Fwd: More news regarding the Motorcycle Only Checkpoints!
Bill
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: More news regarding the Motorcycle Only Checkpoints!
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2011 14:30:44 -0500
From: Candy Alexander
Hey Everyone,
It appears that this is the "hot issue" and I have two pieces of
information for you. Read the 1st one if you are going to Daytona by
way of Georgia on your bikes!
1: From the MRF (News Release data 04-mar-2011)
*Georgia Department of Public Safety Announces Details of Motorcycle
Only Roadside Checkpoints*
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation reports that the Georgia Department of
Public Safety (GA DPS) has announced some of the details of the
motorcycle-only roadside checkpoints. The details include some the
reasoning, time frame and locations of the checkpoints.
Lt. Colonel Mark McDonough, GA DPS Deputy Commissioner, explained that
the reason for the checkpoints is the rise continued of motorcycle
fatalities in the State of GA from 2005-2008. There were 167
motorcyclists killed in crashes in 2008.
McDonough did acknowledge the State's education campaign in 2009, which
focused solely on raising awareness of motorcyclists with all other road
users. The campaign included safety presentations to school, church,
civic groups and media outreach by State Troopers. The GA DPS credits
the campaign with a 35 percent decrease in motorcyclists fatalities over
the previous year. The Department called this historic decrease a "good
first step".
The next step, according to GA DPS, is the motorcycle-only roadside
checkpoints.
The first of these checkpoints will be conducted Wednesday, March 9th,
2011 from 8AM-5PM along Interstate 75 at the southbound commercial
vehicle inspection station in Monroe County. During the same time frame
an additional checkpoint will be established at the southbound
commercial vehicle inspection station along I-95 in Chatham County,
north of Savannah.
The checkpoints will check for proper licensing, DOT helmets, alcohol
usage, valid tags, as well the general operating condition of the
motorcycle.
Lt. Col. McDonough claims that for the average operator with the proper
license and equipment the delay should take about one minute.
Additional checkpoints will be conducted in the spring and fall of 2011.
Checkpoints are funded into 2012 as well.
*In Other News*
U.S. House and Senate pass Highway Bill Extension.
One day after the House overwhelmingly passed the Surface Transportation
Extension Act of 2011 by a final vote of 421 to 4, the Senate approved
by voice vote today vital legislation to extend highway, transit and
highway safety programs through September 30th. The measure now goes to
the President's desk, where it is expected to be signed into law soon.
"With unemployment in the construction industry at an all-time high, it
is imperative that we extend the surface transportation programs through
the end of the fiscal year," said Highways and Transit Subcommittee
Chairman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN).
2: From the AMA
*Bill introduced to prohibit funding discriminatory motorcycle-only
checkpoints*
Urge your Representative to support today!
On March 3, 2011, Representative Jim Sensenbrenner
<http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/HBOJOZPUGD/OFHDOZPVAO/6559672146>
(R-WI) introduced legislation that would prohibit the Secretary of
Transportation from providing grants or any funds to states or local
governments to be used for any program to create motorcycle-only
checkpoints (MOCs).
In addition to Sensenbrenner, Reps. Tom Petri
<http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/HBOJOZPUGD/ERWAOZPVAP/6559672146>
(R-WI) and Paul Ryan
<http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/HBOJOZPUGD/KTWROZPVAQ/6559672146>
(R-WI) are original cosponsors.
Because MOCs are discriminatory and have not been proven effective, the
American Motorcyclist Association
<http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/HBOJOZPUGD/ANKROZPVAR/6559672146>
(AMA) strongly supports this new legislative effort and urges
motorcyclists to take action to assure passage. The AMA needs your help
to contact your Representative immediately and urge them to cosponsor
this legislation.
This bill came about in response to the Motorcycle Law Enforcement
Demonstrations Grant (DTNH22-10-R-00386) program administered by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). You can view the
grant notice here
<http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/HBOJOZPUGD/OFKHOZPVAS/6559672146>.
Initially begun in New York State, the process involves establishing
checkpoints in which only motorcycles are pulled over and subjected to a
series of inspections.
As you may know, the state of Georgia was the only state to receive a
grant in the amount of $70,000 from the NHTSA program to create MOCs.
The grant will be used to conduct one or more roadside motorcycle-only
checks in accordance with what was outlined in the Request for
Applications. The Georgia State Patrol (GSP) will oversee the day-to-day
operation of the program.
On October 26, 2010, the AMA sent a letter to Georgia's former Governor
Sonny Perdue requesting he suspend the implementation of the grant until
questions raised by the motorcycling community are addressed. The former
governor did not respond to AMA's letter. Therefore, the AMA sent
another letter, dated February 15, 2011, to Georgia's newly-elected
Governor Nathan Deal
<http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/HBOJOZPUGD/BVTKOZPVAT/6559672146>. To
see AMA's letter, click here
<http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/HBOJOZPUGD/OLNVOZPVAV/6559672146>.
The AMA cautions riders traveling through the state of Georgia that the
GSP may mobilize the MOC before, during and after Daytona Bike Week.
In addition to the letters submitted to the past and present governors
of Georgia, the AMA has questioned the potential discriminatory and
legal nature of this program and submitted a list of questions for
clarification to the New York State Police. To date, New York
authorities have not responded. The AMA also sent a letter to the NHTSA
Administrator David Strickland urging him to suspend the grant program
until questions have been addressed. To view AMA's letter, click here
<http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/HBOJOZPUGD/JGXEOZPVAW/6559672146>. To
view Administrator Strickland's response, click here
<http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/HBOJOZPUGD/BAKEOZPVAX/6559672146>.
Additionally, on September 30, 2010, Sensenbrenner, along with some of
his congressional colleagues, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood
<http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/HBOJOZPUGD/JUJIOZPVAY/6559672146>. The
congressional letter urged LaHood to suspend the grant program that
would expand the highly criticized practice of creating motorcycle-only
checkpoints by law enforcement agencies. The AMA strongly supports this
important letter. To see the congressional letter, click here
<http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/HBOJOZPUGD/LMPHOZPVBA/6559672146>.
The AMA believes that the primary source of motorcycle safety is in
motorcycle crash prevention and not in arbitrarily pulling over riders
and randomly subjecting them to roadside inspections. The NHTSA should
focus on decreasing the likelihood of crashes from occurring in the
first place. The methods used in New York State and possibly Georgia
remain highly suspect and no public money should be applied to promoting
such a program without first addressing questions from the motorcycling
community.
Specifically, how do MOCs increase the safety of motorcyclists? Where do
the selected states draw their authority to conduct MOCs? Will "probable
cause" be required to stop a motorcycle under the terms of this grant
program? If so, what will constitute "probable cause?" What types of
infractions were recorded by New York law enforcement officials at these
checkpoints? What criteria will be used to determine if the MOCs are
successful? Do states have the jurisdiction to inspect vehicles
registered in another state? And, how was the safety of motorcyclists
improved by the use of MOCs?
This bill is critical to ending the discriminatory practice of MOCs. The
motorcycling community needs you to contact your Representative now to
ask them to cosponsor Sensenbrenner's new bill to end funding for MOCs.
Just follow the "Take Action" option to send a pre-written e-mail
directly to your Representative.
Be sure to forward this to your motorcycling friends! The AMA needs
motorcyclists to unite against MOCs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Candy Alexander
Vice President
*N*ew *H*ampshire *M*otorcyclists' *R*ights *O*rganization
http://www.nhmro.org
Phone: 603.320.3654