Past Reports
from NCOM
Nov-2000
Oct-2000
Sept -2000
Compiled and Edited by Bill Bish,
National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)
December, 2000
DID BIKERS ELECT THE PRESIDENT?
As we go to press, our Nation and the World still await the final pronouncement of who's going to be America's 43rd President in one of the closest elections in history, and we're going to go out on a limb and project George W. Bush as our next Commander-In-Chief...and furthermore, it was bikers who put him in the Oval Office!
Bikers' rights activists and motorcycle organizations from coast to coast supported and campaigned for George W because of his signing of the Texas helmet law repeal bill, his stated opposition to federal land closures to offroad riders, and his brother Jeb's recent signing of Florida's helmet repeal.
Which brings us to the point: In the winner-take-all Florida sweepstakes, at presstime Bush has won the Florida presidential vote and their critical 25 Electoral College votes by around 300 votes out of almost 6 million ballots cast statewide! Between ABATE of Florida and the Confederations of Clubs of Florida, more than 10,000 bikers backed Bush and could certainly be credited with pushing the razor thin margin into W's favor...that's ''W'' for WIN.
James ''Doc'' Reichenbach II, President and Lobbyist for ABATE of Florida, has been an outspoken advocate of Bush's campaign and ABATE supported his presidential bid.
''The Bush Brothers set two states free,'' said Doc, who also serves as chairman of the board for the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), ''and bikers across America went to the polls and voted for our friends. The idea that the whole election could came down to a few hundred votes in Florida is testimony to the fact that every vote counts; and bikers DO VOTE!''
''It's nice to have friends in high places,'' said Sputnik, Chairman of the Texas Motorcycle Rights Association and member of the NCOM Legislative Task Force, who campaigned extensively for the now former Texas Governor whose signature allowed Freedom of Choice for responsible adult motorcyclists. ''I'm sure that President Bush will do as much for our nation's bikers as Governor Bush did for Texas bikers.''
Barring the unforeseen, or further legal wranglings, or undiscovered uncounted votes, George W. Bush will take the helm as one of the most motorcycle-friendly leaders since President Ronald Reagan helped save Harley-Davidson from bankruptcy.
Of course if we're wrong about the outcome, we'll call Al Gore and retract our projection...yeah, right.
NATIONAL COALITION OF MOTORCYCLISTS (NCOM)
FEDS FUNDING SAFETY PROGRAMS
The U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION has announced the award of state and community highway safety grants totaling $147.9 million to all states and Indian Nations to ''support planning to identify highway safety problems and to set goals and performance measures for highway safety improvement.''
The grant funds, authorized by Section 402 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, provide start-up funding for new programs, give new direction and support to existing programs and fund evaluations to determine progress in improving safety in areas such as motorcycle safety, occupant protection, alcohol and other drug countermeasures, police traffic services, emergency medical services, traffic records, pedestrian and bicycle safety, speed control, and roadway safety.
''This long-standing program continues to fund new ideas and local approaches to safety,'' said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater.
GEMINI DRIVERS MOST DANGEROUS
British astrological research identifies accident-prone Geminis as the country's most dangerous drivers. According to ABBEY NATIONAL MOTOR INSURANCE, which surveyed 500 car drivers between the ages of 17 and 65, people born between May 22 and June 21 account for one fifth of the accidents on Britain's roads.
Next in the accident rate list are Aquarians, who account for 18% of all UK road crashes, while the safest sign appears to be the cautious Cancerians who notch up only 1% of British smashes.
Sagittarians, adventurous and frank, send out rather mixed signals, being guilty of 12.5% of crashes.
ACTRESS LAUREN HUTTON RECOVERING FROM MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
Actress and model Lauren Hutton was recently released from the hospital after being treated for multiple leg fractures, scrapes and bruises following a motorcycle crash October 21st during a group ride with other celebrities in southern Nevada.
Hutton, 55, best known for the signature gap between her front teeth, was considered one of the first supermodels after appearing on the cover of Vogue a record 25 times in the 60's and 70's.
She was injured when her motorcycle ran off the roadway for unknown reasons and crashed near Lake Mead Recreation Area. She had told reporters before the ride that she was riding motorcycles before she bought her first car.
''I love the feeling of being a naked egg atop that throbbing steel,'' she said. ''You feel vulnerable but so alive.''
The 100-mile ride, which included actors Dennis Hopper and Jeremy Irons, was held in conjunction with an announcement by the Guggenheim Museum to open next year with masterpieces from their "Art of the Motorcycle" exhibit at The Venetian resort on the Las Vegas Strip.
The Guggenheim Motorcycle Club, to which Hutton belongs, was born out of the success of the exhibit in New York.
FREEDOM OF ''DRESS''
Motorcyclist Ian Lamont of Scotland shipped his Harley Springer to South Dakota for the annual Black Hills Classic in Sturgis. Lamont sported what he billed as the 21st century version of Scottish clan fashion; a black imitation leather Kilt.
For the uninitiated, dozens of ''clans'' or medieval families have individual plaid tartan designs which are used for kilts. After being outlawed in the 18th century, clan kilts, the ancient equivalent of club colors, reappeared legally in the 20th century.
Lamont did admit the quasi-leather kilt doesn't provide a great deal of protection in the event of an accident, but he adds, ''It's a fashion statement...and I'm proud to be a Scot.''
Lamont declined to answer if he sports boxers, briefs, or anything else under his kilt.
WYOMING CENTRAL ABATE, ROADSKILL
A REAL CROTCH-ROCKET
A 24mph go-ped which has had a jet engine fitted to it can now out perform a Ferrari by doing 200mph, but it can't be driven on the country's roads. British mechanic Lee Dennick has turned his machine into a mobile missile but a recent ban on go-peds being driven on England's roads isn't the only reason whey he can't take it out.
It also trails a three-foot shaft of flame behind it!
The $700 scooters are normally fitted with 23cc gas engines but Lee contacted Microjet Engineering of Haverhill, Suffolk, for an ''upgrade'' which came in the shape of a jet turbine with an after-burner - at cost of $7,000. Lee, 27, from Harrow, Middlesex, has so far only dared to ride it at 30 mph. He said: ''The performance is mind blowing. I don't think I will be brave enough to go 200 mph - maybe 70mph. I live at home with my parents so I can afford to spend my money on silly things like this.''
Microjet engineering which usually makes jet engines for the RAF, said they had to lengthen the scooter by a foot to make it long enough to take the engine. Lee will use his scooter on private tracks and hopes to show it off at the races.
Last week judges ruled that go-ped riders needed driving licenses and insurance to use them on public roads - in effect a ban because it is impossible to get insurance.
From STEVE GARCIA'S ''STUFF'', ABATE OF CALIFORNIA
INDIA BANS OLDER VEHICLES
The government of New Delhi, India has decided to ban the driving of commercial transport vehicles older than 12 years and two-wheelers (motorcycles) older than 15 years. It follows an earlier Supreme Court directive that removes buses older than eight years old and auto-rickshaws more than ten years old. Affirming his government's intention to control vehicular pollution, Transport Minister Parvez Hashmi added that a similar ''end of life'' restriction on private cars will soon follow.
VIETNAM TRAFFIC BECOMING MORE DEADLY
Riding on two wheels in Vietnam's chaotic traffic is an adventure that too often ends in death or serious injury. The number of accidents and fatalities has more than tripled over the past decade. People have taken advantage of rising living standards in one of the world's poorest countries to upgrade from bicycles to low-powered motorbikes - but riders flout traffic rules and shun helmets.
With police escorting his motorcade during a three-day visit that starts late Thursday, November 16, President Clinton will get a first-hand view of the wild streets of Hanoi. But he will help promote a campaign encouraging helmet use, part of a pet project by U.S. Ambassador Pete Peterson.
On the first Safe Kids Day on Monday, November 13, UNICEF handed out about 1,400 helmets to children at Hanoi's Nguyen Du elementary school.
Getting young people to use them in the heat and humidity has been a challenge. A new law requiring helmets on some major roads appears to have had little impact. Violators get only warnings from police.
Surviving Vietnam's roads requires a good horn, good brakes - and lots of good luck.
About 95 percent of the traffic is on two wheels, dominated by small motorbikes that are perfect to putt along at under 35 mph and roll up onto the sidewalk to park.
At least a few motorbikes or bicycles run every stoplight. People make left turns from the far right and vice versa. Youths weave dangerously through congestion, missing other vehicles by fractions of an inch. Many motorbikes have no mirrors, a favored target of thieves.
In 1990, 6,110 accidents with 2,268 deaths and 4,956 injuries were reported. Last year, Vietnam reported 21,538 accidents with 7,095 deaths and 21,538 injuries.
The government estimates Vietnam's 78 million people have 6 million motorbikes, with half a million more each year and few taken out of service. The country has about 400,000 cars.
By PAUL ALEXANDER, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (AP)
CANADIAN POLICE CRACK DOWN ON STREET RACING
Motorcycle street racing at night in Ottawa's Heron Park district has led this city's Transport Committee to recommend grooving the pavement to create ''rumble strips,'' which it's hoped will make the roads unnavigable by street racers. The grooved pavement would be tested on a different road and evaluated by police motorcyclists to determine whether the approach is safe enough to use.
CYCLE CANADA
JAPANESE POLICE TRY ''AUTOMATIC MOTORCYCLE CATCHER''
Faced with rising crime, Japanese police are turning to technology, as police in the southern prefecture of Fukuoka this month revealed their latest gizmo: an automatic motorcycle catcher.
Motorcycle gangs called bosozoku are the bane of Japanese police. These irreverent youths race recklessly through the streets with an unmuffled roar that disturbs the country's vaunted peace and quiet.
Arriving like Wile E. Coyote's latest package from Acme, the Motorcycle Arresting Device (that's MAD, if you missed it) is supposed to let police win this running cat-and-mouse game.
Other departments try to lure the cyclists to a roadblock and drop a net on them. But Fukuoka is trying a new approach with the purchase of 30 of the devices at $630 apiece.
The strategy is to get the motorcyclists to drive down one of several routes on which police have planted a series of MAD metallic boxes, which lie flat and look like metal plates on the pavement.
As a motorcycle races over a plate, the lid flips up after the front wheel has passed. That exposes an adhesive, which sticks to the motorcycle's rear tire. The adhesive is attached to a wire, which is hooked to a rope that is drawn onto the axle. That snarls the wheel and halts the forward progress of the bike--theoretically in a gradual manner so the rider is not thrown off.
''There's a lot of public outcry to catch these bikers,'' said Norio Kita, head of the biker gang task force of the Fukuoka police. ''We want to catch them, but we can't injure them. Maybe a slight injury is permissible, but if it led to a fatal injury, we'd be very concerned.''
In practice, the devices slowed the bikes so smoothly the riders simply got off and fled. ''Nobody was hurt,'' Kita said. ''When we did it in September, we caught one suspect and nine motorcycles.'' The other riders, he said, "ran away like spiders.''
The devices have turned out to be pretty labor intensive. Police have to corral the bikers, quickly lay down the contraptions and then chase the fleeing riders. But police are not deterred--they say the four cyclists they have caught in four months of using MAD have fingered other gang members.
And then there was the time the motorcyclists spotted the MAD plates and swerved at the last minute. The pursuing police car was not so agile: Its front wheels were snarled when the car screeched over the MAD plates.
Chalk it up as a great idea gone awry.
By DOUG STRUCK WASHINGTON POST FOREIGN SERVICE
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: ''The ground of Liberty is to be gained by inches and we must be contented to secure what we can get from time to time and eternally press forward for what is yet to get.'' THOMAS JEFFERSON
AND THAT'S ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS!
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