February 13, 2011 3:09 AM PST
Is this blatant discrimination against motorcycle owners, drivers, and motorcycle passengers?
Georgia State Motorcycle Vehicle Checkpoints will begin operations on March 3, 2011
For example, in the case of the new California laws, even the American Motorcycle Association AMA did not point out these things, but just how discriminating can a state or federal motor vehicle law become that is obviously focused against motorcycles?
The law doesn't say anything about other types of licensed motor vehicles.
Who says that cars and trucks can't be loud or conforming to some obscure regulation required only in the State of Georgia?
Is this is how the AMA protects the rights of motorcycle owners, drivers and passenger riders?
As many of you know, the State of Georgia recently received over $70,000.00 from the NSTB for Motorcycle ONLY Safety Check Points.
They will stop all Motorcycles at these Check Points entering or passing through the State of Georgia.
The Georgia State Check Points would start operations in early March 3, 2011 to deliberately coincide with the Daytona Bike Week event when thousands of motorcycles converge on Daytona Beach Florida.
Most points of entry to Florida will be involved along major Interstate Highways and some obviously well traveled back roads.
Georgia State Troopers are eagerly anticipating the motorcycles to be tested beginning on March 3, 2011 in order to take advantage of the additional flow of Motorcycle traffic through the Georgia State highway system.
Officers conducting the safety check points have been trained in what to check for so be sure you,
* have all of your credentials,
* motorcycle ownership documents,
* motorcycle safety inspection certificates,
* motorcycle stickers on your license plates,
* Motorcycle tax stamps,
* and that all of your documents and your motorcycle are conforming to the specific laws of the Georgia State Department of Transportation so that all of your paper work and your motorcycle are in order.
If all this is not in order then you can be written a warning ticket, a violation with a fined amount payable on the spot, or your motorcycle can be seized until everything is in order.
Obviously this is just a way to increase citation and fine based revenues, so do all you can to avoid adding to the Georgia State Department of Transportation Highway Funds.
It is possible that Georgia State Department of Transportation Highway officials may require you to open your motorcycle trailer to inspect the contents for motorcycle related violations
These officials will need a search warrant to do this trailer search and may get you to voluntarily open your trailer so that no search warrant is necessary.
There are many motorcyclists who trailer into Georgia and ride into Florida from here.
You may wish to change your plans and trailer on through to Florida by a route which bypasses the State of Georgia entirely.
February 13, 2011 3:12 AM PST
Well that sucks. Pretty damn hard for most to not go through Georgia to get to Daytona!!!
February 13, 2011 3:18 AM PST
Well, I'll tell you what !!! I'm not buying anymore Peaches .
February 13, 2011 3:21 AM PST
Good post, it leaves me with the questions is this really a "Valid" law ? How is it that cars are exempted from such inspectrions? Is the political machine really ready for a real response from riders in general across the country? I imagine we would have quite a bit of political muscle if we truly flexed it some at the ballot box..
A law to me is valid when the vast majority of those whom it regulates agree to its validity,otherwise it seems like a useless exercise in tyranny,something which apparently is the end result of too much money/power in too few hands.
February 13, 2011 7:35 AM PST
I believe they can not pull over one group and not another, this seems like that would be profiling which was found to be unconstitutional by the supreme court. Maybe if everyone just rode past the turnoff and forced them to actually pull everyone over one bike at a time then they would grow tired of the harassment. Peaceful civil disobedience usually works against this type of crap. Good luck everyone and lets all boycot Georgia Products.
February 13, 2011 7:44 AM PST
Shit Georgia sounds like Australia..Y'all are lucky you only got one state like this..Our whole bloody country is ;like this..Good luck with that..CHEERS BOOF
February 13, 2011 8:38 AM PST
Hmm sounds like Georgia may have created a business opportunity for someone with a truck and enclosed trailer.
Guess GA don't want me spending my $$ in their state.
February 13, 2011 8:44 AM PST
SomemoS (or anyone ) could you please provide a link to more info about this? I'm not finding anything on google.
February 13, 2011 11:21 AM PST
This kind of stuff is very worrysome and the fact that it is clearly discriminatory should bother everyone.I have no plans to ride in Georgia anytime soon but I think it is crap that I should have to avoid some state or other! Come on AMA.I have not heard this on the AMA News letter yet so will see what I can find out,thanks for the info.
February 13, 2011 11:51 AM PST
Do you have a link for the story so it can be reposted?
February 13, 2011 6:25 PM PST
I just googled the hell outa the State of Georgia motorcycle laws n found nothing on the subject...is this for real or a rumor?
RandyJoe...Ride Strong...
February 14, 2011 12:06 AM PST
I am with you RandyJoe, wondering if this is rumor going viral. I will keep watching for real stories though.
February 14, 2011 3:11 AM PST
It's real and it's not just Georgia. It is a national program based on a program in New York State that has been around for years. Now the feds are involved.
usridernews.com/2010/08/12/nhtsa-funds-motorcycle-only-checkpoints/
February 14, 2011 3:14 AM PST
February 14, 2011 3:57 AM PST
Thanks for the link,the article was really informative. In my mind this seems like an unlawfull detainer & search?? Since it seems like more & more of our laws are clearly discrimnatory,targeting motorcycle riders only,maybe the answer to these checkpoints is some sort of legal remedy?
Or there could be a need for a special posting site,which indicates to any riders crossing multiple state's the location & means to avoid to such intrusions on our rights to liberty & freedom from harrassment by local PD's..I know locally that we have riders who post on speed trap area's and road checks. In my mind this sort of law enforcement leads one down a very slippery slope.
February 14, 2011 4:48 AM PST
as I live in GA, this is new to me. I live close to closeto a Highway patrol post and will check i out.
February 14, 2011 5:12 AM PST
The following link is to info about this on the AMA web site and you can take action at the bottom.
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/rights/issueslegislation />
February 14, 2011 8:11 AM PST
I seem to remember this from a while back, and that there was a way to email the NTSB about this grant program.I think that the congressmen/womens and senators offices from every state should be flooded with emails, calls, and letters asking these same questions from every rider.. You can bet mine will be.
February 14, 2011 9:23 AM PST
With the reality of this now being established it looks as if we have some unplanned stops in our combined futures. I think the best way to help solve this problem is to support bikers rights groups such as AMA and ABATE. Reading the numbers it seems that in fact that fatalities have risen and that is a problem but not one that can be rectified with discriminatory stops of bikers. Education is the key here. I also noted that the number of bikes on the road has risen much more that the increased rate of fatalities. If you are looking purely at numbers then I would say the fatality per miles driven is actually reduced. AMA and MSF we need your help here.
February 15, 2011 9:52 AM PST
StBobber
Thanks for providing the links to this very senisitive subject, I've read both links n I'm thinking check points are a waste of tax payers money, Check points are not going to drive the number of accidents and fatalaties down in the motorcycle arena.
I do agree that the number of accidents are rising, anytime there is a rise in use the number of issues are going to rise along with.
I am and have always been n advocate of trainig, I have always said that anyone choosing to ride motorcycles on the highways should be required to take a motorcycle saftey training class...In class room as well as hands on training BEFORE being allowed to even purchase a motorcycle to be ridden on public roads.
I have been riding for over 42 years...I'm lucky to have been a Police Motor officer n got my training there but before I did that I thought I was a good rider, my Police riding training proved I needed training.....
Training not only helps you understand riding it also give you n idea of how to handle a bike in a near miss situation,,I strongly believe I'm here today because when I hit that diesel slick in August of 09 I knew what to do to survive so instead of being killed I was just seriousy injured.
I'm just sayin' my fellow bikers I think Training will drive the number of motorcycle accidents down....ROAD CHECK POINTS ARE DISCRIMATION!!
RandyJoe...Ride Strong...
February 15, 2011 12:37 PM PST
This smacks to me of the shotgun approach. Have they done the figures for the number of accidents involving riders that HAVE attended a safety course versus the ones that did not?? I doubt it. I agree that when the number of riders increase, then the number of accidents is going to increase proportionately. Also, I wonder where the figures are for the number of those accidents were caused by cagers and Not riders. Any way you look at it, to me it is still profiling.
February 15, 2011 1:32 PM PST
This smacks to me of the shotgun approach. Have they done the figures for the number of accidents involving riders that HAVE attended a safety course versus the ones that did not?? I doubt it. I agree that when the number of riders increase, then the number of accidents is going to increase proportionately. Also, I wonder where the figures are for the number of those accidents were caused by cagers and Not riders. Any way you look at it, to me it is still profiling.
Yep...profiling it is.....
February 15, 2011 2:00 PM PST
I agree with the training. Unfortunately the training will not keep the people with a 100 or more horsepower ride from doing something stupid if they choose. I don't believe the majority of deaths or crashes are speed related. Maybe, just maybe, they should be more concerned with educating the ones driving the cars and trucks, with Motorcycle Safety !!! In other words Pay Attention to your DRIVING, not your Cell Phone, Makeup, Radio, Etc. These so called Safety Checks are just another way to Screw with the GOOD PEOPLE enjoying a ride! Educate the ones that really need it. Teach them Not To Run Over Motorcycles.!
February 15, 2011 2:45 PM PST
Hey Hollywood,
I was driving my 18 wheeler through Dallas this evening and just about ran over a biker. Not because I didn't see him. Not because I was on the phone or otherwise distracted. But because this stupid jerk passed me and then cut back, not just into my lane but into the exit ramp I was already passing by, so close I could not see the back half of his bike! Had he wobbled just a bit, or his engine coughed just once, he would have been road pizza and not a thing I could have done about it!
February 15, 2011 3:50 PM PST
Rufcut, I didn't say that some bikers don't stupid shit, because they do. There have been a lot of motorcycles run over by cars and trucks, and it wasn't the bikers fault, period.
