|
 Riding with a
bullseye on the back
From the small office in the back corner,
near the water cooler
October 23rd, 2006
There are
always signs.
 This editorial
isn't about the ones that stand on the side of the road which help
various vehicles navigate the endless roads of this great
country. No, I’m talking about informational indications which
pepper the news, our lives and even that intangible ‘gut instinct’
of what lies ahead in our future and on the much more precarious 'road of life'.
Some are
glaringly obvious such as the meter maid heading towards your parked
car as you rush to feed the expired meter. Others are so subtle you
question if they’re really there at all or if it’s just your overactive
imagination’s attempt to inject drama into an otherwise dull day.
The events that
create these intangible signs of fate can be as worldwide and
overwhelming as the current nuclear drama playing out in North
Korea, or closer to home such as the congressional sexual harassment
page scandal. Any of the shared signs affect us all on various
individual levels.
For example,
everyone I know is concerned about the war in Iraq, regardless of
any political opinions or points of view. No
matter how heated the argument may become, no-one in my world has to
face the concern and worry of having a loved one actually serving there.
We can’t even begin to appreciate being in that position of having
someone near and dear on the frontlines which must come with it's own flashing neon sign that surely haunts
them or causes further stress.
The larger than
life signs all have sad and obvious possibilities that we can at
least try to understand. But there are other signs that drift out
there, far enough away to allow people to ignore them or may appear
irrelevant. Maybe the
sign is foretelling something that seems inconsequential at the
moment or falling so far down the to-do list it’s mentally pushed to
one side.
This is where
loud-pipes legislation and the consequent legal action seems to rank among bikers.
It was recently made further apparent by a seemingly harmless, glossy,
self-promoting magazine printed and distributed by the City of Fort
Lauderdale. Buried among the beautification projects, voter
registration tips and hurricane preparedness articles was a brief
summary on an anti-motorcycle initiative taken on by the City and
local Police Department.
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Reduce Motorcycle Noise
The Police Department is actively combating motorcycle noise.
Officers are working with local motorcycle shops to address
neighborhood concerns about excessive noise. Weekend "bike"
events have been relocated to other areas eliminating large
groups of motorcycles riding within the City Limits on
weekends. The police have conducted large-scale enforcement
initiatives to cite traffic infractions. Random traffic safety
checkpoints have been set up to ensure motorists and
motorcycle riders are carrying the required paperwork and
operating their vehicles with the proper equipment, including
legal exhaust systems. Mobile signage has been placed in high
motorcycle traffic areas warning riders that loud noise and
speed laws are enforced. |
Bearing in mind
South Florida has more than it's share of fair weather
bikers, the demographics also follow the national trend of the
average rider being affluent, over forty years old and one would
assume, a voter.
Yet even after a
polite but curious email to the Mayor of Fort Lauderdale, the powers
that be not only are sticking to this new direction but seem
surprised anyone, even riders would be offended or concerned by it.
But that's not
what surprises both the bikers who brought this to Clutch and
Chrome's attention as well as us. What's most amazing is the lack of
interest from the local ABATE and HOG chapters, motorcycle
publications or even the three Harley Dealerships who serve
the riders of Fort Lauderdale.
If any comment
was made, it was along the line that as long as a biker doesn't
weave in and out of traffic or make a public nuisance of themselves,
the police should pretty much leave them alone.
 This thinking is
wrong on a few levels. Firstly, it's ignoring the very fact that law
enforcement shouldn't have double standards of enforcement for
different types of road-users. If the powers that be are so concerned
about noise pollution, lets look at all sources, from loud exhausts
on cars (both broken and otherwise altered) and of course the four
wheel mobile boom boxes that have more powerful woofers in the back
window than most home entertainment centers. While we're looking
into the pimped out cars maybe law enforcement could write a few
tickets for the TV screens far enough forward to distract the
driver.
But no, the focus
has turned on bikers and who the public think we are.
The 'wait and let
it blow over' approach is dangerous mostly because it's
self-destructive. If the various media outlets and rights groups
that represent bikers don't step up and address the issue, we've
affectively agreed it's okay for bikers not to ride in the City of
Fort Lauderdale on weekends. What happens when we come across a
flashing traffic sign on our favorite ride saying loud pipes will be
ticketed?
Well it has
happened in South Florida at the southern entrance on Ocean
Boulevard that leads into Delray Beach.
Also, isn't there
supposed to be some sort of brotherhood among people who ride
motorcycles? Everyone looks out for each other and tries to help
fellow riders whenever they can. Yep, I'm pretty sure I read that
somewhere. So if we're going to think that only 'the other' biker
will be ticketed, the other guy will be pulled over, then we seem to
be betraying one of the most basic understanding's of not only the
road, but the very foundation of riding.
Besides, we all
know that non-riders can't tell the difference between a 'Busa and a
scooter, so do we really think these seaside towns will just stop
the loud cruisers riding through town on their scenic roads?
Once the cities
get a taste for targeting motorcycles and see the riding community
has given their blessing by the resounding silence (from the lack
of protesting) there's really nothing to stop the cities from flexing the legal muscle
a little further.
And this isn't
just a South Florida problem. Mayors from all over the United States
meet throughout the year to discuss different idea's and
'best-practices' that have worked well in different cities. If anyone
wants an example of how anti-motorcycle a city can get, look no
further than the various restrictions Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
has imposed on the bike rally there. It's been reduced in time and
limited to where and when the bikes can ride, all enforced by droves of
various police departments.
Clutch and Chrome
doesn't condone a manic mob storming City Hall with pitchforks and
lit torches, but we do feel that conversations addressing the issues
of targeting and singling out motorcycle enthusiasts should start
sooner than later.
In some parts of
the country, we're obviously at the later point.
The Editor |
