ABATE of Montana
Mandatory Helmet Legislation Alert!!!
01/04/07- From: ABATE of Montana
ABATE OF MONTANA ISSUES NATIONWIDE CALL TO ACTION!
From: Linda Baldwin [mailto:libaldwin@midrivers.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 04, 2007 9:27 PM
To: admin@ilmotorcyclists.com
Importance: High
Fellow Freedom Fighters Across America:
The great state of MONTANA has long been a FREE state, and with your
assistance, ABATE OF MONTANA intends to KEEP IT THAT WAY!
Montana State Representative Betsy Hands ...
Betsy Hands (D)
Montana House of Representatives
P. O. Box 200400
Helena, MT 59620-0400
406-721-3881 (home tel)
406-444-4800 (message phone in Helena)
BETSYHANDS@GMAIL.COM (email)
... is sponsoring legislation to introduce a MANDATORY HELMET LAW IN
MONTANA...
http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2007/lchtml/LC1683.htm
... that would eliminate FREEDOM OF CHOICE when you ride through our state.
We ask that you contact her NOW, and let her know that LIMITING YOUR RIGHTS
RIDING *THROUGH* MONTANA ... LESSENS THE LIKELIHOOD YOU WILL RIDE *TO*
MONTANA.
(Please....be respectful in your correspondence)
And don't just tell her... Please copy (cc:) your email protests to the
leaders of the 2007-2008 Montana Legislature, who truly appreciate the
importance of not only freedom for ALL Americans, but also free enterprise
for our state's tourism:
COONEYEMAIL@AOL.COM
DANWHARRINGTON@IN-TCH.COM
CWILLIAMS@MONTANADSL.NET
LLSD22@YAHOO.COM
LYNDAMOSS@IMT.NET
COREYSTAPLETON@BRESNAN.NET
GBARKUS@DADCO.COM
SCOTTSALESHD68@EARTHLINK.NET
grt3177@smtel.com
MLANGE6@HOTMAIL.COM
tmcgillvray@bresnan.net
GARYMACLAREN@YAHOO.COM
PARKMONT@HOTMAIL.COM
BERGREN@BOBBERGREN.COM
MCAMPBELLHD31@YAHOO.COM
MCDAVE94@HOTMAIL.COM
DANVILLAFORMONTANA@HOTMAIL.COM
Source: http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/60th/leaders.asp
AND IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY ... HERE IS A LETTER FROM AMA CHAIRMAN,
DAL SMILIE, TO GIVE YOU INSPIRATION:
***
Representative Betsy Hands
Montana House of Representatives
P. O. Box 200400
Helena, MT 59620-0400
Re: LC 1683
Honorable Representative Hands:
I see that you have requested that a mandatory motorcycle helmet law be
drafted. I'd sure hope that you not introduce or support such a bill.
I am the national Chairman of the American Motorcyclist Association and
Chairman of the Montana Motorcycle Safety Advisory Committee. Both entities
support the voluntary use of motorcycle helmets by adults. Neither is for
mandatory equipment or lifestyle related restrictive law.
Montana has 40,000 or more motorcyclists counting both on and off-road
riders. Family members, occasional riders and ATV riders may make that a
larger number. Many of those riders wear helmets but most are very opposed
to mandatory restrictions on lifestyle choices for adults.
Many of us believe that safety training for auto drivers and motorcycle
riders is much better than making restrictive legislation. Montana has a
fine program run by MSUN, the Montana Motorcycle Rider Safety Program. It
has now trained a number of riders equal to about one-third or more of the
riders in the state.
That program is eligible to receive federal highway safety money from the
Office of Highway Safety at MDOT. Motorcycle safety is one of the top five
priorities set by the federal government. MDOT refuses to grant any of those
dollars to the Montana Motorcycle Safety Program even though non-priority
programs are funded.
A very positive, pro motorcycle rider, legislative effort would be to
require that MDOT utilize federal 402 A funds to assist the Montana
Motorcycle Rider Safety Program unless that program affirms that it does not
have an unmet need. Such legislation was proposed some years ago but the,
then, director of MDOT promised to make these funds available (he did not
keep that promise).
Motorcyclists really do not want restrictive lifestyle legislation. Many are
Democrats and it would be a shame if one of the things that Democrats
accomplished with the new majority is to limit the personal freedom of
Montana motorcyclists. Motorcyclists have been legislatively very active in
the past when faced with restrictive legislation and I know they are
becoming concerned about this bill as they learn about it.
It is my belief that adults should be able to make their own choices. If
others don't approve of those choices for safety or other reasons it ought
to be up to the adult to choose how they want to live. Some motorcyclists
don't want to wear helmets just as some horsemen don't want to wear helmets,
it ought to be their choice. The choice to not wear a helmet does not cause
injury to any other person.
The failure to wear a helmet does not cause an accident. Activities like
cell phone use by auto drivers actually causes accidents, often it causes
injury to pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists. Added attention to
limiting those sorts of activity could save the most lives.
Auto driver's inattentiveness causes most motorcycle accidents. Often
drivers causing these accidents receive very little penalty. Many states are
enacting legislation creating greater penalties for these right-of-way
infractions. That type of legislation would gain the support of Montana's
motorcyclists and would likely save more lives.
In closing, please do not introduce a bill that limits Montanan's liberty.
Such a bill will cause so much dissention and bad will. We would love to
work with you on positive bills that can really help Montana's motorcycle
riders and gain our support.
Sincerely,
Dal Smilie, Chairman
American Motorcyclist Association
410 Hayes Ave
Helena, MT 59601
***
PLEASE RESPOND! AND PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO ALL MOTORCYCLISTS YOU KNOW
WHO WILL RESPOND!
Linda Baldwin
Secretary
ABATE OF MONTANA
libaldwin@midrivers.com
©I.M.R.A., Inc 2007