June '08: AMA Rights - News & Notes

fyi, some informative and interesting info
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June 2008

News & Notes is a monthly publication compiled and edited by the AMA's Government Relations Department. Designed to inform motorcyclists of ‘rights'-related issues and events around the world, we welcome your news & views. Suggestions and contributions can be sent to Sheila Andrews, Legislative Assistant, American Motorcyclist Association, by e-mail at sandrews@ama-cycle.org.

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month was officially launched with a news conference on Thursday, May 1, 2008 on the grounds of the nation's Capitol in Washington, DC.
Speaking at the event were the co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Motorcycle Caucus, Rep. Michael C. Burgess M.D. (R-Texas) and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), along with Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters, Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) President Tim Buche and American Motorcyclist Association President and CEO Rob Dingman. The gathering of national leaders was organized by the MIC and called attention to the annual spring surge of motorcyclists on America's highways and encouraged responsible riding and driving by all roadway users.
Burgess has introduced a bipartisan bill to fix a loophole in the HIPAA law that allows insurers to deny payment for injuries sustained while engaged in recreational activities like motorcycling. Burgess and Giffords have sponsored a House resolution (H. R. 339) that highlights Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
Dingman encouraged Secretary Peters and the DOT to urge state highway safety offices to do more with federal 402 funds to educate motorists regarding the importance of watching out for motorcycles.
Prior to making their remarks, the leaders shrugged off raindrops from a passing shower to view a motorcycle riding simulator, several late model bikes and the latest protective riding gear. Flanking the assembled group was a detachment of the U.S. Capitol Police Department's motorcycle corps.

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A Louisiana House Committee voted recently for Louisiana to modify a law requiring adult motorcycle riders to wear helmets. The bill, which has Gov. Bobby Jindal's support, would require riders under age 18 to wear helmets, and would create a mandatory training course for anyone applying for a license to operate a motorcycle. The committee's approval moves the bill to the house floor. Louisiana is one of only 20 states that require all motorcyclists to wear a helmet.

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Maryland motorcyclists will get one step closer to a safer ride this summer with a new state law that allows the use of auxiliary lighting. Both the House and Senate have approved a bill to make it legal to use the auxiliary lighting, thus increasing their visibility to other drivers.
The auxiliary lights allow drivers to see motorcyclists from the side, as well as front and rear, when it's dark. The lights, which will only be used at night, illuminate the side of the motorcycle and don't project outward.
The bill will be passed on to Governor Martin O'Malley for signing on June 1. The bill passed unanimously through the House and Senate.

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South Carolina Senate Bill 111 has passed the Senate and now resides in the Criminal Law Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. S111 will address faulty traffic signal devices that fail to detect motorcycles.
All Palmetto State riders are urged to contact their Representative and urge them to support S111 - the motorcycle red light bill.
For further information on this an all legislation affecting South Carolina riders, be sure to check out the Statewatch section of www.AMADirectlink.com.

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The European motorcycle community has for a long time expressed serious concerns regarding Vision Zero, the strategy in which road authorities have envisioned how to achieve zero deaths and zero serious injuries on the roads. The concerns are due in large part to policies that rely on bans and regulations instead of adaptation of the road environment to suit all road users - motorcyclists included.
But even if motorcycles have been viewed as high-risk road vehicles with regard to accidents, they have been all but excluded from the Vision Zero document. The Vision Zero document has first and foremost given anti-motorcycle campaigners an opening to propose a ban on motorcycles as these, they claim, are not compatible with a Vision Zero.
The Vision Zero Motorcycle Road is the brainchild of two passionate engineers at the regional Road Authorities, Jan Petter Lyng and Bjørn R. Kirste, who have successfully designed the road exactly as the motorcyclists themselves recommend. It is not much that is needed to make a motorcycle friendly road with regard to preventing injuries in case of accidents: Crash barriers fitted with a sub-rail, forgiving side terrain, well thought out placing of signposts, cutting down sight-hindering vegetation - all in all small modifications and investments that are beneficial for all road users, including bicycles and cars. The price tag for modifying these 15 kilometres of road is estimated at 630 000 Euros.

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The Roof R06 Bamboo is a new-design motorcycle helmet with a shell constructed entirely from bamboo fibers - a sustainable, eco-friendly and innovative medium of creation - that passes European safety requirements for street-use helmets.
Constructed from bamboo slivers, the Roof R06 managed to pass the E22-05 safety requirements for use on the road. The great thing about this helmet is that not only does it offer adequate protection for your head; it also helps reduce the use of plastics and other environmentally-unfriendly materials during the manufacturing of standard helmets.
The only feature against this cool product is the price tag. The company is retailing these limited edition pieces for £189 ($377) each.

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Staffordshire, UK mini-motorcycle riders are being targeted as part of a police campaign. Officers said they would seize and crush the bikes belonging to anyone found causing a nuisance on them.
Staffordshire Police said the bikes must be taxed and insured. If not, they can only be legally ridden on private land with the landowner's permission. Officers said more than 1,000 mini-motorcycle incidents were reported in the county last year.