The Republic Of Texas Rally (ROT) in Austin, Texas debuted today June 9, 2011 and will last all weekend. The epicenter of the event is at the Travis County Expo, east of the city but spreads all over the Austin area.
This year, a big warning by the Austin Police Department, It will be a “non refusal” weekend, meaning that Police officers can obtain a court order to take a blood sample on the spot if they suspect a driver is intoxicated. APD officers are working with rally organizers to make sure participants know drinking and driving won’t be tolerated. The no refusal initiative runs between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Thousands of bikes will make the trek from Travis County Expo Center to Congress Avenue Friday night, causing some traffic tie ups and downtown closures. Congress Avenue will be closed from 6 p.m. Friday until 3 a.m. Saturday from Cesar Chavez to 11th Street. Sixth Street will have its regular Friday and Saturday night closures, but they may happen earlier than normal depending on the size of the crowd.
Don”t Mess With TEXAS !!!!
SSDD; David
No point in bothering to drink anything if you’re going to be at an event that has a small army of police there.
Austin is becoming like too many other rally cities, too many heavy handed public officials. Guess they all have forgotten who they work for. Austin a police state?? Makes ya wonder.
Not having to worry about being killed by some drunken jackass is a bad thing now?
All the more reason to go.
after seeing the massive amounts of unfriendly police force in and around laughlin during bike week. i quit going. they don’t want to play nice. so they don’t want my money.
looks like austin is going to be just like them. they ruin any good time when they go from police to storm troopers.
Austin becoming a Police State and the rally has become a 4 Wheeler Rally as much as a Bike Rally. Save your coins.
Geez…Commandos and Commandas,
When is having fun without being excessively rowdy in public and, moreover, having a drunken bro/sister driver take their life or yours and your loved ones an issue? Try the same thing at home and see where it gets you quickly if your ol lady or ol man doesn’t whup your ass first and make you drink your Billy Beer at home.
You know the rules, abide by them and one has no issues. This is sort of like MB…bitch bitch bitch and whine whine whine.
The ROT is one of the best! Go, enjoy and stay out of trouble.. Respect your fellow riders and John Q. Public.
Boss Hawg
Further note….stop by to see Jeff & Conrad Nicklus with their Desperado Motorcycles display….they will assist you with not getting drunk & stupid acting….NOT!
Boss Hawg
I’ve had enough of the Police State to last the rest of my life. I won’t go to ROT or Laughlin again. When drinking ONE drink makes you drunk, legally, not really (and at .008 it does for many people) we need to change the rules. Typical over reaction.
Boss Hawg, your sheepish answer above is typical BS. Just because the government makes a rule does not make it right. Ask our founding fathers who over threw the government because of oppresive rules. Now you can’t even ride your bicycle without getting a DUI.
Ya know the solution to this particular problem? DON”T DRINK ‘an DRIVE, DIPSHIT!! YEEZE, Can’t have a good time without yer Booze, BULLSHIT!! I’ll show ya how! I’m one Crazy muthaf*cka, ‘an I don’t need nuthin’ ta do it with!! Wiz P.S. By the way, brings back allotta good memories seein’ shots of Sixth street!
I don’t understand what the issue is here, the police in Texas can’t already stop people that they suspect of operating while intoxicated? Here in Wisconsin, if you get stopped the police have the option of a blood, breath, or urine test. (In my brief LE career, I never opted for the urine option…)
Unless this is changing the reasonable suspicion or probable cause standards, this is kind of a non-story.
*** Cade
Jun 10th, 2011 at 6:30 am
Austin becoming a Police State and the rally has become a 4 Wheeler Rally as much as a Bike Rally. Save your coins
More like in this order: LOL
– Golf cart
– 4 wheeler
– mini scooter
– BIKE’S at a BIKE RALLY
Brother T,
Based upon what has gone on recently in the Supreme Court, this is changing the reasonable suspicion or probable cause standards.
Mike
Bring more pot and drink less. Save a life. Oh wait, Texas is a 0 tollerant state.
I’m all for curbing drunk driving, but it does not require a small army of blue jackboots. Too many cities seem content to slit throats and burn revenue streams.
Good news is the Doobie Brothers are playing. That should be fun!
For once I have to agree with Warrior Poet ….. all the more reason to come to Austin! Drink all you want at the event and NO ONE will screw with you …. just don’t ride your scooter off of the grounds after driking all you want and you will be fine!
FYI: There is a bunch of people here …. maybe the largest crowd I have seen here in many years!
Come on out and see us!
Over & Out,
Jeff
Beer now cheaper than gas, drink…DONT drive!
RF
The “good old days” are long gone, face it we have to be “made” responsible for ourselves & everyone in sight ! p.s. [cabs are dirt cheap]
@ TRexSG..nothing sheepish…our founding forefathers didn’t drink an drive. Hell I enjoy a beer and a rum & coke as much as the next person, but you do know the game and they have even broadcast the rules as a firm reminder.
Just don’t drink and ride.
Boss Hawg
everyone seems to be all high and mighty on their dont drink and ride pedestal BUT did anyone catch the part about being FORCED to give a blood sample?? “no refusal initiative”
anyone here remember the 4th amendment?
Texas has been doing the “no refusal Weekends” on all three day holidays for several years now. Legally speaking they are in breach of the 4th amendment and some no refusal DUI cases are being challenged in theTexas Supreme Court System.
If operating a motor vehicle is not a right, but a privilege, then tell us facts…not opinions…of cases where “non refusal” violates the 4th amendment when you are pulled with probable cause and suspected of DUI.
Most riders cannot ride in a straight line within the speed limits, much less safely after a couple of alcoholic beverages…vroom vroom vroom…just look at statistics. You keyboard commandos crack me up….the Austin PD issues public warnings along with the days and hours they are going to enforce and most are still dumb enough to drink, drive, speed, rev the motor, get caught, challenge and waste your damn money and time.
Physically hurt me (and let me survive) or any my family members for that matter while you are legally drunk (or on a damn cell phone) and you might as well give your soul to GOD because your ass is grass and I will ensure that it is mowed in a manner that you will not like. Yes I do believe in the law of an “eye for an eye” and a “tooth for a tooth”. Screen save that if you like!
Drink up, rev the motor, speed, ride and enjoy.
Boss Hawg
Boss Hawg,
Now you went and done it …. Warrior Poet will be pissed off at you now! Damn the luck!
Over & Out,
Jeff
Jeff,
You personally know me well enough to not ask if I give a damn…wink wink. To the contrary though, I think Warrior Poet may just chime in with the affirmative here. “Not having to worry about being killed by some drunken jackass is a bad thing now? All the more reason to go.”
In my not so humble opinions, Mike Greenwald and David Wesley should be the ones to expand with their legalistic profound knowledge, infinite wisdom and documented case studies regarding the 4th amendment and the Austin PD non-refusal for those that just can’t have fun without legally being drunk and riding without being stopped by the Austin PD for suspected DUI and what they should do in the unfortunate event they cross with the Austin PD or another non-refusal for the record. Just saying.
Hope all went well at the ROT for you and Conrad and that you made some great sales while having fun, too. Off to the funny farm I now must go.
Boss Hawg
Traditionally, Austin has been wornderful and very welcoming to the biker community. Sputnik (RIP) and TMRA did a great job of getting the Texas legislature to understand the biker community and biker issues.
If the police in Austin don’t abuse this, and i don’t think they will, shouldn’t be a big issue.
Come to the ROT sometime and have a great time. That can be done responsibly.
-Darryl
DUI Laws ain’t about protecting the public. Follow the money. There are a ton of prosecutors, judges, jails, deputies, and courthouse budgets absolutely depending on a constant flow of DUI arrests.
Hey, if DUI is such a heinous crime, why do I see billboards, TV commercials and Nascar stock cars telling me to drink up (but please do so responsibly).
It would seem we either live in one schizophrenic society, or something has to go.
No doubt – you should not drive drunk – but look who gets to define “drunk”.
As fart as police not abusing the DUI laws – I’ll get back to you when I laugh down.