The GUNNY'S SACK

September 1998
This has been one of the busiest summers I can remember. As I write I prepare to go to the Oregon coast for another of the annual "Beavercreek Run" motorcycle events that takes place there. That leaves about four more trips and the summer is history. They say time flies when you're have'n fun.
Truer words were never uttered. I'm hearing more and more about drivers being shot as they go their merry way. We recently had it happen in the Portland, OR area and in Virginia, a motorcyclist was shot while on his way home in the very early hours of the morning. The man was able to stop his scoot and the shooters turned around came back and finished the job. I'm sure with a little digging I could come up with more incidents. This makes me worry about safety when on the highways. Do we have to start wearing bullet proof vests to go to the store?
I think its high time we charge our law enforcement folks, and parents, to do something about figuring out how to prevent this. It's kids doing it half the time. They're going to school armed to the teeth and shooting up their classmates and teachers. What happened to parental control?
It's time, I think, to quit sparing the rod and spoiling the child. The idea that spanking children is outdated is nonsense. I don't mean it's OK to beat up a kid, but it's time that the board of education, as it were, is applied to the seat of understanding in carefully measured doses, so kids understand that parents have the responsibility for raising them. It's a lot more effective than handing a child a twenty and saying go have a good time. I guess what I'm trying to say is its high time we took a look at our communities as if we were members and started to work to help solve some of our problems. We're the product of our environment and it's up to us to take charge of it.
News bits'n pieces:
U.S. Capitol: Our esteemed lawmakers and NHTSA have decided that now that we know airbags in vehicles are dangerous that we need airbags all over the car to protect us from the steel and other hard parts we can collide with in an accident. We are talking about curtain bags on the windshield to prevent heads from going through them. (Maybe that part is worth looking at), side bags in the doors and roof columns to go off during side impacts.
They are also proposing that ALL vehicles use daytime lighting, albeit at a lower intensity, so they are more visible. Wow! I thought that was why they made mandatory headlights during daylight on motorcycles. Doesn't seem to make us more visible to the cage drivers. If we all use them we sure as shootin' will be invisible. The only time I want be invisible is when I'm speeding.
California: Former Assemblyman Richard Katz, a long-time opponent of motorcyclists, has been handed a 31 vote loss by Pro-motorcycling Richard Alarcon, who was vigorously supported by motorcycle organizations all over the state. YOUR VOTE DOES COUNT!
Geneva: The European problems over motorcycle regulation just took a giant leap to countries all over the world. Major countries of the world have signed an agreement under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) that will bring the prospect of GLOBAL MOTORCYCLE REGULATION closer to us than ever before. It forms the framework for the worldwide regulation of equipment technology and parts for all motor vehicles. This shrinks the Atlantic Ocean for motorcyclists in the United States. The US is a signer of that agreement. Europeans have been warning us for years and now here it is in our FRONT YARD. Keep a weather eye on that one, folks.
Little bits: Remember the TV show Father Knows Best? We found that Billy Gray who played that kid "BUD" was a motorcycle racer after he left the show! He is now 60, lives in L.A, and makes his living as an inventor.
Harley-Davidson: H-D announced plans for an assembly plant in the free port of Manaus in Brazil. It will make Harleys more accessible for South Americans. Hey, what about North Americans? We still have long waits for scoots we order. Other companies keep stock on showroom floors. When you buys it you rides it home.
Phoenix: Titan motorcycles has signed an agreement with Playboy to produce 100 numbered and specially equipped and logo'ed motorcycles for Playboy's anniversary. Titan builds heavy cruiser bikes with a flair.
New York: We fooled the public again. The motorcycle exhibit at the renowned Guggenheim Museum has attracted people from all walks of life. The museum hired extra security with the fear that the real biker crowd might be hard to handle and cause trouble. They found out that the bikers are the best behaved and most respectful of the lot. What's more, this exhibit has broken attendance records there! That's a real feather in our cap.
Sturgis: Motorcycling talk show host Jay Leno participated in a wresting match with Diamond Dallas Page as his tag team partner against Hollywood Hogan and Eric Bishoff to kick start the annual Sturgis festivities. Hogan stated: Leno has stuck his chin in my business one too many times.
Belle Plain, Minn: Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycle Co. held its first shareholder meeting here on July 25th. If they have the same success with the manufacture of the motorcycle as they had with the meeting and attending festivities there should be a bright future for them. Among other things, they donated over $7,000 to the Scott County food bank from proceeds of the sale of tee-shirts. Over $65,000 dollars worth of apparel, accessories, and commemorative "Road To Glory" tee-shirts were sold at the event. Excelsior expects to put the first production scoot on the street in the last quarter of 1998. Isn't free enterprise great?
Riverside, CA: Bikers Dream announced they plan to up production of their UltraCycles brand to about 3000 units in 1999 and 5000 by 2000, from 1998's 1800 units.
Eugene, OR: Helmet problems again. Seems a biker down there who happened to be flying a patch had his helmet SEIZED, and he was given a ticket for wearing an illegal hat by the cops! Our Oregon AIM Attorney, Sam Hochberg, is representing him free of charge on it, and he's asking for money damages, too. Sam says the helmet was 100% legal and had a DOT sticker on it! We'll let you know how it comes out.
Sam's AIM Tip O' the month is on hot weather riding. We still have some warm days left, and if y'ain't figured it out yet, if you sweat too much you'll start to lose more than just water; you lose some of your smarts, and that'll run your butt right into the asphalt. The solution isn't to pull off your leathers, either. Fluids, and I don't mean beer. Juices are best.
Gunny Again: Remember our AIM Attorneys are here to help injured bikers get a fair shake when they're the victim - which I'm afraid is usually the case! Oregon's AIM attorney Sam Hochberg can be reached in Portland, OR at his office at 224-1106 or 1-800-347-1106. Or use the 1-800-531-2424 number on your AIM card. If you don't have a card see me, Gunny, at most motorcycle runs in Oregon and I'll see to it you get a card on the spot. Sam is reached via E- mail at: SamBikeLaw@aol.com. Get me at home at 1-503-463-5668 or at the office numbers above. Gunny's E-mail is: AIMGunny@aol.com. Keep the round side on the bottom.
Gunny, Oregon AIM Chief of Staff