INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION ON HELMET LAW AND MORE!
Once again a federal bureaucracy with its head you-know-where is stinking up the matter of a national (albeit,
international) helmet law. And it doesn't stop there. They are looking into mandatory riding gear.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is collaborating with agencies of the United
Nations to establish international mandates on proper riding gear for motorcyclists. If they have their way helmet
laws will be in effect worldwide. Some of the language being used by these "self-styled do-gooders" also
addresses rider clothing and apparel. It calls for bright colors such as yellow, orange and white to be worn by
bikers. I can see it now, "red & white" on a yellow vest. Not!
How does the NHTSA work? Only Congress and state legislatures can enact laws. So to get around it they make recommendations
and establish national policies and then they use "moral suasion" to coerce the states to enact the laws
the fed wants. For example, Arizonans routinely rejected lowering the BAC limit to 0.08 from 0.10 for DUI. For
years the feds could do nothing about it until they blackmailed Arizona by threatening to withhold more than $300
million in federal highway funds. You know the rest. The same is true for seat belt laws and in the 1970s the fed
use the threat of withholding federal highway funds to get states to lower the speed limit to 55mph - how many
of us remember those "double-nickel" days.
If you sit on your duff these bozos will sneak behind your back and before you know it the Harley medallion will
be orange, white and yellow!
To read more about this invasion of riders' rights, check out the web site supported by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation
(MRF) Click
Here.
To voice your objection to this initiative go to www.house.gov and/or
www.senate.gov and email to our Arizona representatives in Washington
DC.
And don't forget to let the local legislators know what you think. Go to www.azleg.state.az.us
and be heard.
To view some NHTSA propaganda on helmet usage visit the web site at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/helmets.htm
.
Now that the legislature is back in session we will resume monitoring of issues of a political nature that you
should know about and should express your concern to our elected officials. We took the summer off (it was too
hot)!
As always, please feel free to send us legislative comments, inquiries, concerns, or issues that you feel might
infringe upon the rights and freedom of motorcycle enthusiasts throughout Arizona and we will spread the word and
act upon them on your behalf.
Stan
sjd3@cox.net