Fwd: NHMRO - CALL TO ACTION & Meeting Reminder with a update!!!
Bill
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: NHMRO - CALL TO ACTION & Meeting Reminder with a update!!!
Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2012 10:37:41 -0500
From: Candy Alexander
Hey Everyone!
*CRITICAL MEETING THIS SUNDAY AT 1:30 - DEERHEAD SPORTSMANS CLUB - RT
28BYPASS -HOOKSETT*
*PLEASE ATTEND TO GET DETAILED INFORMATION AND MATERIALS TO PASS OUT TO
OTHERS!!*
*THIS IS FOR ALL MEMBERS, PAST MEMBERS AND ALL OTHERS WHO ARE INTERESTED! *
* *
Well here we are. Yet another new year is upon us and we are preparing
to go to Concord again. There is SO much going on and you know the
drill by now… We need to make a statement in Concord that motorcyclists
are still paying attention and we still CARE! The best way for us to do
this - is very simple - JUST SHOW UP! Easy, right? We hope that ALL of
you (and your friends/love ones) can take the day of and head to Concord
to do that. Show'em we care.
I'm not sure how many of you know exactly HOW much the motorcyclists are
known for showing up in huge numbers in Concord. Those who have been
around for a couple of years know this, hell you've lived it. We need
to bring on the younger riders and show them how it's done. THIS is
what our country is all about. Voicing your opinion in a democracy -
and in situations like this, just your presence say a lot. I've heard
folks mention that those who work in the State house are always
impressed with our presence and our courtesy; that they almost look
forward to us "visiting". It don't get any better than that.
Here's the "low down" of what's up for bills this year. HB1442 is the
one you NEED to be there for…. and the other bill you need to take
action on is HB1503-FN. I am sure we will be going over this in more
detail at the meeting on SUNDAY @ 1:30 - DEERHEAD on Rt 28 BYPASS -
HOOKSETT - but just in case you can't make it I've included some info on
each below:
HB 1442: NOISE BILL
Let me remind you the time/date/location. FEB. 7th @ 10:00 in
Representatives Hall. Oh, by the way - we have heard that "the other
side" is attempting to do what we are so well known for - fill the
house. So, GET THERE EARLY! It takes time to get everyone into the
hall, situated, those who want to speak at the hearing need to sign up
and fill out the card. There will be someone in the back of the hall
(where you come in) to help you with that part.
HB1503: MOTORCYCLE RIDER EDUCATION
This is another bill we need to pay attention to and take some action
on. Essentially the bill is looking to get rid of the "dedicated fund"
that all of us contribute to through $2 taken from our registration
fee. Not sure about you - but for $2 a year, I’m willing to continue to
contribute to ensure that anyone wanting/needing to get rider education
can do that - without worrying about an extra-ordinary costs that
private schools charge. WE all know that Rider Education is more
effective in keeping motorcyclists safe on our roads - better than
helmets. It's call crash PREvention. So - we need ALL of you to
contact your representative AND the House Transportation Committee and
let them know that this bill should NOT pass. You can find out who your
rep is from here (http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/wml.aspx
). You can send an email to the House Transportation Committee at this
email address (~HouseTransport...@leg.state.nh.us ).
So, here we go again - please help us get this taken care of - there is
SO many other things that NHMRO could be doing for you! Like what I
wrote about in the article below that was submitted to the New England
Biker News. NHMRO can't do it all - you need to help us!
I hope my email hasn't been too scattered. Lot going on and trying to
do too many things at the same time! See you Sunday AND see you on Feb.
7th up at the State House!
Until then - ride safe, ride respectfully AND ride FREE!
Candy
Candy Alexander
Vice President
New Hampshire Motorcyclists' Rights Organization
www.nhmro.org
Phone: 603.320.3654
JANUARY Update from NHMRO (New Hampshire Motorcyclists Rights Organization)
Candy Alexander, NHMRO Vice President,
www.nhmro.org
Happy New Year! I hope you’ve all enjoyed your holiday season. It was
great riding weather! Okay, maybe a little chilly, but that’s why they
make farings and windshields as my husband says. I on the other hand
look like “Randy” from Christmas Story with so many clothes piled on I
look like a big ole tick on a hound dog! But, you don’t want to hear
about that. So, let me jump right into it. As I like to do this time
of year, I’ll offer a glance back on the issues we’ve faced as
motorcyclists in 2011 and provide my hopes for 2012.
As we had predicted last year at this time, NOISE has become a real
issue – again. Let’s face it - it is actually a bigger issue than it has
been in the past in that it is becoming a problem with more citizens
around the state. It isn’t in just one area that hosts a lot of tourist
who enjoy the sea air. It’s everywhere.
New Hampshire motorcyclists are facing another “noise bill” (HB1442)
that has gone to the extreme of requiring the “EPA Label” to be on all
bikes. This is not the solution to fixing the problem. And because of
that, we are putting a CALL TO ACTION out to all of the New Hampshire
Motorcyclists to attend the hearing to be held at the State House in the
early February time frame. Please keep checking on the NHMRO Website
for the specifics as to when the hearing is. IT IS CRITICAL that we
continue to show folks in Concord that bikers care about our rights, we
vote and we will be heard. I won’t go into what NHMRO feels as the
right approach to this is – you’ve heard it before – and you know I’ll
be getting into that subject before we get into far into the 2012. We
all have a part in fixing the problem. If we don’t fix it –they WILL
fix it with legislation and we won’t be happy. I can guarantee it!
Another big problem we’ve faced this past year has been motorcycle
crashes. 2011 was a year with some extremely tragic accidents – some
fatal and some not. Much like the noise problem, if we really look at
the problem – there are many contributing factors. Rider Education,
motorcycle awareness, lax penalties for “fault” of 4 wheeled motorists
and yes – some were caused by riding impaired.
This is where my wish for 2012 comes in. I don’t know about you – but I
am getting really tired of talking and fighting the noise issue! It is
distracting NHMRO and many other state MROs (Motorcycle Rights
Organizations) from doing some real work to benefit motorcyclist.
You’ve got to remember that NHMRO is worked by volunteers and funded by
members and donations. Because of that – we don’t have the ability to
focus on more than one major issue at a time.
Think about this – there is more to your rights and freedoms than being
able to make the choice of riding with a helmet and riding with an
exhaust system that doesn’t have an EPA label on it. There is the basic
right to life. Your life. Ability to ride your motorcycle without
fearing for your life. Don’t give me that tough guy/girl attitude that
you don’t fear for your life. ALL of us have been in a situation (or
two – ten) that we have been a bit scared of the outcome we are put in
when riding – due to the other vehicles around you.
Because organizations such as NHMRO and your state MRO are busy fighting
this item – we are not able to go after things such as ensuring that
Rider Education funds are there and that people who want to learn to
ride safely are able to do so without paying extraordinary amounts of
money to a private driving school.
NHMRO needs to be able to look deeper into why when a motorcyclist is
run off the road by a 17 year old who admits that they had done it
because they didn’t want the guy to pass him – gets off with probation
WITH his license in tack. And why a defense attorney can state in a
probable cause hearing that the driver who hit a motorcyclist shouldn’t
be given a stiff penalty because if “the guy was in a car” he wouldn’t
have died! Why are all motorcyclists up in arms about this type of
thing? Why must NHMRO and our neighboring state MROs have to fight this
noise problem.
There are so many more important issues that we need to pay attention to
can we just can’t do it with the way things are now. We REALLY need
YOUR help to make the shift to what is important to our quality of life,
rights and freedoms. You are a part of the solution. Ride respectfully
through neighborhoods and areas that are heavily populated. Come to
Concord to help us kill the bill. Join NHMRO to learn how we – all of
us together can concentrate on what really matters for motorcyclists.
And, I don’t what to hear that “Loud Pipes Saves Lives”. At this point
– loud pipes aren’t saving our lives; they are causing distractions from
us fighting for your lives.
So, I think you can figure out what my wishes for 2012 would be. Kill
the bill, quite the noise level down to get people to stop complaining,
that NHMRO will get ALL motorcyclists in NH to join, more volunteers
will step forward to help us out, and that NHMRO will be able to focus
on the REAL issues. Not too much to ask, is it?