The GUNNY'S SACK

December 1998
In the last several months, I've said goodbye to a lot of friends and brothers and sisters in the biker world. It just doesn't seem to stop. Here in Oregon, we just recently lost Joe Ploom from Roseburg. He was beginning to be a real help in our fight for our freedoms, too. Joe crashed his scooter and did not survive. Oilpan and Debbie from Washington county ABATE had an auto accident and we lost Oilpan. We offer our condolences to the families, and be assured we won't forget these hard-working freedom fighters.

Being creatures of habit, its hard for us to work to make changes. There are people riding motorcycles in Oregon that have ridden under a helmet their entire riding career. The idea that we need a helmet law to protect us doesn't mean the same thing to them that it means to those of us that remember when we had freedom of choice.

We have been giving up little freedoms so long that people think it's normal.

This next legislative session, we need to come up with a different method of operation that reminds our lawmakers of the guarantees in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. These documents were put in place to protect the rights and freedoms of all Americans.

We all need to read these documents and learn to quote them word for word. We need to explain to our lawmakers (so they understand, without upsetting their dignity) that they must conform to the wording in these documents because they are the law of the land, or we will lose the battle again.

Our focus ought to be on our Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms that are being taken from us under the guise of protecting us from ourselves, rather than extended discussions on the lack of safety inherent in some helmets. We need to persuade our detractors that if they don't ride, they shouldn't regulate us unless we are intruding on the public in general.

I know, the argument is then made that we're a public burden. We should show that there are other menaces that are far more costly and dangerous than the very small part of our population that chooses to ride. We have proof that we are not a public burden. Our real burden is that we need to convince a lot of people that don't know anything about us to begin with that we are no more and many times much less a burden than ordinary Joe and Jane public are.

Lets get our lawmakers to focus on some of the waste in government. A good example of waste, in my mind, is information that the government has given DOT (The U.S. Department of Transportation) $53,000,000.00 in grant money to dole out to states that come up with ways to "enhance" the use of seat belts." Oregon is the recipient of $1,486,400.00 of that money. You don't want to get caught not wearing the damn thing or you will add your contribution to that bank account. It rubs your nose in it when your own tax money is used to harass you in your car. I have to say that money would be much better spent in schools for the education of our youngsters. Other states are getting an even bigger piece of that porkbarrel.

The only time I see that bikers waste government money is when the government spends it to regulate us when we don't need it.

This is a huge job folks and we will need every one, riders and non-riders alike, to help. WE need to become an active part of our communities. When people get to know us as neighbors, its amazing how well they will listen to us and help us because they have many of the same problems we have.

News bits'n pieces: China: There is a surplus of THREE MILLION new bikes in this country, and they are still pumping them out at the rate of TEN MILLION NEW BIKES a year. It might be a good idea for H-D to look at their production methods. Maybe we wouldn't have to wait for six months or a year for a new scoot. Guess we could go to China for a cheap one if we could ride it home from the dealer.

Smart Money Magazine, in the November issue, has identified a new phenomenon they call "WHEEZY RIDERS," and they say there are more out there than people realize. Some of the not-so-wet behind the ears crowd are starting to ride again now that they can spend more time and money doing what they want to do. We're talking about folks in their seventies and eighties. Go fer it Grampa! Chicago: The Field Museum announced that the "Motorcyle as an Art Form" exhibit will be underwritten by Sam Zell. Zell commented, "The motorcycle is the great equalizer. Once helmeted everyone is the same, all chasing freedom." This is the exhibit that was so popular at the Guggenhiem Museum in New York City. Sounds like this thing will be traveling around the country. If it's near your town, don't miss it.

Copenhagen: A Danish man here took his dead father on his last ride. He strapped his dad's body to his bike and rode all around the country visiting the places he knew his dad loved. If I did that I'd get arrested. The article didn't say whether or not he did. Hope not. Seems to me it was a great gesture on his part for his dad.

Los Angeles: Here's one for our Jewish brothers. It's getting to be time for holidays again and that includes Chanukah. This year, it seems Chanukah's been put on wheels, with a "motorcycle menorah!" It holds a candle for each of the eight days of the holiday, like any other menorah, except it's a bike! Doesn't look like a Harley, though. The menorah comes from the Museum of Tolerance over on Pico Blvd, in L.A..

Washington,DC: 1997 was America's safest year on the highways. Unfortunately, there were 42,085 persons killed on our road system, or 1.7 deaths per 100,000,000 miles traveled. Motorcyclists were 2,106 of that number, or .47% of the deaths. That's a good figure, but it still leaves 2,106 of our people in their graves and all their families grieving.

We can improve still more if we can get our people to stay away from their motorcycles when they decide to drink, even one beer. Beer and booze are the number one killers of bikers. Please! DON'T DRINK AND RIDE OR DRIVE. It might not be you that gets killed, it might be your child.

Sam's AIM Tip O' the month: If you go down because of a hazard in or on the road, it's tough to make a claim if you don't document it. They're difficult claims in the first place. For example, if you go down because of chuckholes in a bad spot, GET PHOTOS right away. If you have a claim against any government body or employee, most states require you give "TORT CLAIMS NOTICE" as a pre-requisite to making any claim, and there is usually a very limited time period to give specific sorts of notice. If the hazard is from a spill, most areas track that through a gov't agency, to find the culprit. If there's a road hazard claim, CALL AN ATTORNEY right away, to find out the tort claims law in your state. AIM attorneys, of course, are always there at 1-800-On-A- Bike. They're the guys who ride. Sam Hochberg hangs around at 503-224-1106, or 1-800-347-1106, and he's also SamBikeLaw@aol.com. If you SEE a road hazard and don't go down, REPORT it to the proper authority! Do it IN WRITING wi th the AIM Road Hazard Cards. One goes to the road authority, the other to AIM, to try to get the folks to FIX the hazard. Call AIM to get some for your group.

If you're a NEW RIDER, by the way, please remember that those LEAVES ON THE ROAD can be deadly, and you can go down, just like a patch of diesel fuel or ice. So ...

Keep the round side on the bottom!

Gunny, Oregon AIM Chief of Staff