ARIZONA MOTORCYCLIST ON THE LEADING EDGE
Written by Bobbi Hartmann

With the trend, in motorcycling, cross the country moving heavily towards “Motorcycle Safety Advisory Councils” at the National, Federal & State levels, “Motorist Awareness”, “Safe Motorcycling”, and “State Funds/Budgets” devoted to the same, Arizona motorcyclists are on the leading edge.

American Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education (ABATE) and Modified Motorcycle Association (MMA) of Arizona, are Arizona’s Motorcycle Rights Organizations (MRO’s). The MRO’s, along with the Arizona Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (ACMC), have lobbyists that not only lobby on behalf of motorcyclists, but watchdog legislation on all levels, to protect your right to ride free.

The ‘ad hoc’ Arizona Motorcycle Advisory Council (AMAC), formed in the early 90’s, transformed into a working council that met quarterly. Their purpose was to promote rider education, motorcycle safety & awareness. The council was made up of representatives from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, MVD, DPS, ABATE, MMA, ACMC, MRF, Rider Ed Courses, Motorcycle Dealerships, & Enthusiasts.

Senate Bill-1037, introduced & passed in 2001, provided for the Motorcycle Safety Fund (MSF), a dedicated fund whose monies, under the direction of MVD, were to be used for programs including voluntary motorcycle rider education, motorcycle awareness & the costs associated with these programs. The MSF is funded by the $1 extra all Arizona motorcyclists pay on yearly registrations (approximately $82,000).

Senate Bill-1026, introduced & passed in 2002, “appropriated” those funds, making them available for use by July 2002. An agreed change in the language of that bill, not only moved the MSF under the realm of the Governors Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) and its Director, but also provided for a Governor appointed 5-person council to oversee the fund.

The newly formed State Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council (SMSAC) appointments included 4 persons from the original ad hoc council. They are myself, Bobbi Hartmann (ABATE), Larry Kenyon (DPS), Mark Weiss (MSF) and Dick Studdard (GWRRA/HRCA). Kelly Michelson, independent rider, shares in our interest for safety, making the council a diverse group of persons with the same goal.

TEA – 21: In 1998 the Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century (TEA-21) was the focus of a massive lobbying effort by motorcyclists nationwide. You may remember those efforts as the seatbelt/helmet mandates, which invoked “10th Amendment Rallies” across the U.S. TEA-21, which authorizes all federal highway and highway safety programs for a 5-year period, is due to be “reauthorized” in 2003.

In January, the newly elected 108th Congress will take up reauthorization of nation highway funding legislation, referred to as “T-O3”. In the past, our national MRO, Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) will promote an agenda of items for inclusion in this legislation.

INITIATIVE #1: - Restrict NHTSA Lobbying in States Strengthen the prohibition against use of appropriated funds by the National Highway Traffic Safety Admin (NHTSHA) to influence state and local legislation as dictated in the Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century (TEA-21).

INITIATIVE #2: - Motorcyclist Advisory Council Establish a “Motorcyclist Advisory Council” in the Immediate Office of the Administrator, Federal Highway Administration. The council, comprised of motorcyclists who are traffic design engineers, state transport officials & safety advocates who advise on the unique concerns of motorcyclists on issues such as crash barrier design, road maintenance practices and the implementation of the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS).

The MRF's plan for T-03 is built on generating a federal resource injection to boost state-run rider safety programs & establishing a national program of motorist awareness of motorcycles. The plan encourages state and local innovations such as tougher sanctions on aggressive drivers.

INITIATIVE#3:-Motorcycle Safety A direct path would enhance m/c safety by re-building rider safety infrastructure within the states.
Part One: Safety incentive grants for increasing motorcycle safety via:
•Motorcycle Safety Training • Motorist Awareness developed by or in coordination with Governor appointed advisory councils • Successful Completion of Motorcycle Safety Training

Note: Determination of Eligibility ($100,000) by the U.S. Secretary is based on which states established a budget devoted to motorcycle safety & motorist awareness that was either “Maintained or Increased Throughout the Year” to encourage legislators to stop confiscation of such funds.

States will be scrutinized for availability of Rider Education Courses, number of riders completing such courses. Motorist awareness programs such as ABATE’s MAP, & the 2x4 Side By Side program sponsored by GWRRA Region F/Arizona Precision Motorcycle Drill Team, and Public Awareness Campaigns like the MSA event the state MRO’s put on in May.

Arizona has it all: One of the future goals of the Motorcycle Safety Fund (MSF) is to subsidize the Rider Education Courses, making them more affordable, & to promote benefits of taking such a course. Arizona is well on its way down the direct path of enhancement of motorcycle safety and a diverse rider safety infrastructure within the state of Arizona.