Towns could be liable for injuries, and land used by ATVs could lose
its value.
Anderson is not giving up. Narrowing his scope,
he will ask towns to find a place for electric motorcycles, which would not
spark noise complaints.
Meanwhile, cash-strapped police departments are
struggling to stop illegal riders, a labor-intensive task that sends officers
deep into the woods.
"I can't call them back if we have a robbery,"
said Harwich Police Chief Bill Mason.
Coyne, the dirt bike rider from Dennis, faced
harsh criticism after his son was hurt in an accident in March 2008. Father and
son were riding together on a course Coyne built illegally in the woods; as
Coyne landed a jump, his son turned into his path. The collision broke the boy's
leg.
Coyne said he still struggles with guilt over the
incident. But, he said, it would not have happened if he and his son had been
riding on a legal course.
Members of the Berrien County Sheriff's
Department make their way down Main Street in downtown Eau Claire during the
annual Fourth of July parade last year. Don Campbell / H-P staff Bailey plans to
add 2 riders to ease pressure on unit for parades, escorts By SCOTT AIKEN - H-P
Staff Writer Published: Monday, May 11, 2009 1:05 PM EDT ST. JOSEPH - The
Berrien County Sheriff's Department is planning to expand a motorcycle unit used
to escort parades, fundraising rides and funerals.
Sheriff Paul Bailey said the unit, supported
mostly by donations, may be expanded from six riders to eight.
"We're doing this with very little county money,"
Bailey told the county board's Administration Committee on Thursday.
Motorcycles are leased with donated funds and
deputies who ride in the unit are not paid, though they do get compensatory time
off.
County Commissioner Andrew Vavra said the comp
time is a hidden expense that comes out of the general fund.
Undersheriff Charles Heit, who heads the
motorcycle unit, said the "benefit provided in public safety is well worth the
comp time."
The committee is to further discuss the matter at
next Thursday's meeting.
The sheriff's motorcycle unit is used for routine
patrol and for escorting various charity fundraising events that can have large
numbers of cycle enthusiasts on the road.
Formed in 2002, the unit also escorts visiting
dignitaries, funeral motorcades, and presents school and community programs.
Heit said officers in the unit donate a lot of
time to the program.
The county general fund provides $5,000 to $7,000
annually for gas, and Heit said he plans to operate without any support from the
fund by next year.
Bailey said plans call for expanding to an
8-cycle unit. The sheriff's department already has eight deputies certified for
the duty, he said.
Bailey also wants to switch from an annual lease
of Harley-Davidson motorcycles to buying one or two each year.
"We will not come to you to buy any bikes,"
Bailey said, telling commissioners that all purchases would be made with donated
money.
Heit said the expansion is being planned for
safety reasons and to reduce the number of events deputies must take part in,
which would reduce burn-out.
A minimum of four bikes are needed for an escort
or other event to ensure safety, Heit said.
With eight bikes, the unit could cover two events
at a time, or some deputies could get a weekend off if only one event is
scheduled at that time.
Bailey reported that plans are progressing in the
formation of a volunteer Water Rescue Team to operate in the Twin Cities area.
St. Joseph recently donated $40,000 to buy
personal watercraft and equipment for the all-volunteer team. Cornerstone
Alliance donated $5,000, Bailey said, and additional donations are being sought.
Firefighters, Coast Guard service members and
others have volunteered for the team, Bailey said. FBI Special Agency Al DiBrito
was instrumental in forming the unit.
The team would be called to help with rescues and
searches, Bailey said, but members would also conduct routine patrol at times
when there is a lot of boat traffic on Lake Michigan and the St. Joseph River.
The team is to be attached to the sheriff's
department Marine Unit, working with deputies in the unit and the Coast Guard.
Bailey said officers who volunteer their time for
the unit must be trained and certified. The goal is to have the unit in
operation this summer, he said.
The team is to stage in St. Joseph, either at the
public boat launch on Marina Island, the West Basin Marina or the Coast Guard
station.
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Today's Top Headlines ‘To wear it or not wear it’ Area county gets failing grade
Savannah teen aces ACT Health care plan could save $2 trillion Local road work
projects announced The bill to repeal Missouri’s motorcycle helmet law lays on
Gov. Jay Nixon’s desk, having passed both legislative chambers. There’s no word
yet if Mr. Nixon will sign the bill into law or veto it.
I ride a motorcycle. I also wear a helmet, even
in states that don’t require one. It’s my personal choice.
Let me repeat that: It’s my personal choice.
For years, Missouri has debated whether or not to
repeal the helmet requirement. Every year, it seems our state senators and
representatives debate helmets. In 1999, the legislature passed a similar
measure but it was vetoed by then-Gov. Mel Carnahan.
It’s time for this measure to pass, and not
because the state is missing out on lucrative bike rallies or that bikers will
go across the borders into Kansas, Iowa and Illinois to ride and the state is
missing out on tax revenue. This has nothing to do with economics. It has to do
with personal freedom.
Missouri should repeal its mandatory helmet law
because the main argument against it is not valid.
Those who argue in favor of helmets do so because
they say helmets will prevent traumatic head injuries. A biker who crashes and
sustains a serious head injury will ring up millions in medical bills and
require extensive after-care and rehabilitation. It will be a burden to
taxpayers, they say.
But not all motorcyclists crash. In fact, the
vast majority of bikers I know have not had a serious wreck. Helmet advocates
would have you believe that riding a motorcycle is the most dangerous activity,
that eventually all motorcyclists will crash and suffer extensive injuries. And
that just isn’t true.
Plus, there are so many other activities that can
cause traumatic head injury and ruin a person’s quality of life. Horseback
riding, for instance. Skiing is another one. How about ATVs? You could be on a
bike that you pedal, cruise down the Parkway and have someone run you off the
road.
Even the safest people have accidents. Some of
them are serious.
Tell you what, Gov. Nixon, I’ll make you a deal.
If you’re so concerned about me having an accident, racking up millions in
medical bills and living my life with brain damage, then I promise I will cut
your risk. I promise I will never ride a horse, ski, sled, ride an ATV or
parachute out of an airplane. That ought to cut my injury risks considerably.
And here’s a bit of free advice. If you want to
prevent serious motorcycle accidents, there’s a better way.
Pass a law that prevents all drivers from talking
on their cell phones while operating any kind of motorcycle vehicle. The other
day, I was riding (with my helmet) down Ashland Avenue, and a woman in a
decade-old Dodge Caravan approached from a side street. She looked right, then
left, then pulled out in front of me anyway. I swerved to the middle of the
street to avoid her. She actually smiled at me before she pulled away and, sure
enough, she had a cell phone stuck to her ear.
How many bikers have you seen chatting on a cell
phone while riding? I think it’s physically impossible. So, ask yourself, who is
a greater danger to others and themselves: cell phone chatters or bikers?
Let’s hope Gov. Nixon signs the repeal of the
motorcycle helmet law. Bikers will still have to wear their helmets while
traveling on interstate highways, but not while they’re tooling around town or
riding along Missouri’s back roads.
That makes sense to me, and most bikers can live
with that.
By Bob Watsona bwatson@newstribune.com Published:
Sunday, May 10, 2009 8:47 AM CDT
Kip Neblett is 69. But he almost didn't make it
past 28 - and he wants Gov. Jay Nixon to veto a bill repealing Missouri's
motorcycle helmet requirement for people over 21, because he still is alive.
But Missouri's Freedom of the Road Riders
motorcycle group is urging its members and other supporters to contact Nixon and
encourage the governor to sign the bill.
Nixon spokesman Scott Holste said only that the
governor and his staff will review the proposed law when it's delivered from the
General Assembly.
Pick up Sunday's newspaper or view Sunday's
e-Edition to read the Full Feature. See the VIEWS Section.
by Andrew Gaug Monday, May 11, 2009 What summer
vacation? A potential change in motorcycle helmet laws in Missouri has many
motorcyclists in the area sounding like an old Devo song — they want to use
their freedom of choice.
Senate Bill 202 exempts motorcyclists 21 and
older from being required to wear a helmet on all Missouri roads except
interstate highways. The bill passed the House and Senate and is just a
signature from Gov. Jay Nixon away from becoming law.
It’s a hotly debated topic. Some fear they may be
losing their rights, while others say the bill would save lives and money.
Bob Boht, a motorcycle rider who said he has
traveled through 48 states on his bike, said there should be no restrictions
when it comes to wearing a helmet.
“I think everybody ought to have a choice to wear
it or not wear it,” he said.
Though Mr. Boht said he often wears his helmet,
if others don’t feel the need, they shouldn’t have to worry about getting
penalized for doing so.
“We’ve got too many laws against this country now
(where) people (are) losing their freedoms,” he said.
Ken Everett, director of the Pony Express Harley
Owners Group Chapter No. 2594, said most motorcyclists he knows take caution
when it comes to protecting themselves while on their bikes. But wearing a
helmet should be taken on a case-by-case basis.
“I think it’s important that you have (a helmet)
on most of the time. There are times when I think it’s appropriate not to wear
one,” he said.
Cindy Caw, a motorcycle rider, agrees that while
she always wears a helmet, if other people don’t feel the need, they shouldn’t
feel legally obligated.
“To some people, that’s part of their freedom of
riding — not having to have a helmet on,” she said.
Reports have shown that states that do not have
motorcycle helmet laws have higher fatality rates from riders who choose not to
wear one. In a 2007 study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, neighboring states without helmet laws, such as Kansas, saw 73
percent of rider fatalities occurring to those not helmeted. Out of Iowa’s 54
motorcycle deaths, 91 percent of riders were not wearing a helmet. Whereas
states such as Missouri, with 21 percent, and Nebraska, 31 percent, that have
helmet laws had considerably fewer motorcycle deaths where the rider was not
helmeted.
The toll may not just be on the individual, but
others. Rep. Dr. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, opposes the repeal. He said he would
be in favor of it if it didn’t pass a financial burden on to other people.
“When people wear a motorcycle helmet, their risk
of having a severe injury is much less. And when they don’t, they’re more likely
to have severe injuries that will end up costing the taxpayers and other members
of insurance plans a lot of money,” he said.
Sgt. Sheldon Lyon, public information officer for
Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop H, which covers Northwest Missouri, said he
can’t comment on pending legislation. “What I can say is it’s proven helmets do
save lives,” he said.
Mr. Everett said while it should be left to
motorcyclists to choose whether to wear a helmet, it’s also their responsibility
to ride safely.
“You have a certain level of risk, and the goal
is to mitigate the risk as best you can,” he said. “Hitting the ground hurts.”
Scores of officers from federal, state and local
law enforcement agencies rounded up members of the Chosen Few Motorcycle Club on
Thursday and charged them with conspiracy.
Officials say the suspects include the president
of the club, based at a former bank building in Depew (deh-PYOO') in suburban
Buffalo.
Police say Chosen Few members have been
investigated for criminal incidents including using pipe bombs to attack the
clubhouse of another local motorcycle club.
At least eight of the suspects face federal
racketeering charges stemming from that and other incidents.
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
(PRNewsFoto/National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund)
WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES
WASHINGTON, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
following events will take place at the National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial to commemorate National Police Week, May 10-16. The Memorial is located
in the 400 block of E Street, NW, in Washington, DC.
Motorcycle riders will stage at RFK stadium and
ride to the Memorial to lay a wreath in honor of fallen law enforcement
officers.
May 12, 2 pm: Police Unity Tour Arrival Ceremony
More than 1,000 law enforcement officers and
supporters on bicycles will arrive at the Memorial at the conclusion of three-
and four-day rides from northern New Jersey and southern Virginia to raise
awareness of officers killed in the line of duty.
May 13, 8 pm: 21st Annual Candlelight Vigil
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will lead the
lighting of candles and reading of the names of law enforcement officers who
have died in the line of duty. The program includes musical tributes and a blue
laser light show.
May 14, 9 am: Shomrim Society Kaddish Service
A ceremony to honor Jewish law enforcement
officers who have died in the line of duty.
May 14, 6 pm: 14th Annual Emerald Society &
Pipeband March and Service
Bagpipers and drum corps from across the country
will process from New Jersey Avenue and F Street, NW, to the Memorial.
May 15, 3:30 pm (approximate): Fraternal Order of
Police/FOP Auxiliary Wreathlaying Service
At the conclusion of the Peace Officers Memorial
Day Service at the U.S. Capitol, the commemorate wreath will be brought to the
Memorial. Honor Guard units from across the country will stand watch at the
Memorial until midnight.
All events at the Memorial are free and open to
members of the public and the news media. Except for the Candlelight Vigil on
May 13, media representatives do not need credentials to cover events at the
Memorial. For information on media credentials for May 13, visit www.nleomf.org/NPW2009/npw_credentials_09.html.
For more information about National Police Week,
including a comprehensive schedule of events in the Washington, DC area, visit
www.nleomf.org/NPW2009.
May is designated Motorcycle Safety Awareness
Month. The Ohio State Highway Patrol and various motorcycle organizations will
be conducting a variety of activities to promote the importance of motorist
awareness and sharing the road with motorcyclists.
The Patrol, along with the American Motorcyclists
Association, will continue the Ride Smart, Drive Smart campaign.
Motorcycle deaths in Ohio are up 35% in the last
3 years, with 213 deaths last year as opposed to 190 in 2007.
Already this year, one person in Crawford County
has been killed and April 24th saw 41-year-old Chevette Jessie killed while a
passenger on a Harley Motorcycle on E. Center Street in Marion.
There are three key messages as part of the Ride
Smart, Drive Smart program: ride trained and licensed, ride sober, and drive
aware.
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist
Association (AMA) announced today that Katy Wood has been named the Operations
Manager for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. Wood will be responsible for
managing the museum's vast motorcycle, literature and memorabilia collections
and ensuring care of all loaned objects. Wood will also oversee museum staff,
volunteers, and the on-line store and gift shop.
"Katy Wood brings a wealth of knowledge and
experience to this position, and I am pleased that we will be able to better
leverage her background in this new role," said Rob Dingman, AMA president and
CEO. "Katy will prove to be invaluable as the AMA invests more resources to
showcase our Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the legendary personalities who have
contributed so much to the legacy of motorcycling in America."
Dingman added that Wood will also assist the
AMA's marketing group as it supports museum-related events that are designed to
bring more visitors to the facility's Pickerington location.
A 1990 graduate of the University of Kansas with
a BA in English, Wood was hired by the AMA in 2000 as the museum management
assistant. In that role she was the museum's registrar responsible for
documenting all loaned and donated items, as well as coordinating the logistics
of shipping loaned items to and from the museum. She managed the annual Hall of
Fame nomination, voting and induction process, including the yearly gala event;
planned museum events and arranged for outside groups renting the facility; and
assisted outside researchers and the media with various projects including
magazine articles, film and television programs, and photography. Wood also
served as the administrative assistant for museum staff and the American
Motorcycle Heritage Foundation Board of Directors.
Wood returns to the museum after serving for one
year as the administrative assistant to the Administrative Services Department.
"We are really glad to have Katy back with the
museum," said Stan Simpson, AMA board of directors chairman and the acting
chairman of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation Board of Directors.
"Many of our supporters and contributors remember how hard she worked at
everything she did, and she was a gracious ambassador for the museum. Katy was a
constant source of excellence, and I am confident she will help us take the AMA
Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum to the next level of achievement and
recognition."
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 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 Motorcycle Hall of Fame
Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations.
As the days get warmer, more and more motorcycle
riders will be taking to streets and the open roads on their machines.
Unfortunately, the number of injuries and deaths
involving motorcycle-related traffic accidents continues to rise in Ohio. Lorain
County recorded five motorcycle deaths in 2008 and two so far this year. Erie
County had six motorcycle-related deaths last year. Alcohol plays a part in
nearly half of motorcycle-related accidents resulting in injuries or deaths,
according to the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
Despite the warnings of law enforcement and
health officials, many motorcyclists continue to ride without helmets. Ohio law
does not require adults to wear helmets, but common sense should indicate the
human skull has little defense against hard concrete or the metal of another
vehicle.
Proper training is particularly important for new
motorcycle riders.
Motorcycle Ohio is a program developed by the
state to provide such instruction. Information on what Motorcycle Ohio offers
can be had by calling toll-free (800) 83-RIDER or going to the program's Web
site www.motorcycle.ohio.gov.
Motorists, and particularly truck drivers, should
also be on the alert for motorcycles, especially when changing lanes or turning
at intersections.
Motorcyclists need to remember they are at a
disadvantage compared to cars and trucks on the road. Common sense, adequate
training and proper equipment can make such open-air excursions safer and more
enjoyable.
Equally important, drivers in cars and trucks
need to remember they aren't the only ones on the road; they must keep a sharp
eye out for those who prefer to ride on two wheels.
POSTED: 5:29 am EDT May 8, 2009 UPDATED: 8:38 am
EDT May 8, 2009
LORAIN, Ohio -- Lorain County prosecutors filed
documents to shut down the Zulu Motorcycle Club Thursday.
In the documents, prosecutors called the
Elyria-based motorcycle club on Broad Street a nuisance.
Police raided the club on April 11 following
reports of illegal drug and alcohol sales. During the raid, which resulted in
several arrests, police found drugs, alcohol, a firearm and a slot machine. The
club does not have a license to sell alcohol or food.
Before the raid began that day, police had to
deal with a series of fights among at least 100 patrons outside of the club. Six
people were arrested and faced charges including assault on a police officer
comma aggravated riot and possession of drugs and weapons charges.
A hearing about closing the club is scheduled for
1:30 p.m. on May 21.
Richard Leppla has some advice for truck and car
drivers trying to share the road with motorcyclists now that riding season is in
full swing.
"Before you turn left in front of someone, you
ought to look who's in front of you," said Leppla, owner of North Coast Engines
in Mentor. "That's how most motorcyclists are killed.
"Three years ago, my close friend was going down
Wilson Mills Road about 35 mph on the way to my house. He never made it. He died
after some guy turned left in front of him. His brother was killed the same way
20 years before that."
Michael Blair/MBlair@News-Herald.com With helmet
on head, Nichole Hasenauer, 9, of Geneva climbs on the back of her mom�s
motorcycle last weekend during the Louie Run at the Lake County Fairgrounds in
Painesville Township.
Mike Harmon, a lieutenant with the Ashtabula post
of the Ohio Highway Patrol, said motorists need to be more mindful of people on
motorcycles now that spring is here.
"Our fatality last weekend was caused by a guy
turning left who just didn't see the motorcycle coming," said Harmon.
That three-vehicle crash occurred shortly after
11:30 a.m. April 26 in Trumbull Township.
According to OHP reports:
A motorcycle driven by Matthew Judd, 40, of
Thompson Township, was eastbound on state Route 166 while a pickup driven by
James Matthews, 20, of Austinburg Township, was westbound on Route 166 and
turning left on Graham Road.
A third vehicle, driven by Patricia Williams, 55,
of Rome, was northbound on Graham and stopped at the stop sign at the
intersection of Route 166.
Matthews turned his truck left into the path of
the motorcycle and was struck. The impact led to the truck pushing into
Williams' vehicle.
Both motorcyclists — who were not wearing helmets
— were ejected.
Kimberly Judd, 28, of Thompson, was a passenger
on the motorcycle and died at the Memorial Hospital of Geneva.
Matthew Judd and the pickup driver also were
injured.
Eighteen out of 213 fatal Ohio crashes involving
motorcycles last year occurred in Northeast Ohio, Harmon said.
According to the state Traffic Safety Office,
Ohio has seen a 35 percent increase over the past three years in motorcycle
fatalities — which directly conflicts with the downward trend in overall
fatalities.
"It's not all the bikers (causing the
collisions)," Harmon said.
On the flip side, there are several things bikers
can do to interact better with other vehicles.
"The big thing we're pushing now with motorcycles
is to drive sober and wear the proper safety gear — helmets, gloves, jackets,
boots and eyewear," said the lieutenant. "We're also advising them to turn their
headlights on and install auxiliary lights."
OHP officials are also pushing better training
and the proper licensing.
"Motorcyclists not being licensed has been an
issue for years," said Harmon. "In Ohio, all you have to do to drive a
motorcycle is take a written test and a brief skills test that takes about five
minutes. You can't get too much training when you ride a motorcycle because you
have to drive so defensively."
The Public Safety Office recently kicked off its
Ride SMART campaign to reduce motorcycle deaths and injuries.
Ride SMART addresses all aspects of motorcycle
safety: Ride Sober. Ride Motorcycle Endorsed. Ride Alert. Use the Right Gear.
Ride Trained.
Harmon recommends all motorcyclists take the Ohio
Department of Public Safety's Motorcycle Ohio course to enhance their skills.
Safety advocates urge drivers to 'look for the
light' of motorcycles
May 11, 2009
By CHRISTINE L. PRATT
Staff Writer
MILLERSBURG -- They're smaller and blend into
traffic easily, and sometimes the glowing headlight of a motorcycle is the most
obvious indicator of an approaching vehicle.
It's with that in mind, safety advocates are
encouraging motorists to "look for the light," said Lt. Chad Enderby, commander
of the Wooster Post of the State Highway Patrol.
Because of the scenic vistas and challenging road
topography, the rural routes of Holmes and Wayne counties are popular with
bikers, said Enderby, noting it's the same curves and hills, combined with
inexperience and excessive speeds, that make the ride fun and interesting and
also add an element of danger.
Unsafe speeds contributed to 12 crashes, 10 of
which resulted in injury, that were investigated by troopers in 2008, he said.
While there were no fatalities involving
motorcycles in Holmes County last year, there were four deaths in five
motorcycle crashes in 2008 in Wayne County. Two of those crashes involved
impaired driving.
The "look for the light" promotion is part of a
statewide "Ride Smart, Drive Smart" campaign, said Enderby, noting he has had
printed a variety of materials -- handouts, posters and potential billboard
material -- urging motorists to heighten their awareness of motorcycles on the
road.
"The whole concept is rather than giving a quick
glance right and left when pulling from a stop sign or intersection, drivers
take that extra look. That extra glance may keep you from being involved in a
crash," Enderby said.
There has been a 33 percent increase in
motorcycle fatalities in Ohio from 2006 to 2008, according to Enderby. Of the
205 motorcycle-related fatalities in the state, 88 involved impaired driving.
For this reason, he said, motorcyclists are asked
to do their part to keep the roads safe by riding trained, licensed and sober.
Reporter Christine L. Pratt can be reached at
330-674-1811 or e-mail cpratt@the-daily-record.com.
***************************************
OKLAHOMA:
Hello, Friends--
I hope this finds all of you doing well, and
having a good week. Here's my Tiger Tales article for the month of May, and
I trust you'll find it informative. I sincerely hope none of you have been
adversely affected by the recent Severe Weather in Oklahoma, especially our
Brothers and Sisters in one of ABATE's newest, the ABATE Chisholm Trail 412
Chapter based in Enid, which recently experienced a tornado. Please
remember those members of our Riding Community who are hurting. I mentioned
in the article that Ray-Man and Tator were seriously impacted by the
Oklahoma Wildfires. In the spirit of Family, the ABATE Great Plains and
South Central Chapters are accepting donations to assist our Members who've
lost so much in these fires. The Chapter Presidents have challenged the
ABATE Membership to contribute Forty Dollars each, and I echo that
challenge. You can find the Chapter Addresses to send expressions of
support in the ABATE State Newsletter online at:
www.abateofoklahoma.org Speaking of the Newsletter, ABATE is soliciting
suggestions for a catchy Newsletter name. Cool suggestions such as "ABATE
Freedom Press" have been submitted, and shortly our Organization will pick a
name befitting our function as the Sooner State's Motorcycling
Freedom-fighting outfit--feel free to contribute yours!
I also need to forward this important URGENT
ABATE OK Legislative Alert regarding HB2264, which is in danger of failing.
This is our Rider Safety, Awareness, and Education Funding Bill--thanks for
bearing with me:
This is URGENT. Please forward to every
rider you know. This bill will save lives. We especially need
voters from House District 68. This is the district of House Speaker Chris
Benge.
As always, be polite. All calls need
to be done before noon tomorrow as the bill is schedule to be debated
tomorrow afternoon.
If you are unsure if you live in
HD 68, here is a link to a map of District 68:
SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new
section of law to be codified in
the Oklahoma Statutes as Section
<1132.6> of Title <47>, unless
there is created a duplication
in numbering, reads as follows:
A. In addition to other vehicle
registration fees specified by
law, there is levied and there
shall be paid to the Oklahoma
Tax Commission a fee of Five
Dollars ($5.00) upon every
motorcycle registered pursuant
to Section 1132 of Title 47 of
the Oklahoma Statutes for use on
roads and highways. The fee
shall accrue and shall be
collectible upon each motorcycle
registered for use on roads and
highways under the same
circumstances and shall be
payable in the same manner and
times as apply to the
registration of motorcycles for
use on roads and highways under
the provisions of the Oklahoma
Vehicle License and Registration
Act; provided, the fee shall be
paid in full for the then
current year at the time any
vehicle is first registered in a
calendar year.
B. Revenue from
the fee levied in subsection A
of this section shall be
transferred each month to the
Department of Public Safety for
deposit in the Motorcycle Safety
and Education Program Revolving
Fund create
pursuant to
Section 40-123 of Title 47 of
the Oklahoma Statutes.
C. SAFETY, dated
02-12-09 - DO PASS, As Amended.
HB2264
which is the $5.00 tag fee billis
in trouble. The
legislature has yet to pass a
single bill that calls for any
increases in taxes or fees and
they?ve passed no bills creating
new fees. They
have already turned one down for
the automobile dealers that the
dealers themselves were asking
to have passed.
We
could easily lose this bill!!! The
only thing that will save it is
a lot House members hearing from
you, their constituents that
this bill needs to be passed
this session!
House
members need to hear that these
funds will save lives and that
we have a number of motorcycle
safety specialists lined up and
ready to go to work the minute
this bill passes. The
bottom line is that without this
bill, there will be lives lost
inOklahomaand
the only they will be lost is
because we don?t have a funded
safety program.
If
you don?t already know the name
of your member of the House of
Representatives, here are the
maps that will tell you your
district number. It?s
also on your voter registration
card.
Your
legislative team has worked hard
to make this a good year but we
can?t do the most important task
of all. Only
you can do that. Please
call about this bill. It
absolutely will save lives inOklahoma.
John
Pierce
One final item: The annual NCOM
Convention is taking place May 7-10, 2009 in Reno, NV. A standard feature
of the Convention includes the ringing of the Memorial Bell in Memory of
Brothers and Sisters lost over the past Twelve Months since last May's
Convention. I have these names to include so far: Mongol Jody, Mel Crane,
Bill Strickland, Jimmy Green, Steve “RadFast” Lake, “KB” Garrett, Tony King,
Jeremy Lusk (The extreme motocross rider), Malec Usif, Jimmie Chadwick, SrA
Ryan Fisher, Jon Hutto, Jesse Kyle Smith, Larry Cook, Bandido Strong Will,
Rogue Thor, Judy Brewster. If anyone has any additional names of Bikers who
have passed away since last May that they'd like me to include, please send
them to me, and I'll make sure the Bell is rung in their honor. Thanks for
listening, Ride Free and Safely, and I'll see you soon!
In Liberty and Solidarity,
Tiger Mike Revere
State Coordinator,
ABATE of Oklahoma,
Inc.
TIGER TALES - MAY, 2009
Hello, Fellow Motorcyclists! Hopefully, all of you are doing well and
enjoying the Spring Riding Season. I'm praying for the welfare of dozens of
families whose homes have been damaged or destroyed in the wildfires hitting
Oklahoma in Mid-April, and I hope for their safety and full recovery. It
was my sincere hope none of our ABATE Family, or any others in our Riding
Community have been victimized, but I found out that one of our ABATE Board
Members, Ray-Man, lost his house in Choctaw,and that Johnny "Tator" from the
OK Confederation lost his house and its contents as well. They had on the
news that the town of Sparks had been evacuated, but I found out Tony Ward,
founder of Sparks America and a staunch ABATE supporter, hadn't gotten into
any trouble with these fires. Please have a good thought and a prayer for
those families who
are hurting. The Biker Community continues to rally to aid the unfortunate,
and you can, for example, contact Fort Thunder Harley-Davidson in Moore, OK,
or Harley-Davidson World in Oklahoma City as to where to drop off blankets,
canned goods, baby diapers, baby food,
bottled water, and other basic necessities. Oklahoma's Motorcycling Family
has a proven track record in the past of reaching out to help those less
fortunate, and I'm confident that we'll continue to do so in facing this
latest challenge.
As ABATE continues to evolve with more effective approaches to defend
Riding Freedom in our state, we're increasing our legislative effectiveness
at the State Capitol. To that end, I want to welcome Suzette Northcutt as a
lobbyist for ABATE of Oklahoma. Not only is Suzette an experienced
professional in this arena with over 30 years' experience, but she's totally
dedicated to defending Riding Liberty in the Sooner State. Her son Bear
heads up the Central OK Chapter of the Downed Bikers Association, and her
husband Jack will be working with ABATE regarding newsletter advertising.
Suzette been involved on our behalf in the 2009 Legislative Session since
last November, and has been closely interacting with ABATE Political
Director Holly Swinford, and
ABATE Legislative Committee members to include John Pierce (who is also on
the Motorcycle Riders Foundation Board), Brook Bullock and Carol King. Her
two primary points of focus have been the Motorcycle Mobility and Safety Act
(formerly HB1795--our "Red Light" Bill), and HB2264,
which will dramatically increase funding for Motorcycling Safety and
Education issues. Both of these bills are well on their way towards passage
(HB2264 passed the entire Senate), and I anticipate announcing that they'll
be signed by the Governor when you next hear from me. Having these bills
passed would be, in my opinion, a fitting compliment to May being Motorcycle
Safety and Awareness Month in Oklahoma, and we'll come up with more tangible
benefits for our Motorcycling Community along with the Governor's annual
Proclamation! Conceivably, Oklahoma
could emerge from this Session with one of the most comprehensive
Motorcycling Safety, Education and Awareness programs in the entire
Country! As of this writing, HB1795 is now HB2149--since the Senate
committee chairman refused to hear the original bill, our Red Light
verbiage was attached as a rider to a different bill which has successfully
progressed. John Pierce and Suzette Northcutt have been primarily
responsible for getting this accomplished, and all of us riders should be
grateful for their efforts.
One way our Riding Community continues to step up is in support of our
Armed Forces and Veterans. For example, HB1053 is advancing, which would
both terminate sharing Retired Military Benefits when a divorced former
spouse remarries, and would prevent garnishment of VA Disability Payments
for ANY reason, as well as prohibit offsetting VA Disability Compensation
against a Military Member's assets, retired or otherwise, in a divorce
action. This worthwhile bill has the support of a large number of our
Veterans. I'm sure a lot of you have heard in the news about the
Department Of Homeland Security's ill-advised domestic intelligence report
mentioning
that they were increasing focus on America's Veterans, including our
returnees from Iraq and Afghanistan, as possible "violent extremists" to be
recruited and exploited and a potential Domestic Terrorist Threat. It's a
ten-page report, and very scary to read--I can send the Adobe
.pdf file of this report to you upon request, or it's easy to look up
online. This intelligence analysis has been spoken against by outraged
Pro-Veterans Groups and Service Organizations nationwide, as well as
individual Veterans and Veteran Supporters who represent a broad
cross-section of Americans of all backgrounds. Indeed, so much controversy
was generated that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has
apologized for the injudicious verbiage used regarding America's Veterans.
State Senator Steve Russell, Retired U.S. Army, an Iraq War Combat Veteran,
has been a friend of our Motorcycling and Veterans Communities, and was in
our corner providing support for our Red Light and Rider Safety and
Awareness bills. Senator Russell submitted a Joint Resolution in the
Oklahoma State Legislature on April 22, and a number of Oklahoma's
motorcyclist Veterans joined him at a Press Conference at the State House,
and packed the gallery for when the Resolution was introduced. The Joint
Resolution emphatically supported America's Veterans and the significant
contributions they've made in defending Freedom, in our country and
worldwide. The occasion provided an important opportunity to voice
displeasure with the move Washington has made and stand with Sen. Russell to
defend Veterans' Honor and Integrity. On the Fourteenth Anniversary of the
1995 Domestic Terrorist Attack on the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City which
took so many innocent lives, we can't allow the posturing of a Government
Agency which is supposed to represent our interests to disparage those
Americans who have sacrificed so much on the Nation's behalf. Please
remember Veterans' champions like Sen. Russell and all our honored Veterans
in your thoughts and prayers, and you might want to voice your thanks to
Sen. Russell for his efforts on Veterans' behalf with a call,
e-mail, or letter to his office.
Please be sure to include a couple of important Veterans-oriented events
on your riding schedules. On Sunday, May 17, ABATE's Sunset Chapter will
once again host Operation Carry The Flame Across America, starting at the
VFW Post on Highway 81 in El Reno, OK. For a number of years now, a large
number of motorcyclists has ridden out to Clinton to meet the contingent of
Veterans and Military Supporters heading east to Washington, DC for Rolling
Thunder. They are escorted into El Reno for a cookout and get-together, and
a large amount of money is raised for Veterans'-related causes. It's an
inspiring and festive event, well-worth participating in. A different
T-Shirt design is produced every year as a fund-raiser, and the 2009 design
is awesome! I just got mine at the ABATE Board Meeting, and will fly it
with pride--be sure to get yours. ABATE, spearheaded by its Central OK
District, will put on the annual Memorial Day Bike Parade to the Oklahoma
State Capitol Veterans' Memorial Park, which we've done for almost twenty
years! It provides us with an excellent opportunity to honor the memory of
those in America's Military who have given their all for Freedom. We have
hundreds of motorcyclists and trikers take part, and it's developed into a
significant event to enhance the positive image of motorcycling before the
general public as well. I anticipate the Oklahoma County Sheriff's
Department will provide a police escort this year, and we'll hopefully enjoy
some expanded media coverage of our own "Oklahoma Rolling Thunder". You can
get more detailed information on these events by logging onto the ABATE of
Oklahoma State Website at: www.abateofoklahoma.org Check out the latest
copy of our ABATE Newsletter while you're there also.
Well, it's about time for me to wrap this up, and prepare for the 2009
National Coalition Of Motorcyclists Convention slated for May 7-10 at the
Nugget Hotel in Sparks, NV outside of Reno. You can obtain more information
and registration information by going to the NCOM Website at
www.aimncom.com I continue to serve on the NCOM Board of Directors as I
have for twelve years now, and will provide the report for Region 2, which
includes Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas and Iowa. Hopefully
it'll include some more good news, as Missouri's Freedom Of Choice bill is
still alive. On the down side, LB200, Nebraska's latest attempt to repeal
its Helmet Law, was shot down, so be prepared to take along a skid-lid on
your way to Sturgis this year if you're headed that way. Also on the
National Front, Helmet Law threats died in Illinois and Arkansas, but a
Freedom Of Choice attempt in Nevada was defeated. Our Worldwide
Confederation Of Clubs meeting at the NCOM Convention should attract around
a thousand attendees, and will focus on the Trademark Seizure decision from
California which could affect all
motorcycling patches, and Anti-Gang Legislation (HB2080, Oklahoma's version,
is still on the verge of passage) which could be applied to non-criminal
motorcycling groups. The Oklahoma Confederation Of Clubs continues to grow,
and ABATE of Oklahoma, which functions as its Political Arm, will occupy a
permanent position on the Confederation Board. We've gotten the State
Defenders Program off the ground, and Brook Bullock is doing an admirable
job in getting the word out regarding critical issues this Legislative
Session. Our OK Confederation Website has been significantly improved, and
will include informational updates on these important topics. Ms. Debi of
Bikers For Christ has been working very hard to make it a quality webpage-Check
it
out at: www.okcoc.net
Tiger's Tip O' The Month involves riding strategy. Make
effective use of cars in adjoining lanes to run blocker for you through
intersections. That'll help prevent vehicles from left-turning you, but
avoid traveling in your blocker's blind spot. You can also travel in the
left lane and use cars in the right lane to block for you when you have cars
screech to a halt past the stop sign on side streets, which they seem to do
with increasing frequency nowadays. In any event, be sure to enhance your
visibility when riding in any traffic, especially since you can ride in
Oklahoma with more than one headlight and with auxiliary lighting now,
thanks to ABATE's efforts!
Before I close, I want to encourage any ABATE Members who feel they can
make a positive contribution to the progress of our Organization to
seriously consider running for State Office. Nominations will open this
Fall for the positions of State Coordinator, Secretary, Treasurer, and
Sgt-at-Arms. At the April ABATE State Board Meeting, I announced that I
will not seek, nor will I accept, the nomination for another term as your
ABATE State Coordinator. It's been a great ten-year run for me, and I've
really enjoyed working on behalf of Motorcycling Freedom in this position,
which I've held since November 1999 after a two-year term as State
Sgt-at-Arms. It's hard to believe that I've been the only State Coordinator
in ABATE's history to have run for multiple terms, and that I've been
honored to serve in that capacity for over Fifty Percent of ABATE's time as
a State Organization. In my opinion, we've taken a very rewarding journey
together as ABATE has developed into one of the strongest, most respected,
and effective State Motorcyclist Rights
Organizations in the Nation. I feel that the Organization has progressed to
the point where I can confidently step down in the knowledge that someone
younger and more physically capable can
efficiently lead ABATE of Oklahoma as we continue to fight together for
Riding liberty, and face the challenges of a bright future. That said, I
want to assure every one of my riding Brothers and Sisters that I won't be
walking away from the Motorcyclist Rights Movement, and that I have every
intention to stay active in defending Riding Freedom where ABATE can use my
talents. We'll talk more on this issue over the next few months, as I
intend to keep providing the highest quality level of leadership for ABATE
until my replacement, whoever that might be, is installed in January, 2010,
and Tiger Mike definitely won't be saying Good-Bye! Take care, everybody,
Ride Safely, Sober and Aware, and I'll see you on the Road. I'm getting
around a lot better on my new titanium
hips, and have left the walker behind. Next--back on THE BIKE!
Keep It On The Black Strip Between The Trees,
Tiger Mike
Motorcycle fatalities in Oklahoma account for
almost 10 percent of total road fatalities. In 2007, 74 Oklahomans died in
motorcycle accidents, according to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office.
Motorcycle registrations in the state also are on
the rise, from 96,632 in 2006 to 115,381 in 2008. Nationwide, motorcycle
fatalities account for about 11 percent of total road fatalities and have
increased each year since 1997 -- so while there has been success in reducing
automobile deaths in recent years, this progress is being negated by the rise in
motorcycle fatalities, according to the National Highway Transportation
Administration.
That's why the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office is
joining with other federal, state and local highway safety, law enforcement and
motorcycle organizations in proclaiming May 2009 as Motorcycle Safety Awareness
Month. Motorists are reminded to safely "Share the Road" with motorcycles and to
be extra alert when driving to help keep motorcyclists safe.
"With warmer weather here, more motorcycles are
on the road, and drivers of all vehicles need to be particularly watchful," said
Sabrina Mackey, communications manager at OHSO.
Motorcycle riders also are much more vulnerable
than passenger vehicle drivers in the event of a crash. Mackey said about 80
percent of motorcycle crashes injure or kill the rider, while only 20 percent of
passenger car crashes injure or kill a driver or passenger in the vehicle.
Mackey offered these tips for safe motorcycle
operation:
· Drive defensively. Don't assume other motorists
are watching you.
· Wear protective clothing. The choice is yours
in Oklahoma, but protective gear is always wise.
· Slow down and pay attention. Other vehicles and
road debris can cause problems quickly.
· Don't mix alcohol or drugs with your ride time.
· Take motorcycle safety courses to improve your
knowledge and skills.
For drivers of passenger vehicles, Mackey
suggested these ideas:
· Observe the rights and privileges of motorcycle
riders; allow riders the full lane width.
· Always check for motorcycles by checking
mirrors and blind spots.
· Always signal before changing lanes or merging
with traffic.
Remember that "minor" road conditions can cause
major hazards for motorcyclists.
· Allow additional following distance behind
motorcycles, and don't tailgate.
For more information: www.ohso.ok.gov and
www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — In the midst of a
recession and with loads of empty hotel rooms, South Carolina's vacation hot
spot is hanging a "No Vacancy" sign for hundreds of thousands of motorcycle
riders who have come here each May.
Over the past year, officials have outlawed
parking lot gatherings, loud mufflers and riding without helmets — all in an
attempt to keep the bikers out.
Even with the city's new measures, motorcycle
riders are expected to show up for two of the nation's largest rallies: one
traditionally attended by white bikers on roaring Harleys, the other by black
bikers on screaming sport cycles. But for the white biker rally that begins
Friday, tourist-dependent business owners are uneasy because bookings are down a
third from last year.
"At a time like this, you can't pick and choose
the tourists you want. You take the ones who are going to come," said Robert
Kelley, who owns three hotels and a restaurant.
The recession is only the latest wrinkle to hit
the Myrtle Beach bike rallies. The fight has been brewing for years as the
region's year-round population mushroomed and its tourist industry tries to
change the city's image from weekends of muscle shirts and budget motel stays to
khakis and top-notch golf courses.
Residents fed up with the noise and traffic that
choke roads up and down the 60-mile long Grand Strand in northeast South
Carolina say there is no normal life for weeks. Some shut themselves inside or
leave town.
"I don't sleep for three weeks," said Birgit
Darby, a 78-year-old retired magazine owner who lives a half-block from the main
commercial drag through Myrtle Beach.
Darby said she has watched the rallies go from a
nice seasonal diversion when she moved to the area 50 years ago from Denmark to
a seemingly endless orgy of window-rattling mufflers and half-naked female biker
companions. Critics complain about the visitors having sex in parking lots,
women baring their breasts and innumerable contests involving wet T-shirts.
"This whole thing — it just built into a frenzy
and got out of hand," Darby said. "It's really a shame."
Traffic fatalities and citations do increase
during biker week, though arrest numbers for other illegal activity fluctuate
each year.
The push for the local ordinances kicked into
high gear after a white, 20-year-old Coastal Carolina University student was
shot to death last May outside a Myrtle Beach house by two black teens during
the height of the black, Memorial Day Bikefest. Arrests didn't come for nearly
two weeks, and rumors started circling that the suspects were black bikers.
That it turned out the two suspects were locals —
and weren't riding motorcycles — didn't slow residents who joined community
groups and protested at public meetings.
In less than a year, the city raised taxes to pay
for its fight and passed nearly a dozen laws, including a strengthened noise
ordinance, helmet requirement and anti-loitering law aimed at making it
miserable to hold any type of motorcycle party in city limits. Even parking for
a few minutes to chat could be deemed illegal.
A publicity drive was launched to let people know
the rallies were over: "Effective 2009, Myrtle Beach, SC will no longer host
motorcycle rallies," a city-sponsored Web site read.
Critics say racism has a role in the fight, too,
but the black bikers couldn't be pushed out without going after both groups.
The city has a rough history with the black
festival. Three years ago, it settled a discrimination lawsuit with the NAACP
after it used different traffic restrictions for the black biker rally. The
civil rights organization also successfully sued several restaurants and a
hotel, saying they either closed during the black biker week or operated
differently.
"I do believe the underlying factor is they
really want to get rid of the Memorial Day Bikefest, because it is highly
attended by African-Americans," said Hakim Harrell, organizer of the black
rally.
Other motorcycle supporters think the problems
are overblown to help golf courses and high-end hotel owners at the expense of
smaller operations that made the Grand Strand an affordable vacation.
Tom Rice, a 51-year-old tax attorney who led the
anti-rally campaign, discounts the theories and points to the nudity and
obscenities, saying they clash with the burgeoning mass of people who call
Myrtle Beach home.
The rallies exploded in popularity in the past 15
years, peaking at about 500,000 bikers — at the same time retirees increasingly
streamed into the area. The Census Bureau estimates 257,000 people lived in
Horry County in 2008, an increase of more than 110,000 people since 1990.
"We don't care if tourists come on a boat, on a
plane, two wheels, four wheels or no wheels," Rice said. "We aren't going to
tolerate this. We don't want people who can't behave."
Occupancy rates for rental houses are down 30
percent during the first bike rally, although Memorial Day weekend bookings are
running about the same, according to Coastal Carolina University's Center for
Resort Tourism.
Some businesses that cater to bikers have fought
back. They rented a banner plane at the Daytona Beach, Fla., rally earlier this
year with the message "May is on, pass it on."
And there's been one unexpected result — white
and black bikers separated by race and motorcycle style — have joined in a
common cause.
"We've laughed about that, both sides," Harrell
said. "They did something that we all never thought would be possible — that
would be the black biking community and the white biking community coming
together and being united — standing next to each other and saying we as bikers
will not stand for certain things."
On the Net: Grand Strand Bike Rally: http://www.grandstrandrallies.com/
Myrtle Beach's new biker law site: http://www.myrtlebeachbikerinfo.com/ Take
Back May: http://takebackmay.com
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Officials here are
effectively trying to shut down a 68-year-old Harley-Davidson rally that draws
nearly half a million riders annually.
Inside the city limits, a local helmet law and a
ban on noisy tailpipes is likely to keep most riders at bay this weekend.
For many Myrtle Beach residents, including most
elected officials, the moves are a form of self-defense against nonstop civil
disrespect. Last year, citizens groups began a "Take Back May" campaign.
Families and children went to city council meetings holding signs reading, "We
want our beach back!"
Students in schools couldn't hear their lessons
over roaring bikes outside.
"We don't want to be the center of the motorcycle
universe in May," city spokesman Mark Kruea said.
Text Size: tool nameclose tool goes here Three
motorcycles and a drag racing car were among several vehicles stolen Saturday
from Harbor Lights Resort in the Myrtle Beach section of Horry County, according
to Sgt. Robert Kegler of Horry County police.
Officers learned that a black 2005 Ford F-350
truck with a black 2005 Honda 450R four-wheeler and a 28-foot cargo trailer were
stolen. Three motorcycles, a 1950 Ford British Anglia drag car and several
motorcycle accessories were in the trailer.
The stolen items have a total value of about
$107,500.
Officers found the trailer at a nearby carwash
with the vehicles and items still inside. The truck and four-wheeler were not
found.
The Harley-Davidson special edition truck has a
Maine license plate of 759 035. Anyone with information is asked to call police.
A Staten Island, N.Y., man told police that
someone stole his custom motorcycle from a trailer parked in Myrtle Beach,
according to a police report.
The motorcycle, valued at $40,000, was stolen on
Thursday night or Friday morning from a UHaul trailer parked at 23rd Avenue
South and Ocean Boulevard.
The victim said the trailer was pushed forward
from where it was parked and a lock was broken, the report states. The victim's
helmet and the motorcycle's cover were left in the trailer.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 photo, Doyce Heinzmann
owner of the Broken Spoke Saloon poses on a 2005 Harley Davidson Springer during
an interview Garden City, S.C. Heinzmann has been organizing Bike Rally events
for 10 years on his property and looks forward to doing it again this year
despite efforts by others to stop the rallies. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)
(Mary Ann Chastain - AP)
In this Tuesday, April 28, 2009 photo, signs
posted on Highway 17 , warning motorcyclist to wear a helmet as bike rally
approaches in Myrtle Beach, S.C .In the midst of a recession and with loads of
empty hotel rooms, South Carolina's vacation hot spot is hanging a "No Vacancy"
sign for hundreds of thousands of motorcycle riders who have come here each May.
Over the past year, officials have outlawed parking lot gatherings, loud
mufflers and riding without helmets _ all in an attempt to keep the bikers
out.(AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain) (Mary Ann Chastain - AP)
In this Tuesday, April 28, 2009 photo business
owner Robert Kelley talks about his support of the North Myrtle Beach Bike
rally, in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. In the midst of a recession and with loads of
empty hotel rooms, South Carolina's vacation hot spot is hanging a "No Vacancy"
sign for hundreds of thousands of motorcycle riders who have come here each
May.Over the past year, officials have outlawed parking lot gatherings, loud
mufflers and riding without helmets _ all in an attempt to keep the bikers out.
(AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain) (Mary Ann Chastain - AP)
In this Tuesday, April 28, 2009 attorney Tom Rice
takes advantage of the nice weather to sit outside a local restaurant and surf
the Internet in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Rice a long time resident of the area is
against the bike rallies and would like to see them leave the city. (AP
Photo/Mary Ann Chastain) (Mary Ann Chastain - AP)
In this Tuesday, April 28, 2009 photo
motorcyclists rided in Myrtle Beach, S.C. In the midst of a recession and with
loads of empty hotel rooms, South Carolina's vacation hot spot is hanging a "No
Vacancy" sign for hundreds of thousands of motorcycle riders who have come here
each May. Over the past year, officials have outlawed parking lot gatherings,
loud mufflers and riding without helmets _ all in an attempt to keep the bikers
out. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain) (Mary Ann Chastain - AP)
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Who's Blogging» Links to this article By JEFFREY
COLLINS The Associated Press Friday, May 8, 2009; 4:11 PM
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- In the midst of a recession
and with loads of empty hotel rooms, South Carolina's vacation hot spot is
hanging a "No Vacancy" sign for hundreds of thousands of motorcycle riders who
have come here each May.
Over the past year, officials have outlawed
parking lot gatherings, loud mufflers and riding without helmets _ all in an
attempt to keep the bikers out.
Even with the city's new measures, motorcycle
riders are expected to show up for two of the nation's largest rallies: one
traditionally attended by white bikers on roaring Harleys, the other by black
bikers on screaming sport cycles. But for the white biker rally that begins
Friday, tourist-dependent business owners are uneasy because bookings are down a
third from last year.
"At a time like this, you can't pick and choose
the tourists you want. You take the ones who are going to come," said Robert
Kelley, who owns three hotels and a restaurant.
The recession is only the latest wrinkle to hit
the Myrtle Beach bike rallies. The fight has been brewing for years as the
region's year-round population mushroomed and its tourist industry tries to
change the city's image from weekends of muscle shirts and budget motel stays to
khakis and top-notch golf courses.
Residents fed up with the noise and traffic that
choke roads up and down the 60-mile long Grand Strand in northeast South
Carolina say there is no normal life for weeks. Some shut themselves inside or
leave town.
"I don't sleep for three weeks," said Birgit
Darby, a 78-year-old retired magazine owner who lives a half-block from the main
commercial drag through Myrtle Beach.
Darby said she has watched the rallies go from a
nice seasonal diversion when she moved to the area 50 years ago from Denmark to
a seemingly endless orgy of window-rattling mufflers and half-naked female biker
companions. Critics complain about the visitors having sex in parking lots,
women baring their breasts and innumerable contests involving wet T-shirts.
"This whole thing _ it just built into a frenzy
and got out of hand," Darby said. "It's really a shame."
Traffic fatalities and citations do increase
during biker week, though arrest numbers for other illegal activity fluctuate
each year.
The push for the local ordinances kicked into
high gear after a white, 20-year-old Coastal Carolina University student was
shot to death last May outside a Myrtle Beach house by two black teens during
the height of the black, Memorial Day Bikefest. Arrests didn't come for nearly
two weeks, and rumors started circling that the suspects were black bikers.
That it turned out the two suspects were locals _
and weren't riding motorcycles _ didn't slow residents who joined community
groups and protested at public meetings.
In less than a year, the city raised taxes to pay
for its fight and passed nearly a dozen laws, including a strengthened noise
ordinance, helmet requirement and anti-loitering law aimed at making it
miserable to hold any type of motorcycle party in city limits. Even parking for
a few minutes to chat could be deemed illegal.
A publicity drive was launched to let people know
the rallies were over: "Effective 2009, Myrtle Beach, SC will no longer host
motorcycle rallies," a city-sponsored Web site read.
Critics say racism has a role in the fight, too,
but the black bikers couldn't be pushed out without going after both groups.
The city has a rough history with the black
festival. Three years ago, it settled a discrimination lawsuit with the NAACP
after it used different traffic restrictions for the black biker rally. The
civil rights organization also successfully sued several restaurants and a
hotel, saying they either closed during the black biker week or operated
differently.
"I do believe the underlying factor is they
really want to get rid of the Memorial Day Bikefest, because it is highly
attended by African-Americans," said Hakim Harrell, organizer of the black
rally.
Other motorcycle supporters think the problems
are overblown to help golf courses and high-end hotel owners at the expense of
smaller operations that made the Grand Strand an affordable vacation.
Tom Rice, a 51-year-old tax attorney who led the
anti-rally campaign, discounts the theories and points to the nudity and
obscenities, saying they clash with the burgeoning mass of people who call
Myrtle Beach home.
The rallies exploded in popularity in the past 15
years, peaking at about 500,000 bikers _ at the same time retirees increasingly
streamed into the area. The Census Bureau estimates 257,000 people lived in
Horry County in 2008, an increase of more than 110,000 people since 1990.
"We don't care if tourists come on a boat, on a
plane, two wheels, four wheels or no wheels," Rice said. "We aren't going to
tolerate this. We don't want people who can't behave."
Occupancy rates for rental houses are down 30
percent during the first bike rally, although Memorial Day weekend bookings are
running about the same, according to Coastal Carolina University's Center for
Resort Tourism.
Some businesses that cater to bikers have fought
back. They rented a banner plane at the Daytona Beach, Fla., rally earlier this
year with the message "May is on, pass it on."
And there's been one unexpected result _ white
and black bikers separated by race and motorcycle style _ have joined in a
common cause.
"We've laughed about that, both sides," Harrell
said. "They did something that we all never thought would be possible _ that
would be the black biking community and the white biking community coming
together and being united _ standing next to each other and saying we as bikers
will not stand for certain things."
MAY 11, 2009 NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC ― Bobby
White, Theresa Dennis and six of their friends from the Lexington, SC area are
visiting the area for this week’s bike events. All are staying in a home in
North Myrtle Beach within an easy ride from the Swing Bridge Saloon.
“We will each spend from $1,000 to $1,500 [while
we are here] and not one dime will be spent in the city of Myrtle Beach,” said
White. “We are ticked off - every cotton picking one of us!”
White said the City of Myrtle Beach’s new
regulations made them “more determined to come to bike week.”
In past years, they spent a lot of time in Myrtle
Beach, but not this year. White, Dennis and their friends will use the Carolina
Bay Parkway (Hwy 21) and bypass Myrtle Beach. Their daily plans are to go visit
SSB in Murrells Inlet, work their way north, visit HB Spokes on Hwy 9 and close
their day at the Swing Bridge Saloon.
White is a truck driver and equipment operator.
Dennis is a nurse. Their friends’ occupations range from finance manager,
builder to truck drivers – a good cross section of professions around the
Columbia, SC area.
Dennis said that the new Myrtle Beach regulations
on helmets and noise bother her most. She said, “I am a firm believer that loud
pipes save lives” explaining that cars don’t pay much attention to bikes and
they also believe that a bike can stop quickly. “Pipe noise gets their
attention.”
White believes that whether or not he wears a
helmet is his own business. “If I crash and injure myself, it doesn’t hurt
anyone else but me. It ought to be my choice.” Dennis added that as an ER nurse
she had “seen a lot of bad things” but that she didn’t believe the government
should “take away my rights.”
The manager of the Swing Bridge Saloon, Dave
Dellinger, who has worked off and on at this local watering hole, saw “business
up about 15%,” despite the first weekend usually starting slow. Dellinger
believes this is because the bikers are “boycotting Myrtle Beach.”
During every bike week, Dellinger says the Swing
Bridge Saloon will serve over 20,000 people and thinks the bikers shunning
Myrtle Beach will increase that number.
The Saloon has a roster of activities designed to
bring in the bikers. Karaoke Bob performs daily and in the evenings local bands
Sea Hag, Double Shot and Long Shot will perform. A group Mckenzies Mill from
Nashville will perform Wednesday, May 13th during the Saloon’s welcome party
featuring a pig picking.
Dellinger says that on Wednesday “as long as you
are drinking, the pork is free.”
The official band of this year's Sturgis
motorcycle rally shares a duet with the official bike of the event.
No stranger to motorcycle events, the band
Aerosmith will be taking to the stage during Sturgis. The band's front man
Steven Tyler has lent his inspiration and along with Mark Dirico’s innovation,
Dirico Motorcycles USA have created a line-up of motorcycles to be featured as
the official bike of the Sturgis Bike Week.
Music innovator Steven Tyler and master inventor
Mark Dirico have merged their art forms to create Dirico Motorcycles, USA.
Designed and hand built for seamless function, Dirico motorcycles are promised
as statements of craftsmanship, style, detail, and innovation, expressed through
modern-age components assembled with old-world skill.
Dirico admit their motorcycles aren't for
everyone, but designed to resonate with the more experienced rider who wants to
be distinctive but not entirely different; one who appreciates a bike that
matches their own ideas.
Dirico Motorcycles USA will be displaying bikes
at the 7th Annual Metzeler Bike contest on Tuesday, August 4, at Buffalo Chip as
well as having a full display setup of its models featuring builder Mark Dirico
on Lazelle Street in Sturgis all week long, and a bike at the Deadwood Casino.
With Aerosmith participating as the official band
of Sturgis Bike Week, Tyler just might be the official person of the event.
Tyler will be taking part in the Legends Ride on Monday, August 4 starting in
Silverado-Franklin Historic Hotel and Gaming Complex, in Deadwood, and ending at
Buffalo Chip in Sturgis.
The 2009 Legends Ride will feature celebrities,
world-class bike builders, cigar aficionados and other special guests on a
stunning 50-mile ride will benefiting two charities, chosen by the Kids & Chrome
Foundation, namely the Black Hills Children’s Home Society and the Sturgis
Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame. The inaugural Legends Ride was a success in
2008 as riders came together to contribute over $38,000 to charity.
To celebrate Dirico Motorcycles USA being the
official bike of the Sturgis Bike Week, a Dirico motorcycle will be raffled off
on Stage at Buffalo Chip during the Aerosmith concert, Wednesday, August 5.
The legendary motorcycle rally will kick off on
August 3rd and run through until the 9th. An estimate 400,000 came to the event
last year and although that's the lowest attendance in nine years, its still
enough to make the South Dakota rally one of the largest in the world.
May is Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month.
Here are some potentially life-saving reminders for every month: Pay attention.
If it's raining or dark, motorcycles' single lights can blend in with other
traffic, so watch out. Look twice. Bikers adjust position within lanes to be
seen more easily, to adjust for wind and passing vehicles, and to avoid road
hazards. Before you turn left across traffic, look again Motorcycles are
relatively small and easily missed. Be courteous. Motorcycles look farther away
than they are, so don't pull out in front of one. Wait until it passes; it's
only a few seconds delay. If traffic is slow or stopped, let that biker over in
front of you or to the shoulder. Motorcycle engines are air-cooled, so they need
to stay moving. Stay back. You hate it when another vehicle tailgates you right
on your bumper, but imagine that out in the open with no metal cage around you.
Motorcycles often slow down by downshifting, thus not activating the brake
light, so allow extra following distance.
Share the Road campaign will hopefully help
decrease motorcycle accidents
By Billy Loftin Monday, May 11, 2009 at 3:59 p.m.
AMARILLO, TEXAS -- A partnership between the city
of Amarillo, TX Dot's Share the Road campaign, and the Texas Confederate of
clubs and independent motorcycle riders, will hopefully reduce the amount of
accidents involving motorcycles.
Amarillo is participating, the city commission
made a proclamation showing support., proclaiming the month of May as motorcycle
safety awareness month.
14 signs at 7 different bridges around town, have
been put up. The signs are a part of the Share the Road campaign and will help
create awareness for motorcycle safety.
Here are some alarming stats about motorcycle
accidents involving other automobiles. 80% of cyclists are killed or injured
while only 20% of the drivers in the automobiles involved are killed or injured.
The most common accident happens at
intersections, 40% happen as vehicles take left turns and don't see the bikes
coming.
In Amarillo according to Dean Downey of the Texas
Confederate of clubs and independents, in 2008 there were 53 accidents involving
motorcycles and other vehicles, which unfortunately led to 4 fatalities. In
2009, there have already been 6 accidents with 2 fatalities.
Here are a few things, motorists can do to help
share the road. Anticipate motorcyclists maneuvers and give them plenty of
space, signal your intentions, yield right of way when signs are posted, and
avoid cell phone usage.
"We're trying to increase awareness among
motorists, and at the same time we're going to decrease the number of motorcycle
accidents and fatalities," said Dean Downey, Outpost Safety and Awareness
coordinator, Texas confederate of clubs and independents.
Jill Zorn can admit it now: She used to be a
yuppie mom.
She was a high-heel-clad, business suit-wearing,
BMW-driving yuppie. But that was before she started driving a Harley Davidson
motorcycle 15 years ago.
Zorn, marketing director at the McAllen Harley
dealership, left her life selling real estate in California after divorcing her
first husband. In need of any job, she took a position at Harley Davidson in
California as an event coordinator. About six months in, the lure of the biker
life was too strong and she hopped on her first Harley.
"It helps build self-esteem. That's for sure,"
the mother of three said. "It's like a whole new world."
Now, the "over 40"-year-old recent grandmother
owns three Harleys. And she's not alone.
Moms of all ages, sizes and professions from
teachers to plastic surgeons - have been hopping on the back of Harleys with
increased frequency. So much so that Harley's learn-to-ride classes are filling
to capacity weeks in advance and the women's riding group is growing, too.
Around the community, the riding moms do what
comes naturally - take care of those around them. Along with the general Harley
Owners Group, the women of Harley hold events to benefit local charities.
And though hopping on the back of a high-powered
motorcycle isn't the norm, those special moms who do have formed a network of
sorts. Their families meet for rides, events and lunches at least once a week.
It's a tight-knit, welcoming group that Matt Bodony, one of Zorn's three sons,
can't imagine being without.
Bodony, 21, grew up on the back of a bike,
traveling the country as mom's biggest fan and most dedicated passenger. No trip
was too long for the pair, whether it was a 3,000 mile-trek that took them
through the mountains or a giant rally.
"It's a different situation than what other
people were used to growing up to," he said. "(My friends) didn't think much of
it because I'm pretty sure they all didn't believe half the stuff I did, but it
was 100 percent true."
Not all of Zorn's children were as receptive. Her
oldest and youngest sons, now 30 and 16, appreciated the lifestyle but never
quite took to it like Matt did, Zorn said.
But no one was as supportive as Zorn's mom, who
died five years ago. She never rode on her own, but was "my biggest fan," said
Zorn, who transferred the McAllen's Harley headquarters about two years ago.
"I had the luck of being able to be out with her
on my bike. I'd pull into the driveway and she'd go out there and look at the
bike," she said. "It was cool."
May is National Women's Rider Month. Zorn
believes the month is an ideal opportunity for women to break out of the shell
she once found herself in. The biggest mistake, she said, would be to never give
it a shot.
"I always see ladies come in who are 80 or 90
years old who say ‘I've always wanted to ride a Harley but I never did it.' And
that's something that stuck in my mind," she said. "I always said I'd never be
that person. Never wait for the opportunity. Make the opportunity."
Sandra Gonzalez covers features and entertainment
for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4427.
Sometimes riders can't afford the casual position
they usually prefer, especially when it comes to one of the largest motorcycle
events in Texas.
Time is running out for those bikers planning to
get the most out of attending the 15th annual ROT Biker Rally taking place on
June 11th at the Travis Expo Center in Austin Texas. The final pre-registration
date of May 15th is quickly approaching for those riders interested in a free
t-shirt and a chance to win an autographed custom Evel Knievel motorcycle.
Organizers are promising four days of bike
contests, a motorcycle parade, XFC fighting and over 300 vendors.
The ROT Rally is also promising the opportunity
for attendees to show what they can do on a motorcycle as well as with one. A D
V E R T I S E M E N T
Aside from the ride-in motorcycle contests, bike
games will be hosted by Buda offering field games involving riding skills of
both pilot and passenger including; Slow Race, Fuzzy Ball Race, Weenie Bite, Hi
Honey I'm home, Keg Push and the Panty Race.
For riders who want to see a professional take a
motorcycle to the edge, “The World Famous Wall of Death!” features professional
stunt riders who race their bikes and high-powered go-karts, reaching speeds of
over 50 mph, on the side of a vertical wall. “The World Famous Wall of Death” is
the only wall in the world to incorporate sword swallowing, fire eating and
other freak-show stunts into the show.
***************************************
WASHINGTON DC:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/05/prweb2392914.htm
Cape Fox Professional Services Aids Armed Forces with Pentagon Safety Days Cape
Fox Professional Services (CFPS) participated in the third annual National
Capital Region Joint Services Motorcycle Safety Event held on Friday May 1, 2009
at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. The event hosted
hundreds of motorcycle riders, safety promoters, military personnel and special
guests to help support motorcycle courses and training throughout branches of
our military. The purpose of the event is to bring attention to the disturbing
trend of motorcycle mishaps happening to members of the Armed Services. The
annual Joint Services National Capital Region Safety Day is a true testimony of
the Department of Defense leadership's commitment to the safety and well being
of our nation's finest. CFPS continues to provide our Soldiers, Marines, Airmen,
and Sailors the Industry Gold Standard traffic safety training programs. Every
time I get on one (a motorcycle), I learn things. dangers don't end when you
return home from combat. Events like the Joint Services Safety Day help to
highlight and reinforce the importance of getting trained before operating
motorcycles, privately owned vehicles and other recreational vehicles. I can't
wait until next year!
Manassas, VA (PRWEB) May 6, 2009 -- Cape Fox
Professional Services (CFPS) participated in the third annual National Capital
Region Joint Services Motorcycle Safety Event held on Friday May 1, 2009 at the
Pentagon in Washington, DC. The event hosted hundreds of motorcycle riders,
safety promoters, military personnel and special guests to help support
motorcycle courses and training throughout branches of our military. The purpose
of the event is to bring attention to the disturbing trend of motorcycle mishaps
happening to members of the Armed Services.
A motorcycle sits in Pentagon parking lot
awaiting The 3rd Annual National Capital Region Joint Services Motorcycle Safety
Event. The Pentagon event boasted several service Senior Pentagon Officials
along with the recently crowned Miss USA 2009 Kristen J. Dalton, extreme sport
enthusiast Annell Allen and World Champion motorcycle racer Kevin Schwantz. The
reoccurring theme of all guest speakers was to "get trained". Senior Military
leadership from the Army, Navy and Air Force were there to demonstrate their
support and offer heartfelt words of advice for all service members. They shared
their concern for the safety of their forces, the importance of getting trained,
and their own stories of those lost from a mishap on a bike.
Cape Fox Professional Services (CFPS) centrally
manages the Navy and Marine Corps Traffic Safety and Recreational Off-Duty
Safety Program (TS/RODS) and the Army Traffic Safety Training Program (ATSTP),
and is responsible for the execution of the training. The Navy and Marine
TS/RODS and ATSTP programs were developed to significantly reduce deaths and
injuries as a result of traffic and recreational mishaps. The current programs
include training in basic, advanced, and sport-bike motorcycle safety; basic and
advanced off-road vehicle safety; traffic safety and recreational safety.
"What a great event!" states Scott Larese, Vice
President of CFPS Training & Safety Department. "The annual Joint Services
National Capital Region Safety Day is a true testimony of the Department of
Defense leadership's commitment to the safety and well being of our nation's
finest. CFPS continues to provide our Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Sailors the
Industry Gold Standard traffic safety training programs."
Other special Guests provided great insights and
thoughts. Kevin Schwantz, who is considered one of the most successful American
motorcycle road racers, has been riding since he was 3 years old told the group
at the event, "Every time I get on one (a motorcycle), I learn things." Schwantz
voiced his concern about the "battle on the streets" of motorcycle crashes and
the injuries and death sustained by our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen.
Miss USA 2009, Kristen Dalton pointed out that motorcycle crashes are
unforgiving. Dalton stated her concern for the lives of our nations' heroes on
our street, and the reality that "dangers don't end when you return home from
combat."
Annell Allen, an International Six Days Enduro
participant, graphic and fashion designer and all around extreme sports expert
communicated the importance of knowing your bike and knowing your surroundings
and staying within your limits. Allen emphasized the significance of being
familiar of surroundings and planning ahead, both tactics that she had to use on
her 1000 mile, 6-day race, but also smart everyday safety strategies that riders
should come accustomed.
Scott Larese states his excitement about the day,
"Events like the Joint Services Safety Day help to highlight and reinforce the
importance of getting trained before operating motorcycles, privately owned
vehicles and other recreational vehicles. I can't wait until next year!"
Cape Fox Professional Services remains committed
to delivering the highest quality training to achieve the programs' objectives
of preventing accidents and saving the lives of our Service men and women. The
CFPS TS/RODS Program has already trained 78,455 Navy Sailors and 9,127 Marines
since its start in September 2008. ATSTP has trained 428,315 Army Soldiers since
its inception in 2006.
Cape Fox Professional Services (CFPS) was
certified for participation in the SBA 8(a) Program on November 12, 2003 as an
ANC 8(a) and certified in December 2003 as a HUBZone Small Business. Today, CFPS
provides value-driven advanced technology business solutions to public and
private organizations. To learn more about CFPS, visit www.capefoxit.com.
As Motorcycle Awareness Month continues to gather
attention daily doses of advice are being doled out and surprisingly, some of it
is squarely aimed at those other than bikers.
On Friday the Motorcycle Safety Foundation had
five safety tips for drivers from being more aware of motorcycles to avoid being
distracted while behind the wheel. Considered the authority of motorcycle
safety, the MSF’s mission is to make the nation’s streets and highways safer for
motorcyclists through rider training programs, operator licensing programs, and
public information campaigns.
“It’s a fact that car drivers and other motorists
are at fault most of the time in multiple-vehicle crashes that involve a
motorcyclist,” said Motorcycle Safety Foundation President Tim Buche. “That’s
why we’ve initiated several public outreach tools specifically targeting the
driving community. MSF has life-saving messages for everyone, whether they are
behind a handlebar or behind a steering wheel.”
Using the media's interest in Motorcycle
Awareness Month, which is traditionally designated to the month of May, the MSF
takes advantage of the nationwide attention to enhance drivers’ awareness of
motorcyclists who share the road with them just as the spring riding season
kicks off.
With that in mind the MSF has released ten facts
drivers should know about motorcyclists;
Over half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve
another vehicle. Most of the time, the motorist, not the motorcyclist, is at
fault. There are a lot more cars and trucks than motorcycles on the road, and
some drivers don't "recognize" a motorcycle – they ignore it (usually
unintentionally).
Because of its small size, a motorcycle can be
easily hidden in a car's blind spots (door/roof pillars) or masked by objects or
backgrounds outside a car (bushes, fences, bridges, etc). Take an extra moment
to look for motorcycles, whether you're changing lanes or turning at
intersections.
A motorcycle may look farther away than it is. It
may also be difficult to judge a motorcycle's speed. When checking traffic to
turn at an intersection or into (or out of) a driveway, predict a motorcycle is
closer than it looks.
Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting or
merely rolling off the throttle, thus not activating the brake light. Allow more
following distance, say three or four seconds. At intersections, predict a
motorcyclist may slow down without visual warning.
Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane
to be seen more easily and to minimize the effects of road debris, passing
vehicles, and wind. Understand that motorcyclists adjust lane position for a
purpose, not to be reckless or show off or to allow you to share the lane with
them.
Turn signals on a motorcycle usually are not
self-canceling, thus some riders (especially beginners) sometimes forget to turn
them off after a turn or lane change. Make sure a motorcycle's signal is for
real.
Maneuverability is one of a motorcycle's better
characteristics, especially at slower speeds and with good road conditions, but
don't expect a motorcyclist to always be able to dodge out of the way.
Stopping distance for motorcycles is nearly the
same as for cars, but slippery pavement makes stopping quickly difficult. Allow
more following distance behind a motorcycle because it can't always stop "on a
dime."
When a motorcycle is in motion, see more than the
motorcycle - see the person under the helmet, who could be your friend,
neighbor, or relative.
If a driver crashes into a motorcyclist,
bicyclist, or pedestrian and causes serious injury, the driver would likely
never forgive himself/herself.
Coincidentally, an accident caused by a
distracted driver while texting caught on camera has gained nationwide
attention. A concern of many riders, distracted and aggressive drivers amounted
to nearly half of the causes of motorcycle related accidents in a recent
European traffic survey, Motorcycle Accidents In Depth Study (MAIDS).
Happening just days ago, a bus driver was caught
on video texting for six minutes before crashing into a sports utility vehicle
that had stopped in traffic. The driver of the SUV suffered neck injuries and
luckily no one was killed due to the bus driver's negligence. Had it been a
motorcycle the bus plowed into, the results might have been far more deadly as
was the case with a Chicago rider last weekend.
These are different examples of the inherent
dangers motorcyclists appear to face every day on the road - the danger of other
motorists.
“The most common type of collision occurs when a
driver makes a left turn in an intersection directly in front of a oncoming
motorcyclist. Afterwards, they usually say they never even saw the bike,” said
Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) President Tim Buche.
“This is why it is so important for drivers to
remember to expect to see motorcyclists on the roadway no matter what time of
year."
The recent attention for bad driving habits has
led to further advice for our four-wheeled cousins from sources other than
motorcycle safety advocates. In an article on MSN.com five out of the ten tips
given could be considered as relating to the biggest dangers to riders from
drivers on the road today.
The MSN.com article, which can be read in full
here, notes cars swerving as the number one fatal mistake made by drivers. Not
staying in their own lane, running off the road or drifting into the adjacent
lane resulted in 15,574 people dying in crashes according to a 2007 National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration study.
Looking to older drivers, MSN notes those age 70
and above behind the wheel are statistically known for failing to yield while
merging into traffic. In a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety, drivers 80 and older simply fail to see the other vehicle they should be
yielding to, resulting in the fifth leading cause of fatal crashes in 2007.
Running red lights and erratic driving also made
the MSN article, with a surprising claim under the headline of inattentive
driving, drivers on hands-free cellphones can be just as distracted as those
holding one while they talk.
"You'd think using a hands-free phone would be
less distracting," said Anne McCartt, author of a study published in the British
Medical Journal who was quoted in the article, "But we found that either phone
type increased the risk."
Riders will be glad to know that advice for
drivers isn't limited to the month of May. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has
created a website, forcardrivers.com featuring additional safety tips, video
instruction, and other resources to help car, truck, and bus drivers learn how
to safely interact with motorcyclists on the nation’s streets and highway.
May is Designated as Motorcycle Safety Awareness
Month 1:10
DNR Officials Work to Prevent the Spread of the
Emerald Ash Borer
May is Designated as Motorcycle Safety Awareness
Month
As the weather gets warmer, the number of
motorcyclists returning to the roads will grow.
Motorcycles are popular statewide for recreation
and transportation and over 300-thousand motorcycles are registered in
Wisconsin.
Because of their popularity, Governor Jim Doyle
has designated May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
Drivers should be on the look out for motorcycles
and drive carefully when around them.
Motorcyclist Kate Rihn says, "There are 2/3rds of
car motorcycle accidents are caused by the cars and generally they did not see
the rider or they saw them too late which is another thing riders should be
aware."
Motorcycle safety efforts have paid off over the
years.
Last year the number of fatal accidents dropped
from 110 to 88.
Traffic deaths in Wisconsin continue to be down
at levels among the lowest since World War II, but motorcycle deaths are on the
rise.
Statistics released by the Wisconsin Department
of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Safety on Thursday show deaths are
down 11 percent through April 2009 compared to the same period in 2008, with 135
people killed in traffic accidents, compared to 151 the first four months of
2008.
The five-year average in the first third of the
year is 197 deaths.
Forty-two people were killed in 35 crashes in
April, making it the fourth safest April since World War II.
The safest April since World War II was in 1998
when 34 people died on Wisconsin roads, while the highest April total was 113
fatalities in 1973.
However, 10 motorcyclists have died on state
roads through the end of April, compared to three deaths at the same time in
2008.
"May is motorcycle safety awareness month in
Wisconsin," said Dennis Hughes, chief of safety programs for the Bureau of
Transportation Safety. "To prevent crashes, we remind motorists to watch for
motorcycles in traffic, as well as motorcyclists obey traffic laws and never
ride if impaired by alcohol or drugs."
Hupy & Abraham, S.C. Kicks Off
Motorcycle Awareness Month With Safety Campaign
MILWAUKEE, May 8
/PRNewswire/ -- Governor Jim Doyle has designated May as
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in Wisconsin. In his
proclamation, Governor Doyle stated, "Motorcyclists have
the right by law to the safe enjoyment of their
vehicles, including the full and equal use of the
roadway without encroachment by other vehicles, whether
it be on city streets or rural and urban highways." The
law firm of Hupy & Abraham, S.C. is taking an active
role in raising awareness of this message through a
public service campaign throughout Wisconsin and
Illinois. The campaign has reached more than 2.2 million
individuals to date through announcements in 10
newspapers, and additional television PSAs are planned
to air throughout the riding season.
"It is our hope that
everyone enjoys a safe riding season in 2009 and that
motorists share the road with motorcyclists," said
Attorney Michael F. Hupy.
Hupy & Abraham, S.C. also
supports and collaborates with ABATE of Wisconsin, a
motorcycle rights and safety organization. ABATE of
Wisconsin recently received recognition from Milwaukee
County Executive Scott Walker and Milwaukee County
Sheriff David Clarke, Jr. for its 35 years of service in
leading motorcycle safety programs.
"I applaud ABATE of
Wisconsin for their work in making the road a safer
place for everyone," commented Attorney Hupy. "Programs
such as the 'Share the Road with Motorcyclists'
education course and motorcycle rider training classes
for beginning and intermediate riders are tremendous
assets in helping to increase safety for all motorists."
"We are honored by the
recognition of our 35 year anniversary, and look forward
to continuing our efforts for many years to come," said
Steve Johnson of ABATE of Wisconsin. "National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration statistics conclude that
nearly two thirds of automobile/bike crashes are the
fault of the automobile drivers' not yielding right of
way to motorcyclists. Every year the number of
motorcycles on the road increases with almost 472,000
motorcyclists in Wisconsin. With proper education and
awareness, right of way violations will be reduced, thus
making Wisconsin roads safer for all."
About Hupy &
Abraham, S.C.
Hupy & Abraham,
S.C. is a personal injury law firm offering a proven
record of success with large settlements in serious
cases. Hupy & Abraham, S.C. is decades old, and has
office locations throughout Wisconsin and Illinois. The
firm is committed to giving back to the community,
supporting many worthwhile causes including America's
Second Harvest of Wisconsin, the YMCA, Boy Scouts,
various scholarship programs and safety programs for
motorcyclists.For more information on
Hupy & Abraham please visit
www.hupy.com.
Posted: 05/11/2009 12:00:00 AM PDT Updated:
05/11/2009 08:29:19 AM PDT
(DOUG GRISWOLD AND KARL KAHLER MERCURY NEWS)Boy,
sometimes we can be so gullible.
Attaching magnets to a motorcycle, or flashing
your brights at a traffic signal, will turn a red light green. Filling up with
gas during the hottest part of the day will hurt your mileage. It's illegal to
drive barefoot.
And gangbanger wannabes drive around at night
with their headlights off, then — gasp! — shoot drivers who flash their lights
at them.
No, no, no and no.
Road myths, that's what these are, just a few of
the many that pour into Roadshow. Some are silly, but if we saw it on the
Internet or in an e-mail from a friend, we figure it must be true.
"People fall for stuff on the Internet every
day," said Tony Ashlin of Truth or Fiction, a company that does fact-checking on
everything from traffic issues to presidential politics. "Some are harmless
jokes, but others can lead to serious problems."
The latest myth to reach Roadshow involved
placing magnets on motorcycles and bicycles to trip traffic sensors at red
lights. This prompted Harry Bunting of San Jose to pop onto his scooter at 6:30
on a Sunday morning with magnets underneath. His quest: See if he could get a
green light on a left turn from Winchester Boulevard onto Olsen Drive near
Santana Row. A video he posted on YouTube showed that four minutes later, he was
still idling at the red light.
He then cruised up to Stevens Creek Boulevard and
got into that left-turn lane. For all I know, he
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
could still be waiting.
Don't tell that to Barbara Lincoln, a Vespa rider
from Redwood City. She learned of the magnet trick at a motorcycle class.
"I asked my course instructor, who got around on
a big honkin' Harley, what to do." she said. "He told me to put two magnets
anywhere on my bike and they would trip the lights. I was at Ace Hardware the
next day and haven't been stuck at a light in over two years. So either magnets
work and trip lights or I am a god. The experts can decide."
Their verdict? She must be a god.
"Magnets," said John Brazil, who oversees San
Jose's bicycle division, "don't help."
"Magnets," added signal guru Marc Powell of
Hexagon Transportation Consultants, with a vigorous shaking of his head, "don't
work."
A frequent claim: Buying gas in the morning is
better because the ground is colder, making the gas denser. Tom Robinson of
Coast Oil in San Jose says this is way overstated.
One of my favorites: Some drivers think they can
flash their brights at a red light and the signal will turn green. Or you can
use a television remote control to trigger a change in lights. The laughter you
hear is from traffic engineers everywhere.
And what about that gang-initiation
Live traffic map Real-time road reports and
updates Columnist Latest from Mr. Roadshow story, where you get shot if you
flash your brights at an oncoming car?
"Goes back about 50 years," Ashlin said. "It is
an old urban legend."
Some myths arise out of insufficient information.
For years, gas stations posted warnings on pumps advising drivers not to use
cell phones while filling up for fear that an electric spark could cause an
explosion. There never has been a report of such an incident.
"There was a rash of static-electricity-caused
fires, and no one was sure what the causes were," Robinson said. "Erring on the
side of safety, cell phones were not initially ruled out, so they were included
as part of the warning. Since that time, it has been determined that they are
not the cause."
Some stations have removed warnings, but not all.
So the myth continues.
Some "myths" are a matter of debate, like whether
a special, high-pitched whistle mounted on your car will scare deer and other
critters away. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says deer whistles
don't work, but some officers recommend their use, and motorist Jane Parks-McKay
is a true believer.
"We absolutely swear by them," the Santa Cruz
woman said. "We've seen a lot of animals, including dogs, stop wham-bam when we
go by, therefore saving them. If more cars had whistles, we would see less
carnage."
No way, says Dave Barnett, a California Highway
Patrol officer whose beat is Highway 17, who tried whistles on his motorcycle.
"I was concerned about the deer, considering how
many I have dragged out of the road in my career," he said. "I followed
installation instructions to the letter, and rode out confident I would send
deer running for the hills."
And?
"The deer didn't even raise their heads," he
said. "From my experience, whistles are a waste of money."
************************************
READERS SHARE:
THE
BIKERS INNER
CIRCLE SHOW
___________________________
www.bikersinnercircle.com
BY REAL BIKERS FOR REAL BIKERS
Hello,
My name is Ron Cheshier aka: Ron the Biker and I
work with musician Charlie Brechtel on an internet
show called "Bikers Inner Circle."
www.bikersinnercircle.com
Our weekly internet show is produced for, about, and
by bikers. The many contributors to the show include
renowned book author Mr. Bill Hayes, writer and
Sturgis Hall of Famer Biker Rouge, NorCal Bureau
Chief LoDown from Thunder Press as well as Thunder
Press's contributing photographer Felicia Morgan.
Sonny Keaton, Texas bike builder and notorious funny
man, provides bike tips, skits, and amusing
anecdotes. Award winning Daron Ker from Water
Buffalo Films contributes his talents in the film
department. Many others in the riding community
provide insight and commentary from all across the
country.
So far this season we have had a great line up of
biking industry guests including builders like Erik
Buell, Randy Simpson, Scott Long, Paul Cox, and
Jesse James, and others. The world famous biker
photographer Michael Lichter has generously spent
some time with us, sharing his riding experiences
and amazing photographs.The well known guys from the
Piasano publications, Kim Peterson, Dean Shawler,
and Dave Nichols, have added their interesting and
zany personalities to the show as well. Additional
guests include John Lange, Scout from Baker
Drivetrian Deacon Jones, the famous Blues musician,
and many, many more.
We have grown and are continually changing and
upgrading to bring you the best show on the net! We
are motorcycle enthusiasts who love to share the
history of our world from old Hollister on the
California coast to the modern day versions of
Sturgis, South Dakota and Daytona, Florida. We go
behind the scenes with builders, on model shoots,
and even include industry musicians like Erik Buell
and his band The Thunderbolts, the Fryed Brothers,
and others. Our listeners are encouraged to send in
photos, participate in contest give-aways, and
interact like no other show on the web.
I'd like to encourage you to check out the show and
get back to me. Tell me what you think. Become a
sponsor. Let's get your company exposure on the site
and included in all the events we travel to! Then
come on the show and talk about the your product and
the biker lifestyle in general.
If you're looking for a better return on your
advertising dollar, we invite you to contact any
sponsor listed on the site and ask how they enjoy
being part of the "inner circle". Contact me and I
will show you how your company can get involved with
rates starting at under $20 a week.
Welcome to the WRN eNewsletter, Check out the
stories we're featuring in WRN this week. And a special hello to all the new
subscribers. Please forward to a friend if you like what you see.
****************************************
BIKER POETRY:
The latest poem from Will Bill Rodgers from
Alaska.
Alpine
man dies in motorcycle accident Saturday afternoon By Kendra Carter
05-10-2009
TALLADEGA
COUNTY— An Alpine man was killed Saturday afternoon in a two-vehicle accident at
Berneys Station Road and Whitting Road near Winterboro. Tamarcus Bruno, 30, of
Alpine was pronounced dead at the scene around 5:20 p.m., according to Talladega
County Coroner Jerry Castleberry.
Castleberry said Bruno died of blunt-force trauma.
According
to the Alabama State Troopers, the accident, involving Bruno’s 2005 Suzuki
motorcycle and a 2005 Ford F350, occurred five miles south of Talladega around
4:20 p.m.
The
circumstances of the accident were not available at press time and are still
under investigation by the state troopers.
The
driver of the pickup truck Leslie Forman Jr., 36, of Pell City, was not injured
in the crash.
Man in
fatal motorcycle crash identifiedMay 8, 2009 - 10:28 AM THE GAZETTE The
Colorado State Patrol has identified the man who died in a fatal motorcycle
crash Thursday night as Cory Thacker, 23.
According
to troopers, Thacker was northbound on Highway 85/ 87 near East Las Vegas Street
about 8 p.m. in unincorporated El Paso County, just south of Colorado Springs
city limits. There was a slight curve in the road, and Thacker lost control,
rolling the 2007 Harley-Davidson.
Thacker,
who was thrown from the motorcycle, was not wearing a helmet. Thacker was taken
to Memorial Hospital where he later was pronounced dead.
Georgia
motorcycle versus car crash kills biker 2009-04-06 23:10:43 (GMT)
Dade
County motorcycle wreck kills rider
Chattanooga, TN (JusticeNewsFlash.com)–Wdef news reported Sunday, the details of
a fatal motorcycle accident that occurred in Dade County Georgia near the
Georgia-Tennessee state line. Georgia State Patrol officers confirmed the
chopper wreck occurred on New Home Road in Dade County at about 2 p.m. The
fatally injured driver of the motorcycle was 32 year-old, Michael Wayne
Mooneyhan, of Trenton, Georgia. According to recent reports, Mooneyhan was
headed east on New Home Road when he got stuck behind a slow moving vehicle.
Mooneyhan
decided to pass the slow moving vehicle, as he passed the car, it turned left
onto a side road directly in front of the passing bike. Mooneyhans motorcycle
clipped the front bumper and went down an embankment. The rider was thrown clear
and critically hurt when the motorcycle crashed into a tree. Mooneyhan was
rushed to Erlangers Trauma Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee by LifeForce, an
emergency medical helicopter transport for treatment of his critical injuries.
Mooneyhan later died at Erlanger’s Trauma Center from the serious injuries he
suffered in the motorcycle wreck.
Two
people injured in motorcycle-vehicle crash on Eagle Road A man and a woman were
injured about 2:30 p.m. when their motorcycle collided with a Kia sports utility
vehicle in Eagle Road at Chinden Boulevard, police said.
The man
who was driving and his rider were not wearing helmets. They were taken to a
local hospital.
The
accident closed the southbound lanes of Eagle Road into the evening Saturday as
officers investigated the crash.
"Anytime
a motorcycle and vehicle collide it's a serious situation," said Lt. Alan
Cavener of the Boise Police Department.
The SUV was exiting a parking lot onto
Eagle road south of Chinden when the crash occured, according to a preliminary
investigation.
Amber
Jones, 25, 6516 Navajo Drive, was listed in serious condition at OSF Saint
Francis Medical Center on Sunday. She was not wearing a helmet.
Jones was
riding on the back of a motorcycle driven by Brandon R. Schadt, 26, of 101
ShoShone Drive, Apt. B, East Peoria, about 5:40 p.m. Saturday. He lost control
of the bike on rocks while turning north on Taylor Road from West Southport
Road, police reports stated.
As the
motorcycle skidded, it struck two other motorcycles stopped in the intersection.
Those drivers, Kurtis M. Brown, 25, of Indiana and Christopher Stocks, 28, of
1117 S. Third St., Pekin, were not injured.
Schadt,
who was not injured, was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an
accident.
Posted:
8:48 PM May 10, 2009 Last Updated: 8:48 PM May 10, 2009
For
the second time this week, a stateline resident is killed in a motorcycle crash.
It happened at about 7:00 PM last night at the intersection of Airport Drive and
South 6th Street in Rockford. Police say the driver smacked into a utility pole
and died before paramedics could arrive. Authorities aren't saying whether
alcohol played a role or if the victim was wearing a helmet at the time. His or
her identity won't be released until family is notified.
Post-Tribune staff report HAMMOND?-- A Chicago man was killed when his
motorcycle crashed into a wall on the ramp near Horseshoe Casino early Saturday
morning. Claudio Ambrosino, 32, suffered blunt force trauma injuries, according
to the Lake County Coroner's Office. He was pronounced dead at 6:15 a.m. at St.
Margaret Mercy Hospital in Hammond.
Ambrosino
was a resident of the 1500 block of Ohio Street in Chicago.
The
coroner's office said there were no witnesses to the crash that occurred at 777
Casino Center Drive.
Victim
In Fatal Prospect Crash Identified Police Do Not Expect To File Charges
POSTED: 4:28 pm EDT May 8, 2009 UPDATED: 12:28 pm EDT May 9, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A motorcyclist was killed Friday morning in a crash in the
Prospect area.
Louisville police said the motorcycle was heading east on US 42. The cyclist
moved into the turning lane for Timber Ridge Road and had a green light, but not
a green arrow.
"For
right now, it looks like a failure to yield to the right of way," said Sgt.
Travis Hatchell of Metro Police.
The
oncoming truck was contracted by the post office. Its driver could do nothing
but join the crowd of onlookers.
The biker
was pronounced dead at the scene. Police later identified him as Stanley Harbolt,
35, of Valley Station, Ky.
Police
said at this point, they don't expect to file any charges.
"There's
no alcohol involvement at this point, and we don't think speed was a factor,"
Hatchell said.
For well
over four hours, traffic on US-42 was at a standstill.
Rescue
workers respond to a motorcycle crash on Queen Anne Road in Harwich last night.
The driver was flown to a Boston hospital with serious injuries. Jake
O'Callaghan By CAPE COD TIMES May 11, 2009 HARWICH — A 27-year-old Chatham man
was airlifted to a Boston hospital with serious injuries after losing control of
his motorcycle last night.
William
Archibald was traveling eastbound on Queen Anne Road around 6:45 p.m., police
say, when he drove off the road along a curve while speeding. His motorcycle
struck a utility pole and Archibald fell off it, police said.
He was
taken to Harwich High School and airlifted to Boston Medical Center, according
to the fire department.
His
condition was not available late last night. There were no other injuries.
Lance
Fisher Motorcycle driver ‘miraculously’ uninjured after crashing into police car
By Jeremy Selweski C & G Staff Writer
FERNDALE
— A Detroit man and a Ferndale police officer were both unharmed after a violent
crash in which the man’s motorcycle collided with the officer’s car at an
estimated 80 mph.
According
to Detective Lt. Bill Wilson, at around 4:10 a.m. on May 6, two Ferndale police
cars were traveling eastbound on Nine Mile Road at Woodward Avenue when they
encountered two motorcycles traveling at high speeds on southbound Woodward. The
officers proceeded through the green light at the intersection as the
motorcyclists attempted to run their red light.
One of
the motorcyclists slammed into one of the police cars and was thrown about 30
feet from his motorcycle. His vehicle rolled down Woodward before skidding to a
stop. The second driver fled the scene, escaping officers as he accelerated to
speeds of about 100 mph.
The two
motorcyclists were street racing when the crash occurred, said Detective Sgt.
Patrick Jones. “They ran through the red light at very high speeds,” he said.
“Traveling that fast, they wouldn’t have been able to stop.”
Despite
the forceful nature of the collision, however, the physical impact was minimal.
“Miraculously,” Wilson said, “both the motorcyclist who caused the crash and the
officer suffered only minor injuries.”
In fact,
Jones added, the motorcycle driver, 26-year-old Lance Fisher of Detroit,
appeared almost completely unharmed. Knowing that he was going to be arrested,
immediately after the crash occurred, Fisher stood up and put his hands in the
air.
Fisher
was examined by an ambulance crew on the scene but did not need to be taken to
the hospital. The officer, meanwhile, suffered only minor whiplash, complaining
of slight pain in his head, neck and back.
According
to Jones, alcohol did not play a factor in the accident. “The officers did smell
an odor of alcohol on (Fisher), and his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, but not
to the point where he was intoxicated,” he said.
A check
of Fisher’s record revealed that he has had an expired temporary driver’s
license since 2004, four current suspensions and no motorcycle endorsement. He
was arrested on charges of reckless driving and driving without a valid license.
Fisher
was later released after posting $500 bond, but no court dates have yet been
set. He will likely face arraignment later this month in Ferndale 43rd District
Court.
Motorcycle street racing is very widespread in the area, Jones said, although
the location of the crash is not known as a hot spot.
“Racing
on Woodward is not as common as it is on Eight Mile or (I-696),” he said. “I
know Royal Oak has problems with people racing along 696 in the early morning
hours. We sometimes hear (motorcycles) on Eight Mile early in the morning, but
we try to monitor it as best we can.”
Two
motorcyclists crashed today in Christian County, leaving three injured.
Nixa
resident Westly Louderback, 28, was eastbound on Route CC, about half a mile
east of Nixa, when he was unable to negotiate a curve, and drove off the right
side of the road. His bike over turned.
When a
motorcyclist who was riding behind Louderback saw the accident, he was startled,
said Missouri Highway Patrol Trooper Robert Wilkins. That cyclist, 37-year-old
Travis Winfree of Crane, also ran off the road. His bike overturned.
Louderback and Winfree each suffered moderate injuries. Winfree’s passenger,
Sparta resident Katie Payne, 31, suffered minor injuries.
All were
wearing helmets. All were taken to Cox South hospital in Springfield.
The
accident occurred around 6 p.m., according to reports from the Highway Patrol.
Motorcycle Accident Takes Life of Omaha Rider Sarah Cool
ContributorMay 10, 2009 9:47 PM The Omaha World Herald reported last week on the
unfortunate death of David Splittgerber, a resident of Omaha. Just twenty-three,
David was riding his motorcycle northbound on Interstate 29 in Council Bluffs
when he lost control of his bike. David was riding a 2007 Harley Davidson, and
authorities have suggested that he may have been struck by a second motorcycle
shortly after his own started sliding down the road. The second motorcycle was
manned by David’s brother, Andrew. Andrew’s motorcycle landed about 100 feet
from his brother’s. The Iowa State Patrol, who responded to the accident,
inferred a chain of events that David and Andrew’s father has since called into
question. Gene Splittgerber objected to the state patrol’s suggestion Andrew and
his bike were the cause of David’s death. Gene remarked that “even the doctor
said David had to have hit an immovable object to cause the internal injuries he
had.” Andrew doesn’t recall hitting his brother’s bike or his brother, and the
damage to David’s bike seems to suggest David did, in fact, hit an immovable
object (i.e. not Andrew or his bike). Some news agencies are reporting the state
patrol’s opinions about the event, despite their contradicting Andrew’s. One can
only imagine that the questions surrounding the accident, and this kind of
coverage, only deepens the sense of loss and tragedy for David’s family.
A
successful and respected scholar with a degree in civil engineering, David was
one of five children. He loved woodworking and rebuilding car engines. Our
thoughts and condolences go out to his family, especially in light of the
attention and inattention paid to this story. It is this writer’s opinion that
each of the news stories covering David’s accident should have been carefully
written to avoid the unsupported conclusion that Andrew was somehow culpable in
David’s death. While this is in no way a solicitation for legal services, the
Splittgerber family should know that Andrew may have a claim for defamation
based on the stories about his involvement. Additionally, it is important for
the family to know that a claim against the insurance policy issued for David
and his bike may be possible, despite the fact that no other drivers were
involved. If you knew David, the Splittgerbers, or simply wish to extend your
condolences and warm wishes to the family, messages can be left in a legacy book
for David at http://www.legacy.com/gb2/default.aspx?bookid=6240714548574&cid=view.
Woman
in Critical Condition After Motorcycle Accident
Lincoln
Posted: 10:46 AM May 7, 2009 Last Updated: 10:46 AM May 7, 2009 Reporter:
KOLNKGIN
Police
say a Hallam woman is in critical condition following a late night motorcycle
accident.
Officer
Katie Flood said Robert and Lycebeth Loy of Hallam were on the motorcycle at
11:35 Wednesday night when Robert, who was driving, failed to see a roundabout
on Amaranth Lane near SW 4th.
Flood
said the motorcycle hit the curb and both riders were ejected. Flood said
Lycebeth was taken to Bryan LGH West with life threatening injuries and is in
critical condition with several skull fractures
Fatal
motorcycle crash claims Brooklyn off-duty officer plus injures family
2009-04-12 00:39:57 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Justice News Flash, Motorcycle
Accidents)
New York
off-duty police officer dies in fatal motorcycle versus car crash.
New York,
NY (JusticeNewsFlash.com)–East Flatbush’s 67th Precinct lost an officer Sunday
in a fatal motorcycle accident. New York
(CBS) reported a 29 year-old off-duty Brooklyn Police Officer was riding his
Yamaha motorcycle down Pitkin Avenue when a Dodge Intrepid car hit him.
The Dodge car was heading south on Barbey Street, as it entered the intersection
of Barbey and Pitkin, in the Brownsville section of the New York borough, and
struck the Yamaha motorcycle the officer was riding. The collision sent the
biker flying over 100 feet into a parked SUV, and the Dodge Intrepid into a
telephone pole.
The
critically injured motorcyclist was transported by emergency medical personnel
to Brookdale Hospital for treatment by doctors and nurses in the emergency
department. The off-duty Brooklyn police officer died from his injuries in the
motorcycle crash. Traveling in the car were a couple and their 1-year-old son,
who was in his car seat at the time of the fatal motor vehicle collision. The
driver and passengers in the automobile and were in stable condition, and being
treated for neck, back, and leg injuries.
NYPD has
not confirmed the death of the officer, but Monday morning the grim-faced police
officers that gathered at Brookdale Hospital stated that an off-duty officer had
been tragically killed when a car hit him on his motorcycle. Police don’t yet
know exactly who was at fault for the motorcycle versus car crash and
authorities remain investigating the fatal accident.
Canton
woman dies in motorcycle crash May 9, 2009 A 41-year-old Canton woman was killed
late Friday in a motorcycle accident. Susan Barrett was a passenger on a vehicle
driven by Lawrence Barrett, 32, also of Canton, said state police at Towanda.
Lawrence
Barrett was traveling east on state Route 706, east of Cold Creek Road, in
Stevens Township around 11:55 p.m. when he lost control on a left curve.
Susan
Barrett was thrown from the motorcycle and died from her injuries, police said.
Lawrence Barrett had a minor injury.
Both were
wearing helmets, said police.
Troopers
were aided at the scene by the Wyalusing and LeRaysville fire departments and
the Bradford County Coroner’s Office.
VALDESE -
A man died Thursday evening after losing control of his motorcycle.
Thomas J.
Thurman, 47, of 805 Colonial St. S.W., was traveling west on Interstate 40 when
he took the off ramp at Exit 111 and lost control of the motorcycle, hitting an
embankment, Valdese Police Chief John Suttle said.
The
department at 7:57 p.m. received a report of a man lying in the ditch at the
exit.
The first
officer on the scene spoke with Thurman, who told the officer he was not hurt,
Suttle said. Both Thurman and his motorcycle were in the ditch.
Burke
Emergency Medical Services transported Thurman to Valdese Hospital with the
intention of medically evacuating him to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte,
Suttle said. Thurman died before he was transported.
The
weather was clear at the time of the accident, Suttle said. There are
indications that alcohol was involved in the accident, he added.
Avon
Lake: Car, motorcycle accident causes minor injuries Posted by Roger Vozar
May 07, 2009 14:31PM Categories: Police Blotter ACCIDENT, WALKER ROAD:
A driver struck a motorcycle with a car
Friday evening. Though the motorcyclist was able to walk after the
accident, paramedics were called to treat the biker's abrasions. The bike had to
be towed from the scene.
HARRISON
TWP. – A motorcycle crash killed a man this afternoon, police said.
Dennis
Hazelton, 53, of Hamilton was driving a 2001 BMW motorcycle. He was traveling
north in the 11700 block of New Biddinger Road at 12:36 p.m. when he lost
control and drove off the right side of the road. The motorcycle struck a ditch,
then hit a utility pole.
Hazelton
was taken to University Hospital by the Harrison Fire Department. He was
pronounced dead at 1:10 p.m., police said.
Speed,
alcohol and drugs were not factors in the crash, police said. Hazelton was
wearing a helmet. The crash is being investigated by the Hamilton County
Sheriff’s Traffic Safety Unit.
= BY THE
REVIEW Published: Sunday, May 10, 2009 3:13 AM EDT One person was killed and
another injured in an accident involving a motorcycle, which occurred at around
11:55 a.m. Saturday in Stevens Township, according to state police.
Susan
Barrett, 41, of Canton died as a result of injuries suffered in the crash,
police said.
Lawrence
Barrett, 32, of Canton was operating a 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle traveling
east on state Route 706 east of Cold Creek Road in Stevens Township, police
said, when he failed to negotiate a left-hand turn in the roadway. His
passenger, Susan Barrett, was thrown from the motorcycle in the crash, police
said.
Lawrence
Barrett suffered minor injuries in the crash, police said.
Both
Lawrence and Susan Barrett were wearing helmets at the time of the accident,
police said.
The state
police said they were assisted at the scene by the Wyalusing and LeRaysville
fire departments, and the Bradford County Coroner’s office.
Lebanon police mourn loss of officer in wreck By Bob Smietana • THE
TENNESSEAN • May 10, 2009
When
he heard that one of his fellow officers had cancer, Jeff Stone sprang into
action, organizing a motorcycle charity ride to help pay the cost of his
friend’s treatment.
That’s
the kind of guy that Stone, an officer with the Lebanon Police Department, was.
“He was
one of those people who wanted to help,” said Scott Bowen, Lebanon chief of
police.
Now
Stone’s fellow officers hope to come to the aid of his family.
Stone, 32
this month, was killed late Saturday night when a car turned in front of his
motorcycle. His death left family and friends stunned and grieving.
Stone, who was off-duty, was riding his
2006 Harley Davidson southbound on U.S. 231 when a 1997 BMW sedan turned left in
front on him.
Stone hit
the driver’s side door. He was dead at the scene.
The
officer leaves a wife and three children to remember him. Lebanon Mayor Philip
Craighead said the city would do whatever it could to help Stone’s family.
“We are
trying to get things in place,” he said.
Stone’s
death is the second tragedy to strike his family this year. Just three months
ago, his father Jeffrey Dean Stone was killed in a motorcycle accident. Stone’s
father was only 50.
Along
with caring for the family, Bowen said the police department brought in
counselors and ministers to help grieving officers.
He is
especially concerned about the first responders, who found Stone’s body at the
scene of the wreck.
“It’s
tragic to show up at the scene of an accident and find somebody dead,” said
Bowen. “When it’s somebody you know, that’s even harder.”
Stone’s
death comes at time when motorcycle fatalities in Tennessee have seen a dramatic
increase, more than tripling over the past 10 years.
In 1998,
42 motorcyclists died in wrecks. That jumped to 143 last year. In response, the
Tennessee Highway Patrol has launched a Share the Road campaign to remind
drivers to watch out for motorcyclists.
“This
steady increase over the past decade represents one of our greatest highway
safety challenges,” Governor’s Highway Safety Office Director Kendell Poole said
in announcing the program a week ago.
“When you
consider that one out of every seven deadly crashes last year involved a
motorcycle rider, it is clear that drivers need to be extra cautious.”
Often the
motorcyclist is not at fault in fatal crashes, said Cindy Davidson, state
education director for the Tennessee Motorcycle Awareness Foundation. She said
that most car drivers aren’t trained to look out for motorcycles.
“The most
common response is, ‘I didn’t see them’,” said Davidson.
Davidson’s group was launched by riders who have either been in accidents or
lost a loved one in a wreck. She says that some drivers don’t realize that
motorcycles have the right of way, and assume they can just move over.
Davidson
also teaches drivers to constantly be on the lookout for motorcyclists. Because
a motorcycle can easily slip into a driver’s blind spots, she tells drivers to
look out the window before changing lanes.
“You want
to be sure that one of us is not right next to you,” she said.
Saturday’s accident is still under investigation. The wreck occurred on U.S.
231, near Jennings Avenue.
The
driver of the BMW, which had Pennsylvania plates, was Jose Chavez of Kent Drive
in Lebanon. Chavez, who turns 26 this month, was injured in the accident. His
passenger, Montes Barrea, 24, also of Kent Drive, was not hurt, according to the
THP accident report.
Charges
against Chavez are pending. Highway Patrol investigators have ordered tests to
see if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Funeral
arrangements for Stone had not been set Sunday. Bowen said more details would be
available today.
Several
people were hurt after several motorcycles crossed the line and were speeding in
the direction of a woman driving an SUV.
Raw video
from the scene May 11, 2009 View larger E-mail Clip More Video It happened
overnight on FM 2090 just outside of Splendora.
Lisa
Rogers said that she was driving west on the road when all of sudden she saw the
lights of five motorcycles coming right at her in her lane.
“The
motorcycles were in my lane and two of them passed me. One of them stopped and
he flew right into my windshield,” said Lisa Rogers who was driving the SUV.
A father
and his teenage son were on that bike, say police.
Both of
them were transported by Lifeflight to Memorial Herman Hospital.
Two other
bikers also crashed. They were taken by ground ambulance to nearby hospitals.
WACO - A
Waco man is dead after crashing a motorcycle Sunday night along Cameron Park
Drive in Waco.
Officers
were called to the 3100 block of Cameron Park Drive just before 9:00 p.m., after
a friend found 35-year-old Edward Baisa, III lying on the side of the road.
Police
say Baisa was going around a turn, and for some reason didn't make it all the
way around. Officers say Baisa was not wearing a helmet and was thrown from the
bike.
He was
pronounced dead at the scene.
Family
told police Baisa had a stroke about a year ago, and has had seizures since
then.
It was
also reported that Baisa was a mechanic, and did not own the bike he was riding.
He was apparently trying to make the bike street legal for the owner.
Child
dies in motorcycle crash on Highway 195 Posted: May 10, 2009 10:05 PM EDT
Updated: May 10, 2009 10:05 PM EDT SPOKANE -- The Washington State Patrol says a
9-year-old girl died following a crash between a car and motorcycle on Highway
195 and Meadow Lane on Sunday.
Troopers
say 51-year-old Robin Richard Scholz from Colfax was driving a 2003 Harley
Davidson motorcycle northbound on Highway 195 with 9-year-old Chewelah resident
Nehalah May riding on the back of the bike.
According to an accident report,
89-year-old Esther Mae Westlund was driving southbound on Highway 195 when she
made a left turn in front of Scholz onto Meadow Lane. Troopers say Scholz likely
didn't have time to stop the bike before broadsiding Westlund's 1986 Oldsmobile.
May was
transported to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center where she later died.
Scholz suffered injuries as well, he was taken to Deaconess Medical Center.
Westlund
was not injured and was cited at the scene for 2nd Degree Negligent Driving.
Troopers say Westlund caused the crash by failing to yield to Scholz and his
Harley.
Both
Scholz and May were wearing helmets when the crash happened.
Two
Motorcyclists Sent To Hospital After Crash With PT Cruiser
Posted:
10:55 PM May 10, 2009 Last Updated: 10:55 PM May 10, 2009 Reporter: WEAU 13 News
Staff Email Address: News@weau.com
Two
motorcyclists are sent to the hospital after crashing into the back of a PT
Cruiser.
The
Buffalo County Sheriff's Department says 58-year-old Diane Keller was driving on
State Highway 35/54 around 4:30 Saturday afternoon in the town of Buffalo.
That's when she saw three fast moving motorcycles approaching from the rear. She
says the first two motorcycles passed by her, but the third motorcycle hit the
side and back of her vehicle.
Deputies
say Keller watched the motorcycle with two passengers slide across the roadway
on fire.
The two
motorcyclists, 32-year-old driver Adam Milkent and 31-year-old passenger Karey
Losinski were taken to a Winona Hospital.
Buffalo
County Deputies say alcohol and speed were possible factors in the crash.
*****
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you have any news you'd like to
share, please send to us at:
Gypsypashn@aol.comthank you!
~~ Betsy
We
try to make sure that you all are kept abreast
with what's going on in the
Motorcycling community.
As I live each day, I will do my
part,
to make a difference, and touch one heart.
Everyday it will be my goal,
to bring information and enlighten your soul.
Continuous news I'll disseminate
With the hopes that you will participate
One life to lose, is one life too many
If we don't fight for our rights,
pretty soon there won't be any!
.
