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News &
Updates
BIKE PAC of Idaho participates in S.E. Idaho American Legion Riders Swap
meet in Pocatello, Id. Feb. 26,2010
The American Legion Riders, Pocatello,
Chapter hosted a spring swap meet for it’s second year, signifying that
signs of spring are upon us…..
One thing about Motorcyclists, that is
for certain, “Spring” just can’t come fast enough, after a cold and snowy
winter. The opportunity to gather with friends, dust off some of those old
parts and gather in a warm place is just too much to pass up.
BPI Board Member, Butch Harbaugh and his
wife Laura, recently traveled to Pocatello, Idaho, to set up a BPI
information booth , as well as display some of those old Harley parts that
have been accumulating dust in the shop for quite some time…We recently had
the pleasure of meeting up with Frank Smith of Idaho Falls, aka “Alias”.
Frank is a high spirited , dedicated Veteran, who heads up the State of
Idaho, as well as the Pocatello chapter of the “ American Legion Riders “,
this is one serious group of folks that have dedicated themselves to making
sure that America’s Veterans, are not forgotten and provide endless services
to those who have given so much to their Country.. Do yourself a favor and
check them out on the web….americanlegionriders.net
Our venture began early in the morning
as we loaded the truck with parts, BPI brochures and lot’s of enthusiasm for
the day ahead. We arrived at the American Legion building at 0730, that’s
7:30 AM to those of you that may not have been so fortunate to have good Ole
Uncle Sam, instruct you the correct way to tell time ! Upon arrival we were
greeted by a bunch of leather clad bikers , proudly displaying their
“American Legion Riders” colors, and busily setting up for the event,
“Alias” was there pointing all in the direction of the set up area and
making sure everything was running smoothly.
BPI
Board Member Butch Harbaugh, far right
Once set up we were happy to see the
folks from the “ Stars Program “ arriving with arm loads of information
about Motorcycle safety…Anyone not familiar with this outstanding program,
owes it to themselves, to check them out….We shared BPI’s commitment, to
supplying information to the motorcycling community, as well as the public,
just how important it is to be aware of motorcycles on the road. In the
enclosed pictures, you can spot the dedication that both Robert and Frank,
have to getting the word out. STARS , is Idaho’s premiere motorcycle rider
education program, and much to our delight, has a lot in common with another
regional Leader in motorcycle safety, Team Oregon, Laura and I both have
roots in Oregon and Laura is a graduate of Team Oregon’s rider education
program….
BPI in it’s commitment to motorcycle
safety and awareness has several outstanding programs to reach out to the
motorists as well as high school driver training programs, to teach folks to
“ Share the Road” safely.
Numerous groups were in attendance ,
including several clubs , such as the Viet Nam Vets Motorcycle Club, these
guys put on a heck of a display, and made sure that all were aware of their
dedication to Viet Nam Vets. The was good turn out through out the day, and
Laura and I got the chance to chat with lot’s of folks about BPI, and look
forward to other events with this great organization….
We did manage to part with a few parts,
but somehow we ended up with just as much as we showed up with, just could
not pas up some of those old Panhead parts, that had my name on them…..
Hats off to the “American Legion
Riders” for a very successful event, and of course the warm reception we
received from all the Membership… The kitchen staff made sure we all got
fed, and kept the coffee and sodas flowing… Motorcyclists are a wonderful
group to associate with, and Laura and I both look forward to the next
event….
Don’t forget about motorcycle safety,
and take the time to get involved. May is traditionally “ Motorcycle
Awareness Month ” to kick of the riding season. Reach out and let someone
know we all must share the road.
Please take the time get involved..
Butch & Laura Harbaugh
S.E Idaho
BikePAC
of Idaho wishes to note the passing of Harry Hurt,
one of the worlds best known authorities on motorcycle
crashes and their causes, and wishes to sent our condolences to his family
and friends. Released in 1981 the "Hurt Report" is and may still be the most
exhaustive study on motorcycle crashes ever completed in this country.
Motorcyclists riding today owe a debt of gratitude to Hurt who has likely
done as much or more for their riding safety than anyone though many
motorcyclists are not even aware of his great work on their behalf.
(BPI Motorcycle Awareness Class presenters cite
information and statistics from this study each and every time our MAP class
is given to drivers education classes.)
If you would like to read a bit more information about
Harry Hurt you can click the link below:
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-harry-hurt2-2009dec02,0,1034954.story
AMA
Call To Action! Exclude Youth-Model Motorcycles and ATV's
| Congress to hold hearing on the CPSIA! |
Take Action! |
| Contact your Representative to voice your
opinion! |
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The Chairman of the Subcommittee on
Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection of the U.S. House
Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a
hearing titled, "Consumer Product Safety Commission
Oversight: Current Issues and a Vision for the Future" on
Thursday, September 10. This hearing will have Chairman
Inez Tenenbaum of the Consumer Product Safety Commission
as the only witness to discuss the Consumer Product Safety
Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA).
This hearing is the first one sponsored by
this Committee since the CPSIA passed 13 months ago. It is
long overdue, and now is the time to voice your opinion
before Congress. It is important that motorcyclists and
ATV riders let Congress know that we are concerned about
the lead content requirements of the CPSIA, and that we
want youth-model OHVs excluded from those requirements.
We need your help to let our lawmakers know
how we feel. Riders should contact their Representatives
and let them know how the CPSIA has created a severe and
unwarranted disruption to families who recreate together
responsibly, and a deleterious effect on youth amateur
racing. Since the fastest way to permanently address this
issue is through legislation, urge your Representative to
support
H.R. 1587, introduced by Rep. Denny Rehberg, to exempt
youth-sized motorcycles and ATVs from the CPSIA.
You can find contact information for your
elected officials on AmericanMotorcyclist.com, click on
"Rights," then "Issues & Legislation," and enter your zip
code in the "Find your Officials" box. Additionally, a
prewritten e-mail is available for you to send to your
Representative immediately by following the "Take Action"
option and entering your information.
For more ways you can help to exclude
youth-model motorcycles and ATVs from the CPSIA or for
more information about the issue, click
here.
Please write or call your Representative
today and let them know how the CPSIA has adversely
affected your ability to recreate with your families and
friends responsibly and to ask them to support H.R. 1587
to exclude youth-model motorcycles and ATVs from the CPSIA
lead content requirements.
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This
information is provided courtesy of the American Motorcyclist Association
BPI
Board Members Visit, Thank Former Governor Kempthorne
(L to R) Tim Herzog,
Former Gov. Kempthorne, Jeanne Herzog, Willie Stephenson
BPI
Board Members Tim Herzog and Willie Stephenson, along with Jeanne Herzog,
recently visited with former Idaho Governor, and fellow motorcyclist, Dirk
Kempthorne. During the visit Tim and Willie thanked the former governor
for signing into law S1367 in 2006 allowing Idaho motorcyclists, under
certain circumstances, the lawful option of proceeding through a
traffic-actuated signal that fails to detect that a motorcycle is present.
Idaho
was just the 4th state to enact this type of
common
sense
legislation after Minnesota, Tennessee and Arkansas. S1367 was introduced
into the Idaho Senate Transportation Committee, then chaired by
motorcyclist Sen. Skip Brandt (R), by Sen. Mike Jorgenson (R) and was
carried in the Idaho House by Rep. Phil Hart (R) . S1367 received
overwhelming support in both the Idaho Senate and House and was also
supported by the
American Motorcyclists Association
(AMA) the largest motorcycle advocacy group in the nation. S1367 was
signed into law by Gov. Kempthorne on Friday April 7th, 2006 and went into
effect on July 1st, 2006.
BPI
wishes to thank all involved who supported this legislation giving Idaho
motorcyclists an option other motorcyclists across the country do not yet
enjoy.
BPI
would also like to welcome Dirk Kempthorne, former United
States Secretary of the Interior, U.S. Senator, Governor, Boise Mayor and
yes motorcyclist, back to Idaho and wish him the best in his new role, for
now, as
private
Idaho citizen.
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Call your Senators
NOW!
The American Motorcyclist Association urges
everyone to contact their Senators to vote "No" on H.R. 146, the
Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Acquisition Grant
Program. This bill was formerly known as S. 22, the Omnibus
Public Land Management Act of 2009, which would prohibit all
motorized vehicle access including motorcycles and ATVs on over
2 million acres of public lands. As you may know, S. 22 was
defeated just days ago on March 11 in the U.S. House of
Representatives.
Now, following defeat of the bill, the U.S. Senate leadership is
expected to employ a little used parliamentary procedure that
allows them to overcome the outcome of the House vote on S. 22.
The U.S. House of Representatives preserved your access to vital
public lands when S. 22 fell two votes short of the two-thirds
majority needed to pass on March 11th. The successful defeat of
the bill was only accomplished after thousands of concerned
individuals, like you, contacted their Representatives to tell
them to oppose the legislation. However, the Senate Leadership
wants to try and un-do that success by bringing the bill back as
a 1,300 page amendment to an unrelated bill for a vote as early
as Monday.
With such a short time frame for action, the best way to tell
your Senators to vote "No" on H.R. 146 is to call. Click
here to get the phone number for your Senators. Enter your
zip code in the "Find Your Officials" box and click on the name
of your Senators.
If you would prefer to contact your Senators with e-mail, you
may contact your Senators by clicking
here. We have pre-written a letter for your use.
Immediate action is critical to help keep 2.1 million acres of
public land open to motorized recreation. Please call your
Senators and tell everyone you can to do the same.
Next week, every Senator must know to vote "No" on H.R. 146!
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As part of our continuing effort to make
BPI an organization capable of communication with its membership and
motorcyclists across the state a new "group" has been started at Yahoo
Groups in the name of BikePAC of Idaho. The BPI Yahoo Groups
site can be an online gathering place for our members and other interested
motorcyclists. There is a place for group members to post messages and
photos, answer polls and much more. Feel free to let others know about the
site. Though we encourage membership in BPI as of now you can
become a member of the group without becoming a BPI member. Of
course, all BPI members will automatically be registered as group
members.
Click to go to BikePAC of Idaho Yahoo Groups
Or, go to groups.yahoo.com/ and
then search for BikePAC of Idaho.
BPI Sets Date for Awareness Day Event
AMA concerned about new threat to motorcycle safety
training funds
U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters is urging Congress to allow
states to divert federal money now used for motorcycle training and
awareness to instead promote the use of motorcycle helmets, the American
Motorcyclist Association reports.
Peters sent letters to House and Senate leaders this week asking for the
change.
Ed Moreland, AMA Vice President for Government Relations, expressed
concern that diverting federal motorcycle safety funds to promote helmet
use could harm rider training courses and motorcycle awareness programs
that are already underfunded in many states.
"Helmet use is certainly one part of a comprehensive approach to
motorcycle safety," said Moreland. "But this step is a direct raid on
funds that were appropriated by Congress to address the specific safety
concerns of the motorcyclists' rights community. Furthermore, the use of
motorcycle helmets is already advocated in existing motorcycle safety
initiatives.
"Funding for rider-training courses is frequently under threat in
cash-strapped states, and cutting the same-size pie into thinner slices is
not the comprehensive, thoughtful, national motorcycle safety strategy we
need."
Moreland also expressed concern that Peters' proposal could contradict
sections of transportation bills passed in 1998 and 2005 that ban the use
of federal motorcycle safety funds to lobby state legislatures in favor of
mandatory helmet laws and could effectively reverse those bans.
The AMA strongly advocates the voluntary use of helmets by adults, along
with other appropriate safety gear, and does not oppose laws requiring
helmet use by minors. But the Association believes adults should be
allowed to make their own decisions about when to wear a helmet.
© 2008, American Motorcyclist Association
AMA website link to this article
click HERE.
This
information is provided courtesy of the American Motorcyclist Association
BikePAC of Idaho Presents Certificate of
Appreciation to Idaho State Rep. Phil Hart (R)
BikePAC of Idaho
(BPI) Board Members Tim Herzog (left) and Karen Hunley (right) present
Idaho State Representative from District 3 Phil Hart (R) a Certificate of
Appreciation for his recent participation at the National Coalition of
Motorcyclists (NCOM) Region 1 Seminars in Spokane, WA last October.
Representative Hart was the key note speaker and among the topics he
discussed was how ideas become legislation and ultimately become law in
Idaho. He also spoke briefly about his book
Constitutional Income: Do
You Have Any? BikePAC of Idaho not only wishes to thank Rep.
Hart for his time and willingness to share his thoughts and experience
with the motorcyclists attending the seminar we also very much appreciate
all his work on behalf of Idaho motorcyclists.
BikePAC
of Idaho Board Members Visit With U.S. Senator
L to R in photo: Willie Stephenson, Karen
Hunley, Senator Crapo and Tim Herzog
U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (Idaho) recently paid a
brief visit to north Idaho. BikePAC of Idaho Board Members were
fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit with him and provide him
with some information about BikePAC of Idaho. Senator Crapo appeared
interested in hearing about BikePAC of Idaho and what we do and told
us that while he does not currently ride a motorcycle he did at one time and
enjoyed riding while attending college. We intend to keep in touch with
Senator Crapo and look forward to working with him in the future on issues
of interest to motorcyclists.
BikePAC of Idaho Represented at Local Information
Booth
BikePAC of Idaho
Board Members participated in an effort to provide valuable information
about the motorcycle rights movement during a recent three day community
celebration. Representatives of BikePAC of Idaho along with the
National Coalition of Motorcyclists, The American Motorcyclists Association
and River City Chapter of ABATE were all on hand during Rathdrum
Days July 20 - 22. Both motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists stopped by to
look over the FREE information and promotional materials provided by these
groups.
We wish to thank all those
who participated in this effort!
BikePAC of Idaho Board members
(l to r)
Willie Stephenson, Karen Hunley and Tim Herzog
(far right)
visit with Idaho Governor "Butch" Otter at
the recent Lincoln Day Dinner held in Coeur d'Alene, ID. There was also an
opportunity to visit with Idaho Congressman Bill Sali and numerous Idaho
state Senators and Representatives.
It’s Time to Stand up and be Counted “ ON “
Thank you to all the “Freedom Fighters” out there who
have worked so diligently this past year to maintain enthusiasm and
communicate with other’s , the importance of participating in
“ Their Government” This has been a very busy year and in
recent months, several attacks on the “Freedom of Choice
have occurred in different parts of the country, with I am sure, more
to come.
From an inland North West perspective, Idaho, Montana, Utah,
Wyoming, we here in this region have been very fortunate that we have had
the choice when it comes to helmets, but that has all changed in recent
months as Legislation for mandated helmets has been introduced in Montana,
and Salt Lake City , Utah. These two pieces of Legislation has awakened the
sleeping giant, and after first hearing of this, the call went out to all
Motorcyclists, through out the Nation. The response has been over whelming .
As I write this article, I am constantly receiving emails from those in the
area, thanking all of us and requesting that we keep up the pressure.
This is a issue about
Freedom of Choice
This is an attack on the personal choice of responsible
adults to make decisions about their own personal safety, our adversary’s
have used the same old outdated and invalid data, to portray us as a
“bourdon on society”, they claim that we have filled the wards of State
hospitals with head injuries, and most of all, that we do not assume
responsibilities for the cost of those fabricated
statistics.
We as a group have established ourselves, as a predominate
factor in “Our Government”. Every State MRO has established
themselves, with-in their Legislatures as a determined and effective lobby
that deserves to be listened to. Our message is plain and simple. This is
about “ The pursuit of Liberty”
this is about the Rights that our forefathers put forth in our
“ Constitution of the United States of America.
Now , more than every, your help is needed to insure that
future generations, that’s our, children and grandchildren, have the ability
to make their own decisions…..Helmets are only the instrument that have
brought us together under a common cause, what has grown from the very early
days of Motor Cycle rights, is a coalition of concerned citizens dedicated
to “Participating in their Government”
I ask you all to become , soldiers in this National effort to
secure Freedom for the future.
We the People of the United States , in Order to form a
more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
Provide for the common defense, promote the general
Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
In closing , I ask you to take a moment to think about our
young citizens that are in harms way, and ask that they receive the
blessings of Liberty that they are fighting for, on our behalf.
With Respect,
Butch Harbaugh
NCOM
Chairman
Legislative Task Force
click
HERE to
download a copy of this article in PDF.
click on photos for larger image.
Left Photo: (left to right) Senator Jim Putnam, South Dakota,
BikePAC of Idaho Board Member, Butch Harbaugh and Senator David Zien,
Wisconsin Right Photo: Senator Zien's trusty steed
The first BikePAC of Idaho
Silver Spud
Award
was recently presented to Senator David Zien of Wisconsin.
"Sen. Dave Zien has been Wisconsin’s elite Senator and has authored every
piece of Motorcycle Legislation in that State." BikePAC of Idaho
Board Member Butch Harbaugh goes on to say... "He has ridden his HD
motorcycle ½ million miles promoting and helping others maintain Freedom of
Choice. He is a decorated Marine and has led the “Pledge” at every NCOM
Convention I can remember…"
BikePAC of Idaho can think
of no one more deserving than Senator Zien of our highest honor and first
ever Silver Spud Award. Thank you Senator Zien for your dedication
and enormous efforts on behalf of motorcyclists across the country.
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