Journalism: Where is the Consistency?

The news article below was posted here on November 27, 2007. I am saddened by the loss of life in this accident, and for those who were injured. Especially on Thanksgiving Day.

The atrocity of this accident is portrayed very effectively. When you read it, you might feel blind anger at illegal immigrants in general, and drunk drivers most certainly. Then you will feel anger that our law enforcement failed to keep this particular immigrant within his country's borders, only to return to the US illegally and kill innocent victims.

Nowhere in this article does it say if anyone was wearing a seatbelt, and surely not the young man who died of his injuries.

Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Driving Drunk, Causing Fatal Boone Crash

BOONE, N.C. -- An illegal immigrant is accused of driving drunk in Boone over the Thanksgiving holiday and plowing into a sport utility vehicle, killing a man inside.

Boone police said Juan Manuel Juarez Reyes slammed into the rear of a Lexus SUV that was about to turn from Highway 105 onto Poplar Hill Drive shortly before 11 p.m. Friday. The SUV was skidded 250 feet, hitting a Watauga County deputy’s patrol car. The occupants of the SUV were trapped inside their vehicle but the deputy was not hurt.

The driver, Sallie Ellis Newell, and passenger Jacqueline Elizabeth Newell were taken to the Watauga County Medical Center where they were treated in released. But Brian Alan Newell and Andrew Russell Newell, who was in the back passenger-side seat, were flown to Johnson City Regional Medical Center.

Andrew Newell, 22, died at the hospital. His father remains in critical condition.

Family members said the Newells were returning from a Thanksgiving trip to South Carolina and were only a quarter-mile from home.

Authorities said Monday that Juarez Reyes was caught in the country by Border Patrol agents in 2002 and was sent back to Mexico. They aren’t sure when he re-entered the United States.

Police say he was speeding and drunk when the crash happened.

Juarez Reyes was first charged with driving while impaired, driving without a license and three counts of felonious assault with a deadly weapon causing serious injury by vehicle. On Tuesday he was charged with second-degree murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

He is being held under $1 million bond and has asked for a court-appointed attorney. He’ll be back in court Jan. 14.

What is astounding about the outcome of this accident are the charges, and the bail.

At this point, you're probably asking why I would be astounded. After all, this man, an illegal immigrant, was drunk, speeding, and he killed an innocent American and injured others. Doesn't he deserve harsh punishment?

Why yes, I believe he deserves to go to jail the rest of his natural life. He broke the law - driving while alcohol impaired, and disobeying traffic laws, which resulted in one death and critical injuries to another.

I may be astounded at the severity of the charges and bail amount, but I am even further astounded that law enforcement sufficiently charged this man with his crimes in this case.

However, I'd bet a year's pay that it would not read this way had it been an innocent motorcyclist who had been plowed into and killed. I see it every day in the newspapers. Motorist runs down a motorcyclist, driver NOT charged, motorcyclist wasn't wearing a helmet. You could write a canned report, with [insert rider's name here], and [insert at-fault driver's name here] and they would look no different than the hundreds of articles written in newspapers about motorcycle accidents involving death or injury.

Even when the driver is drunk and kills a motorcyclist, the charges are never so severe as this report. So what is it this time around? Is this man being charged this way because he is an illegal Mexican? It can't be because he was drunk, as that hasn't produced charges like this for a dead motorcyclist. Is it because he caused the SUV to strike a deputy's patrol car? The officer wasn't hurt, so that can't be it. Why then?

When I read this report, and saw the injustice committed on those inside the SUV, I actually feel kindly toward the Journalist who wrote this, because it was written without placing any blame on the SUV driver who was merely making her way home with her family, after a Thanksgiving dinner.

So why is it when a motorcyclist dies at the hands of another at-fault driver, the Journalist must immediately discount the rider, and excuse the at-fault driver? He wasn't wearing a helmet, he was speeding slightly, the auto driver "didn't see him coming".

Would it matter if the motorcyclist was "just a quarter-mile" from home? Or returning from having dinner with his family? From what I've seen, the answer is no. All that matters is he was riding a motorcycle, taking a risk in competing with a 4000 lb automobile, and he lost. Too bad.

Even when the driver of the auto that kills him has been drinking and leaves the scene, when they turn themselves in, they get a pat on the back for being so "honest" and coming forth and confessing. "It's alright, we know you didn't see him".

I used to think Journalists were just stupid, and were blinded by the government about motorcycle accidents. I used to think that the pitiful laws we have are what allows people to walk away with a $45 fine and no jail time for killing a motorcyclist on the road.

From what I see above, in this news report, Journalists do know how to report an accident with facts in an unbiased way. Law enforcement does have the wherewithal to charge accordingly for killing someone in an at-fault accident.

Just not when it's a motorcyclist that dies.

I don't know whether to be angrier or sadder. Until now, I still held out hope that it really wasn't a predjudicial act upon bikers. I needed to be in that cocoon of naive trust, believing that I wasn't being profiled because I ride a motorcycle, that it was all just a coincidence.

But it isn't. My rights to due diligence won't be upheld if I am run down by a negligent motorist. Here's what it will read when my time comes:

"Early this morning, on her way to Starbucks just a mere quarter-mile from home, a woman riding her Harley Davidson motorcyle struck an SUV, who was attempting to make a left hand turn in front of her. She died on the scene. She may have been speeding, according to the driver of the SUV, I didn't see her coming. The driver of the SUV was not injured. She was wearing a helmet. The driver of the SUV was not charged."

Think that sounds farfetched? I challenge you to find me a newspaper report of a motorcyclist who is killed by an at-fault motorist, like the one in the report above, and show me where the driver was charged as that one is.

You won't find one. Your news report will read the same as mine, mark my words. But will it matter when we are already dead?

Journalists are just as bad as law enforcement. Both are responsible for the injustice done to dead American motorcyclists. Journalists are responsible for the attitude of the American public, who blame bikers for their own injuries and deaths at the hands of those same Americans.

And law enforcement could do something about it, but they don't. Not unless it's a scenario like above. They may be kind officers, they may shout 'rah rah' about Motorcycle Safety week (for that week only), but when the chips are down, the bottom line is, they don't care if we live or die. Better to target specific groups for being stupid and pulling wheelies; just another finger pointing game to say we kill ourselves. They might as well say I chose that SUV with the dumb driver behind the wheel as my suicide weapon of choice.

For the family in that SUV whose son is dead now at the hands of the drunk, speeding, illegal immigrant, I hope you see justice done. At least someone should have the right to it.

Green Eggs and Spam

Ever get those emails everyone forwards all over the place? You know, the ones that say if you don't send this to a billion people, you'll gain weight and all your hair will fall out. Or worse, the God of wrath will come and take your firstborn son and make him into a Liberal? (You thought those threats were a hoax, didn't you?) Well, I get these emails all the time. I usually look at them and then hit the trusty 'delete' button. But sometimes they do make me laugh, especially when there's a lot of truth in them.

So I've reprinted one of these "forwarded" emails as my post for the day. See how many of these statements you agree with but are too chicken to voice out loud.

Andy Rooney said on "60 Minutes" a few weeks back:

I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except numbers. The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Entertainment Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have things like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what happens...Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door.

Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to ban you from driving to the ball game.

I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason, which is why there are no girls allowed. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts! ARE YOU LISTENING MARTHA BURKE?

I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it is not a phobia, it is an opinion.

I have the right "NOT" to be tolerant of others because they are different, weird, or tick me off.

When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling; it is the Law of Probability.

I believe that if you are selling me a milkshake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of fact, if you want to be an American citizen, you should have to speak English!

My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.

I think the police should have every right to shoot you if you threaten them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word "freeze" or "stop" in English, see the above lines.

I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you are qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank loans or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop, trinket store, or any other business.

We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our lives in wars to defend their freedoms, so that decades later they could come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document; and open to their interpretations.

I don't hate the rich I don't pity the poor.

I know pro wrestling is fake, but so are movies and television. That doesn't stop you from watching them.

I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next operating system that's better, and put your name on the building.

It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child right, but it does take a parent to stand up to the kid; and smack their little behinds when necessary, and say "NO!"

I think tattoos and piercing are fine if you want them, but please don't pretend they are a political statement. And, please, stay home until that new lip ring heals. I don't want to look at your ugly infected mouth as you serve me French fries!

I am sick of "Political Correctness." I know a lot of black people, and not a single one of them was born in Africa; so how can they be "African-Americans"? Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go around saying I am a European-American because my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was from Europe. I am proud to be from America and nowhere else.

And if you don't like my point of view, tough...

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

It'll be a sad day indeed, when we no longer have this man among us. Thanks, Andy, for not pulling any punches. Too bad more Americans can't do that.

I didn't forward this email out to everyone I know, but since I posted it here, does that count? Good thing I don't have a son. And everyone knows gaining weight and losing your hair is an age thing.

The Short List

I am tall for a woman, just shy of six feet. At the tender age of 13, I grew three inches in one year, and another inch the following year. As I recall, it was very painful. Literally! One leg grew slightly faster than the other, producing back and leg pain, and of course, I outgrew all of my clothes. Although, back then, mini-skirts were all the rage, and the bane of my mother's existence.

In the end, my legs grew to be the same length, and I stretched out to become a tall, slender high school girl, who was taller than most of the other kids.

I didn't want to be tall, I can tell you. I heard all the lines; how's the weather up there? are you an Amazon? are you a lesbian? was your dad a basketball player? And the worst part was, I was invariably taller than the boy I wanted to date, and who would not be seen with a girl who was taller than he.

I did, however, come to love being tall. It added to my self-confidence over the years. I could reach things that others could not. I also discovered I could do more of the sports that boys could do, and be taken seriously as well. It was my love for the extreme, and the "adrenaline rush" that came with it, that motivated me. And my dad, who "walked on water", was a car mechanic, so, of course, I had to be good at that too. Playing with machines, meant fixing them.

I was one of the "boys", and could hold my own. Oddly enough, even though I was tall and did all manner of things that were normal hobbies of the male persuasion, none of those guys thought I was anything but a woman through and through. Most of them respected me for my skills and my desire to participate in their sports.

When I started riding dirt bikes, I rode the same as any of the guys did, without any trouble, and kept up with them too! When it came time to buy a street bike, I had no trouble choosing, since I fit them all without a problem. I didn't even think about height, and made my decision based on looks and feel. I didn't know any other women who rode their own in the early days, so it never occurred to me that height should be a problem.

These days I ride my '02 Dyna Wide Glide with a lot of other women. Some of them are fairly short in height and I have heard all manner of stories about their experiences with buying their bikes. Why it never occurred to me that anyone would have a problem finding a bike short enough for them, I have no idea. Maybe it's because I'd never ridden with a lot of different women before. The few women I'd ridden with in the past were all tall enough to choose from a wide variety of bikes, and the short ones rode with their men.

So why have I written all this, if not for your amusement? Because last night I ran across a website for the "vertically challenged" woman rider!! How cool is that? Here's that link:

Short Women Riders

With all the women riders out there, and many of them shorter than the average man or woman nowadays, it stands to reason there would be a website somewhere that supported them (d'oh!), and the problems they face with finding a suitable bike for their height.

And what do they have on this website? A list of bikes available for short women! It's not obvious where this list is, so you can surf your way directly there at this URL:

Short Bike List

This list contains only metric bikes, and are categorized by rider height in inches. If you're 5'5" and over, and can sit a bike flatfooted (in boots of normal height in sole thickness), they say you're not short. If you're a short woman, and you ride a Harley, I'm sure they would love to hear how you've had it modified to fit you.

Note that they list heights for manage, and flatfooted. Manage means you can balance your bike at a stop while on your toes. My guess is, this list does not address wearing platform boots to lengthen your reach, which is employed by some women.

New and beginner riders should try a smaller bikes at first. They create the confidence needed before trying to master a larger, more powerful bike. I rode a smaller bike (physical size) for a while before moving up to a larger one. And from that one, it was a matter of simply moving up to a larger more powerful engine. Many women go for the huge bikes first, and then quit when they lose confidence.

Metric bikes in general are less expensive, and good used ones are easier to find. I would wait until you are ready for your final size and engine displacement before buying a brand new bike. Although resale values of metric bikes are improving, they still depreciate rapidly, and faster than a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The trade-off is Harley's cost more.

It occurred to me to question why motorcycle manufacturers are not offering more height variables for their bikes, since women make up a much larger percentage today than ever before. It almost seems like manufacturers believe a small woman is not strong enough to ride a larger displacement motorcycle, for it makes no sense to me why they would not address this issue.

Let's explore that theory for a sec.

Most of us who ride know where that thin red line is; when your bike is leaning too far off center for you to muscle it back upright. Your size and strength determines how far off center that line can be, and is the only strength parameter that applies (aside from hoisting it up off the kickstand and backing your bike up an incline). Yes, it's true, most of us women are weaker in strength than most men. What that means is we learn to deal with less "window" between the left and right point of no return. Strength plays no part in riding your bike with balance and finesse.

Any bike will continue to fall on it's side after crossing that magic red line, and the rider must get off (or get up) to pick it up. I don't know of anyone who can hoist their bike upright of the ground, from a straddling position. Oh, there may be a few "bruisers" out there who can, but I would bet the bike is not a 600 lb - 1000 lb cruiser. (Anyone who knows such a person can feel free to send me a video of this stunt, and I will post it here - we can all ooh and ahhhh over it.)

Check out this website for a great tutorial on picking up a fallen bike.

So, aside from the limitations of your balance zone while standing still, the height or strength of the rider has nothing to do with riding a motorcycle safely and efficiently. So why then the disregard for features that would enable more [women] to ride, particularly the vertically challenged women? It's anyone's guess, but it doesn't matter how tall you are or aren't, how strong or weak you are or aren't, you can adapt, and you can ride. Strength of character and determination is all you need. Manufacturers will catch up eventually, once they put down the big club and stop pounding their chests.

Short woman or tall woman, if you want to ride, here's some simple tips to remember:

1. Sign up for and attend a reputable Rider Safety Course. Before you buy.


2. Get your permit or endorsement. Riding without one is against the law.


3. Start small (physical bike size), no matter how confident you feel after taking the safety course. You can always trade-up at a speed you feel comfortable with. Some riders start out too big and drop their bikes too often, or have trouble learning to corner at low speeds. This can discourage you from getting the miles and time you need to become confident. There is a reason (the small bikes used) that you feel so confident after you complete the safety course.


4. Find a patient, experienced woman rider to accompany you on rides. If you have a husband or male friend who is patient enough, they will suit. (Sometimes those closest to you will feel anxious about you as a new rider, and may be too critical, and thereby eroding your newly found self-confidence.)


5. Wear suitable protective clothing, and a helmet. Once you've got some miles (and time!) under your belt, and you prefer to ride without a helmet, it's your choice. Read up on your state's helmet laws first. In Florida, you must carry at least $10,000 of medical insurance, either on your bike policy, or a personal medical policy, and be at least 21 years of age, to ride without a helmet. If you rely on your personal medical coverage, you must carry proof of this with you when you ride or risk getting a ticket for no helmet.


6. Read all you can on safety tips. There are scads of websites out there with excellent tips published. For example, most H.O.G. chapter websites list safety tips, as do Motorcycle organizations such as AMA, and state ABATE sites.


7. Learn to pick up your bike by yourself. This alone will build incredible confidence as you learn where that "red line" is. It can be very disheartening to have your bike fall over when you are out alone, and no one to help you. And no matter what anyone says, or how long they've been riding, male or female, we all drop our bikes at some point. It is nothing to be ashamed of (though it can be embarrassing). Restoring your bike into the upright position, all by yourself, can make a huge difference in how you feel about resuming the ride.


8. Never, never, never drink and ride. Even one beer (which may be under the legal limit for you) can impair your ability to react in time. Sitting behind the wheel of a car is far different than operating a motorcycle. I won't even go there on illegal drugs. Using them is against the law, and shows the most basic disregard for yourself, and for others you may be riding with.

Diversity Defines Who We Are

Diversity is a wonderful thing. Each of us has some sort of diversity that defines ourselves and makes each of us unique. Without diversity, we would all be the same. Now there's a scary thought.

di-ver-si-ty (noun)

variety
a variety of something such as opinion, color, or style
social inclusiveness
ethnic variety, as well as socioeconomic and gender variety, in a group, society, or institution
discrepancy
discrepancy, or a difference from what is normal or expected

Simply put, our diversity defines who we are; through controlled and non-controlled circumstances and choices. I like to think of myself as being diverse, but some would say I am different. Same thing, according to the English dictionary.

We are born into a particular race, sexual preference, visible attributes such as color of hair, eyes, and body size. For some, that includes religion, such as the Jewish nation which is composed of race and those who are converted. Each of us has a calling or has made a choice in employment.

In our personal lives, each of us employs diversity in everything we do. Should I buy that metric cruiser, or the sportbike, and should I deck it out in chrome, and which chrome accessories do I want? What color should it be, and what will I wear while riding it?

What hobbies or activities do I enjoy? How many children should I have, if any? What beliefs do I want to have, of those we have a choice in; is Halloween an evil holiday, or a fun one where I can obtain boatloads of candy and dress up in cool costumes?

Our individual diversities cause us to form opinions about others who prescribe to a different set of lifestyles. Opinions are never right or wrong, they are just opinions. But when that opinion becomes a judgement, this is where many forms of bigotry come from; i.e. cruisers are better than sportbikes, he/she is an idiot for doing bungee-jumping as a hobby, his/her sexual preference or lifestyle is different than mine so it must be wrong.

I recently commented on a friend's blog in response to a post about one of our political parties hosting a holiday dinner at a posh resort (Delaware Curmudgeon). My response was a tongue-in-cheek response to her comment about what to wear, should she be invited to attend; also a somewhat derogatory comment with a flair of amusement.

I said I'd happily accompany her in a black vinyl dress and thigh-high leather boots with 5 inch spiked heels (yes, I own such adornments).

What I found amusing was an anonymous response to my comment where the poster did not know if I was male or female based on my signature (Sam). He did eventually look at my profile, but not before responding in a short sentence that spoke volumes.

It was obvious that the poster thought I was male, and I was willing to dress up like a female to attend this political gala. The questions that immediately came to mind were: Would it make any difference if I was a male cross-dresser? A Lesbian? A Dominatrix? Would my comments be then invalid? My intelligence less than worthy?

And would I attend dressed that way? You bet I would! What fun to see all those high society snobs looking down their noses at me while their husbands drooled at the way I was dressed. But the likes of Shirley and myself, part of the common folk, would never be invited to attend such an event. We are not part of the rich and famous who can further the career of the politicians who govern this country. Our lack of diamonds and pearls, our date's long hair and beards, and our obvious lack of millions in our bank accounts, exclude us.

Now, I'm guessing most people reading this blog are of the same class as me and Shirley. We are the majority. We are those whose paychecks put salaries in the pockets of those who deem to call themselves "public servants" when it suits them. And we are not welcome to ride our motorcycles to this event, dressed in our leathers, and rub elbows with the rest. Sound like society a few centuries ago? I've got news for you. It hasn't changed, except to thinly veil the facts through media and lies.

I wrote my comment on Shirley's blog without any mention of what gender I am so I would know if people bothered to look at my blog, or my profile. I'd say it worked. I also don't think I need to. What difference does it make? Would my comments be any less important than if I came out and described my diversity in some way? Would it add to the point I was trying to make?

There are those in forums visit that still think I'm a man because of my name. I don't correct them either. It is simply too amusing when they finally realize their error. My profile isn't a secret, and I nearly always comment using my blog signature.

In my 52 years, I have known, and still have, friends who are from all walks of life, including cross-dressers, gay people of both genders, and BDSM lifestylers. Some of them I'd trust with my life. Their diverse life contributes to who they are, and in most cases, they are as open-minded as I am. For I am uninhibited in most things and appreciate that mind-set in others. I have my own set of rules and ethics for myself, the first and foremost being "harm no one".

A very good friend of mine is an under-cover law enforcement officer. He is a quiet, handsome man, who rides motorcycles, has a wife and children, and basically does not stand out in a crowd. I would place my life in his hands without question. He is also a cross-dresser. Another friend is a professional Dominatrix. She looks or acts no different than I when encountered on the street. Some of my best friends are lesbians. Do I engage in any of these activities? No. Does it matter to me if they do? Again, no. They are all intelligent diverse people I would place high on the list for honesty and integrity.

Being the diverse person I am, I can appreciate, and embrace in some cases, the views of others. And in keeping with my #1 rule, I limit my personal judgement of others to activities that harm or may harm others. Beyond that, who am I to judge what other people choose as their diversity in life? What is important to me is honesty and integrity. Not what a person does after hours, unless it is harmful to others.

In most jobs (including government jobs), a person has customers, internal or external to their employer, with which they must interact. Your paycheck is dependent on how you meet the needs of your customers. In government, public servant means serving the public, for which they are paid a healthy salary. Last time I looked, I am part of the public, same as you. To discriminate or judge me because I am not rich or influential is a crime deserving of getting fired in the least.

Circumstances are such that I do not belong to this "class" of people. Does it make me less of a person? No. I may have the same years (or more), of education, just in a different capacity, than many politicians, and we pay their salaries. What we get (or should get) from our government is service based on our needs, as part of the public, regardless of our diversity.

The government advocates that a person not be discriminated against based on diversity, yet it happens every day, as in the political event Shirley writes about. Every time politicians pass a bill that removes freedoms from us, their employers, against our will, they are in direct conflict with my needs and desires as their employer.

Would I agree to have politicians as part of my inner circle? That all depends on their honesty and integrity. As far as I can tell, very few meet my criteria, as a friend, or a public servant.

Judge not, lest ye be judged. The freedom to choose your own diversity in life is a God given right.

Ride long, ride free.

The Battle For Freedom: Must Reads

As each of us goes through our daily lives, today and every day, while rights and freedoms are being removed by our government and put into law, unless you join the fight to stop them.

In early November 2007, Dave Christy, Bikers' Rights Advocate, Colorado, began a narrative on the current (and alarming) state of affairs with regards to Biker's rights, and the escalating loss of freedoms directed at us, as bikers, in a way that is clearly discriminatory. It is published on LDRLongdistancerider.com and I've posted links below.

For example, in Florida legislature, now on the table:

Did you receive the notice not long ago from your vehicle insurance company about PIP? Do you know what that means to you as a rider? HB265 and companion SB984 relieves an at-fault auto driver's insurance company from the responsibility of paying for your injuries if that driver runs you over. You will not be able to purchase PIP on your motorcycle (the bill excludes motorcycles from the term motor vehicles), which means you personally can be sued for the medical bills of someone you hit. You will be required to purchase catastrophic personal medical insurance in order to ride your motorcycle and be covered. Uninsured motorists coverage will not apply to motorcyclists. Your only recourse will be to sue the driver who ran you over, at great cost to you, and that's assuming the driver has anything of value. And, of course, if you can still walk, talk, still have a place to live, and are independently wealthy.

And Federally, now on the table:

Unless the HIPAA law loophole is amended, your medical insurance underwriter can continue to refuse to cover you when you ride, or drop it if you have it.

Without PIP and affordable personal medical coverage when you ride your motorcycle, you you are not covered on all angles. If you own your bike outright, are you prepared to ride with no medical coverage whatsoever? And if your lien holder requires it, can you afford it?

And if you are run over? Well, your life will be, in a word, over. Even if you survive.

It's not just about helmets, handlebars, or after market pipes. There are bills in the works (Florida State and Federal) THIS YEAR that will take away your freedom to ride.

Want to know the real reason mandatory helmet laws are being shoved down our throats? Insurance companies. They believe if we all wear helmets we won't be injured or die. Ludicrous? Yes, we, as bikers, know that's pretty far-fetched. But insurance companies know that when one of their insured runs us over, they pay BIG. They want out of that responsibility. And they have the money to lobby for this. We just have our little letter-writing fingers.

And for all of you reading this who don't live in Florida? If this Florida bill goes through, how fast do you think YOUR state will follow suit?

So, if you ride, and you have thus far chosen not to involve yourself in the fight to ride free, these installments written by Dave Christy are a must read. Beware all - you are about to learn of very real and present dangers of losing your right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in owning and riding a motorcycle.

If you don't ride, whether you have opinions about motorcyclists and the laws that govern them or not, PLEASE show that you are not narrow-minded and ignorant of the facts, and read these installments. They are fact based, and portray the real situation. Even though you don't ride, they do involve you in a very real way.

I will be posting the link to each installment as they become available, and I have taken the liberty of adding quotes from each installment, as a "hook".

Remember, opinions, to be taken seriously, should be based on fact.

BATTLE ESCALATES AGAINST RIDERS' FREEDOM OF CHOICE

Part 1 (click the link to open the installment)

"We're all in the traffic mix and rely, with an x-factor of trust, on each other to do the proper things. In spite of that reliance, vehicle operators commit 'fouls' on other roadway users, and/or themselves, to the tune of millions of collisions, crashes, and "accidents" every year in the U.S.A., resulting in 40,000-plus fatalities every year, to include an escalating percentage of motorcyclists in that figure. It's a sad fact. What must be understood is that 95% of all accidents are due to human causation factors!"

"The motorcycling community is relentlessly pounded upon by NHTSA, and more so in the last few years due to the increase of motorcyclist fatalities as a percentage of the yearly highway total. The news media are fed the stats, latch on and stoke the flames through inference among the general public, who view us riders as a careless liability, damn-near miscreants who ride "donor-cycles" and deserve what we get because motorcycles are 'dangerous.' And you have to wear a helmet. If you don't wear a helmet you brought it on yourself."

"Without helmets, we all pay" says NHTSA, as they create polarity in the public realm and influence opinion, deliberately against motorcyclists--attempting to establish motorcyclists as a disproportionate drain of injury and medical dollar consumption. This is called the Public, or Social Burden theory."

Part 2 (click the link to open the installment)

"By inference, the message is "You motorcycle riders - when you don't wear a helmet and you get hurt - are costing the public money. And when you get killed, it's because you weren't wearing a helmet!"

"Using my home state as an example, our Colorado government estimates (probably conservatively) we have almost 800,000 medically uninsured, or about 17% of the population. This figure would probably include some people who ride motorcycles. At any given time, any of these folks are dependent on publicly-funded medical care, for any reason under the sun. Shall we paint all these folks with the brush of 'Social Burden?' Using the logic, after all, what's the difference between "us" and "them?"

"It is also a known fact that over 100,000 people die annually due to "medical mistakes," more than 20 times the number of annual motorcycling fatalities. That's about 280 average everyday, folks."

---

"The battle for bikers' rights is not about patches, parties or poker runs. We fight to protect the freedom and promote the interests of American motorcyclists ... to defend our right to choose our own modes of transportation, attire and lifestyle ... to deter and defy discrimination against us ... and to vanquish those who violate our rights or right-of-way."--Bruce Arnold

Another Soldier Dies

We are all aware of the war in Iraq. Many of us have a favorite pastime, if you will, for supporting our soldiers. They do deserve it, after all.

As a biker, I discovered the Patriot Guard Riders, whose mission it is to honor our soldiers and their families. Others who do not ride lend themselves to celebrating Veterans Day, or visiting Veterans Hospitals.

But this post is not about our revered military soldiers. It concerns the very real and important war here at home, in all states. A war many fight daily for our rights.

Do these 'soldiers' die at the hands of opposing military soldiers? Carrying guns and grenades? No. They die at the hands of thoughtless, distracted drivers; the soccer mom carpooling the neighborhood kids, the young man across town who is late to work, or the business man passing through who can't put his cell phone down.

What do these soldiers fight for?

They fight to keep us all riding free and riding safe. Some of them break the law to set a precedence so you and I don't have to wear a helmet, or can ride down a boulevard with aftermarket pipes. Some spend countless hours daily writing letters to legislative bodies, so you and I can continue to enjoy our motorcycles whenever we wish, wherever we want. Some quit their jobs to serve on a board of directors and devote their lives to the 'cause', so we can ride free. And some even write blogs about the issues at hand, in hopes you and others will listen and add your voices to the army.

Some of these soldiers are "snipers", adding their contributions anonymously because of their employment status. Still they fight.

Mostly though, these soldiers have lives, families and jobs, same as you and I, and still they devote their lives to our freedom to ride uninhibited by government bureaucracy. They are ordinary men and women, doing extraordinary tasks. For you. And for me.

Do we have a holiday to remember them by? No, but we should. Do they get a 21 gun salute at their funerals? No, but they should.

A large majority of riders cruise (no pun intended) through life thinking, "It'll never happen to me." And if they worry about rights, or dying at the hands of those who violate our rights, they just might have to acknowledge that their voices and actions are needed. But no, that might cut into their Football time, or the Scrapbook class. It's much too convenient to simply look the other way.

Lead, follow, or get out of the way. By that I mean, if you don't love riding your scooter enough to contribute even a small portion of your time to fight for the very freedom that allows you to ride, sell the bike, it's not for you, and go back to your chosen life.

There are very few valid excuses for not contributing to something that you directly benefit from. But aside from that, there is no excuse whatsoever not to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty.

Look up the different H.O.G. websites around the country and be sure to view the pages listing those who have crossed over while riding their motorcycles. Check out the MRO's and ABATE websites. They are all listed there.

If you ride a motorcycle enough miles, enough years, sooner or later you will personally know someone who has lost their life while riding. It is a tragic event, certainly. What loss of life isn't. But when you see that one of your soldiers has died in the line of duty, take the time, even if privately, to honor that person.

And the next time you feel the need to contribute to something good, ask what you can do to join the fight for freedom. Every little bit helps. And who knows, maybe someday our Freedom Fighting soldiers won't have to die for your right to ride free.

Thank you, Dan Hoffman, for all that you did for me. I didn't know you personally, but I know who you are. You're one of those people who selflessly spent a great deal of your own time fighting for my right to ride free.

Rest in peace, brother.

http://delawarecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2007/11/call.html
http://miva.delawareonline.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?obits.mv+72805

Woman Biker Spotlight: A Jewel Among Women

I’ve recently come to know a very special soul in the world of women bikers. This post is about her, and the role she has played in honoring this country’s Veterans, and her life as a woman biker.

Jewels, so nicknamed after her given name of Julie, is a blond woman of 55 years. She is a woman of great passion, evident in everything she says and does. Like me, she is a very trusting soul, and she shared her innermost thoughts with me; about life, and also about her life.

Listening to her tell me the stories of her childhood and family background in the red clay farm country of Donalsonville, Georgia, her ‘Southern Belle’ accent makes one think of Mint Juleps and sultry afternoons on a porch swing overlooking endless fields of cotton.

Originally a ‘left-coaster’, I found myself listening with studied intensity to catch the meaning of words or phrases I’d never heard of, and laughing delightedly at the definition of those I asked about. Her unique way of speaking in half sentences, one running into the next, almost as if her speech cannot keep up with her thoughts, was a challenge for me. But as I came to know her and understand the complex person beneath the small town southern upbringing, I discovered a very intelligent and grounded woman, with a very big heart and a great deal of honesty and integrity. One has only to leave preconceived ideas behind to see what is beneath the surface.

Jewels left her family home, after graduating from high school, seeking to learn about the world beyond what she’d known for 18 years. She realized that staying in the small town where she was raised would eventually suffocate her. Her journey took her to Europe where she met, and married her first and only husband. (When her two sons were small, she divorced, and set about raising them on her own. She never remarried.)

While in England, she owned a 1972 Triumph motorcycle (her first), and rode about the English countryside with friends. Somewhere along the line, she experienced a crash as a passenger and decided riding wasn’t conducive to her safety. Twenty years passed before she rode a motorcycle again.

Jewels obtained an education in the world of real estate and insurance (life, health, and variable annuities) from the University of MD, and the University of VA. In the course of her life, she took other educational courses to supplement her knowledge. She made Washington, DC her home. Through her work, Jewels made friends and rubbed elbows with powerful, high rolling executives, and the common man alike.

I can easily see how Jewels could be at home with anyone, switching from her easy southern speech to that of a professional woman in a very visible position in the world of finance. She is loveable, kind, and holds her own with anyone who presumes to push her around. She is comfortable with who she is, and shows it.

Since I am also one who left the ‘comfort zone’ in life to raise children as a single mother, and to pursue a professional career, I know what it takes to become assertive enough to survive among the professional men of the world. It’s not easy, and it eventually shapes your attitude into one of confidence, with a sometimes solitary content. You want acceptance, but you no longer need it.

Women don’t often successfully achieve that plane of existence, where we feel equal in a professional world. It takes many years to get there, struggling and persevering throughout. The results come from seeing and learning much about the world, and the people in it, learning about ourselves in the process, and adapting.

Washington, DC is the extreme opposite of Donalsonville, GA, and even Tallahassee to some extent. The daily traffic in DC alone can shake even the most confident driver. The business world is dog-eat-dog and only the sharpest survive. You learn, you adapt, or you fail. I can’t see Jewels giving up or failing at anything. Her tenacity is the root of her success.

Throughout her life, Jewels has met life’s challenges head on; even the painful ones. No moss-growing for Jewels. She made many trips back and forth between DC and Georgia to deal with the death of her sister-in-law, who died tragically in a drunk-driving accident. She held her family together and fought for her brother’s right to keep his children as he lay in a hospital fighting for his life. Her worldliness helped her niece and nephew learn to overcome this tragedy and move on with their lives. She allowed these ‘bumps’ in the road to help her grow as a person, rather than let them drag her down.

Around 1995, Jewels met Tommy Rhodes, who became her ‘other half’ and though they chose not to ‘ruin a good thing’ by marrying, Tommy is still a major part of her life.

Tommy was and is an ‘old school’ biker, and Jewels decided that riding full time again was where she wanted to be. Having owned and ridden various motorcycles on and off since 1992, Jewels was secure enough in the world to make it a consistent part of her life. She jumped into the world of bikers, the way she does everything else, with conviction and purpose.

She became actively involved with Rolling Thunder at the national level. Following that, she became a lifetime member of National H.O.G., an active member of Fairfax, Virginia H.O.G., and a member of Ft. Washington H.O.G.

In October of 2002, one month after the 1st anniversary of 911, the Fairfax, VA H.O.G. chapter was contacted by Congressman Frank Wolf, who pointed out that inpatients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC received all the attention of well-wishers and volunteers, while overflow, outpatients, and families housed on the base received little or nothing.

Fairfax H.O.G. members brainstormed the issue and decided upon a Pizza Party and biker show for these brave souls. With help from the Red Cross, Jewels among others, began the planning and execution. It was their first 'Operation Atlas' Event.

As Jewels tells me of this event, the emotions are evident in her voice and expression. It was the beginning of an effort Jewels needed in her life; giving back to those who gave so much to us in the course of serving our country.

She recalled how heart wrenching it was to see those men, women, and their families, enjoy some respite from the harshness of military service, and how delighted they were that ‘someone’ cared. The smiles were everywhere, and the tears flowed freely.

Speaking for her involvement in the H.O.G. chapter and these charity events, Jewels declared, “No matter which way the wind blows, we will not cease events such as these until the last soldier comes home”. The intense emotion elicited from such an experience would not bar the way.

One is reminded of the passion of Scarlet O’Hara in Gone With The wind, “As God is my witness…..”.

Other events followed at Walter Reed. Jewels arranged for the first decorating party in the recreation center for the Christmas holidays. Fairfax H.O.G. members were also asked to hold the first breakfast for the soldiers on Christmas morning (some 200 hungry participants) at the Maloyne House. Add to that, along with other organizations who helped with the expenses, they purchased gas and phone cards for the troops and their family members.

In August of 2005, with her sons grown and off on their own, Jewels decided it was time to “go home”. She packed up and moved back to southern Georgia, and then to Tallahassee to be closer to the employment pool, which presented another challenge.

Tallahassee is termed a “little big town”. It may be where the Capitol of Florida is, but employment in Tallahassee is nothing like Washington, DC. Many years ago, I moved to the high-tech region of New England and Boston, where high paying jobs are plentiful for the educated professional. Tallahassee is a college town, and for every job there are 20 applicants. Pay is directly proportional to the low cost of living in the area. Nevertheless, Jewels chose to move home regardless of the job opportunities.

However, armed with the numerous rental homes Jewels owns to supplement her income, she searched for the right job. After trial and error positions, she moved into a job with AAA Insurance.

“The pay here is nothing like working in DC,” Jewels tells me, “but I love the work, and I’m happy”. (How many of us can make that claim?) A further testament to Jewels adaptability, and character.

Jewels’ need for charity work continued in Tallahassee, with her involvement in a local motorcycle group called the Chrome Divas, consisting of all women riders. She also became an active member of the local Tallahassee H.O.G chapter.

“These days, military facilities are off limits to civilians, because of Journalists.” Jewels informed me.

“Getting in to visit Veterans now takes an ‘act of Congress’, unless you have a track record and know the people who run the volunteer programs.”

In April of 2006, Jewels began what would be a lengthy attempt to contact the right person at the Veterans Hospital in Lake City, FL. She never gave up.

More than a year later, in June of 2007, after speaking to many uninterested people and months of leaving many phone messages, she connected with someone who could give her the permission to organize a visit to the Veterans residing there; a gentleman by the name of Michael Allen.

The initial reluctance to allow this visit to happen was met with the tenacity Jewels is so famous for. She patiently explained that it was not a solicitation, and she merely wanted to gather a group of bikers together, and bring them out to visit the Veterans; a gift of appreciation, nothing more. Michael Allen decided to trust Jewels, and allowed her to make the arrangements.

The ride was scheduled for November 10, 2007. All 13 riders were proud members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a nationwide organization dedicated to serving and honoring those who fight for our freedom. Six of those riders were also members of the Chrome Divas. Jewels was the only member of Rolling thunder. You can read Jewels’ account of this visit here.

If Jewels has her way (and I have no doubt she will), this will become a regular thing. Thank God for people like Jewels. She is certainly anything but “ordinary”. Those with such big hearts, like Jewels has, will always have room for others, and her selfless motivation to include so many deserving souls in her world makes her stand out in the “spotlight” of women bikers, and the world in general.

Jewels currently resides in Crawfordville, Florida, a small town south of Tallahassee. She shares her home with her tiny (and old) dog, Tyler, and rides her Dyna Low Rider whenever the opportunity arises.

The Choices We make In Life

The choices we make in life are ultimately what shapes our future and makes us who we are. God gave us the ability to make choices, and each of us exercises that ability every day. We are responsible for what we do, as individuals, and the outcome of those actions.

It is truly a sad situation when the safety of others is threatened by those who would act irresponsible and then claim it is their right to act in that manner.

This, then, passes on the choice of placing oneself in the position of being unsafe, to the person whose well-being is threatened.

Take, for example, the alcoholic, whose actions are solely their own, to drink in excess and operate a motor vehicle. It is their choice to drink, or drink in excess, regardless of the law. No one forced them to do it.

It is not the choice of those who do not drink and drive to share the road with a drunk or alcohol impaired driver and be at risk. The safe choice may be not to drive at all, to avoid encountering a drunk or impaired driver. However, society has decreed that driving while alcohol impaired is against the law, to protect the lives of innocents.

No one sensibly denies that driving while drunk is wrong or unsafe, and indeed society provides strictly enforced laws to bring those who do drive inebriated to answer for their actions. Those who are not caught eventually cause harm to another, and by then the crime is already committed. The injustice is done. Someone is injured or dies. Families suffer.

As a motorcyclist, I know that reaction time could mean whether I live or die in the event an auto driver should violate my right of way. I practice all the safety skills learned by riding many years. I am continually on the lookout for those who don't see me. To ignore this ever present danger is to invite disaster, sooner than later.

I enjoy riding my motorcycle, and every moment that I do not have to spend looking out for 'the other guy' is a moment I can bask in the enjoyment of riding.

Just as there are those who drink and drive autos, there are many who drink and ride. Just watch the newspapers if you want to see the results of motorcyclists who drink and ride. They are the ones who ride too fast and lose control, misjudge a curve and leave the paved road, or cause injury to another rider or driver, and many times end their lives then and there.

Some of us know a few who have died. Many will shake their heads and say they never thought it could happen to him, he was such a good rider. Alcohol impairs the brain's normal functions and awareness. They don't mean to crash, but they do. It is always sad when someone dies, motorcycle or not. It is even sadder when it can be prevented.

Alcoholism is a disease. It wrecks lives, and the lives of family and friends. It is also a threat to strangers; all in the name of demanding the right to drink and drive. In the throes of this disease, the afflicted is blind to their own sickness. Denial is prevalent. Those close to them try to help and then finally realize it is futile and retreat to a safe distance. It is impossible to help those who will not help themselves.

I am continually amazed at the blatant disregard for the safety of others, when riding in a group, from those who exercise their selfish right to drink and ride and violate the law. Can we predict the sudden appearance of a dog in the road, or a deer? What about a rider in the middle of the pack whose reaction time is slow due to alcohol and fails to stop in time, or swerves into your 'safety zone'.

We've all heard the inebriated person state they are fine to drive, and off they go weaving all over the road. We often take keys away from such individuals to prevent them from injuring themselves or someone else.

Where does this perceived arrogance come from? Do I have the right to set fire to some one's home, were I a pyromaniac? Just because I choose to?

No, I don't, but this is the logic of the non-addicted person, not an addict. The alcoholic's need for the "fix" overwhelmingly overrides any logical right or wrong. They become irrational and paranoid. (Why are you trying to ruin my life?)

Almost always, the alcoholic has succumbed to their affliction out of the need to feel good about themselves when they otherwise do not. Does this excuse their behavior? No. Can we help them? We can try. More often they must seek help from professionals, which most of us are not.

We have all either heard stories or witnessed a collision caused by a rider who is impaired from alcohol. Some are killed, while others live to change their ways. At what cost? The unintentional death of a fellow brother or sister? The death of themselves?

I choose to ride safely, but that includes not riding and drinking, or riding with those who drink. And though it may appear that I am selective with who I ride with, it's not personal. It's a matter of wanting to live another day to ride.

You may choose to drink and ride. It is, after all, your right to make that choice. It is not, however, your right to endanger the well-being of others by doing so. If you can't drink responsibly, don't ride. If you don't want to ride without drinking, ride alone and allow others to be safe from you.

And if others decide they don't want to ride with you because you drink, take a long hard look in the mirror, preferably when you are sober. In the end, the choices you make in life determine whether you reach the light at the end of the tunnel, or run head on into an oncoming train.

Ride safe, and watch out for trains.