Maine
This Page Updated 03/30/09
For a year that, with the budget shortfalls,
should have been relatively quiet bikers here in Maine
are getting pounded from all sides. I won't say that I've
been to the State House way to much. but the other day
the clerk of the Transportation Committee called me by
first name and asked me to help her open the window. When
I sat back down a lady said to me, "do you think
that, maybe, you are here to much"?
We have had hearings on Road Rage, Distracted Drivers,
High Speed Chases, Poker Runs, many Alternative Vehicles,
Traffic Violations causing a death, two on helmets, noise,
many cell phone bills and on and on.
The two Bills on helmets; An Act to Require Persons under
18 to Wear a Helmet (LD 437) and An Act to Require Motorcycle
Helmets (LD 453) have been heard and have come out of
Committee as split votes. LD 437 (note: for the kids)
came out with an 11-2 vote of "Ought to Pass"
LD 453 (full helmet) was just the opposite with an 11-2
split with an "Ought not to Pass" The bad part
of both of these bills was the fact that both were crossing
language to make ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles all
compliant and we operate in completely different worlds
and this language is detrimental to all of these groups.
During the helmet hearings a photographer in the committee
room had his camera on auto and was scanning the backs
of the Patch Holders and then moving to the front to get
the faces. We have been to the Attorney General's Office
to register our complaint.
At a time when all of America is losing rights so fast
that it sounds like a stick going down a picket fence
we have dug in so much that as soon as it warms up a bit
and the pipes won't freeze we might think about running
water into the foxhole. Of course that youngster on the
bicycle with the stick would, undoubtedly have to be wearing
one of those goofy looking bicycle helmets, have his teeth
projector, elbow pads, knee protectors and probably ear
protection for the rushing wind and who knows what else.
Then NHSTA will find defective equipment on the bicycle.
When that part is done, the owner of the tree the stick
fell off from will be charged with not having a barrier
around the tree, allowing a minor to play with a lethal
weapon, have OSHA cite him for not having warning stickers
on how to use a stick and what is allowed or not and failure
to provide school on the proper handling on said instrument.
