IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL RIDERS PARTICIPATE IN THIS CALL TO ACTION!
We need everyone’s participation in a Call To action.
NHTSA has issued an offer to Law Enforcement agencies to conduct Motorcycle Only Safety Checkpoints (MOSC’s) This program was piloted in the State of New York and we have gotten reports that there have been motorcycles confiscated by the NY DMV during these stops. One case we heard was where the owner went to court and won. The judge ordered the immediate return of the motorcycle, but NY DMV filed a suit against the judge citing that they weren’t sure that they guy was innocent yet, even though a jury found him innocent of altering the VIN numbers. Now this program is in Ohio and California.
The US Defenders and C.O.I.R. have issued a Call to Action to all units and are asking for everyone’s participation whether you are a member or not. We need everyone to either write hard copy letters, send emails or make phone calls to your Congressman, Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, and David Strickland, head of NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Please read the sample letters, and use what you need. We strongly encourage everyone to write their own letters, but you can edit these and sign you name to them.
After finding the correct person to contact, you may use one of the samples below to make your letter writing easier and faster to create.
1) LINKS TO FIND YOUR CONGRESSPERSON:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
http://www.house.gov/zip/ZIP2Rep.html
http://whoismyrepresentative.com/
2) SAMPLE LETTERS FOR YOUR USE:
DATE:
To: the Honorable Congressman (Reps name)
From: (Mr./Mrs./Ms)(Full Name, not road name)
Dear Representative ( name),
There have been some recent events that have come to light about Motorcycle Only Safety Checkpoints (MOSC’s). This project is headed up by NHTSA, which is dolling out federal grant money to law enforcement agencies (up to five) for these “Safety Checkpoints” which resemble the old weigh stations for commercial vehicles.
As you know, motorcycles are not commercial vehicles, and I find this to be extremely discriminatory and make a mockery of anti-profiling laws that were passed.
Representative James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin has introduced H. R. 1498 supporting efforts to retain a ban on NHTSA’s lobbying of States by withholding federal Highway funds for failing to pass a mandatory helmet law. He has also written a letter to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation urging them to suspend NHTSA’s DTNH22-10-R-00386 program until the concerns of motorcyclist are addressed.
Please support his letter or write one of your own asking the same.
This program was piloted in the state of New York, and is now in Ohio and California. There have been documented cases where the NY DMV confiscated motorcycles because their so-called experts said that the VIN numbers had been altered. One case in particular, went to trial and the judge issued an order to release the motorcycle to him because of the jury’s findings, and the NY DMV filed a suit against the judge. Therefore, this mans property is still being withheld.
In another NY case, two motorcycles were confiscated and sold at auction without notifying the owner, and when he (the owner) called to find out when his court case was coming up, then he was notified. He has now filed suit against NY DMV.
As a concerned US Citizen and registered voter, I cannot abide by this type of enforcement. It seems to me that Federal Tax Dollars would serve the public better by spending it on awareness and education of how to best prevent crashes. There is a study going on right now at the University of Oklahoma that could put that money to good use.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I await your response.
Respectfully,
(Signature in blue ink)
(Full Name not road name)
(Street address)
(City/state/zip)
(Phone number)
(Optional email)
(Optional voter number)
————————
Sample Letter 2
DATE:
US Secretary of Transportation
Ray LaHood
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20590
Sir,
I am writing you to request immediate suspension of the Motorcycle Law Enforcement Demonstrations Grant (DTNH22-10-R-00386). Speaking to you as a long time motorcyclist who rides every day, an advocate for personal freedoms, voter and defender of the Constitution, honestly I find these grants for “Motorcycle Only Safety Stops” to be discriminatory to say the least.
The statistics prove that motorcycle safety and awareness, in conjunction with riders training programs across the country have a far greater impact in reducing injuries and fatalities .The funding the government has set aside would be much better spent in motorist awareness and causation studies, such as the one being conducted right now in Oklahoma.
In Texas, the latest statistics from the Texas Department of Public Safety show a reduction in motorcycle deaths in 2009 by twenty percent. A direct result of our extensive state wide “Share the Road” campaign initiated in 2008. While the number of registered motorcyclists in Texas continues to go up, the number of deaths without helmet use has been reduced from 301 in 2008, to 264 in 2009. Reducing injuries on two wheels is not about helmet use, and we definitely support each states right to determine their own helmet policies.
Sir, it is very clear that singling out motorcyclists for safety stops, equipment checks and law enforcement lectures, does nothing to reduce accidents on motorcycles. The smart approach would be to prevent the accidents from happening in the first place.
The Motorcycle Law Enforcement Demonstrations Grant is an unwarranted use of taxpayer funding that would only allow discriminatory action against motorcyclists. Please suspend the grant offering immediately. I would appreciate a prompt response from you regarding this issue.
Respectfully,
(Signature in blue ink)
(Full Name, Not road name)
(Address)
(Phone number)
(Optional Voter ID number)
(Optional Email)
——————————
Sample Letter 3
Date:
NHTSA – National Highway Administrator
The Honorable Mr. David Strickland
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE
Washington DC, 20590
202.366. 4000
Dear Mr. Strickland,
Like hundreds of thousands of other freedom loving bikers in the State
of Texas, and the millions of us riding free in America, I have grown
very tired of being considered somehow to be a second-class citizen when in fact I vote, work, and pay taxes like millions of other hardworking Americans; both bikers, and non-bikers alike.
As voting taxpayers, patriots, veterans, entrepreneurial large and small
business owners, professors, teachers, attorneys, physicians,
dockworkers, truckers, and retirees, etc., both statewide, and
nationwide, we have been mobilized by the “US Defender” program to
engage in protecting our God-given and hard-earned rights as freedom
loving bikers. And thus please note that we are indeed a very, very
large viable block of politically aware and active members of everyday
American, and Texan society.
Today we are very concerned about any and all laws that may be enacted which hinder our rights to ride free, enjoy, and choose to pursue our love of riding whether it is as members of the hundreds of various motorcycle clubs, motorcycle ministries, or as independent riders.
Throughout the United States, and certainly Texas, we as bikers are
under attack legislatively across the board in efforts to diminish our
biking rights.
So today I am petitioning you to please reconsider your position on
mandatory helmet laws across this nation. I do not support such a law,
and neither will I support any legislator at any level who embraces, or
endorses any such helmet law. And I will do my best to see that any
legislator who does so does not remain in office for long.
(Signature in blue ink)
(Full Name-not road name)
(Address)
(Phone Number)
(Optional email)
(Optional voter ID number)
******************************************************************************
We (U.S. Defenders/C.O.I.R.) need copies of your letter for proof if we have to talk to these people. If you don’t know who your closest Unit Commander is, you can find that information on the usdefenders.org website. Copies of emails and letters can also be sent in an email, or scanned as an email attachment and sent to SpiritRider at snowman41279@yahoo.com or Poni at 1Poni@sbcglobal.net.
We cannot allow the continuation of the trampling on our Constitutional rights. This is an outright discriminatory act that must be stopped. A few members of Congress agree. A letter from Congress was sent by James Sensenbrenner from Wisconsin to Ray Lahood asking him to suspend NHTSA’s program until the concerns of motorcyclists were addressed by Oct 13, 2010.
The only Rep from Texas to sign on it was Ron Paul out of Houston,TX.
If Ron Paul is your Rep, then please send him a Thank You letter.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Respect,
~Suds, Nat’l Commander US Defenders/COIR Division
Poni's Stable 