The Connecticut Legislature adjourned in May with no mention of motorcycle related bills appearing on the calendar. That bodes very well for the freedom loving bikers of our state. The special session will soon be upon us and there is no reason to believe that anything will crop up at that time being that the state financial situation is at a critical stage.

For those who have not heard, The Connecticut Motorcycle Riders Association was the first group to come out and publicly endorse our good friend Jimmy Amman for governor at our annual Legislative Banquet back in March. We have since been joined in that effort by The United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 24, the International Association of Iron Workers Local 15, the New Haven County Marshals Association and the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 40. This is just the beginning and Jim will need our help and support over the next 29 months if he is to prevail in this very important election. Please be on the lookout for legislative alerts and updates here on the CMRA website.

The core mission of the CMRA is protecting our right to ride when and where we choose on whatever motorcycle we wish to ride. We believe that with rights come responsibilities. We believe motorcyclists have the responsibility to respect the rights of others, obey the law in the operation of their motorcycles and treat others as they wish to be treated.

The arena in which we accomplish our agenda is the Connecticut General Assembly. Although we have visited Washington DC and lobbied our Congressional delegation, we have neither the staff nor funds to operate at this level on a regular basis. During our 20 years of involvement at the State Capitol, we have been involved in many issues and have played the roles of both an advocate for change and a defender of the status quo. The list of our legislative issues includes the following, all of which were successful efforts except where noted:

• Supported the creation of the Motorcycle Rider Education Program, partially funded by a portion of our registration fees
  
• Opposed mandatory helmet use law for adults (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2003)
  
• Defeated proposal prohibiting children aged 14 and under from riding on a motorcycle
  
• Initiated the proposal that led to adoption of an improved curriculum for the Rider Ed program
  
• Initiated the proposal that led to comprehensive improvements to the motorcycle licensing exam
  
• Fought attempts by then Attorney General Lieberman to ban the sale of all- terrain vehicles
  
• Fought attempts to require all new motorcycles sold in the state of Connecticut to have three headlamps
  
• Fought attempts to require motorcyclists to be covered under the “no-fault” insurance provisions applicable to automobile operators
  
• Supported the requirement that motorcycle riders be required to carry basic minimum liability insurance
  
• Sought to require insurers to offer higher limits of coverage for under-insured and uninsured coverage on motorcycle policies (unsuccessful)
  
• Persuaded the DMV to waive the riding portion of the license test for students passing the beginners course in the Rider Education Program
  
• Initiated legislation requiring a 10% insurance discount for all graduates of the Experienced Rider Education Program course
  
• Initiated legislation prohibiting group health insurance providers from refusing to offer coverage to motorcycle riders who would otherwise qualify for coverage, but for riding a motorcycle (1997, 1998, 1999 - unsuccessful).
  

In our 21-year history, we have grown and substantially expanded our agenda from focusing predominantly on the helmet law issue. The CMRA has engaged in a variety of activities aimed at improving the image and appeal of motorcycling, including sponsoring our annual Toy Run, appearing on local cable television programs to discuss our sport and lifestyle, and participating in several radio and television debates and/or call-in shows mainly to discuss the helmet law issue.

Virtually every member of this organization, who has been part of its success, has understood the need and importance of being involved in the political process, whether we like it or not. The organization’s success has confirmed for us the premise that working together as a group is clearly more powerful than working alone. We hope the next 20 years are as successful as the first 23.

Richard Paukner
CMRA Legislative Chairman

NTSB Recommends All States Implement Helmet Laws

Dear Friends:
Since the CNN news segment aired on Wenesday, 9/12, in conjunction with the NTSB report advocating immediate efforts to adopt universal helmet laws for all riders, I am receiving e-mails requesting suggestions from our members as to how to best respond. The AMA and MRF have already released responses indicating their disappointment with the NTSB conclusions. While one could respond directly with the NTSB, I believe you are wasting your time and effort trying to communicate with a government sponsored consortium whose agenda was set from the start. CNN news is a different story but with a similiar result. As a profit making corporation which must compete in this fast paced internet society to be the first with cutting edge reports, journalistic integrity routinely takes a back seat to being the first on the scene with the story. You cannot present the issue of rising national motorcycle fatalities in approximately two and one half minutes and expect to provide a fair, balanced and comprehensive insight into the real factors contributing to the current state of affairs. Certainly you cannot have a meaningful dialogue on the underlying controversial question of universal motorcycle helmet laws in that context.

So what do we do to vent our anger with having been manipulated and played by the press and the coalition of this government/private sector advisory body? I would suggest we play the cards that have served us well in the last thirty years of winning this philosophical war: we focus on our state legislators who hold our fate. While it will disappoint some and anger others, I would urge you all to recognize that we do not need to win the "hearts and minds" of the general public on this issue. First of all, it's futile. Secondly, its irrelevant. We have neither the resources nor the manpower to convince the masses. We need only to convince those who make our laws that our collective voice should prevail. CNN may hold the power of media manipulation but we hold the power of constituent concern. If we are still committed and diligent enough to make the effort, we will win every time. The big "if" is whether the average rider still cares enough to do the legwork that only he or she can provide. Call your State Senator, call your State Representative and tell them you saw the CNN newspiece and you are outraged as a motorcycle rider. Use CNN like they used us. Refute their biased "reporting" using your own experiences as a rider. It is the sweetest and most effective method of beating our opponents at their own game. As a pawn in the CNN story, I say we use this assault to grow twice as strong on this issue. After thirty years, I know we can meet this challenge.

For those who want to do something beyond contacting their State Representatives and Senators after the CNN news coverage and NTSB press release, you should consider coming to the CMRA poker run this Sunday to support us financially. Sign in is at the Moose Lodge in Wallingford from 9:30 - 11:00 am (see next item below...)
Richard Paukner

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From our Legislative Director:
The legislative session of 2003, which adjourned in June, will be remembered as the most recent attempt to resurrect the mandatory helmet law for adult motorcycle riders. While throughout the late 1970's to the mid 1990's we were continually challenged with new attempts to re-instate the helmet law every two to three years, this most recent challenge was the first one to surface since 1996, a remarkable seven year respite.

Despite much apprehension on our part, the member turnout was outstanding and our presentation flawless. We stopped the bill in the Committee and with the General Assembly's adjournment, the matter has been laid to rest until next year when the process is eligible to start anew. I doubt we will see another seven year "holiday". More likely, we will see a proposal to require catastrophic health insurance as a requirement for maintaining our freedom of choice on the helmet issue.

It has been said, "the price of liberty is eternal vigilance". Nowhere is this more true than in the legislative arena where new legislators, new studies and new funding of our opponents constantly creates new efforts to regulate and restrict the rights of motorcyclists. In the same way we feel passionate in protecting our right to ride, there are other individuals who feel as passionate about making the world a safer place. Many of these individuals are paid government agency bureacrats or corporate employees who can easily rationalize the tradeoff in personal liberty for the advancement of public safety.

 

You, and others like you, are all that stand between who emerges the winner in these battles. We can continue to achieve victory if we are willing to work together and make the necessary sacrifices. That road to success starts and ends with you.

Richard Paukner
Legislative Committee Chairman

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Letter from the president of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation