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Legislative UpDates
November 2011 Legislative Newsletter Report
Hopefully by the time you read this the VETO OVERRIDE of HB 2860 will be over and we will have a 4th VETO OVERRIDE to our credit but right now it is our most pressing issue. HB2860, the bill that would allow you to proceed with caution when a stop light does not sense your motorcycle.
Everyone should be getting ONDGO but if you don’t “shame on you” and here are the talking points when talking to your State Senators and Representatives.
Not only do we have to keep our votes but we must overcome the efforts of the ISP and IDOT who are lobbying against this bill.
Tell them this is about our SAFETY
(1) Out of the 11 states that have this law, none have tried to rescind it.
(2) The rise in crashes and deaths that some predicted in those states that have the law has not happened and as a matter of fact motorcycle fatalities decreased across the nation last year. We have watched this type of bill since 2002 when Minn. enacted it
(3) Next to motorist making left hand turns and/or pulling out in front of us, intersections are where we are most vulnerable.
(4) In 2010 IDOT recorded 360 rear end collisions with motorcycles that were slow/stopped in traffic.
(5) In 2009 IDOT recorded 330 rear end collisions with motorcycles that were slow/stopped in traffic
(6) In 2008 IDOT recorded 341 rear end collisions with motorcycles that were slow/stopped in traffic and the list goes on.
(7) Cutting down rear end collisions would reduce Fatalities and Injuries in Illinois
(8) We would also still be subject to a ticket for Reckless Driving if we would proceed recklessly.
"Affirmative Defense" means law enforcement could still give you a ticket and you would have to go before the judge and plead your case referring to the new change in the Ill. Vehicle Code.
This would be another "probable cause" to pull you over.
(9) If we took "Affirmative Defense" we could get a ticket and then have to :
(a) Forfeit our license to the officer writing the ticket
(b) It would also be reported to our insurance company,
(c) Get a lawyer,
(d) Take off work to go to court to fight it, and possibly go from one end of this state to the other for court, depending on where you got the ticket and where you live
(e) This would also be a burden on our over crowed courts and could cost the state money.
(f) We would be Guilty until proven innocent
(10) Motorcyclists pay the same gas taxes as other motorists and we deserve traffic control devices that work or be allowed to proceed with caution.
(11) ABATE of Illinois would not be asking for this if we thought it would be counterproductive in reducing deaths and accidents as we are more concerned than anyone about our safety.
(12) ABATE has always advocated the use of safety equipment but this VETO makes gloves, sleeves, long pants a harder sell in the summer where there are traffic signals not working properly.
(13) In 1973 people said that a "right turn after a stop on a red light" would raise accidents/fatalities but we still have that law to help move traffic.
Still no word on our Supreme Court case
The Federal Issues are still the same
H.R. 229 Which we OPPOSE – Mandatory Vehicle Inspections
H.R. 748 which we SUPPORT – To Oppose the Legalization of E-15
H.R. 904 which we SUPPORT – To Cut the Funds for Motorcycle Only
Checkpoints
H.R.1449 Which we SUPPORT – Right To Repair Act
The 2012 Legislative agenda went home with your BOD reps for you to study and vote on so your BOD Rep knows what to do at the December BOD Meeting.
Help Those That Help Us
WE must get out and help those legislators that help and support us.
They need our help with phone calls and putting up their campaign signs.
Have them speak at your meetings so that you can get to know them.
Have the Party Candidates come in different meetings. 1 month have all the Republican candidates then the next have all the Democrats.
When you have them at the meetings hold all questions to Motorcycle Issues Only. Do not get off track and talk about other issues like school bussing, workmans comp., gay rights, and other non-motorcycling issues.
If our current friends don’t make it then we already let the new legislators know who we are and what we are about and we can be friends.
Bob Myers
Legislative Coordinator
ABATE of Illinois, Inc.
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