Vigilance

Reprinted from the March 2009 issue of Hoosier Motorcyclist magazine

When you hear us talking about being “vigilant” and staying informed you immediately think about the state legislature. You also have to watch what is going on in Washington D.C. As you know I like to quote Judge Gideon J. Tucker “No man’s life, liberty or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”

Well we need to add every governmental agency to that.

Once upon a time we had three wheel ATVs to play on until the Consumer Product Safety Council decided to protect us from ourselves. No law, no proclamation, just a suggestion. We could have two (2) and four (4) wheeled motorcycles and ATVs.

NOW... TODAY... they're at it again. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is targeting small motorcycles and ATVs intended for kids under 12 because of lead content. Yep you heard it right, LEAD CONTENT. Certain internal parts including the battery and brakes contain enough lead to ban the sales of these bikes and ATVs. More here

There will probably be an agreement to exclude them from the Act BUT if not for our groups like the MRF and AMA in Washington D.C. helping us be vigilant this is the kind on nonsense that can sneak up on us and take our rights little by little; bureaucrats with way to much power to make arbitrary decisions that the Legislature should be making.

With the states' budgets being pressured from so many different directions watch for the Federal Government to start attaching strings to funds. If you don’t enact the speed limit or seat belt law or any number of issues they will start withholding federal monies that most states need in these trying times.

No matter how good we think we are sometimes things sneak up on us. That is why we have to work together and always communicate. You never know where the next attack will come from.

Ride Free, Ride Safe, Ride Straight,
Gary D. Williams
Operations Director
ABATE of Indiana, Inc.