Now that we have solved that problem, here are some talking points.

HB 1527 (Representative Asay) the malfunctioning traffic signal bill:

• Although part of the traveling public, motorcyclists have been hindered in their movements by the failure of detection loops and optical sensors to recognize their presence at many traffic signals.  The Washington State Legislature has been asked to address and remedy within the law when the signals fail to respond to motorcycles.
• Traffic intersections are second to left turn right-of-way violations in terms of vulnerability for motorcyclists.  When lights do not sense a motorcycle, exposure to the possibility of a rear-end collision increases, especially in low traffic scenarios where a motorist is more likely to miss seeing a stranded motorcyclist.  This presents a hazard to not only the motorcyclist but also to the surrounding traffic, as well as a potential liability to the municipality in charge of the signaling system.
•  Currently there is no safe and legitimate method for getting clear of a signal that will not sense a motorcycle.  If in the left turn lane, there is no provision for a vehicle to merge back into the flow of traffic and go straight.  Even if it was legal, this maneuver is quite hazardous, with a rider unexpectedly merging from a dead stop into an unsuspecting traffic flow.  For the rider in the though lane, the option of making a right on red, followed by a u-turn, is much more hazardous than simply waiting until traffic is clear and, exercising due caution, proceeding through the intersection as if the red light was a stop sign.
•  There are now 12 states that have enacted a law that provides immediate remedy to motorcyclist when they encounter a traffic signal that does not recognize the presence of a motorcycle.  There is no data to show that crashes have increased as a result.  To date, no state has tried to rescind it.  It is a sound and reasonable solution to an existing problem.

SB 6304 (Senator Rolfes) putting motorcycles into the Commute Trip Reduction Act and HOV lanes:

Commute Trip Reduction:

Parking incentives will make motorcycle commuting more practical to users and infrastructure planners.

1. Motorcycles exhibit a much smaller footprint in a commuting lane, and are more agile in operation, with the potential benefit of easing congestion by facilitating better traffic flow.  In urban “stop and go” driving situations the space utilized by one full sized car can be filled with 2-3 motorcycles.
2. Dedicated parking areas for motorcycles will add to the overall security of the motorcycles by grouping them together.  (Safety in numbers)
3. Has the possibility to free up real estate currently being expended on single bike per parking space.  With properly arranged and laid out parking areas, up to three motorcycles can be stored in the space normally allotted to a single vehicle.

HOV access:

By moving motorcycles from the main stream of high density rolling slowdowns to the more freely moving HOV lanes, the motorcycle operator has less exposure to encroachment and/or collision.

1. By being in a steadily flowing stream as opposed to a “stop and go” stream rear exposure to inattentive drivers is seriously lessened.
2. By being to the far side of the multi lane roadway the possibility of encroachment from suddenly merging traffic is minimized.  There becomes only one side to defend while proceeding through traffic, with the other side becoming an escape route.

The proposed language removes some of the vagueness from when motorcycles are allowed HOV lanes access.

1. Whenever any other privately owned vehicle (POV) is allowed access motorcycles are authorized.
2. Codifies the existing administrative exemption for tolling in the 167 project and moves that exemption to the 405 project.

HB 1527 (Representative Asay), the malfunctioning traffic signal bill is showing signs of life, but we need everyone to light up the phone lines. Each and every member of the house needs to hear the message loud and clear that the motorcycle community wants some legislative relief for the problem of traffic signals that do not detect us. Swamp the switchboards with calls to your representatives, asking for their support in getting a hearing and moving the traffic signal bill through the house.

Some talking points:

1. The bill allows for motorcycles, after waiting for one full cycle of the lighting system without being detected, to proceed through the intersection, but only after exercising the same level of caution as would be used at a stop sign. A sane rider is not going to commit suicide by pulling out in front of traffic.
2. No matter what State Patrol may say, there is already a precedent for allowing traffic through a red light. Can anyone say “right turn on red?”
3. While there is a system whereby we can notify the cognizant authority after we have been stranded at a traffic light, that is after the fact. There is no legal method to safely get clear of a traffic signal that will not detect a motorcycle.  Hanging a right, followed by a U-turn, is unacceptable, and downright unsafe.

If you do not know who your representatives are (shame on you) poke this link. Then get on the phone and start calling. If the house gets a lot of traffic on the issue it will be more likely that they will move it forward.  Let’s make this happen.

Ride safely and legislate well,

“Texas” Larry

Government Relations and Junior Blogger

We need to get on the horn and call Senator Cantwell’s office today.

Ride Safely and Legislate Well,

“Texas” Larry

MRF E-MAIL NEWS Motorcycle Riders Foundation 236 Massachusetts Ave. NE | Suite 510 | Washington, DC 20002-4980 202-546-0983 (voice) | 202-546-0986 (fax) | http://www.mrf.org 11NR34 – MRF News Release – National Call to Action: Federal Helmet Mandates FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 13 December 2011 Contact:Jeff Hennie, Vice President of Government Ralations and Public Affairs

National Call to Action: Federal Helmet Mandates The Motorcycle Riders Foundation reports that the US Senate Committee on Commerce Science and Transportation will be marking up The Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2011 (S. 1449). This bill governs the National Highway Transportation Safety Administrations activities. This bill has the potential to greatly affect motorcyclists nationwide.  There are three provisions that specifically target motorcyclists. Call your Senators and ask them to: Oppose Lautenberg amendment #1. This amendment would alter the motorcycle safety grant program by forcing states to pass mandatory universal helmet laws and drive federal tax dollars to be used to promote the use of helmets. This provision would make it easier for helmet law states to obtain 2010 grant money. This amendment would provide no money for awareness or training.  Support DeMint amendments #1 and #18. These amendments protect the NHTSA lobby ban. Under the proposed legislation are provisions to lift this lobby ban.  Support DeMint amendment #2. The bill, (S 1449) would change the definition of “motor vehicle equipment” to include motorcycle helmets. This would allow States to spend federal money dedicated to “motor vehicle equipment” on motorcycle helmets. The DeMint amendment would keep helmets out of that definition.  Call Now. Time is of the essence. Call you Senators via the capitol switch board at 202 224 3121.  Of key importance are the Senators on the committee you can contact them directly:   Senator Rockefeller-WV 202 224 6472 Senator Kerry-MA 202 224 2742 Senator Lautenberg-NJ 202 224 3224 Senator McCaskill-MO 202 224 6154 Senator Udall-NM 202 224 5941 Senator Begich-AK 202 224 3004 Senator Inouye-HI 202 224 3934 Senator Boxer-CA 202 224 3553 Senator Cantwell-WA 202 224 3441 Senator Pryor-AR 202 224 2353 Senator Klobucher-MN 202 224 3244 Senator Hutchinson-TX 202 224 5922 Senator DeMint-SC 202 224 6121 Senator Wicker-MS 202 224 6253 Senator Blunt-MO 202 224 5721 Senator Toomey-PA 202 224 4254 Senator Ayotte-NH 202 224 3324 Senator Snowe-ME 202 224 5344 Senator Thune- SD 202 224 2321 Senator Isakson-GA 202 224 3643 Senator Boozman-AR 202 224 4843 Senator Marco Rubio-FL 202 224 3041 Senator Heller-NV 202 224 6244  This is of extreme importance. Please call today, Tuesday, December 13th, 2011. Do not hesitate to contact the MRF should you have any questions. 202 546 0983    ========================================================== Do not reply to this email, it will be discarded. ========================================================== Ride With The LeadersTM by joining the MRF at http://www.mrf.org/join.php or call 1-202-546-0983Registration is easy and secure for MRF Regional and Meeting of the Minds conferences. Visit our website at http://www.mrf.org/events.php for further details and registration information.Send in your nominations and donations for the MRF’s Young Activist Scholarship fund today. For complete details, visithttp://www.mrfae.org/yas.php.Sign up today for the MRF’s new roadside assistance program by visiting http://www.mrf.org/mrfroadside.php The program is available to MRF members and non-MRF members.© All Information contained in this release is copyrighted. Reproduction permitted with attribution. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation, incorporated in 1987, is a membership-based, national motorcyclists’ rights organization headquartered in Washington, DC. The first motorcyclists’ rights organization to establish a full-time presence in Washington, DC, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation is the only Washington voice devoted exclusively to the street rider. The MRF established MRFPAC in the early 1990s to advocate the election of candidates who would champion the cause of rider safety and rider freedom.The MRF proudly claims state motorcyclists’ rights organizations and the very founders of the American riders’ rights movement among its leading members. The MRF is involved in federal and state legislation and regulations, motorcycling safety education, training, and public awareness. The MRF provides members and state motorcyclists’ rights organizations with direction and information, and sponsors annual regional and national educational seminars for motorcyclists rights activists, as well as publishing a bi-monthly newsletter, THE MRF REPORTS. Join the MRF on Facebook! www.facebook.com/bikers.rights

Forward email This email was sent to wrraleg@aol.com by mrf-news@mrf.org | Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Motorcycle Riders Foundation | 236 Massachusetts Ave. NE | Suite 510 | Washington | DC | 20002

Now we need to get the phones lit up to get the Senate in motion.  Although our bills are not dead in the House, it looks like the most traction is in the Senate.  The parade bill (HB 1328) has been made eligible to be pulled to the floor, and both the bill setting the frequency of Advisory Board meetings into law (HB 1833) and the learners permit bill (HB 1543) need to be made eligible too.  Call your state senator ASAP and ask them to support moving all of these bills to the floor and passing them.  If your member is on the Rules Committee ask them to “pull” the bills.  If your state senator is not on Rules, ask them to speak to the committee on your behalf.

We are running out of time to get our stuff through before the operating, capital, and transportation budgets hit the floor and everything else takes a back seat.  If enough members hear from their constituents perhaps we can get some action, so get busy.

Until next time,

Ride Safely and Legislate Well

Texas Larry

BTW:  Don’t put off getting your tickets for the Bikers in the Ballpark event.  Just look at it as a non standard “Ride to Eat (RTE).  Putt to the park, gom down a (“healthy”) hot dog, catch a ball game, and generally hang out and talk motorcycles.  It don’t get no better than that.  ;-)

First landmark:  We have bills that have cleared one more hurdle to get to the floor for final passage.  The next step is what is called “second reading.”  This is where the bill can be debated and amended.  After that it moves to the “third reading” where is can only be voted on, yes or no, for final passage.

Out of HB 1328 and SB 5185, AKA the “Parade Bill,”  the house version (HB 1328) has been made eligible for the second reading calendar.  The senate is proposing adding the ability to get specialty plates, such as Purple Heart, to the underlying bill.  The bottom line is that people in a parade should not have to ask permission from WSP to make helmet usage optional.  Riding in parade formation without a helmet is much less hazardous than standing on a flat bed truck at the same speed.

SB 5242, AKA the “Profiling Bill,”  has been moved to the second reading calendar in the house.  This bill has a lot of support in the house, but we still need to get our voices heard.

SB 5800 has been moved to the second reading calendar in the house.  To reprise my report from the other day, this bill provides an avenue for those riders who have off road only motorcycles to bring them into compliance with all of the federal motor vehicle safety standards so that they can license them so that they can use them on road.  This way they can go from trail to trail or from trailhead to town and back without loading up and trailering.  It isn’t a traditional “road” issue, but many of our members ride on and off road, so this can have an effect on them.

There is still some work to do on the rest of our bills.  They may not be as glamourous as the above bills, but they need to get some buzz too.  This is especially important to people who have a great interest in the rider training program, so I really need all the rider coaches out there to grab the phone and call your reps.

HB 1543 and SB 5141.  We need to get one or both of these bills to the floor for action.  These two bills both eliminate the loophole where riders get an inordinate number of learners permits without bothering to get endorsed.  IMHO the Senate version would be preferable, as it sets the standard as 3 permits in five years as opposed to capping lifetime permits at 3.  The Senate is proposing to restore the 3 in a lifetime language.  Either one does the job, but SB 5141 gives a bit more leeway for the rider who is re-entering the market after several years absence.

HB 1833.  If you want to keep our regular access to the DOL in place put this one on the shopping list to push.  This bill ensures that the Motorcycle Safety and Education Advisory Board meets no less than quarterly, th ensure that we have a continuing venue for access to the agency that safeguards our funds.  This is the only surviving version of the bill, so the choice is easy.

We definitely need to start clogging the switchboards in Olympia.  Even if some of the issues do not really make you want to run down the street screaming in glee we need to demonstrate a united front for the mundane issues too.  There is credibility in numbers.  It’s a “pay it forward” type of thing; showing up for the mundane today garners us even more respect, respect that can be parleyed into legislative clout at a later date.

Let’s see if we can get some legislators to contact me with a plea to call off the dogs with a promise of support.

That will be a great landmark.

Oh, you ask, what is the other landmark I mentioned 643 words ago?

As I compose this there is a Major League Baseball regulation game in progress.  It reminds me that we are getting closer to the “Bikers in the Ballpark” event.  Look to your right on the WRRA web page, follow the link, and get hooked up with a piece of motorcycling history.

Yes, campers, it is opening day, and the universe is more in alignment.

Until next time, Ride Safely and Legislate Well…………………….and see you at the ballpark.  ;-)

Here is where the rubber really meets the road, where we show that we are out there tracking legislation and want things moved forward.  This Friday the legislature will cease moving bills out of committee and begin the frantic process of bringing things to the floor and passing the last bills of this session.  The difference between life and death for many bills may come down to the amount of constituent traffic they get asking for something to go to the floor for a vote.  Everyone needs to get off their wallets and contact their representatives as soon as possible.

The message is simple: “Please urge the Rules Committee to move our bills to the floor for a vote.”  When speaking to your senator’s staff ask for HB 1328, HB 1543, and HB 1833.  When speaking with the staff at your representatives’ offices ask for SB 5185, SB 5141, SB 5242, and SB 5800. Get the message out to your phone trees and get the phones ringing.

In the event that you have forgotten, to locate your legislator follow this link.

Here is the capsule view of all of the bills, along with my commentaries:

HB 1328 and SB 5185, AKA the “Parade Bill.”  The only difference between these two measures is that the senate is proposing adding the ability to get specialty plates, such as Purple Heart, to the underlying bill.  Either version is fine for us.  The bottom line is that people in a parade should not have to ask permission from WSP to make helmet usage optional.  Riding in parade formation without a helmet is much less hazardous than standing on a flat bed truck at the same speed.

HB 1543 and SB 5141.  These two bills both eliminate the loophole where riders get an inordinate number of learners permits without bothering to get endorsed.  IMHO the Senate version would be preferable, as it sets the standard as 3 permits in three years as opposed to capping lifetime permits at 3.  The Senate is proposing to restore the 3 in a lifetime language.  Either one does the job, but SB 5141 gives a bit more leeway for the rider who is re-entering the market after several years absence.

HB 1833.  This bill ensures that the Motorcycle Safety and Education Advisory Board meets no less than quarterly, to ensure that we have a continuing venue for access to the agency that safeguards our funds.  This is the only surviving version of the bill, so the choice is easy.

SB 5242, AKA the “Profiling Bill.”  In short, law enforcement needs better probable cause to stop and question, take enforcement action, arrest, or search someone than because they are riding a motorcycle or wearing motorcycle related apparel.  If you don’t think this issue might be relevant to you because you ride a sport touring bike and full coverage technical riding gear you need to remember the whole NHTSA funded motorcycle only “safety” checkpoints.

SB 5800.  This bill provides an avenue for those riders who have off road only motorcycles to bring them into compliance with all of the federal motor vehicle safety standards so that they can license them so that they can use them on road.  This way they can go from trail to trail or from trailhead to town and back without loading up and trailering.  It isn’t a traditional “road” issue, but many of our members ride on and off road, so this can have an effect on them.

Now, quit staring at the computer and hit the phone line.  Get those calls made today, and then follow up in about four (4) days for a status report.  This is a time critical operation.

We all know that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so START SQUEAKING!

Until next time, Ride Safely and Legislate Well.

“Texas” Larry

This bill would enable the owners of off road motorcycles to bring their bikes up to the same standard that road bikes meet so that they can be licensed for the road.  What this does is enable the riders to use the public roads from camp grounds and hotels to the trailheads and from trailhead to trailhead.  It is a boon to motorcycle vacationing for the entire family, and clears up a mess that developed as people registered their converted bikes in other states, brought them to Washington, and either were denied registration or had their registrations subsequently revoked.

We do not need to have everyone in the state call the committee, but if your representative sits on the committee make the call ASAP.  Deadlines are approaching, and we need to see some action.

To locate your representative follow this link.

Until next time, Ride safely and Legislate Well

“Texas” Larry

We have passed the first major hurdle in the legislative process with no real casualties.  Almost everything we were pursuing made it out of committee, in some form or another, with the exception of the traffic light bill  and helmet reform.  Neither of those was a huge surprise; the former did not have anyone really pressing for it and the latter will never, whether you agree or disagree, see the light of day during the current climate in Olympia.

There was even one sleeper that resulted from the hearings on SB 5027, a bill concerning the marking of off road use only motorcycles.  As a result, Senator King brought forward SB 5800 to allow a legal method to allow riders to convert their off road bikes into street legal ones.

Now comes the beginning of legislative “March Madness.”  The legislature has until 17:00 on the 7th to get everything out of house of origin.  The house and senate will be on the floor for the next week, shuffling and dealing until late in the night.  Then it will be frantic hearings to get the surviving bills heard in policy committees and moved out.

Now is when your representatives need to start hearing from their constituents about the bills they wish to see move forward.  (HINT!!!)  If you need to refresh your memory who your representatives are just click here.

I will get another report out as things get really heated up so that we can target any issues that may be stalling out.

Until then, Ride Safely and Legislate Well,

Texas Larry