July 29, 2010 10:36 PM PDT
MRF URGENT CALL TO ACTION - Mandatory Motorcycle Roadside Stops
A mandatory roadside motorcycle stop may be coming to a town near you, reports the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF). Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has asked for applications from law enforcement outfits to apply for a new pot of taxpayer money designated for pulling motorcyclists off the road to lecture them about safety.
The MRF strongly opposes this sort of discrimination against motorcyclists. “Pulling over law-abiding motorcyclists does not make anyone safer and is huge waste of taxpayer money,” said Jeff Hennie, Vice President for Government Relations and Public Affairs for the MRF.
NHTSA’s request for applications asks law enforcement officials to submit plans similar to what New York State Police did last summer. They set up outside big public motorcycle gatherings and pulled every single motorcyclist over to the side of the road to lecture them about safety, drinking and riding, proper tire inflation, and so on.
The MRF feels there are much more productive and less discriminatory ways to promote safety for motorcyclists, and is disappointed that this approach was decided upon behind closed doors by a group of federal employees who apparently did not consult anyone in the motorcycling community for their input and expertise in motorcycle safety.
This particular project is limited to five law enforcement agencies, and total funding is capped at $350,000. In these tough economic times, that’s a ton of money. The deadline for applications is August 13, and to the MRF’s knowledge, no applications have yet been submitted.
The MRF will be investigating to determine if NHTSA and the federal government have legal jurisdiction to fund states to single out one particular type of vehicle for clearly discriminatory practices over other vehicles, and will be working diligently to see that these proposed grants are never awarded.
July 30, 2010 1:19 AM PDT
TACO thanks for bringing this to our attention....................if this crazy idea is passed, they had better build more jail space, because I can't imagine even the most calmest riders chewing out the ass of a policeman for being pulled over for that shit.
July 30, 2010 1:32 AM PDT
now what they SHOULD do is start putting in MC parking slots
- we are using less gas, creating less polution
- we can easily put 3 bikes in the space of 1 car
- so how about recognizing that with our dedicated parking slots and encourage others to "go green" like us.
July 30, 2010 1:34 AM PDT
If'n they are ONLY pulling over motorcyclists .. wouldn't that be profiling?
Seems to me, the only way to be fair about it is to pull over all the cage drivers and give them a chewing out for not being more aware that there are bikers on the road too.
Yeah. I'm being a little sarcastic. LOL
July 30, 2010 1:37 AM PDT
July 30, 2010 5:36 AM PDT
They told us one time we were not allowed to park more than one bike per space, and no backing into parking spaces. That didn't last too long though. One of the cops rode bikes too, and was friends with all of us.
July 30, 2010 7:27 AM PDT
now what they SHOULD do is start putting in MC parking slots
- we are using less gas, creating less polution
- we can easily put 3 bikes in the space of 1 car
- so how about recognizing that with our dedicated parking slots and encourage others to "go green" like us.
Good plan!
July 30, 2010 7:37 AM PDT
Thanks Taco, I get these emails frequently and sometimes they are bogus. BUT THIS ONE IS REAL. I have contacted the MRF group and they confirmed it. We as riders should do all we can to stop it.
Again, thanks for posting the info.
July 30, 2010 2:55 PM PDT
What genius SOB dreamed this up?
It's harassment, it's profiling, it's unconsti-frakkin-tutional to detain someone without probable cause.
It's also a bloody waste of MY tax dollars.
The lunatics are running the asylum.
July 30, 2010 3:34 PM PDT
sure -- they pull you over to lecture you about safety making it UNSAFE as you are now on the side of the road with cars and trucks flying by! OK so i just got into trouble for being on the side of the road for helping out a driver whose stearing went out and THANKFULLY no one got hurt and no car accident. ANYWAY I was in shock that I was there to KEEP from any one getting hurt --- not the only time this has happened BUT now it's OK to pull over innocent riders??!! Can we do anything in this country any more UHG (should I keep a pair of rollerblades in the bike??!!
OK going to bed mad
Night all
Barb
flying on a wing and a prayer
July 31, 2010 5:51 AM PDT
Ah, the wheels of bureaucracy... one more 'knee jerk' by a group of people who are illiterate in different ways of society. But, Oh! We know what's best for you! With some of the crazies around here, I'd probably get to ride the lightning bolt just because of too much caffeine and donuts... I agree with Rexbo ~ The Lunatics are running the asylum...
July 31, 2010 2:39 PM PDT
If'n they are ONLY pulling over motorcyclists .. wouldn't that be profiling?
Seems to me, the only way to be fair about it is to pull over all the cage drivers and give them a chewing out for not being more aware that there are bikers on the road too.
Yeah. I'm being a little sarcastic. LOL
Ya Think? Fair is Fair. LOL!
August 2, 2010 1:49 PM PDT
They pull me over I'm going to interrupt them when every cager passes on their cel phones seeing as how thats illegal and dangerous.
August 2, 2010 3:00 PM PDT
Anyone that has ridden at least a year sure as hell knows how dangerous riding a bike is. They don't need some clown that probably don't even ride telling them of the perils of riding a motorcycle. Some may find out in less time than that.
