The GUNNY'S SACK

May 2000

The last weekend of April Sam Hochberg, our Oregon Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (AIM) attorney, and I attended the "Best of The West" conference on motorcycle rights presented by The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF). It was sponsored here in Portland by A.B.A.T.E. of Oregon of which Sam and I are both members. We were welcomed with open arms because we represent MOTORCYCLISTS. We also both had a good time and learned a lot.

At this writing, I'm getting fired up to RIDE down to San Francisco on my new monster bike, a Valkyrie, for the 15th Annual Convention of the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) and AIM. Most of NCOM's bills are paid for by all the AIM attorneys around the country, through Richard M. Lester's organization. God forbid if you or a friend go down, part of those attorney fees go BACK to NCOM, to help fight for motorcyclists' rights. That's why I pound the drum to use your AIM card or just call AIM at 1-800-ON-A-BIKE, for any kind of injury accident. By the way, watch for the new NCOM website, at www.ON-A-BIKE.com !

My feeling on these groups is that we each serve important functions and we need each other â?? the MRF and AIM/NCOM â?? because our combined fight for our freedoms in this country, and now globally, is bigger than we are individually and we need our combined strength to combat it. Too many of our people don't think we have a problem here in the USA because "it's not happening here" thinking. We need to rethink that. If we don't, freedom in the world as we know it today will go the way of the dinosaur.

I don't have the time or space in this short article to delve into this too much but I want to start some thought processes in our collective minds as to the danger we are in of being ruled by our governments instead of us ruling our governments.

Read the Bill of Rights and apply that to what you see happening in our communities across this country. Most any public library will have a copy you can read.

We are being told what, and how, we do things by folks that are appointed to the office they hold, NOT elected. Understand that agencies like the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) are not elected. Yet, they have tremendous power over our lives. Just ponder that for a while and see what ugly pictures flash through your mind over the control these groups can, and do, put on all citizens, and not just us bikers.

These agencies are financed with OUR TAX DOLLARS folks. Shouldn't there be severe limits on what they can or cannot do? Do airbags in cars or cable fences down the middle of freeways bring anything to mind? I'll leave you with those thoughts and see what you as individuals come up with for solutions.

THE SPRING RIDING season is upon is us. Time to go through your scoot and make sure there are no problems so when you're in the middle of nowhere on a trip nasty things won't start to happen because you didn't pay attention. Won't hurt to tune the riding skills a little after the long winter layoff either. Ride safe and often.

NEWS BITS'N PIECES:

PICKERING, OH: The AMA Women & Motorcycling National Conference has gained a new corporate sponsor, Kawasaki, for the July 13-16 conference in Athens, Ohio. Kawasaki was also a sponsor for the first Women & Motorcycling Conference in 1997. At the conference, Kawasaki will also be offering a fleet of demo motorcycles for test rides. There you go ladies we are beginning to recognize you as riders, welcome aboard.

TALLAHASEE, FL: Florida bikers are very close to riding free, so long as they carry at least $10,000 in medical insurance. They have a helmet repeal bill sitting on Governor Jeb Bush's desk, and all indications are that he will follow in his brother's footsteps and make Florida free just like George W. did for Texas! Congratulations to ABATE and the Confederations of Clubs for a job well done!

FRANKFORT, KY: GOOD-BYE PROOF OF INSURANCE LAW. Kentucky's Governor Patton signed into law a bill that repeals the requirement to carry proof of medical insurance to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. A short while back, Kentuckians won a "modified" freedom to ride, but it had that medical insurance stipulation. The bikers there did it in steps. Now, the new law goes into effect in July. Out-of-state riders will also be able to ride without helmets, in July. Way to go folks. I had faith in your methods.

FRANKFORT KY: Motorcyclists in Kentucky's Jefferson County will no longer be forced to have their bikes tested as part of the county's strict air pollution control program. A new state law, which goes into effect in mid-July, prohibits all counties and air pollution control districts from inspecting motorcycles for emissions. Whoopee!

MILWAUKEE, WI: Here is a good idea for any motorcycle group to explore. According to a report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the AP, the Outlaws Motorcycle Club is using their web site to raise defense funds for several of their members on trial in Milwaukee for felony offenses. Besides providing information about the Club and the trial, the site is selling products, such as T-shirts and caps.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN: From the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Robert Kilpatrick, Jr., CEO of Norton Motorcycles, has been charged with multiple counts of theft by swindle, forgery and credit fraud. Kilpatrick allegedly filed false personal financial information to obtain more than $800,000 in home mortgages. He was also charged with two counts of forged checks totaling more than $20,000. If he really is guilty, this guy is a real sweetie.

WASHINGTON, DC: Highway deaths declined last year. The fatality rate hit a record low, according to Transportation Secretary Slater. There were 41,375 deaths on American highways in 1999, down from 41,471 the year before.

There was also a decline in the number of alcohol-related fatalities to 15,794 from 15,934 in 1998, according to NHTSA. The number of pedestrians killed dropped 10 percent from 5,220 in 1998 to 4,695 in 1999. Unfortunately, according to these folks, motorcycle crashes killed 2,537 in 1999 compared to 2,284 in 1998, an increase of 253 souls lost. That is 2537 too many funerals for our brethren.

CONTACT REMINDERS: I'm going to be all over Oregon at the runs this summer, like I have for the past 9 years. Look for the AIM booth and stop in and say Hi. If your group has an event, drop me an e-mail or snail mail, and we'll see if we can get me or an AIM Rep over there. I'm at AIMGunny@aol.com, and you can write to me care of SAM HOCHBERG, AIM Attorney, 720 SW Washington, #750, Portland, OR 97205.

OTHER CONTACTS: Sam is available toll-free for any motorcycle-related questions or any injury claims at 1-800-347-1106, and he's SamBikeLaw@aol.com. Nationwide, of course, AIM is 1-800-ON-A-BIKE, AND now www.ON-A-BIKE.com as well!

ONE LAST PEARL: Karen Bolin from Washington State made a statement at Best of The West that stuck in my mind and it's worth repeating. In dealing with her state legislature, she said ''I'm tired of coming here with my hand out
begging for my freedom.'' That should be our call to action folks. One by one, we are being stripped of our rightful freedoms all over this country and, indeed, the world. We must remain vigilant in our efforts to get back and retain our individual rights or we will wind up slaves to the people we elect and the people they select to rule us.

Keep the round side on the bottom.
Gunny, Oregon A.I.M. Chief of Staff