Passes & Canyons Blog

ABATE of Colorado State Representative Bruce Downs testifies at the state capitol.

I was going to put up another Examiner Resurrection about efforts by a few Congress members to put a damper on the then-new practice of setting up motorcycle-only checkpoints.

I thought that post would be worth resurrecting (Examiner.com died a couple years ago) because this is an issue we are still dealing with today. The point here, in case you are new to the subject or need a memory prod, is that law enforcement agencies sometimes set up checkpoints to look for a variety of issues: seat belt use, valid driver’s license, whatever.

The problem with motorcycle-only checkpoints is that they single us out, and for no justifiable reason. You want to check for valid driver’s license? Fine, stop everyone and check everyone. But don’t stop only motorcyclists.

I decided instead to tie this in with last week’s post about the Demise of District 10. The point being, these kind of policies go unchallenged if you don’t have people active in groups such as ABATE and the American Motorcyclist Association fighting them.

Just a few days ago I read a piece about how the American commitment to democracy seems to be fading as fewer and fewer people find themselves personally involved in associations. Years ago, it said, this country was sometimes called a “nation of presidents.” The meaning is that if you were a farmer you belonged to a co-op, and the co-op had officers and members voted on issues of concern. If you worked in a factory you belonged to the union and the union had officers and the members voted on issues of concern.

Cooperative groups like this flourished throughout society, to the point that everyone lived and practiced democracy and many, many people served as the officers of these groups: a nation of presidents.

This sort of participatory democracy has diminished. And it affects us as motorcyclists. District 10 of ABATE of Colorado died because there were not enough people who felt it worth their time to get involved. But really, is it not worth your time? How do you feel about motorcycle-only checkpoints? How do you feel about future infrastructure projects not taking motorcyclists into consideration in their planning? How do you feel about HOV lanes–which federal law says must be free to motorcycles–slapping you with a fee and fine for using them without a transponder?

These issues and many more are addressed by a very small percentage of riders–those of us willing to take our time to stand up for those who ride.

So back to the Examiner post I was going to run. The gist is in the lead sentence, “Laying it on the line, 11 Congressmen today questioned a grant program that provides money for law enforcement agencies to set up motorcycle-only traffic checkpoints and called on U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to suspend it.”

While we have made progress on this issue, we’re still fighting it. How much more effective might our efforts be if more of our fellow riders stepped up and offered their support, contacting their elected representatives to voice their concerns.

At the very least, lend your support via numbers. The more members the AMA has the more impact they are able to have. Here are three groups you might want to consider joining.
American Motorcyclist Association
Motorcycle Riders Foundation
ABATE of Colorado

Biker Quote for Today

And God said “Let there be bikers” and the Devil ran like hell.

Again, I didn’t know where I was headed. I’ll just have to find out.

Friday was nice so I needed to ride. I headed southeast on Parker Road. And I kept going.

By the time I reached Franktown I had a thought in mind. I would head over through Castle Rock, on over to U.S. 85 coming down from Sedalia. Then I’d turn up Happy Canyon Road and who knows where from there.

But as I cruised along I thought about Daniels Park Road. I’ve been up there numerous times and it was gravel north of the park. But I had read a while ago that they had paved that stretch of Daniels Park Road, so here was something new for me to explore. Decision made.

Turning off 85 onto Daniels Park Road it wasn’t long before I found myself coming up on a car that was stopped right in the road. What’s up? As I slowed down and drew near I saw the situation. There were three wild turkeys feeding almost right on the road on the left. The guy in the car had stopped to look at them, and who knows, shoot a few photos. He continued on when I came up behind him.

Then maybe just 100 feet further on I spotted a flock of about 12-15 more turkeys off on the right side of the road. Then a quarter mile further there were a bunch of deer lounging on the hillside next to the road. Who knew this was a nature preserve? Actually, I bet anyone who lives out there and tries to have a garden knows all too well. I live in the city and I have trouble with deer trashing my garden. These folks would have that problem in spades.

So I got on up to the park and immediately missed my left turn so I went just a little further and took advantage of a roundabout to make a U-turn. You know what’s amazing about this Rever map I’m embedding in this post? If you zoom in you can go all the way down and see my trip around that roundabout. GPS is amazing.

I got back on my intended route and quickly saw the changes since they paved, and it was not what I expected. For one thing, much of the newly paved stretch is one-lane divided. The northbound lane veers away to the right while the southbound lane veers away to the left. And man have they put up the fences. The whole stretch of road is flanked with what I think are commonly referred to as split-rail fences, except that instead of split rails they used round fence posts. And they put them in between the traffic lanes as well.

And then beyond those the whole area was lined with new six-foot wire fences, like someone wants really badly to keep deer or livestock off the road.

But then I got out of the park and hit Grigs Road, a T-intersection. To the right the road was paved but to the left–the way I wanted to go–it turns out it is still gravel.

Fortunately, I was on the CB750 and that old bike is a do anything, go anywhere sort of bike. Mostly the road was fine, though in places a bit dicey. I just took it slowly.

I got into the Highlands Ranch area, hooked up with Quebec, and headed north for home. Another nice November ride. And oh yeah, I had my winter gear on. It’s chilly out there most days now.

Biker Quote for Today

You’re a biker wannabe if you never ride to work.

My ABATE D-10 patch.

District 10 of ABATE of Colorado is no more. This is the district I have been part of since I joined. I am now part of District 17.

It’s a sad situation. When I joined ABATE and District 10, D-10 was the largest, most active district in the state. What happened?

As usual, even though I was right there I was out of the loop. I’m never on the grapevine, never in touch with undercurrents. This is how it has been my whole life. I’m not sure why.

So I asked about this at the D-10 meeting in September. Why did membership drop off so precipitously?

The story, at least what I get from the folks who stayed with D-10, is that many of the old group were wedded to the Frontier Club, out on East Colfax, where we used to meet. Coming to ABATE on Sunday morning was just an opportunity to get an early start on Sunday’s drinking.

Meanwhile, there were other members who were uncomfortable with meeting at a bar, and drinking early in the day, when we were supposedly an organization that promoted responsible riding. There were enough of these to vote to move the meetings to a different place and the other folks stayed behind.

Again, this is what I get from the folks who stayed with D-10. If anyone from the other group wants to fill me in on their perspective, please do.

Additionally, there were conflicts about use of money raised through fund-raising efforts. When I joined ABATE, Randy Savely was the state rep for D-10. Randy had lost a leg when a car turned in front of him, and the Randy Ride had been created to raise money for other riders who had been hurt.

Now, the Randy Run was an ABATE function and so ABATE’s rules needed to apply to the money it raised. But, I am told, the core group focused on the Randy Run felt they should be able to use that money as they saw fit. Obviously this led to conflict and that group decided to go off on its own, taking the Randy Run with them.

And so D-10 shrank to where at most meetings there would be six people. The district had six officers so every one of us was an officer and at every meeting it was the same group of faces. More importantly, there were only those six to organize and carry off any events we chose to host. That’s a lot of work for just a few people. And to be honest, I was generally not one of those doing the work. I’ve never gotten into doing the grunt work, opting instead to do my part helping publicize the events the rest of them organized.

So when it came to vote on Sunday whether to fold the district or not, I was prepared to abstain because I felt they were the ones really carrying the load, who am I to vote to keep the district going for them to do the work? But the vote, without me, was 4 in favor of folding, with one abstention, so I added my vote to fold.

The upside is that I’ll be meeting new people and there are three districts in the state that are going to receive new members who are known to be active. That can only be a good thing for them. It will be interesting. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Biker Quote for Today

Teach your kids to count bikes on car journeys and they will automatically see us when they start to drive.

You know I love exploring. Sunday was gorgeous so I got on the V-Strom to go enjoy it.

I didn’t know where I was going, and it gets tougher and tougher to figure out new places to go. I just headed south on DTC Boulevard.

I got to Orchard and thought about how I generally don’t go east on that road, so why not? Past Havana it gets into a neighborhood but comes out at Peoria, where you’re looking at Cherry Creek State Park. Go south.

Crossing Arapahoe and continuing south Peoria passes Arapahoe County Airport, bends east, and becomes Broncos Parkway. Sure I’ve been on this road before but not recently. And then when Broncos Parkway hits Parker Road, what then?

Well, at Parker Road, to keep going east means going into the Chenango development. Local streets. But I wondered, does it go through somehow and eventually end up at Smoky Hill Road? Time to find out. (The short answer is yes; the long answer follows.)

To say this road twists around a lot is an understatement. First it’s Jamison Avenue but then it bends south and you end up on Long Avenue. Wind and twist and twist and wind and after some time you end up at Ireland Way. This finally takes you out of Chenango and across E-470. I was a little turned around and thought I was heading east but the map tells me I was going more south-southeast.

Nothing to do but keep going, keep exploring and after heading a good way south I came upon Inspiration Drive. I’ve never heard of Inspiration Drive. Let’s go left, which I see for sure now is due east.

Inspiration Drive hits a T at Piney Lake Road, where I turned left–north. After hitting County Line Road it becomes Powhaton Road and pretty soon, sure enough, there’s Smoky Hill. So then it was just up Smoky Hill to Parker Road, to I-225, and home.

I knew I’d hit on some new roads when I got to all these unfamiliar streets. Also, as is often the case when I got exploring like this, I found myself several times on the edge of civilization. That is, there were large areas currently being bulldozed in preparation for new homes and schools and stores. Come back in a year and you won’t recognize the place.

Hey, did you have something better to do on this beautiful Indian summer day? I sure didn’t.

Biker Quote for Today

Weekend forecast: Motorcycle things with no chance of house cleaning or cooking.

I’d guess the pipes on this custom bike are not quiet.

After I put up that latest Examiner Resurrection piece I got to wondering if these anti-noise groups have perhaps gotten their facts a bit more in line since that was published in 2010. So I’ve been perusing their websites to see.

First I visited the NoiseOFF site. Recall that back then this group was accusing the various motorcycle rights organizations (MROs) of lobbying “to defeat motorcycle noise legislation.”

So has NoiseOFF gotten their facts a bit more in line? Read this:

Some riders join motorcycle rights organizations (MROs) that lobby against motorcycle noise legislation. These organizations include the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, and American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). In many cities and states, there are groups that call itself ABATE.

Also:

The AMA compromises (compromises? I think they mean comprises>) over 300,000 members and more than 1,200 chartered clubs, with corporate representation from the motorcycle industry. Through sponsored events and organized campaigns, they mobilize their membership to lobby to defeat motorcycle noise legislation.

So no, NoiseOFF still has their FactsOFF.

Also of note, their web page also contained this:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) analyzes and reports on motorcycle accident data statistics and acts as a clearinghouse on motorcycle safety.

In their 2007 published report, ‘Fatal Two-Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes’ (DOT HS 810 834), motorcyclists were found to be overwhelmingly responsible for causing accidents with passenger vehicles. In nearly three-fourths of the two-vehicle motorcycle crashes involving passenger vehicles, the role of the motorcycle was recorded as the striking vehicle. Additionally, factors including alcohol impairment, invalid license, and speeding were more attributed to motorcycle riders.

Wow. I think they misread the stats. Other studies have shown that it is predominantly the car driver who is at fault. Yes, the bike may strike the car, but that is almost always because the car turned in front of the bike. I’m all in favor of keeping noise under control but these people need to get their facts straight.

What about Noise Free America? Back in 2010 they were saying that “In reality, the Sturgis event is probably the largest concentration ever of lawbreakers. And Mike Rounds, the governor of South Dakota, gave aid and comfort to this massive lawbreaking.”

Frankly, they’re probably right about that. While I don’t find this statement on their site anymore, they do present a much more factual look at the nature of motorcycle noise and enforcement efforts. They look at what the legislation is, how enforcement is generally ineffective, and at what might be done to address that ineffectiveness. Mostly they call for enforcement of existing laws.

I agree. That’s what I said in 2010. But don’t just focus on motorcycles. As I said then, “If noise of any kind is a problem, pass laws that limit the noise regardless of the source. And then enforce those laws.”

I guess nothing has changed in the interim.

Biker Quote for Today

Good girls go to heaven. Bad girls go to Sturgis.

Motorcycle noise is a legitimate issue, but let’s separate the fact from the ignorance.

Will the Governator veto the California bill requiring EPA seals on motorcycle exhausts? (This Examiner post is from eight years ago, so there have been some changes.) That’s one of the biggest questions on many people’s minds at the moment. That it should be an issue at all is a demonstration of ignorance. Let’s start with a recap.

Truth
Some motorcycles make too much noise. Admit it, it’s a fact. Also, some cars and trucks and airplanes and trains and other vehicles make too much noise. This is true as well.

So the California legislature decided to copy what has been done in several other jurisdictions in recent years, notably Denver, and has passed legislation requiring all motorcycle mufflers to carry the Environmental Protection Agency stamp that certifies it does not exceed noise standards. Thus the waiting to see what Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is a motorcyclist himself, will do.

The ignorance comes in where the proponents of the bill think it will solve the problem. It won’t, and Denver again serves as a good example. In a recent CBS News article it was reported that “just 37 tickets were issued in 2007, the law’s first year. In 2008, just 4 tickets, and last year 5 tickets. So far this year, no tickets have been issued.”

It’s a matter of practicality. Generally the stamps on the mufflers are in obscure, out-of-the-way places where a police officer would have to get down on hands and knees, or perhaps lay on the his back on the ground, to spot. It’s just not very likely to happen. Plus, OEM mufflers carrying the EPA stamps are not always available for older bikes, and even if they are, why should a biker be subject to ticketing for not having a stamp if the noise the bike makes is not excessive?

In the meantime, laws like this are not needed. Laws already exist limiting noise. All that is really necessary is to enforce the laws already passed, and this is regardless of whether the source of the noise is a motorcycle, a truck, a lawn mower, or anything else. The problem with the California law and others is that they unfairly target motorcycles.

Ignorance
While controlling noise levels is a valid endeavor for cities and other jurisdictions, the people promoting this agenda have been going off the deep end of late, and they often don’t worry about getting facts straight.

For instance, on the site for NoiseOFF – The Coalition Against Noise Pollution, they offer this bit of misinformation:

Some riders join motorcycle rights organizations (MROs) that lobby against motorcycle noise legislation. These organizations include the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, and American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). . . . The AMA compromises (sic) over 300,000 members and more than 1,200 chartered clubs, with corporate representation from the motorcycle industry. Through sponsored events and organized campaigns, they mobilize their membership to lobby to defeat motorcycle noise legislation.

First off, the MRF is only involved in national lobbying and they don’t get involved in local issues. As for the AMA, all you need to do is check their site and you’ll learn that they routinely urge riders to be conscientious with noise, and that what the AMA does oppose is . . . drumroll . . . legislation that unfairly targets motorcycles.

Then of course there is Noise Free America, which recently had this to say about the Sturgis motorcycle rally and South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds:

In reality, the Sturgis event is probably the largest concentration ever of lawbreakers. And Mike Rounds, the governor of South Dakota, gave aid and comfort to this massive lawbreaking.

Is it really that hard to understand? If noise of any kind is a problem, pass laws that limit the noise regardless of the source. And then enforce those laws. Quit singling out motorcycles. The sleeper whose slumber is disturbed doesn’t care what caused the noise, they just want the noise stopped. And that includes sleeping motorcyclists.

Biker Quote for Today

The bike started up–better rev the engine a dozen times to make sure.