Motorcycle Awareness Month

May is…

Motorcycle awareness month

Of course May is also Jewish American Heritage month, Asian Pacific Heritage month, Mental Health Awareness month, National Physical Fitness and Sports month, (deep breath) and National Foster Care Month. Mingled in the month of May are also Loyalty Day, Maritime Day, Day of Prayer, Law Day USA, blah, blah, blah.

My Point…

It’s a sad state of affairs when Americans need a reminder that motorcycles are vehicles and have the same rights on the road as a car? Instead of doing something that might change the way people drive on our roadways, governments across the country post a declaration on their respective websites, hand out a plaque and send us on our merry way. We have become a social “cause”.

There are bills in Committee to increase penalties for road rage, careless or aggressive driving.   ABATE has pushed for a stiffer penalties bill. This bill would give criminal penalties for a person who commits a moving violation that causes serious bodily injury to, or causes or contributes to the death of, a pedestrian or a person operating or riding in a motor vehicle or operating or riding on a motorcycle or bicycle; requiring that the person pay a specified fine, serve a minimum period of incarceration, and attend a driver improvement course; requiring that the court revoke the person’s driver license for a minimum specified period; providing that the act does not prohibit the person from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law, etc. In March, Senate Bill 1754 died in Criminal Justice. If you’re the curious sort, check out the analysis and read why it might have died. I wrestle with keeping my opinion out of it and let you decide.

In observance of Motorcycle Awareness month, The West Coast Chapter of ABATE held a run. This comes on the heals of a month or two of heavy motorcycle accidents in our area. Three news teams showed up and a bunch of bikes. All kinds of bikes. Eric Sollman of Bay News 9 showed up early, took a spin on the back of Jim Gladstone’s bike to get some footage and did a really nice spot on the event. Check out the video and write-up.

Here is another video of the run taken while sitting backwards on a trike (none too comfy for a 50-year-old woman!) but thank you Bobby for helping me get some video! In the beginning of the video you will see what we are trying to get across with the ”can you see me now” run and calling for stiffer penalties. A driver intent on getting where he wants to be, stuffs his cage in between the line of bikes. Did he not see us? Was he un-aware we were there? Was it his turn to go? Was he even in the proper lane to make a left turn? No, no and no! He just cared more about his agenda and was going to carry it out at any cost.

If you ride, please ride responsibly. Let’s do our part in keeping the roads safe and help change the way people view us. Find out who your representative is in Tallahassee. Take a minute and e-mail them. Let your voice be heard.

Florida Aggressive Driving Laws

Section 316.1923, F.S., describes, “aggressive careless driving” as committing two or more of the following acts simultaneously or in succession:

 Exceeding the posted speed as defined in s. 322.27(3)(d)5.b., F.S;

 Unsafely or improperly changing lanes as defined in s. 316.085, F.S.;

 Following another vehicle too closely as defined in s. 316.0895(1), F.S.;

 Failing to yield the right-of-way as defined in ss. 316.079, 316.0815, or 316.123, F.S.;

 Improperly passing as defined in ss. 316.083, 316.084, or 316.085, F.S.; or

 Violating traffic control and signal devices as defined in ss. 316.074 and 316.075, F.S.

These violations carry separate penalties for each offense. Section 316.1923, F.S., does not, however, provide for any penalties to be administered for the act of aggressive driving itself. Law enforcement officers, by law are to check off a box, which is included on a ticket or an accident report form, when the officer believes the traffic violation or crash was due to aggressive careless driving. This information is then recorded and used by DHSMV.

My question… how many boxes need to be checked off and how many people need to die before government does something to protect its citizens?