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MissPenny

www.examiner.com/x-378-Denver-Motorcycle-Examiner~y2008m10d5-More-regulation-coming-for-motorcycles-MRF-works-to-be-proactive

More regulation coming for motorcycles; MRF works to be proactive

October 5, 4:11 PM
by Ken Bingenheimer, Denver Motorcycle Examiner

One theme sounded again and again last weekend at the Motorcycle Riders
Foundation's Meeting of the Minds was that more regulation is on the
way. The group is very concerned about getting out ahead of the curve
and helping to shape the discussion, rather than constantly being
reactive and responding to someone else's agenda.

The group is already working on programs to combat impaired riding.
Motorcycle fatalities are probably the number one factor that leads to
government feeling that "something must be done" to fix motorcycling. In
many instances alcohol is a factor. But beyond that, as Duane Taylor of
the Motorcycle Industry Council noted, "We're losing too many of our
friends."

MRF President Kirk "Hardtail" Willard echoed that statement, saying
"We've got to stop killing ourselves," but he added that at the same
time, "It's time to stand up and say 'It's not my fault just because I
ride a motorcycle.'" Put differently, he was saying that the choice to
ride a motorcycle is not the relevant factor. Relevant factors do
include a lack of rider training, impaired riding, and motorists who
don't pay attention to the motorcycles sharing the road with them.

One speaker noted that many governmental approaches to improving
motorcycle safety fail to take the basic step of first determining what
causes motorcycle accidents in the first place. The most recent such
study was done in 1981. After much effort on the part of the
motorcycling community, a new study has been authorized and funded, but
is slow getting off the ground. That study needs to move forward, say
MRF members.

But even that is not without certain risks. Once the report is complete,
there will be proposals put forth in response. This is an area where the
MRF wants to be proactive, to help ensure that the responses are
appropriate. An example of an inappropriate response was the
overwhelming manner in which government decided after the 1981 report
that the answer was to make sure all motorcyclists wear helmets. The
fallacy of that simplistic approach is shown in the fact that some
states with no helmet laws have lower fatality rates than some states
that require all bikers to wear helmets. Additionally, 60 percent of all
bikers killed last year were wearing helmets, so clearly helmets are no
panacea. But passing helmet laws helped legislators feel good that they
were doing something. No matter that what they were doing was
ineffective.

There's no wrapping this all up into a neat, concluding summation. It's
an open-ended discussion. The important thing is that the discussion is
in progress.
_________________
Penny Adams
Virginia Freedom Riders - Legislative Officer
Member Sons of Liberty Riders

"Government is too big and too important to be left to the politicians."
Chester Bowles (1901 - 1986)