15 comments:

• Kevin Paglia posted at 6:33 pm on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 1729

  In making sure I got my information right I found this https://www.facebook.com/danceforfreedommusicfestival

  Third paragraph is telling. There WAS national funds being offered to target motorcycles only and specifically in route to two very large motorcycle rallies. As far as I can tell they were done in NY, Michigan, Utah and Georgia. Several states have already banned the checkpoints with more going to vote.

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• Kevin Paglia posted at 6:04 pm on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 1729

  Drats, missed it by a few years.

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• Kevin Paglia posted at 6:03 pm on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 1729

  Dave: Didn't say there were Federally funded checkpoints nor where they were but there ARE motorcycle only checkpoints http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/2/9303/Motorcycle-Article/Riders-Oppose-GA-Motorcycle-Only-Checkpoints.aspx I thought i heard about another state doing them as well.

  And yes, 95% of all loud pipes are on motorcycles, but not ALL. Why is it wrong for motorcycles to be loud but ok for cars and trucks be just as loud? And the reason we have loud pipes on is because so many drivers are still too busy talking on their cell phones to care if a biker is next to them. There is a philosophy is motorcycling, "loud Pipes saves lives". I don't want screamers that are annoying to all, but just loud enough that the driver on the phone knows I am there.
  

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• Bob Silvano posted at 5:25 pm on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 144

  Ron Werner,

  Why would any law abiding motorcyclist be concerned about profiling? As long as you don't give them cause to stop you, you won't be stopped. Grants are always specific as to what the money can be spent for. In this case it's motorcycle safety. I don't have a problem with that.

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• Bob Smith posted at 4:47 pm on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 128

  We used to have an annual event, Hot Rods & Harleys, at Lodi Lake. Ran for several years and benefited Lodi Adopt-A-Child. There was a poker run, bike games, car show, and a bunch of vendors. Not enough volunteer support so it died out about 9 years ago.

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• Dave Raines posted at 4:02 pm on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 8

  Kevin, you know as well as everyone on the road that 95% of loud pipes are on motorcycles. And as for the "motorcycle checkpoints," there are no such things. There are DUI checkpoints that go after everyobody and there are motorcycle safety enforcements like this that have patrol units looking for violations from both riders and drivers of the type that can particularly be of harm to riders. The bill was written up by an MC lobbyist to make his clients think he was doing something. In reality, there have never been any federally funded motorcycle checkpoints. Ever. It's like a law prohibiting ice cream truck only checkpoints.

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• Dave Raines posted at 3:56 pm on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 8

  Ron, why should they? The story says that they will be looking for violations by both riders and drivers.

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• Kevin Paglia posted at 12:58 pm on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 1729

  Would love to see the Lodi Motorcycle riders unite in a community enrichment activity. Something like a local bike show with food, music and fun with the proceeds going to a local outreach (I vote for PALS, can call it "Bikers and their PALS"). It would show we are not all outlaws as tv likes to show. Might also show off some of the local talent we have in designing and modifying motorcycles.

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• Kevin Paglia posted at 12:54 pm on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 1729

  Ron: I aplaud any attempt to make the streets safer for us bikers. On my morning walk this morning I thought that a good "enforcement" tool would be to put a unmarked officer on an unmarked motorcycle and have them loop areas of the city with a patrol car in the vacinity. Then when a driver does an unsafe manuever infront of them the patrol car can be called in.

  There are some cities that are starting to crack down specifically on loud motorcycles. There is large outcry in the biker community for profiling, especially when we have cars and trucks of ll sizes that make more noise than us.

  Senate just locked federal funds from being channeled to motorcycle only checkpoints for safety violations. THAT was profiling.

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• Ron Werner posted at 12:02 pm on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 69

  WoW! 5 posts and nobody is attacking LPD for vehicular profiling. Don;t motorcycle riders feel their civil rights are being violated ?

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• Darrell Baumbach posted at 11:20 am on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 9403

  Kevin stated...It is amazing how many drivers seem to think motorcyclists are not real people and fine to run over.

  I agree Kevin. When I am in Thailand, I ride a motor bike and never drive cars. In many places there are many more cycles than cars. Since it is so prevalent, the cars and trucks are very alert and aware of these people and respect their right on the road. I felt much safer there than here. In fact, I would not consider a motor cycle here because of the problems you address.
  

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• Dave Raines posted at 11:10 am on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 8

  Actually, we don't know that to be true today. Your citation was of the Hurt Report, which was concluded in 1980. Although there have been changes is rider demographics, MC engineering, vehicle engineering and roadway environment since then, there have been no updated studies. There was a similar study of late in Europe, but I wouldn't equate US circumstances as being like those in Europe.

  What is true is that riding is inherently more dangerous than driving, that riders need to be super vigilant, that drivers need to more observant, and that the untrained, the unobservant, the immature, and the idiots doing either cause a lot of the crashes.

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• Kevin Paglia posted at 10:12 am on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 1729

  Dave: While your stats are correct what is not included in it is the number of accidents caused by drivers where the motorcyclist is NOT killed. Here are some numbers from 2006 http://www.motorcycle-accidents.com/pages/stats.html

  In these nearly 2/3 of ALL accidents are the fault of a driver in a car violating the space of the rider. I have had cars follow me at less than two car lengths at freeway speeds, come with in feet of my rear tire following me into turns, run red lights in front of me. The other day had some "lady" talking on her phone change into my lane. If I hadn't seen it coming I would have been splattered.

  That is not to say there are a LOT of stupid riders out there. Had a pair blast by me in my truck, splitting the lane at 80 mph. Ape hangers (high handlebars) never made sense to me. Saw one do the roller coaster hands in the air going down the hwy at 70 a couple months ago. These bikers are both the ones that give the rest of us a bad reputation AND sway the stats to make accidents seem common. Knew one rider in my youth that had been in five accidents in just a couple years.
  

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• Dave Raines posted at 9:09 am on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 8

  With motorcyclists, it's a case of "physician, heal thyself." nearly 70 percent of fatal motorcycle crashes are found to be the fault of the rider.

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• Kevin Paglia posted at 6:39 am on Tue, Jul 3, 2012.

  Posts: 1729

  [thumbup]

  One of my Facebook newsfeeds is from a site that reports motocycle accidents as well as other motorcyclist news. It is amazing how many drivers seem to think motorcyclists are not real people and fine to run over. A recent one was of a driver who decided waiting for a motorcycle funeral procession to annoying so he ran over several riders so he could go shopping sooner. Another was of an idiot doing 110mph with his daughter as passanger.

  While the city looks at motorcycle safety and attemts to make it safer for us, there are a few lights around town that are NOT motorcycle friendly. Meaning we have a choice of running the red light or waiting for a car to join us. Making a left from Harney to Lower Sac can be several light cycles and many minutes of waiting.

  To all my fellow riders, be safe out there.

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