State and local governments have begun to implement motorcycle-only checkpoints that unfairly target motorcyclists for inspection by law enforcement officers. Many of these motorcycle-only checkpoints are funded by grants given by the federal government, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
This petition calls for the cessation of the NHTSA’s direct and indirect funding of the motorcycle-only checkpoints through its grants and other measures, and asks that the laws for vehicle conformity and passenger safety be applied equally to motorcycles and automobiles alike.
Implemented under the guise of operating for the public’s safety, states like New York have been able to target motorcyclists at checkpoints for vehicle and passenger inspection, even when the motorcyclists have broken no apparent laws. Please Click HERE To Sign The Petition.
I just signed.
I signed it, but a little confused by the wording of the petition. Instead of just pointing out that motorcycle only checkpoints violates the 14th amendments guarantee of equal protection and ask for the cessation of the practice…why does the author ask that laws for vehicle conformity and passenger safety apply equally to motorcycles and automobiles alike? That sounds to me like motorcycles would need 5mph bumpers, seat belts, air bags, etc…
I am signing it, this is getting too ridiculous.
Abolish the DOOT, NHTSA,,
I signed but I don’t expect it to meet the new 100k threshold the WH implemented unless this one was started before that implementation and is 25k. The checkpoints are clearly wrong on every level and need to go away.
“…the majority of current motorcycle-only checkpoints are funded by the federal government, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).” I’m curious, why would NHTSA feel compelled to do such checkpoints? And how would NHTSA know about things like non-DOT helmets, missing turn signals, no chain guards, etc.? Could it be that insurance companies are telling them about these safety concerns, and encouraging the funding to be issued to the states for such purposes? It would not surprise me if those nice insurance companies, with their cute commercials and respectable spokspersons, are the ones behind the curtain on this. All the while, competing hard against each other to attract motorcyclists for their business, by sponsoring events, having custome builders build cool show bikes with the insuraqnce companies’ names on them (and ironically, such bikes would not pass those same checkpoint requirements, I think its the insurance companies at work here, using our own policy dollars against us.
Great….signed!
@Bob Walker-
Well said. I agree wholeheartedly.
Bob Walker,
Yeah but, no. It is compliance through harassment. Senator Frank Lautenberg controls the funding of NHTSA. He (and others) had a problem with motorcyclists winning 40 plus years ago. At that time, the issue involved government blackmail.
Mike
The checkpoints are conducted by state and local authorities. Yes, the funding may come from the feds, but keep your eye on the prize. You can rail against the NHTSA all day long, but it isn’t federal officials on the side of the road that are digging through your saddle bags.
I was stopped for a motorcycle only in Ga. Showed them the license, insurance and registration. The Trooper was polite, professional and said have a safe ride. I thanked him put Road King in gear and road on. No big thing.
@dmj
Sir, I submit that you are part of the problem, not part of the solution.
Jim
dmj,
When you were stopped in Georgia, what did your license, insurance and registration have to do with “safety”?
Mike
+Jensen’s petition attacks on funding grounds, whereas another created January 1st attacks on constitutional grounds.
Here’s the original constitutional petition:
http://wh.gov/U0xC
Please sign them both.
Ride on.
Roadkill
I tried to establish an account so I could sign the petition but the address they sent me didn’t go through. Any ideas?
Sorry jim and mike. I tried to feel violated, but the feeling just wasn’t there. Maybe next time.
dmj,
What would improve the experience for you? (reading and understanding the constitution?)
Mike
These “motorcycle safety” stops are just further proof of a bumbling Keystone Kops approach to crime fighting, equal to stopping all young black men and asking if they are gang members, latino people if they are illegal immigrants, people of mid eastern heritage if they are terrorists, and of course everybody knows that anyone on a bike must be up to no good.
Citizens who quietly trade their freedom for safety deserve neither freedom, nor safety.
Fight this nonsense, and vote against those supporting it.
RE:
“…+Jensen’s petition attacks on funding grounds, whereas another created January 1st attacks on constitutional grounds….”
Hell, you can sign whatever you want, but at this juncture it’s simply too late.
This President views the constitution as an impediment. As did Clinton (and maybe Bush?) before him.
So, for all you folks who want a government that “fixes” everything for you and for those too busy to be bothered with politics because you “just wann-a ride” …….. you know who you are……. congrats, you-all have “buttered your toast and no you’ve got to learn to sleep in it.”. The “New World Order” is a very simple proposition. At this juncture we’re well past the “tipping point.”
Ask Randy Weaver if he could have used more than 10 rounds-a-clip when The Clinton/Reno thugs went after his family.
-nicker-
Chris
STOP the Flow Of Money From The Feds and watch the roadside stops go away.
The cops are being paid from the money trickling down from Federal Agencies and in many cases they are collecting data and yes occasionally find some people to ticket.
The fact remains that Not Enough Money is Generated for local law enforcement agencies to do this on their own.
Now offer a cop some overtime money to do one of these stops and they are all over it.
Money Money Money – Stop The Money and the Harassment Stops!!!!!!!
NICKER
Well Said!!!!!!!
Rogue,
Here’s one that gives one pause……
Yesterday, while pumoing gas, i saw a receipt sticking out of the pump’s printer.
With nothing to do but watch the pump run up a monster tab i yanked out the receipt and started to read it.
The 4 lines under the location info was rather interesting:
XXXXXXXXXX5406
WX
Vehicle#: 000000051
Odometer: 00060853
So, what sort of gas pump can read an Odometer or identify a vehicle….???
And if the info happens to be encoded into a vehicle’s card, why would a gas pump be programmed to pay any attention to it…………????
Enquiringly minds want to know.
-nicker-
Nicker,
“So, what sort of gas pump can read an Odometer or identify a vehicle….???
And if the info happens to be encoded into a vehicle’s card, why would a gas pump be programmed to pay any attention to it…………????”
Possibly, the technology for pay by the mile road use tax.
Mike
+Vehicle and odometer reading is required keypad entry for some of our State vehicles fuel purchases. The vehicle # is low, so I’d imagine it’s a similar requirement of a commercial fleet vehicle. Stupid not to take the receipt though… RK
RE:
“…Stupid not to take the receipt though… RK…”
More like dangerous…. the sort of thing that could get you canned or accused of theft.
RE:
“…Possibly, the technology for pay by the mile road use tax…”
Ya that’s what i’m think-n.
-nicker-
Let’s put this “funding” to better use. We, the riders, are responsible for ourselves, generally much more aware of our surroundings while riding and actually cause very few of our own accidents. Cars with too much soundproofing, huge blindspots and people texting are way more dangerous to US as we are to THEM! I say what’s needed here is “Cager Only” stops!! Petition signed…
@Rogue, I can go along with your view on my previous post.
It’s kind of like being pissed at an immigrant for taking a job when you ought to be pissed at the law breaker who hired him.
@Nicker, I know you are a thoughtful guy, but you gotta step away from the internet, man. Too many conspiracy theories clouding your brain. You might be right sometimes, I’ll grant you that, but raging on chat forums isn’t a solution. Step away from the internet, I guarantee your blood pressure will drop 25 points and the world will go on just the same.
Chris,
Dude i appreciate your concern, but its too late.
Ya gotta realize, with me its a genetic thing.
My family has been fighting the communists since the Communist International attempted (and failed) their world wide revolution in the 1920s.
I immigrated to the US in 1955, to escape that crap.
Became a citizen, did two tours in Vietnam.
Now i’m watching some clown backed by every Progressive and fellow traveler in existence “fundamentally changing” the best place in the world to live…….
And i’m watching all this from the People’s Republic Of California.
Hell i don’t need the Internet to find a conspiracy…………. 🙂
But was is disconcerting is to see so many people who want to call themselves bikes (the last of the self sufficient Americans) yammer for increasing government “help.”
Go figure(?)
-nicker-