The Legislator Will Get You If You Don't Watch Out!
THE LEGISLATOR WILL GET YOU IF YOU DON’T WATCH OUT!
BOB HICKS
ISN’T IT NICE to see so many motorcycles on the roads these days? We think so, but there are those who do not share this view. The increasing popularity of motorcycling has rendered the sport visible to some people who do not like motorcycles, are afraid of motorcycles, or worry for our safety. They now see motorcvcles everywhere they look, and take action. This action, in our fine democracy, happens in the state legislatures, where new laws are now being demanded to impose control upon motorcycling.
The 1965 session of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will consider, among some 4000 bills, a half-dozen concerned with motorcycling. Leading the list is a proposed bill of stark simplicity, designed to solve the motorcvcle problem here entirely. A Representative Moran has introduced House Bill #1934. a bill to prohibit the use of motorcvcles, motor scooters, or motorized bicycles. on the highways of the Commonwealth, except by persons employed by certain governmental units.
This is not the first time around for this particular bill. Rep. Moran introduced the same measure in 1964, and at the Motor Vehicles Committee hearing on it, after listening to numerous persons object, he stood up and withdrew the bill, with politically inspired comments about not realizing what fine people we all were. Now he’s back again with the same thing in mind, just get motorcycles off the road, period.
A phone call to him revealed that he intends this year to press on right down the line to see his bill made into law.
Rep. Moran told us in 1964 why he wanted to rid the Commonwealth of motorcycles. He was Sunday driving one day with his family when a loud motorcycle roared past him on the right, causing him to instinctivelv swerve left toward oncoming traffic, nearly causing a collision.
Although this is a very threatening bill, its very finality, and obvious discrimination make it unlikely to become law. providing adequate sensible opposition is voiced to the committee holding public hearing, and also providing that enough motorcyclists all over Massachusetts contact their local representatives to object. For many such trifling bills are often passed into law by scantily attended sessions of the legislature, when many of the so-called “junk laws” are enacted to clear the table for important matters.
Right in line with Rep. Moran's bill, but more limited in scope, is House Bill #1673, authorizing the town of Nantucket to regulate and prohibit the use of motorcycles and motor scooters in the old and historic district of that town. Introduced by Rep. Desrocher, this is intended to solve the problem of numerous rentals used summers on the tiny offshore island resort. Apparently there has been difficulty controlling the rental crowd with ordinary enforcement of the motor vehicle laws, and the town fathers, through their man at the State House, Rep. Desrocher, have decided the way to handle this minority is to get state approval to refuse them use of the roads. The old and historic district of Nantucket is downtown. The reason persons not living on Nantucket, or planning to visit there by motorcycle, should be concerned over this local matter is that it sets a bad precedent. Other towns and cities may observe Nantucket getting away with this and follow suit, thus eventually accomplishing Rep. Moran’s purposes by nibbles.
Passing on to legislation more reasonable in its conception, but still loaded against motorcycling, we come to Senate Bill #169, a bill to require a special driving test to operate a motorcycle on the highways of the Commonwealth. This was brought in by the Massachusetts Division of AAA. This organization of automobile owners specifically refuses to accept motorcycles in its membership, yet has taken to itself the cause of imposing upon motorcyclists a separate driving test. Mr. Dick Hoover, the AAA public relations man in Boston, told us in a lengthy phone call that AAA felt the accident picture for motorcycles in this state could be improved by strictly testing prospective motorcyclists’ driving abilities before allowing them on the road. The AAA bill does not spell out the test details, merely directs the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to establish a fit test to determine a motorcyclist’s driving ability. Mr. Hoover used himself as an example of a person who could walk into a hike shop, buy a “Hunda” as he put it, and try to ride off. He made much of the fact he’d not have the faintest idea how to do this, and declined to believe our assertion that the dealer would see to it he did get instruction.
This bill is a particular menace to the motorcycle business, for it would require the prospective buyer to first apply for a learner’s permit, then find a bike to practice on, apply for a driving test, wait around until his turn came up, take the test, and then finally come around to pick up his own bike. How many new prospects are going to go through all that? The particular menace of this bill is its apparent good intent. Nobody is trying to keep us off the road, they just want to see us all better trained. Well, Massachusetts had a license test during the 1950’s, and it was a farce. Finally the Registrar dropped the whole business about 1960 as being a nuisance. Now the AAA wants to see it reestablished. Make no mistake about it, such new testing will definitely complicate and retard motorcycle sales.
Next in line to aid and protect motorcyclists here is House Bill #723, a bill to require motorcyclists to wear protective headgear, of AMA approved, Class 1 construction. This is the second time around for this bill too, brought in by Rep. Buffone. In 1964, two such bills were presented, one supported by the Junior Chamber of Commerce of a small town, as a
“project.” These people thought it would be a good idea to protect motorcyclists from head injuries by requiring them to use helmets, but did not bother to contact even one motorcyclist, or dealer, or anybody in the field. Now, Rep. Buffone has brought in the same bill once again. No politician has the nerve to suggest that use of seat belts in automobiles be made compulsory, that would be political suicide. But since motorcyclists are harmless politically, we can be pushed into line.
Well, these four bills are the main concern in Massachusetts this year; the others relate to registration transfer fees, and to legal definition of a motorcycle. We think the key point involved in this whole topic is that motorcyclists are considered as being unimportant politically, and thus are fit objects upon which to pin restrictive and crusading type legislation. Faced with monumental problems in automobile safety and traffic control, some lawmakers turn to what appears to be an easily solvable aspect of the whole picture, the motorcycle problem.
We have learned over the past three years of successfully fending off past efforts of this sort, that to obtain relief from this legislative attitude, motorcyclists must present the appearance of having some political weight. With 20,000 motorcyclists in a state of 5,000,000 persons, how do you accomplish this? Easily. Most of those 5,000,000 people are mute; their legislators never hear from them. So, motorcyclists,
arise and be heard. When legislation of this sort is introduced, motorcyclists must attend public hearings and present reasoned opposition to it. They must appear in orderly numbers, and refrain from angry attacks on the legislators involved. Supplementing these public appearances, motorcyclists from all parts of the state must contact their local representative, or senator, and voice their objections. Thus, if a measure does get out of committee and go to the legislature for action, many of the men in the legislature will have heard of this bill and will be ready to act on it. If you, as a constituent, object to the bill, and nobody else from your area has supported it, chances are good that your representative will vote against it.
Anyone can subscribe to a legislative reporting service, which supplies a listing of all legislation introduced, along with dates of public hearings, etc. In your state you can locate such a service through the telephone book, or ask your local representative to find out for you. Dealers, dealer organizations, clubs, and even private individuals, have to be alert today. Selling and riding more motorcycles than ever, we are suddenly visible to the public, and a fit target for increasing amounts of discriminatory legislation. As we discovered in Massachusetts, it is a lot easier to kill a bill before it becomes law than it is to repeal the law afterwards. You’ve got to look out for your own rights; nobody else will do it for you.
