The GUNNY'S SACK

November 2000

Good News from the UK!! Due to diligent work on the part of MAG (Motorcycle Action Group), motorcycles are now recognized as part of the solution to traffic congestion, not part of the problem!! They will not be charged a toll (their "congestion charge") to enter central London. The logic of MAG's campaign to promote motorcycles to combat pollution and congestion took hold in Britain. Good news indeed for our brothers and sisters in that part of the world. Time for the REST of the world to take note!

CUSTOM CHROME has instituted a Virtual Showroom on the Internet featuring Interactive 3D. Customers can look at parts from all angles and decide if they want to buy them without driving across town and maybe not being satisfied and coming home empty handed. Now you can look first and THEN drive across town. Neat stuff, huh?

LAS VEGAS: We all remember hearing about that stunning motorcycle show the Guggenheim Museum put together last year. Well, now they plan to build on the Vegas Strip in two places.

The Guggenheim Las Vegas and the Hermitage Guggenheim Museum will be built by the prize-winning architect Rem Koolhaas in the Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino.

The gallery's inaugural exhibition will be "The Art of the Motorcycle" that opened at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 1998. Hey, this is cool. Like a lot of you, I didn't catch the original, now we've got another chance, and an excuse to go to Vegas!!

CHINA again: This time, well, it's "electrifying." They've got these "Jumping Antelope" brand of electric bikes that are going to be a big hit all over Asia real soon.

The "Jumping Antelopes" brand of electrically-operated motorcycles are built by the Suzhou Little Antelope Electrically-operated Motorcycle Co Ltd. in Jiangsu province. The bike has been chartered as the Anti-Pollution Vehicle in the 21st Century by the Ministry of Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation. What's more, over 1,800 Jumping Antelope Brand Electrically-operated motorcycles have been exported to America, Italy, and Thailand. Well here's a cool toy for Christmas for the kids -- or maybe even some grown-ups! Cool name, too. I guess good old-fashioned capitalism and bikes are a good mix in China!

BOMBAY, INDIA: Bajaj Auto, India's largest two and-three-wheeler maker is likely to post lower net profits in first six months of 2001 due to a more than 25 percent drop in their scooter sales. The figure is 5.6 percent down over 2.48 billion rupees a year earlier. Analysts said Bajaj had been hit by a shift in buyers' taste from small Vespa-type scooters to motorcycles and small cars. I guess motorcycle is still the best way to get around this country. The popular and bigger Royal Enfield (used to be a British bike, way back when) is being sold here in the U.S. now and I'm sure that had an effect too.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.: The Florida insurance industry is renewing a call to force bikers to strap on helmets after the deaths of five people during Biketoberfest this year. The AAA, and health and safety organizations fought hard during last spring's session of the Florida Legislature trying to block the helmet repeal for riders 21 and over that allows bikers older than 21 to ride without helmets, as long as they carried $10,000 in medical insurance.
The industry lost that legislative battle, conceding defeat only after Gov.Jeb Bush signed the new helmet bill into law last June.

This is more proof the helmet fight isn't over anywhere we manage to win, folks. They will come back at us with any excuse they can find. We need to be responsible riders or we will never win this battle. And when there are deaths of unhelmeted riders, we need to look REAL close at the stats and circumstances.

EDMONTON, QUEBEC: Edmonton Oilers tough guy Georges Laraque's latest hit was a costly one. While driving his $100,000 BMW he smacked a motorcyclist as he pulled into the Edmonton Sun's offices for a photo shoot. "It's not a good day at all,'' the beefy Laraque said as he poked his sneaker at the dangling front bumper on his sparkling silver Beamer moments after the wreck.

The papers there said that the biker, whose bike suffered a little damage, was treated for "very minor scrapes" at the Grey Nuns hospital and released. No charges were filed. Hey, anytime you go down, it isn't minor in my book.

AL GORE THE BIKER: Well, by the time you read this, the shouting SHOULD be all over on that tight election, but for everyone who thought Al Gore was just a big stiff guy, turns out the guy useta RIDE! In a speech in the midwest in October, Gore claimed he piled FOUR PEOPLE on his bike, for a double-date in college!! Said he didn't get caught, and told his audience "don't try that at home."

TOKYO: Well here's a brand new use for a motorcycle: According to the Kyodo news service, some biker in Japan figured a way to rig a little spycam in a ladies room and broadcast it through a radio system on his motorcycle! Must be a new option for Honda in 2001, eh? I gotta say the cops weren't impressed and they arrested the guy.

SPAIN: A new concept to protect motorcyclists from hitting guard rails - or worse yet, those "cheese grater wires - has been developed in this country. It's a net that's set under the rail and prevents a body from sliding under it. An additional piece of protection covers the sharp edges of the crash barrier post. There may be other advantages to the idea such as the prevention small animals scooting out suddenly in front of traffic, and maybe reducing the effect of lateral wind. They also picked a white color for the net, for better road visibility in bad weather. They're also talking about adding reflective devices into the net. This is just one example of safety engineering that really counts, and ISN'T an imposition on our personal rights. Could it be that highway engineers are beginning to realize scooter people are citizens too? Seems so in Spain, anyway.

GUNNY again: If you or someone you care about should be involved in an accident folks, do yourself a favor and get in touch with the network of AIM attorneys across the country for honest help and straight talk when you need it most. It never costs you money just to talk. And if you don't have your AID TO INJURED MOTORCYCLIST (AIM) CARD in your pocket get in touch with me and I'll make sure you have one. They are FREE for the asking. Call AIM at 1-800-531-2424 for a card, or to locate an AIM attorney in your state. AIM is also on the net, at www.aimncom.com. Watch for some changes on that website in the coming months too, by the way.

If you have ANY questions about LAW and BIKES, Sam is always willing to talk. Call Sam's office here in Oregon at 503/224-1106 or toll free at 1-800- 224- 1106.

Sam and I also like to talk to groups about the AIM program and if Sam talks to your group you get some free legal advice. Call us or let us know your needs on the internet. Sam is (SamBikeLaw@aol.com) and I am (AimGunny@aol.com). Remember these attorneys all ride so they are aware of what our world is.

And speaking of wrecks, just a wee reminder folks, we all know winter is upon us and we need to remember the hazards we can run into. I had some experience last winter with BLACK ICE that was NOT fun. Remember you CAN"T SEE IT. Things just look wet but they are frozen and you will be upside down before you realize what's happening. Fortunately, I was driving my pick-up and there was a lot of room in front of me when a guy came across the road at us spinning like a toy top

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