Quote of the Month
A patriot must always be prepared to protect his country from his government.
—Edward Abbey
Sturgis Numbers Down, Arrests Steady
According to police figures, although the numbers at Sturgis this year are down 40 percent compared to last year’s 75th Anniversary figures, according to a number of indicators, total arrests and citations remained steady compared to last year.
Fortunately, traffic fatalities were were dramatically lower, a total of three people were killed during the event, compared to 15 in 2015.
The total number of citations was slightly up, the Highway patrol reports a little over 1,400 citations this year, with closer to 1,200 last year. Explanations are few, but perhaps having more time on their hands, with the smaller crowds, allowed officers more opportunities. BYW, DUIs were down while misdemeanor drug busts were up. Felony drug arrests were down however, 80 in 2015, only 50 this year.
Sturgis remains a target-rich environment for the law enforcers, cash seizures by police decreased from $22,863 last year to a measly $15,997 this year, but with the reduced attendance, the toll seems right on track. Source: Capital Journal
Harley-Davidson Victim of Government Extortion over “Race Tuners”
The Department of Justice is trumpeting its recent success against Harley-Davidson over “Race Tuners,” devices designed to increase performance, which are accused of increasing pollutants. The company was fined $12 million and has to pay an additional $3 mil to “mitigate air pollution through a project to replace conventional woodstoves with cleaner-burning stoves in local communities.”
The government alleged that Harley sold 340,000 of these tuners, and additionally sold more than 12,000 motorcycles that were not covered by an EPA certification. The Assistant Attorney General, John C. Cruden stated that Harley-Davidson was singled out due to the company’s prominence in the industry, continuing, “Anyone else who manufactures, sells, or installs these types of illegal products should take heed of Harley-Davidson’s corrective actions and immediately stop violating the law.”
The action requires the Motor Company to buy back all of the offending tuners in stock at its dealers and destroy them. It requires H-D to obtain California Air Resources Board Certification (CARB) on any future tuners it produces. Source: Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs
Red Light Relief in Pennsylvania
A so-called Ride On Red Law will take effect in Pennsylvania starting September 18, 2016. Riders have long endured poorly designed traffic devices which fail to detect the smaller magnetic signature of a motorcycle compared to a car, and consequently find themselves stuck at red lights until an automobile happens by to trip the signal.
Now riders confronted with a non-functioning signal can, after a reasonable period of waiting, look both ways and proceed is the intersection is clear. The bill was introduced by Rep. Stephen Bloom on behest of ABATE in the state.
This is welcome news for motorcyclists in the state, as a red light ticket in Pennsylvania is a three-point violation, and the consequences for motorcyclists are onerous, both in insurance increases, as well as the associated fines.
Pennsylvania joins six other states with similar laws, leaving 44 states to go. Source: The Morning Call
Lane-Sharing Now Legal in California
It will come as a surprise to all of our California brethren, but the California legislature has succeeded in getting the governor to affix his signature to a bill that officially legalizes lane sharing by motorcyclists in the state. We talked about this a few times in the past, but it became official with Governor Brown’s signature, on August 21.
The bill doesn’t change much, since motorcyclists in the state have been free to ride between lines of traffic pretty near forever. Under the new law now the CHP is granted the task of concocting guidelines for safe lane filtering, which it had been prevented from doing after a lawsuit was filed questioning their legal authority to do so.
The law, though largely unnecessary, was supported by motorcyclist rights groups in the state to help activists in other states considering legalizing the practice. Nevada, Georgia, Washington, Oregon and Texas have all considered allowing lane sharing in some form over the the last two years. Source: The American Motorcyclist, publication of the American Motorcyclist Association.
Oklahoma Law Mandates Motorcyclist Training
Starting August 26, new riders under 18 in Oklahoma will be required to complete a certified rider safety course before they will receive their endorsement. The bill was authored by Rep. Chuck Hoskin, and was signed by the governor.
Previously, riders 16 or 17 could opt to either complete the training, or simply take a written and a riding skills test. Now they must complete the course in advance. Riders 18 and over retain the first option.
The bill was supported by ABATE of Oklahoma. The course costs about $240 and is offered by 17 schools across the state. Source: The Times of Pryor Creek
Feds Put Brakes on Private Prisons
While a tiny first step, The Justice Department has announced that they will begin phasing out the use of private prisons, acknowledging that they are less safe, don’t provide adequate rehabilitation services, and don’t even provide significant cost savings.
Private prisons are a consequence of the war on drugs. Tough sentencing laws fueled an rapid expansion in incarcerations, and building more prisons was seen as the the answer to housing them all. It is widely known that these prisons managed by private corporations strive to warehouse people as cheaply as possible, while maximizing profits.
However, despite what appears on the surface to be good news, relief will be limited. Only 30,000 of the estimated 195,000 prisoners in the US housed in federal prisons are expected to be impacted. Meanwhile, the majority of inmates are incarcerated in state facilities, not federal, which are not affected.
Last year the biggest operator of private for profit prisons, Corrections Corporation of America generated $1.8 billion in revenues. Source: CNN Money, Fortune