Misguided, discriminatory legislation targeting motorcyclists

September 2, 3:43 PMMotorcycle ExaminerKen Bingenheimer

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One sweet Honda VTX (Photo courtesy of Johnathon
Evans)

In case anyone thinks I was being overly alarmist when I wrote about the ignorance we're up against, let me dissuade you.

You may recall that I discussed two letters to the editor of AAA's EnCompass magazine. I said that "It's when legislators pay attention to people like this, who shoot their mouths off on matters they know nothing about, that we end up with bad laws."

Well, let me give you a few examples of the sort of thing I'm referring to. These examples are courtesy of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) via its magazine, American Motorcyclist, the September 2008 issue. 

In Milwaukee, the home of Harley-Davidson, the city council has passed an ordinance empowering anyone to file a complaint about a motorcycle being too loud. They don't have to prove it, it doesn't have to be true, but if someone says your bike is too loud you are issued a ticket. Presumably you can go to court with documentation proving that your bike meets legal sound requirements, but what ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?

In Massachusetts the legislature is considering a bill that would outlaw riding dirtbikes by anyone under the age of 14. This would apply to ATVs and snowmobiles, as well. Never mind that many families help maintain a strong family unit by engaging in their sport of choice, dirtbiking, together. It gives the kids something positive to do rather than getting into trouble, keeps the family together, and who knows what else. Also, nevermind that nearly all the top bikers in the competitive world got their starts riding long before they turned 14.

Can you imagine Sturgis, SD, banning motorcycle rallies? Well that's what Myrtle Beach, SC, is trying to do. Myrtle Beach is home to a huge annual biker rally just as Sturgis is, with all the economic benefit that brings. On top of that, Myrtle Beach officals are trying to persuade South Carolina legislators to do the same state-wide.

Then here's a capper. In Boston they have started issuing tickets to bikers who park with their rear wheels turned in to the curb. It seems that only parallel parking is allowed. Is this stupid or what? Don't the police have something better to do with their time?

These are just a few of the reasons I belong to the AMA. They're on the front lines fighting these battles. If you ride you really ought to consider joining.