AMA...would you join ?
11-21-2009 | 08:35 PM
#31
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,166
Bottom line, there is no money. Ever hear our Mayor Daley talk about infrastructure. All you hear is doing more with less. Daley rides bikes and has created one of the worlds largest plans for urban bicycle routes. He puts planters in streets so you can't see making a turn, and cameras on every street corner tied into private and government systems. Big brother doesn't know what it is to worker smarter because the system prevents it. Motorcyclist have to be like the gays and be more confrontational. They take (borrow) our license fees and use them to fill holes in budgets. All they hear is our loud pipes and all they see are stunters wheelying down the freeway. They actually want us gone if not dead. We're organ donors who deserve our fate. You kids expect too much without making an effort. I'm too old and busy trying to keep food on the table and a roof over that.
Its everyone's right to bitch but in our case no one will listen. Health care denial for motorcyclist and the like was to be protected by act of Congress and the GSA screwed it up and the insurance companies have taken advantage. National health care. Now that's something motorcyclists should get behind. Don't want to pay when we're injured, fix edge traps, tar snakes, don't ship & seal; kill a motorcyclist and go to jail. Its all about who has the money and government doesn't, the banks, insurance companies and big corporations do. And government will suck up to money to get money.
Rant over.
Its everyone's right to bitch but in our case no one will listen. Health care denial for motorcyclist and the like was to be protected by act of Congress and the GSA screwed it up and the insurance companies have taken advantage. National health care. Now that's something motorcyclists should get behind. Don't want to pay when we're injured, fix edge traps, tar snakes, don't ship & seal; kill a motorcyclist and go to jail. Its all about who has the money and government doesn't, the banks, insurance companies and big corporations do. And government will suck up to money to get money.
Rant over.
11-21-2009 | 08:51 PM
#33
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 363
From: Shreveport / Bossier City
11-23-2009 | 08:05 PM
#34
Thread Starter
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
response #2 from ABATE:
Nathan
You seem to have a good understanding of the problems as it relates to road conditions for motorcycles. Perhaps you would be interested in writing an article for the ABATE newsletter on this subject. Don't be too wordy. Also, consider joining ABATE of PA sometime in the future.
Charles
Nathan
You seem to have a good understanding of the problems as it relates to road conditions for motorcycles. Perhaps you would be interested in writing an article for the ABATE newsletter on this subject. Don't be too wordy. Also, consider joining ABATE of PA sometime in the future.
Charles
11-23-2009 | 08:10 PM
#35
Thread Starter
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
response #1 AMA:
Dear Mr. Fama,
Thank you for using the "contact us" feature at www.americanmotorcyclist.com to send your inquiry. Imre Szauter, AMA Government Affairs Manager for On-Road Issues is the best person to address your inquiry. However, he will be out of the office until 11/30. Please be assured your inquiry will be answered, it will just take a few days longer than normal.
In the meantime, if you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Thank you,
Marie Esselstein
Government Affairs Assistant
American Motorcyclist Association
Dear Mr. Fama,
Thank you for using the "contact us" feature at www.americanmotorcyclist.com to send your inquiry. Imre Szauter, AMA Government Affairs Manager for On-Road Issues is the best person to address your inquiry. However, he will be out of the office until 11/30. Please be assured your inquiry will be answered, it will just take a few days longer than normal.
In the meantime, if you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Thank you,
Marie Esselstein
Government Affairs Assistant
American Motorcyclist Association
11-23-2009 | 08:57 PM
#36
Squid Poacher
Back Marker
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 116
From: Orange Park, Fl.
For those who think the AMA is some worthless organization, you need to get you heads out of your asses. The AMA does more to protect off road riding areas than any other organization. They are constantly fighting for the rights of all motorcyclists on the federal level whether we care or not. Sure they take a stance against loud pipes, but that's like fighting for skateboarders rights while asking the skaters to not be belligerent to passers-by and not to vandalize property. If you want people to respect you you can't tell them to **** off all the time.
If you want to know if there is a benefit to joining the AMA outside of the abstract political issues then I say look in your wallet. Not only do they now offer free towing for all of the members vehicles (not just your bike), but many vendors (like bike bandit) offer discounts for AMA members. If you pay $39 dollars for a membership and save over $100 in one year from your discounts how can you contend that it wasn't worth it?
If you want to know if there is a benefit to joining the AMA outside of the abstract political issues then I say look in your wallet. Not only do they now offer free towing for all of the members vehicles (not just your bike), but many vendors (like bike bandit) offer discounts for AMA members. If you pay $39 dollars for a membership and save over $100 in one year from your discounts how can you contend that it wasn't worth it?
12-03-2009 | 09:50 AM
#37
Thread Starter
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
sent this to: smarter-usa, ABATE, AMA, MSF, MRF
Do Road Repair Practices Unnecessarily Endanger Motorcyclists?
The short answer is that several widely accepted methods of road repair, commonly used on rural roads in northern climes, pose hazards specific to operators of two wheel vehicles. In other words, road maintenance practices deemed safe for all vehicles licensed that travel public roadways, are in fact unsafe for one vehicle type, i.e., the motorcycle. This anomaly blatantly discriminates against operators of two-wheel vehicles, seriously compromises their safety, and therefore warrants precipitous change.
What particular road repair methods cause dangerous conditions for operators of two-wheel vehicles? Tar and chip, crevice sealing, linear partial lane repair, and line painting are some of the most common maintenance procedures that serve to destabilize two wheel cycles. For the uninitiated, tar and chip is a thin layer of tar covered by a layer of fine gravel chips and is usually a whole road repair often performed yearly; crevice sealing refers to pouring hot tar into and onto cracks to prevent further moisture penetration causing degradation of the road surface; partial lane repairs are typically linear strips of asphalt, usually 2-4 feet wide, that serve to renew part of a lane and result in a line at the juncture of the repair and the road; and line painting simply refers to type of the paints used on road surfaces.
Why are repair procedures intended to maintain and improve the road surface particularly dangerous for motorcycles, yet relatively safe for all other licensed vehicles? How is it that these methods are considered to be acceptable for public roads given that they specifically create hazardous conditions for vehicles that lean to negotiate curves?
To learn why these repair methods unfairly target motorcyclists, it is necessary to understand how two wheel vehicles use the travel lane in different ways than autos and other vehicles that remain upright. Autos, trucks, etc., travel with their tires straddling the sides of their lane basically using only two track-areas for the tires. These upright vehicles do not utilize the center surface per se, but rather travel over it. Contrast this to vehicles that lean for curves and primarily travel the surface in the center of the lane.
The reason for this need to utilize the area not used by other vehicles has to do with lean and how this affects the lateral profile of the motorcycle. A motorcyclist produces a profile that is 5-6 ft tall and about 3 ft in width while sitting upright and traveling straight ahead; during lean however, the lateral profile becomes significantly wider than the 3 ft upright height depending on lean angle. This widened profile makes it dangerous or impossible to use the left track of the lane when negotiating a left curve and vice versa. Therefore, the optimal portion of the lane for motorcycles in terms of safe operation is the center of the travel lane, which is the area between the tracks utilized by other vehicles. Being positioned in the center of the lane is necessary to prevent operator/passenger’s head and upper body from extending beyond his/her lane and this is unique to motorcycles and inherently changes how they use the travel lane compared to other vehicles.
Now consider how the need for motorcycles to utilize the center of the lane becomes especially hazardous on a recently repaired tar and chip road, especially considering the fact that other vehicle tires straddle the sides of the lane leaving gravel piled in the middle. Since the center of the lane is laden with loose gravel, the motorcyclist is basically unable to travel in the optimum area. To compensate for losing the ability to use the center and to maintain traction, the rider must move back and forth to either side of the lane into one of the tracks packed down by larger vehicles in order to accommodate the increased lateral profile that results from negotiating curves. The problem with this strategy is that for left hand curve, for example, the rider must cross the loose gravel in the center of the lane to the right track to keep from leaning into oncoming traffic and conversely, back again across to the other track to avoid vehicles/obstacles close to the edge of the road. It’s not difficult to understand the dangerous nature of this strategy. Not only do these adverse conditions compromise safety of the operator, but when an accident occurs with another vehicle as a result of leaving the lane, the motorcyclist is deemed responsible for causing the accident.
Another repair that specifically targets motorcycles over other vehicles using public roads is the process of filling cracks with hot tar. This tar leaves a smooth shiny surface that follows crevices mostly in the direction of travel, becomes unstable in tepid weather and is very slippery during rainy conditions. Due to the nature of two-wheel vehicles and the random nature of these repairs, it is difficult to predict when and where traction will be lost.
.
The partial lane repair typically manifests as a long line of uneven and disparate surfaces that meet near the lane center, again the main travel area of two wheel vehicles. This line follows the direction of travel for an indeterminate distance and often results in tire squirm or wobble that forces the motorcyclist out of the center in order to regain stability. This uneven line in the middle results in the moving from side to side strategy similar to that required for dealing with the tar and chip repair.
Lines are painted on roadways for many and varied reasons including dividing lanes, road edges, crosswalks, turn lanes, etc., and they can be treacherous at lean or during braking, especially during wet conditions. Once again, upright vehicles with three or more tires that rest squarely on the road surface experience little or no dangerous loss of traction, and this once again highlights the discriminatory nature of this procedure.
The main point is that the unique nature of the motorcycle renders it less capable of traction and stability even under many commonly occurring conditions such as wet surfaces, dirt/debris on turns or at intersections, dead/crossing animals, tree branches, etc. Therefore, creating more hazards in the name of maintenance endangers the thousands of riders/others using public roads. Characteristics that distinguish motorcycles from all other licensed vehicles demonstrate how these common repair methods serve to undermine safe travel during optimum conditions are significantly more pronounced during wet weather and at times of low visibility or darkness. These adverse conditions created in the name of improvement specifically target motorcyclists, both with respect to their own and/or passenger safety as well as in terms of liability for damages to other drivers and their vehicles. Motorcyclists know all to well the nature of aforementioned hazardous conditions, but heretofore have been powerless to precipitate actions to eliminate these dangerous and discriminatory practices. Therefore, it seems that legislation designed to address these inequities is likely the only reasonable course of action. Motorcycle groups and organizations need to take the necessary steps on behalf of their member constituents and indeed all riders using public roads as well as others who could be injured as a result of motorcycle mishaps.
Would changes in these road repair methods be cost prohibitive or difficult to remedy? The answer is no. It could be as simple as removing or rolling-in loose gravel in the case of tar and chip repairs. Adding grit/sand/dust (fine gravel) to hot tar crevice repairs and paints used on road surfaces could markedly improve traction on slippery surfaces. And partial lane repairs that create uneven linear surfaces or destabilizing lines could be eliminated by feathering to a more surface uniform. These road repair issues are not as much a matter of exorbitant monetary expenditures as with taking the extra steps necessary to assure that the road surface is uniform and safe for all vehicles including motorcycles.
Do Road Repair Practices Unnecessarily Endanger Motorcyclists?
The short answer is that several widely accepted methods of road repair, commonly used on rural roads in northern climes, pose hazards specific to operators of two wheel vehicles. In other words, road maintenance practices deemed safe for all vehicles licensed that travel public roadways, are in fact unsafe for one vehicle type, i.e., the motorcycle. This anomaly blatantly discriminates against operators of two-wheel vehicles, seriously compromises their safety, and therefore warrants precipitous change.
What particular road repair methods cause dangerous conditions for operators of two-wheel vehicles? Tar and chip, crevice sealing, linear partial lane repair, and line painting are some of the most common maintenance procedures that serve to destabilize two wheel cycles. For the uninitiated, tar and chip is a thin layer of tar covered by a layer of fine gravel chips and is usually a whole road repair often performed yearly; crevice sealing refers to pouring hot tar into and onto cracks to prevent further moisture penetration causing degradation of the road surface; partial lane repairs are typically linear strips of asphalt, usually 2-4 feet wide, that serve to renew part of a lane and result in a line at the juncture of the repair and the road; and line painting simply refers to type of the paints used on road surfaces.
Why are repair procedures intended to maintain and improve the road surface particularly dangerous for motorcycles, yet relatively safe for all other licensed vehicles? How is it that these methods are considered to be acceptable for public roads given that they specifically create hazardous conditions for vehicles that lean to negotiate curves?
To learn why these repair methods unfairly target motorcyclists, it is necessary to understand how two wheel vehicles use the travel lane in different ways than autos and other vehicles that remain upright. Autos, trucks, etc., travel with their tires straddling the sides of their lane basically using only two track-areas for the tires. These upright vehicles do not utilize the center surface per se, but rather travel over it. Contrast this to vehicles that lean for curves and primarily travel the surface in the center of the lane.
The reason for this need to utilize the area not used by other vehicles has to do with lean and how this affects the lateral profile of the motorcycle. A motorcyclist produces a profile that is 5-6 ft tall and about 3 ft in width while sitting upright and traveling straight ahead; during lean however, the lateral profile becomes significantly wider than the 3 ft upright height depending on lean angle. This widened profile makes it dangerous or impossible to use the left track of the lane when negotiating a left curve and vice versa. Therefore, the optimal portion of the lane for motorcycles in terms of safe operation is the center of the travel lane, which is the area between the tracks utilized by other vehicles. Being positioned in the center of the lane is necessary to prevent operator/passenger’s head and upper body from extending beyond his/her lane and this is unique to motorcycles and inherently changes how they use the travel lane compared to other vehicles.
Now consider how the need for motorcycles to utilize the center of the lane becomes especially hazardous on a recently repaired tar and chip road, especially considering the fact that other vehicle tires straddle the sides of the lane leaving gravel piled in the middle. Since the center of the lane is laden with loose gravel, the motorcyclist is basically unable to travel in the optimum area. To compensate for losing the ability to use the center and to maintain traction, the rider must move back and forth to either side of the lane into one of the tracks packed down by larger vehicles in order to accommodate the increased lateral profile that results from negotiating curves. The problem with this strategy is that for left hand curve, for example, the rider must cross the loose gravel in the center of the lane to the right track to keep from leaning into oncoming traffic and conversely, back again across to the other track to avoid vehicles/obstacles close to the edge of the road. It’s not difficult to understand the dangerous nature of this strategy. Not only do these adverse conditions compromise safety of the operator, but when an accident occurs with another vehicle as a result of leaving the lane, the motorcyclist is deemed responsible for causing the accident.
Another repair that specifically targets motorcycles over other vehicles using public roads is the process of filling cracks with hot tar. This tar leaves a smooth shiny surface that follows crevices mostly in the direction of travel, becomes unstable in tepid weather and is very slippery during rainy conditions. Due to the nature of two-wheel vehicles and the random nature of these repairs, it is difficult to predict when and where traction will be lost.
.
The partial lane repair typically manifests as a long line of uneven and disparate surfaces that meet near the lane center, again the main travel area of two wheel vehicles. This line follows the direction of travel for an indeterminate distance and often results in tire squirm or wobble that forces the motorcyclist out of the center in order to regain stability. This uneven line in the middle results in the moving from side to side strategy similar to that required for dealing with the tar and chip repair.
Lines are painted on roadways for many and varied reasons including dividing lanes, road edges, crosswalks, turn lanes, etc., and they can be treacherous at lean or during braking, especially during wet conditions. Once again, upright vehicles with three or more tires that rest squarely on the road surface experience little or no dangerous loss of traction, and this once again highlights the discriminatory nature of this procedure.
The main point is that the unique nature of the motorcycle renders it less capable of traction and stability even under many commonly occurring conditions such as wet surfaces, dirt/debris on turns or at intersections, dead/crossing animals, tree branches, etc. Therefore, creating more hazards in the name of maintenance endangers the thousands of riders/others using public roads. Characteristics that distinguish motorcycles from all other licensed vehicles demonstrate how these common repair methods serve to undermine safe travel during optimum conditions are significantly more pronounced during wet weather and at times of low visibility or darkness. These adverse conditions created in the name of improvement specifically target motorcyclists, both with respect to their own and/or passenger safety as well as in terms of liability for damages to other drivers and their vehicles. Motorcyclists know all to well the nature of aforementioned hazardous conditions, but heretofore have been powerless to precipitate actions to eliminate these dangerous and discriminatory practices. Therefore, it seems that legislation designed to address these inequities is likely the only reasonable course of action. Motorcycle groups and organizations need to take the necessary steps on behalf of their member constituents and indeed all riders using public roads as well as others who could be injured as a result of motorcycle mishaps.
Would changes in these road repair methods be cost prohibitive or difficult to remedy? The answer is no. It could be as simple as removing or rolling-in loose gravel in the case of tar and chip repairs. Adding grit/sand/dust (fine gravel) to hot tar crevice repairs and paints used on road surfaces could markedly improve traction on slippery surfaces. And partial lane repairs that create uneven linear surfaces or destabilizing lines could be eliminated by feathering to a more surface uniform. These road repair issues are not as much a matter of exorbitant monetary expenditures as with taking the extra steps necessary to assure that the road surface is uniform and safe for all vehicles including motorcycles.
12-04-2009 | 04:33 AM
#38
Thread Starter
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
SMARTER response:to road repair endangers motorcyclists article
As written, it seems mostly opinion (an opinion I believe almost every rider agrees with), however it might make a much stronger impact if it were re-titled and included referenced statistics - i.e. statistics and references to actual crashes where the road repair practice was determined to be a contributing factor.
Let me know your thoughts regarding my responses and questions. Thanks for finding us and sharing this article. Dan
Dan Petterson, Ed.D.
My response:
Hi Dan,
This article has not been published. Naturally, I consider it factual based on my 4.5 decades of riding experience, that’s my opinion. Relative to the word “discriminate” : it was used because in spite of efforts/notifications of private citizens, and orgs like ABATE, the DOT continues to consider these repairs and the resulting road surface conditions safe for all vehicles, the fallacy being all vehicles are alike with one exception. Their failure to recognize this exception unduly endangers motorcyclists who help pay for the roads and this constitutes discrimination. If these practices were new and/or motorcycles were a new phenomenon, maybe one could be more sympathetic and less inclined toward strong language; however, history and the continuation of these practices serve as proof that there will be no change without serious initiatives and likely legislative incentives.
Thanks, Nathan
Smarter response:
Thanks Nathan, I will study your article more carefully than my initial read allowed me to do and let you know about posting it on our site. I will not be able to get back to you until the end of next week at the earliest as I am doing some traveling and have a busy schedule coming up. Again, thanks for sharing this with SMARTER and I will be in touch. Dan
My Response:
Thanks Dan.
I’m not focused on getting published as much as sparking political action via motorcycle orgs like yours who need to enlighten lawmakers about how motorcycles differ from all others in terms of how they need to use the travel lane, and consequently how the road surface needs to address this uniqueness. Until these differences are understood, there is no incentive to consider change. If all we were doing was traveling straight roads, differences would be moot. When curves enter the equation, everything changes.
Nathan
Smarter Response:
OK Thanks. I participate on the Motorcycle Safety Task Force of the Michigan Governors Traffic Safety Committee. Also on our committee is the state director of the Michigan Department of Transportation. We have addressed issues like this and have made progress. Only recently has Michigan posted any special warnings for motorcyclists at construction zone - because of input from our organization and others. I will continue to address this subject and will use your article to help organize my input. Thanks much. Dan
As written, it seems mostly opinion (an opinion I believe almost every rider agrees with), however it might make a much stronger impact if it were re-titled and included referenced statistics - i.e. statistics and references to actual crashes where the road repair practice was determined to be a contributing factor.
Let me know your thoughts regarding my responses and questions. Thanks for finding us and sharing this article. Dan
Dan Petterson, Ed.D.
My response:
Hi Dan,
This article has not been published. Naturally, I consider it factual based on my 4.5 decades of riding experience, that’s my opinion. Relative to the word “discriminate” : it was used because in spite of efforts/notifications of private citizens, and orgs like ABATE, the DOT continues to consider these repairs and the resulting road surface conditions safe for all vehicles, the fallacy being all vehicles are alike with one exception. Their failure to recognize this exception unduly endangers motorcyclists who help pay for the roads and this constitutes discrimination. If these practices were new and/or motorcycles were a new phenomenon, maybe one could be more sympathetic and less inclined toward strong language; however, history and the continuation of these practices serve as proof that there will be no change without serious initiatives and likely legislative incentives.
Thanks, Nathan
Smarter response:
Thanks Nathan, I will study your article more carefully than my initial read allowed me to do and let you know about posting it on our site. I will not be able to get back to you until the end of next week at the earliest as I am doing some traveling and have a busy schedule coming up. Again, thanks for sharing this with SMARTER and I will be in touch. Dan
My Response:
Thanks Dan.
I’m not focused on getting published as much as sparking political action via motorcycle orgs like yours who need to enlighten lawmakers about how motorcycles differ from all others in terms of how they need to use the travel lane, and consequently how the road surface needs to address this uniqueness. Until these differences are understood, there is no incentive to consider change. If all we were doing was traveling straight roads, differences would be moot. When curves enter the equation, everything changes.
Nathan
Smarter Response:
OK Thanks. I participate on the Motorcycle Safety Task Force of the Michigan Governors Traffic Safety Committee. Also on our committee is the state director of the Michigan Department of Transportation. We have addressed issues like this and have made progress. Only recently has Michigan posted any special warnings for motorcyclists at construction zone - because of input from our organization and others. I will continue to address this subject and will use your article to help organize my input. Thanks much. Dan
12-04-2009 | 04:47 AM
#39
Thread Starter
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
AMA response: to article road repair endangers motorcyclists article
I have forwarded your text to Imre Szauter, AMA Government Affairs Manager for On-Road Issues and to Grant Parsons, Managing Editor of American Motorcyclist Magazine for their consideration. Thank you for sharing this with us. If I can help you in any other way, please do not hesitate to ask. Sincerely, Marie Esselstein Government Affairs Assistant American Motorcyclist Association 13515 Yarmouth Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147
(800) AMA-JOIN
MSF response:
Hi Nathan,
Thank you for sharing your document on roadway hazards with us.
For many years, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation has advocated roadway design, repair, and maintenance techniques that minimize hazards to motorcyclists. Some of our recommendations are embodied in our document "MOTORCYCLIST SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS IN HIGHWAY DESIGN/CONSTRUCTION," which I've attached for your reference.
You may want to contact the appropriate county and state agencies in Pennsylvania that deal with roadway/highway issues and share your thoughts with them.
Ken Glaser
Director, Special Projects
Motorcycle Safety Foundation
ABATE response:
Nathan
Got your article. Will run if space permits.
Interestingly, today I was going through some old files looking for something and I came across the minutes from the PA Motorcycle Dealers Association Board of Directors Meeting from April 18, 1991. Here is one of the action items that was listed:
At the request of the board, Johnson shall communicate with PennDOT regarding use of asphalt cement mixed with poly fibers to fix cracks when bonding of seams occurs during road maintenance. Circumstances concerning a customer of Blockers HD indicates that use of these materials may create unsafe conditions for motorcycle riders, especially during inclement weather.
The board would suggest to PennDOT that use of other materials such as an abrasive or aggregate should be explored for the benefit of highway safety.
There you have it. This issue has been around forever. PennDOT remains adamant about containing costs. Just thought you might be interested in seeing this.
Charles
I have forwarded your text to Imre Szauter, AMA Government Affairs Manager for On-Road Issues and to Grant Parsons, Managing Editor of American Motorcyclist Magazine for their consideration. Thank you for sharing this with us. If I can help you in any other way, please do not hesitate to ask. Sincerely, Marie Esselstein Government Affairs Assistant American Motorcyclist Association 13515 Yarmouth Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147
(800) AMA-JOIN
MSF response:
Hi Nathan,
Thank you for sharing your document on roadway hazards with us.
For many years, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation has advocated roadway design, repair, and maintenance techniques that minimize hazards to motorcyclists. Some of our recommendations are embodied in our document "MOTORCYCLIST SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS IN HIGHWAY DESIGN/CONSTRUCTION," which I've attached for your reference.
You may want to contact the appropriate county and state agencies in Pennsylvania that deal with roadway/highway issues and share your thoughts with them.
Ken Glaser
Director, Special Projects
Motorcycle Safety Foundation
ABATE response:
Nathan
Got your article. Will run if space permits.
Interestingly, today I was going through some old files looking for something and I came across the minutes from the PA Motorcycle Dealers Association Board of Directors Meeting from April 18, 1991. Here is one of the action items that was listed:
At the request of the board, Johnson shall communicate with PennDOT regarding use of asphalt cement mixed with poly fibers to fix cracks when bonding of seams occurs during road maintenance. Circumstances concerning a customer of Blockers HD indicates that use of these materials may create unsafe conditions for motorcycle riders, especially during inclement weather.
The board would suggest to PennDOT that use of other materials such as an abrasive or aggregate should be explored for the benefit of highway safety.
There you have it. This issue has been around forever. PennDOT remains adamant about containing costs. Just thought you might be interested in seeing this.
Charles
12-04-2009 | 07:58 AM
#40
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 427
From: Honolulu, Hawaii USA
For those who think the AMA is some worthless organization, you need to get you heads out of your asses. The AMA does more to protect off road riding areas than any other organization. They are constantly fighting for the rights of all motorcyclists on the federal level whether we care or not. Sure they take a stance against loud pipes, but that's like fighting for skateboarders rights while asking the skaters to not be belligerent to passers-by and not to vandalize property. If you want people to respect you you can't tell them to **** off all the time.
If you want to know if there is a benefit to joining the AMA outside of the abstract political issues then I say look in your wallet. Not only do they now offer free towing for all of the members vehicles (not just your bike), but many vendors (like bike bandit) offer discounts for AMA members. If you pay $39 dollars for a membership and save over $100 in one year from your discounts how can you contend that it wasn't worth it?
If you want to know if there is a benefit to joining the AMA outside of the abstract political issues then I say look in your wallet. Not only do they now offer free towing for all of the members vehicles (not just your bike), but many vendors (like bike bandit) offer discounts for AMA members. If you pay $39 dollars for a membership and save over $100 in one year from your discounts how can you contend that it wasn't worth it?
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