Archive

Posts Tagged ‘Rogue News’

Rogue News … Florida Toll Road Sued for Holding Motorists Hostage

February 25th, 2011 No comments

www.thenewspaper.com/news/34/3410.asp 2/22/2011

Florida Toll Road Sued for Holding Motorists Hostage

Federal class action lawsuit against Florida toll roads for unlawfully detaining motorists who pay cash.

A group of motorists earlier this month filed a federal class action lawsuit against Florida’s toll road system for detaining motorists who attempt to pay the tolls with cash. About 600 miles worth of toll roads and bridges are under the jurisdiction of The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), which hands operational duties over to the private firm Faneuil, Inc., which is responsible for the toll collectors. The complaint charges both firms with false imprisonment and other civil rights violations.

“For approximately four years, FDOT and Faneuil have engaged in a practice of detaining motorists and their passengers on the Turnpike System until such motorists provided certain personal information in exchange for their release,” attorney James C. Valenti wrote on behalf of the plaintiffs. “The motorists and passengers have been detained without their consent and without legal justification.”

Under FDOT policies, motorists who pay with $50 bills, and sometimes even $5 bills, are not given permission to proceed until the toll collector fills out a “Bill Detection Report” with data about the motorist’s vehicle and details from his driver’s license. Those unwilling to provide personal information to the toll collector are offered no alternative because the toll collector will not open the barrier, preventing the car from moving forward. FDOT policy does not allow passengers to exit their vehicle, and backing up is illegal and usually impossible while other cars wait behind. Some of those paying in cash object to the idea of carrying the SunPass toll transponder on privacy grounds, but the use of cash is discouraged because it increases operating costs.

“The policy of detaining motorists without their consent and without legal justification extended throughout the Turnpike System and was so permanent and well settled that it constituted custom, practice or policy which has the force of law and rises to the level of deliberate indifference to plaintiff’s and class members’ constitutional rights,” Valenti wrote. “It is believed that Defendants will continue the widespread practice of unlawful detentions and will continue to force vehicle occupants to provide personal information in exchange for their release, all in violation of plaintiffs’ and class plaintiffs’ Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights.”

An estimated 262,800 drivers have been detained since October 2006. The lawsuit seeks an injunction prohibiting Faneuil and FDOT from further detaining motorists. Neither FDOT nor Faneuil has answered the February 8 complaint

Rogue

Sturgis Freedom Fighters

Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005

www.bikerrogue.com

Rogue News 2-14-11

February 14th, 2011 No comments

Every Motorcycle Rider in the country needs to write their Congressman and tell them to Stop Funding the NSTB. These stops will affect people coming to Florida to spend money. Many will not come to Florida because of them. Motorcyclist go to many places in Florida during this time Not Just Daytona. Can the state afford to lose this revenue?

From Dan Forrest, State Director of A.B.A.T.E. Georgia.

“Motorcycle Checkpoints to begin in March. As many of you know, the State of Georgia received $70,000.00 from the NSTB for Motorcycle ONLY Safety Check Points. They will stop all Motorcycles at these Check Points.

We were informed by unnamed sources that the Check Points would start in early March to coincide with the Daytona Bike Week event. Most points of entry to Florida will be involved. We are anticipating them to start March 3rd in order to take advantage of the additional flow of Motorcycle traffic thru our State. I was told that the officers conducting the safety check points have been trained in what to check for so be sure you, your paper work and your bike are in order.

Rogue

Sturgis Freedom Fighters

Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005

www.bikerrogue.com

Rogue News_Florida Tag Law

February 10th, 2011 No comments

Florida Tag Law

Check out this on Bikernet http://www.bikernet.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=8827

Rogue

Sturgis Freedom Fighters

Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005

www.bikerrogue.com

Rogue News

January 19th, 2011 No comments

 

Please Note Objections to Sections Of This

From: SanDiego Defenders >

          *To:*           All  U.S. Defenders

 *Subject:*  Call to Action!   ALL STATES, EVERY USD UNIT is needed to

participate…

*To all,*

Due to the recent actions by the US Secretary of Transportation,  Ray LaHood

and his newly appointed Administrator Mr. David Strickland of NHTSA, we are

Calling to Action all members of our motorcycle community to participate in

this very important issue.   This Call To Action is supported by every

Motorcycle Rights Organization ( MRF, AMA, TMRA2, TMRA, ABATE, MMA ) and

must be carried out and delivered by the US Defenders/C.O.I.R, and all

Confederations or Coalitions in every State!

Mandatory Roadblocks are being carried out in many states under the ruse of

a “Safety Check”.   These roadblocks or checkpoints for motorcycles ONLY are

being conducted illegally and are discriminatory to say the least.   This is

one more piece of evidence of the constant profiling attempts targeting our

community at large. There are law suits that will be brought from MRO’s and

different States very soon.   We can all do our part with by participating.

There has been a resolution drafted by our friends from the north, Rep. Jim

Sensenbrenner (R-Wisconsin) H.R. 1498 supporting efforts to retain a ban on

NHTSA’s ability to lobby State Legislators using our federal dollars through

the “Motorcycle Law Enforcement Demonstration” grant program.   Suspend this

program now, (DTNH22-10-R-00386) for your reference.

We support each State’s rights to determine their own helmet policies, NOT

David Strickland’s position of wanting to, ” put a helmet on every

motorcyclists head” to reduce accidents and fatalities.  The statistics

prove that motorcycle safety and awareness , in conjunction with riders

training programs across the country have a far greater impact in reducing

injuries and fatalities.  The funding the government has set aside would be

much better spent in causation studies, such as the one being conducted

right now in Oklahoma.

Supporting House Resolution 1498 sponsored by Congressman Sensenbrenner is one thing and notices from organizations that profess to be motorcycle rights organizations are right to be sending it out. The problem I see is confusing the issue with wording about Rider Education and or Mandatory Rider Training. This reminds me of something that a legislator or lobbyist would come up with to sneak in one of their pet projects. This is the Main Reason I Suggest To People that they Contact Their Legislators with their own wording and Not That of someone else and or organization. See what these organizations are offering and support the programs you are in favor of BUT DO NOT Let Them Put Words In Your Mouth by cutting and pasting their message well unless you agree with them of course. Let Those Who Ride Decide Means All Who Ride not just those running organizations and have a personal agenda and or are making money from it. Getting Educated On The Subjects Pro’s and Con’s and then voice YOUR OPINION not someone else’s

This was sent to me by my friend Jan with BOLT of NC. I SPEAK ONLY FOR MYSELF, AND MY REASONING IS AS FOLLOWS:

Pardon me, but this is bullshit taken directly from a motorcycle safety organizations agenda, and is better left out. I don’t want to hop on the safety wagon. It is totally unnecessary to include the above wording since it is likely to have a long-term effect of promoting additional regulation against motorcyclists. We don’t need any more stinking mandates!!

Do most bikers really feel so strongly motivated that they really want more government intrusion and regulation targeted at motorcyclists? I think not!

When motorcyclists spread an alarm to Congress or state government that motorcycling is unsafe, and ask the government to get involved in making motorcycling safer, they unwittingly invite additional regulation against motorcyclists. Spending money on a study which will determine motorcycling can be dangerous is not money well spent. We already know motorcycling can be dangerous. Look at what the effect of the Hurt Study….the NHTSA still uses that 37% statistic to claim that 37% more riders would still be alive if they had worn helmets. They’ve used that statistic to force helmets onto people heads for 30 years. Who really expects the University of Tulsa will end up in having the NHTSA say helmets are 63% ineffective? Government statisticians will disseminate their propaganda as they always have. Asking for money for safety courses to teach naturally clumsy urban risk magnets that they, too, can be safe motorcyclists, is an ultra-liberal safety-nanny hand-holding approach that any biker who is not afraid of skinning their knees should not endorse. The problem is that the liberal philosophies tend to become statist mandates. Mandatory safety classes which might benefit some motorcycle safety groups and motorcycle safety instruction profiteers are not good for the freedom of motorcycling, and send the wrong message. Voluntary safety courses are fine. Teach your friends that when they fail to put their foot down in time, they are likely to fall, and the same is true for our rights..

Example: Someone gets on a motorcycle and gets killed. Next thing you know, a friggin motorcycle safety organization masquerading as a biker rights organization asks the state to force all motorcyclists to attend expensive classes. WTF! I suppose if you are a motorcycle safety instructor, you might love this, as it is better marketing through mandatory legislation. That’s how the helmet makers made their money. They couldn’t sell their shit on its own merits, so they got legislators to force it on us.

Example: For years, a motorcycle safety organization wants a new safety study, so that some statisticians that get into officer positions in the safety organization might get some grant money. They got o rallies and hold out plastic jugs asking for donations to the government so that it will do a study, but nobody wants to contribute, because a study to say that motorcycling is dangerous is not worthwhile. We already know that. So, they approach state government with a proposal to force all motorcyclists to pay higher registration fees, and part of the fees will go to a safety study. Now, those who didn’t want to donate to a worthless study will be robbed at gunpoint by government. No more having to ask for donations, it is a done deal. Now that VP of the local safety organization might get to work on a government funded research project.

Screw that!!! 

I would much rather see the government address such issues as improved highway construction.  The proper role of government is to improve highway safety, by improving the safety of the highways they construct. The proper role of government is to do such things as to construct highways which don’t turn into sinkholes, and to fix bridges, fix the highways that suddenly have a long strip of asphalt three inches higher than the neighboring lane. The proper role of government is to get rid of those cables that have amputated a head or limb of motorcyclist rather than be a safety barrier. The proper role of government is to get rid of all the obstacles at intersections which impede a motorists vision. The proper role of government is to end the habit of psycho cops to get on our rear wheel to see if they can get us when we speed up, and possibly also get us for running from the psycho cops who are going to ram out tail ends. 

Telling government that you demand safety programs and studies, and special privileges for motorcyclists, and asking the government to force motorcyclists to pay more money at registration time is absurd and ends up working against motorcyclist rights. For that reason, I dissent from the majority.

So, I support the call to action, but will not ask the people I contact to approach their Congressional representatives with all that safety nanny propaganda. I totally oppose any motorcyclists demand safety studies and safety courses and training. Yeah, they’ll train everyone alright……to hand over your money and do as they say! 

jan  

Rogue

Sturgis Freedom Fighters

Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005

www.bikerrogue.com

Rogue News 12/9

December 9th, 2010 No comments

You might find this interesting about Motorcycle Roadside Stops

http://www.bikersrights.com/nhtsa/nhtsa_stops.html

 

Rogue

Sturgis Freedom Fighters

Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005

www.bikerrogue.com

National Transportation Safety Board Calls for Nationwide Helmet Laws

November 17th, 2010 No comments

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation reports that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is calling on all States that do not have a mandatory helmet law to adopt one. The NTSB has a “top ten most wanted” list that has never before addressed motorcycle helmet law, but does now. They are asking for every State to enact mandatory helmet law for every rider and passenger on every motorcycle. 

This is a disturbing, but not surprising, recommendation by the NTSB. They had a forum in 2007 where they brought in some motorcycle safety professionals and asked them a few questions, they then relied on their motorcycle crash investigations, a whopping six in total crash investigations to issue some safety recommendations. This pales in comparison to the over 150,000 airline incident investigations, over 90,000 other surface transportation investigations, which does more than qualify them to issue such recommendations. But investigating just six motorcycle accidents and now they are the experts? 

What’s also surprising is the fact that motorcycle deaths declined last year. For the first time in 11 years motorcycle fatalities went down, and not just a few percentage points. Motorcycle fatalities were down 16 percent last year. And it is not because people were riding less, vehicle miles traveled for motorcycles was down just a half a percent over the previous year, according to the US DOT. 

The NTSB has no regulatory ability and no law making ability, just the power to issue recommendations to the States, industry and the Federal government. We at the MRF are troubled by the NTSB issuing recommendations about anything motorcycle, with such a lack of expertise in the arena of motorcycling and a seemingly nonchalant attitude towards the motorcyclists of this country. 

The MRF will keep up you updated on this and every other issue facing the Motorcyclists of America. 

Read the NTSB “most wanted list” here: MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from “r20.rs6.net” claiming to be http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/brochures/MostWanted_2010_2011.pdf 

==========================================================

Rogue

Sturgis Freedom Fighters

 Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005

www.bikerrogue.com

Local Motorcyclists Await City’s Stamp Act Brief

November 16th, 2010 No comments

 

(Boston, MA)  Massachusetts’ Motorcycling Activists seeking to strike down an Ordinance, enacted June 2009 that would fine Motorcyclists $300 if they parked within the city limits without an Environmental Protection Agency “stamp” readily visible on their exhaust system, expect to have the City’s appeal brief early next week.

Although the City of Boston Passed this ordinance more than eighteen months ago, it has not yet enforced the ordinance or issued tickets due to the Motorcyclists’ legal activism.  The Activists, who call themselves of the “Justice Riders” and include all members of the Massachusetts Chapter of Bikers of Lesser Tolerance (B.O.L.T.), take satisfaction in the legal caveat that has abated Boston’s enforcement of this repugnant ordinance.

“The City’s brief is due with the Court and us on or by November 15th,” said famed Massachusetts Motorcycling Attorney Joseph S. Provanzano, of Peabody, representing the five area motorcycle activists who filed suit against the City’s ordinance.

The Motorcyclists contest Boston’s authority to enact and enforce the ordinance calling for a $300 fine if an EPA stamp, required for manufacturers to install on new motorcycles, is not “readily visible” to law enforcement officers on a running or parked motorcycle within the City Limits as unfair and in conflict with existing State laws and regulations governing motorcycle exhaust systems.

The Justice Riders claim the State has existing statues dealing with motorcycle exhausts and inspections, and city and town police are required to follow those State laws.

“A State Inspection sticker on my motorcycle says I comply with the statutes and regulations, whether I’m in Amesbury or Boston or Worcester or anywhere in the State,” said Paul W. Cote, one of the Plaintiffs in the suit filed immediately after the Boston City Council enacted the 2009 Ordinance.

“The City’s Ordinance is repugnant to State statutes,” continued Cote.

This past March, Superior Court Judge Charles T. Spurlock dismissed the bikers case writing since the City had not issued any citations against the five plaintiffs, they had “no standing” to bring the suit. The bikers appealed that decision to the Appeals Court, filing their Brief September 10th.

The City had 30 days to filed their responsive Brief, but requested additional time which the Court granted to November 15th.

“We hope the Appeals Court deals with the authority issues,” said Bill Gannon of Quincy, “because we’ll be back in Court once the first $300 fine is issued. The City is not going to dig out of it’s budget woo’s off the backs of motorcyclists by raping our wallets with this $300 compost ticket.

A copy of the motorcyclists’ appeals brief can be viewed on www.JusticeRider.com web site.

ROGUE NEWS

November 3rd, 2010 No comments

Allen West rides a motorcycle and does a monthly column for Wheel On The Road magazine from South Florida. His opponent Ron Klein tried to make an issue of him being a Biker and even went so far as to suggest he was a member of and or associated with motorcycle gangs.

This brought a rebuttal from Miami Mike the editor of the magazine. Mike and other concerned motorcyclist from Florida started contacting motorcyclist, veterans, motorcycle internet sites and voters. IT WORKED! Allen West WON the House Of Representatives District 22 Race. Not only is this a win for Allen But for Motorcyclist as well.

House of Representatives District 22 Race

(91% Reporting)

Republican Gain

Allen West (R-FL)

109,731 Votes 

Winner  54%

Ron Klein (D-FL)*  

92,149 Votes

Loser  46%

 

Rogue

Sturgis Freedom Fighters

Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005

http://www.bikerrogue.com/

ROGUE NEWS

October 22nd, 2010 No comments

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Thumbs Nose at Congress and Discriminates Against Motorcycles

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation has learned from a source at the US Department of Transportation that they have funded the motorcycle only roadside checkpoints. 

NHTSA decided to fund the program despite being asked by Congress not to fund the program until the merits were explained. In a letter sent by James Sensenbrenner, along with ten other Members of the House of Representatives last month, Sensenbrenner and his colleagues specifically asked NHTSA to respond to the letter before funding the program, they did not. Read the letter here.

The recipient of the money for the demo project was the Georgia Department of Public Safety, which oversees the day-to-day operation of the Georgia State Patrol.  The Georgia State Patrol will conduct a series of roadside motorcycle safety checks in accordance with what was outlined in the Request for Applications.  The amount of NHTSA funding is $70,000.00.

 ”Not only is this an injustice to the motorcyclists of America its a complete waste of taxpayer money.” said Jeff Hennie, Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs for the MRF. 

The MRF will keep you informed on this issue and any actions you can take to defend your freedoms, at stake in Washington.

Rogue

Sturgis Freedom Fighters

Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005

http://www.bikerrogue.com/

Rogue News … AMA vs NY

June 18th, 2010 No comments

Here is more information on what is happening with noise regulations

 What the AMA did to defeat it in New York

A 57 page presentation, complete with pictures of a survey they did of several different dealers and manufacturers, complete with pictures.  Turns out NONE of the manufacturers meet the requirement that the labels are placed “in a color that contrasts with its background” and there’s a statement from the EPA that says they don’t regulate noise, go ask the DOT.

http://syntheticmachine.net/EPAlabelsurvey/EPA_Label_Flash.swf

 Rogue

Sturgis Freedom Fighters

Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Member 2005

http://www.bikerrogue.com/