Making New Friends

Back in May, a half-dozen candidates were running in a primary race for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. This race was in a "one-party" district, inside the Capital Beltway. Winner take all.

After asking all candidates about helmet laws, most of them said they wanted to keep it "as-is." But one of them questioned helmet effectiveness -- as well as the need for ticketing.

So we rolled up our sleeves and worked as campaign volunteers.

Investment:
Five emails, several weekend rides, several days of work.

Payback:
The first biker-friendly candidate from a district inside the beltway.

---

In September, an anti-repeal incumbent in Tidewater was running for reelection, and the challenger didn't have any position on the helmet law. So we asked the challenger, who then took a few days to think it over. The answer? "Let those who ride decide."

So we rolled up our sleeves and worked as campaign volunteers.

Investment:
One phone call, one weekend ride, two hours of work.

Payback:
A strong-running candidate that now supports repeal.

---

In September (a busy month) a pro-repeal incumbent, who is also a member of the House Transportation Committee, was facing a tough challenger. We asked the candidate from Prince William County how we could help.

Not surprisingly, we rolled up our sleeves and worked as campaign volunteers.

Investment:
One conversation, several weekend rides, several hours of work.

Payback:
A strong-running committee member who wants to sponsor the next repeal bill.

---

In October anti-repeal incumbent in Loudon County faced a challenger with no position on the helmet law. So we asked the challenger, who answered immediately: "Let those who ride decide."

So we rolled up our sleeves ... again ... and worked as campaign volunteers.

Investment:
One email, one weekend ride, several hours of work. And one heck of a blister.

Payback:
A strong-running candidate that now supports repeal.

---

I don't know about you, but I think I'm beginning to see a trend here.

Campaign work
WORKS

When bikers work as campaign volunteers, they are making friends. And when it comes to helmet law repeal, bikers could use some friends ... in Richmond as well as every other state capital.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Volunteers Make the Difference

Last Friday I went to a lunchtime gathering of political volunteers. These are the people who man the phones, stuff the envelopes, deliver the yard signs, etc. About 30 people were there, from college kids to senior citizens.

Quite a few politicians were there too. Most were candidates, now in the last week of the campaign season. They were there to rally the troops for the final push. And to draw a bigger crowd, they had a special guest of honor: US Senator James Webb.

For those of you who don't know him, Senator Webb is a Naval Academy graduate, Viet Nam veteran, and former Secretary of the Navy. He's the most decorated Marine I've ever met, with heavy medals like the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts.

Jim also wrote "Fields of Fire," one of the most gut-punching war novels ever. And he's the only member of Congress with a son who served in Iraq. This man's shadow has more balls than most people ever will.

But today he was there to speak to us ... the troops on the front line of the political battlefield ... the campaign volunteers.

Of the many things he said, one thing in particular stood out. Referring to his come-from-behind victory against incumbent Senator George Allen in 2006, Jim said this ...

"They had us outspent by 2-to-1. But we had the volunteers, and that made all the difference. You make that difference."

Everybody knows that legislators are powerful. They make the laws that we must live by, and must live with.

But it's the campaign volunteer who has the power to "make" a legislator. That's why they listen to us. Pay attention to us. Take care of us. Represent us.

Everyone in that room had more political power than everyone who wasn't.

Bikers need to be in that room.

< MS > Biloxi (3)

Of the three candidates running in the special election for House District 117 (Biloxi/Gulfport), only one said he would support repeal. The other candidates were unresponsive on the issue.

This is very good news, and an important milestone. We found a biker-friendly candidate. And he welcomes help from the motorcycling communty.

(Go to ElectPatrickCollins.com to volunteer.)

Now all we need is a small "Go Team" of Gulf Coast bikers who can work as campiagn volunteers. I sent a Legislative Alert to our subscribers, and I sent a copy to all ABATE of Mississippi officers.

It's not only "show time," it's also time to "show and tell." While it's great to know that we have nine subscribers along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, passing the word is just a step. The real payoff comes from action, and that's totally in the hands of Mississippi bikers.

Like many special elections, voter turnout will be low, and the margin of victory will be narrow.

If you click on the ELECTIONS tab at the top of the page, and then scroll down to the bottom, you'll see how close some of these special elections turned out to be. One of these was decided by only 16 votes. That's why each and every campaign volunteer makes such a big difference.

Will Mississippi bikers respond to the call? Only time will tell. And time is ticking, because the election takes place on December 8. That's when we find out what kind of difference we all made.

Hopefully it's the good kind.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Website Upgrade

Okay, right before the November elections seems like the worst possible time to work on changes to the website. But because this website is all about elections, it just happens to be a good time regardless.

First, the name change. With "RIDE2REPEAL.COM" we need no further explanation. It says it all. If you can ride around with a few campaign signs strapped to the back of your bike, and poke them into the ground where the campaign manager wants them, you just took a "ride to repeal" the helmet law.

Well, I think it's pretty darned clever. Sure saves on words, anyway. Either you get it or you don't. And if you don't, it doesn't matter. But if you do, we need you just as much as you need us.

With the website name change comes an email address change. Now it's RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com. It's easy to understand and easy to remember. Again, no explanation is necessary.

All the old addresses still work ... you just get forwarded automatically. Eventually the old stuff will expire, but that will be several years from now.

The actual website changes are important, too. Now the website has been cleaned up. No more "ticker tape" running along the bottom to display all the current elections. Instead we added a new tab at the top of the page.

If you don't see a white tab up at the top of this page, right in the middle, that says "ELECTIONS..." just click on this link > RIDE2REPEAL.COM < so the page will reload correctly.

(In case you still don't see it, hold down CTRL and hit F5. That will force a hard refresh of the website.)

So what's with the new ELECTIONS tab anyway?

Click on it, and you'll get a state-by-state listing of all legislative elections. There's a red-yellow-green color code to show which candidates are biker-friendly. There's also a text box under each listing for entering your zip code ... and clicking on "Go" will give you driving directions to the district for that race.

If a race is over and done with, you'll see a color-coded block that shows who the winner is. Take note of the margin of victory and the turnout percentage. In many cases it shows ... very clearly ... that just a couple of volunteers could have changed the outcome.

Which is the whole point of  RIDE2REPEAL.COM .

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

< MI > Jackson / Battle Creek

A special election is coming up on Nov 3 for a state senate district, this one spanning southern Michigan from Battle Creek to Jackson. ABATE of Michigan is aware of this special election, and I'm hoping this is one that they can get involved in.

The reason I say this is based on an email conversation I had with one of the candidates:

SUBJECT: Motorcycle Helmet Law Question

Marty

What's your position on the universal helmet law for motorcylists?

Douglas _______

I ask this question to a lot of candidates. As is sometimes the case, I initially didn't get a response. But after a polite 2nd request to this particular candidate, he proudly showed his true colors:

SUBJECT: Re: Motorcycle Helmet Law Question

Dear Mr. _______:

I have consistently voted to keep the mandatory helmet law in Michigan. My position on the issue has been well known by the no-helmet supporters.

Marty Griffin

This is exactly the kind of candidate we need to defeat. Not only does he "consistently" vote against repeal, he obviously considers bikers to be politically powerless to stop him.

We need to change that perception.

The way, of course, is to become politically powerful. That's the only way we can take back our rights.

We can't "talk" our rights back. All the letters, faxes, and phone calls in the world can't stand up to political action. And that action needs to count. That's why we do campaign work.

I'm still waiting to hear back from the other candidate. It's my sincere hope that he supports repeal. But even if he doesn't initially, he may change his mind once he finds out that bikers will work for him as campaign volunteers.

But that's a big "if." Most bikers don't know they have this much power in their hands. If they did, they'd TAKE their rights back by getting involved as campaign volunteers.

UPDATE:

As it turns out, ABATE of Michigan was already up to speed on both candidates. And I got a response from the other candidate, who said his support for repeal would only come with a certain pre-condition:

SUBJECT: Re: Motorcycle Helmet Law Question

Mike would only support repeal of it if motorcyclists paid an extra premium on their insurance to pay for any head injuries brought about as a result of not wearing a helmet.

Steve Sachs
Campaign Manager, Nofs for Senate

So there ya go. One candidate says "hell no and go to hell," while the other says "yes but..."

Personally, I always prefer using the slippery slope to our advantage, rather than holding out for the perfect candidate. Anything that makes progress is an improvement, after all.

But ultimately the decision is up to Michigan bikers. And that's the way it should be.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

The Sweet Spot

There is a cool term used in the sporting world. It's called the "sweet spot." According to Wikipedia, "A sweet spot is a place ... where a combination of factors suggest a particularly suitable solution."

For those of us who do more than read about sports, the sweet spot is an amazing thing to experience. Whether it's golf, baseball, or tennis, when you hit the ball, it feels like you barely tapped it. But then you see it take off like it was fired out of a cannon ... BOOM!

That's because a number of factors come together at just the right time, in just the right place. Energy comes into focus in the smallest possible spot ... only for an instant ... and every bit of that power goes straight into what you hit.

A great swing -- at the right place -- at the right time -- is a guaranteed knockout. It's perfection in motion ... and not one bit of your energy is wasted. Instead, it's magnified.

For bikers rights activists, the "right place" is a tight race between candidates on opposite sides of the repeal issue. The "right time" is the campaign season, when we can help a candidate win an election ... while they're actually listening to our input. And the "great swing" is putting campaign signs into the ground, providing a valuable service to our candidates.

For many bikers across the USA, the sweet spot is "right here, right now." Virginia and New Jersey have state-wide general elections for their legislative offices. And according to our ELECTION TRACKER, there are special elections in Alabama (1), California (1), Georgia (7), Michigan (1), Mississippi (1), Missouri (3), and Tennessee (2).

All bikers need to do is follow the 1-2-3 step process of checking out the candidates, choosing which ones to support, and then working in their campaigns. Focus on that, and repeal takes off like a shot.

SWEET!

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Tennessee Election Results

The results are in, and Tennessee has a new state representative.

The special election took place on October 13. The state house district covers Shelbyville, which is about an hour south of Nashville. Here's a news article about the election outcome:

Marsh tops Cobb in special election

TENNESSEAN.COM Shelbyville trucking business owner Pat Marsh, a Republican, captured a special election Tuesday for the vacated House 62nd District seat...

Opportunity Missed

As far as I can tell, Tennessee bikers had no effect on this election. That means nobody contacted the candidates to find out their position on repeal. And without knowing the candidates' positions, there was no way to know which one (if any) was worthy of biker support.

To top it off, there are only a small handful of Legislative Alert subscribers scattered across the state. Suppose we found out that one candidate supported repeal, and the other supported helmet laws. Without subscribers, we have no bikers to notify ... and that means no campaign volunteers, either.

Another Chance

Though this special election has come and gone, there are more opportunities ahead. According to our ELECTION TRACKER, Tennessee has two more elections in the near future. As we reported in the October 22 article, both of these Memphis races will be for vacant seats in the state legislature.

CMT/ABATE is watching these Memphis races, which is excellent news. We can't affect the election outcome unless we first know where the candidates stand on repeal.

You can do more than just watch ... you can take action. Start by visiting RIDE2REPEAL.COM and clicking on the red "Subscribe" tab at the top of the page. Or you can contact us at RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com to learn more.

< GA > Atlanta

Of the many races going on in Georgia, House District 58 in Atlanta is worth noting. Simone Bell is one of the candidates, and she's about as biker-friendly as it gets.

A third-generation motorcyclist, she is a founding member of Sweet Vibrations Motorcyle Club. Also known as "Sweet V," it's made up of professional women who ride all types of motorcycles, from sport bikes to cruisers to touring bikes.

So if you live and ride near Atlanta, or if you have friends there, Simone needs our full support. She's exactly the kind of State Rep we need at the capital. Please visit her campaign website (www.simonebell.com)to learn more.

But the most important thing you can to is help her win. That takes action, and that's what RIDE2REPEAL.COM is all about.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Just Do It

Let's say bikers are ready ... to roll up their sleeves, and to help a biker-friendly candidate win office. But how can we tell which candidate is on our side?

It's as easy as typing a question. Here is an actual email I recently sent to a candidate running in a special election:

SUBJECT: Motorcycle Helmet Law Question
TO: joe@candidate.com

Joe

What's your position on the universal helmet law?

Douglas Voter

I've sent this very email to candidates from Atlanta to Los Angeles. It's simple, to the point, and issue-neutral.

Now let's take a look at an actual response -- this one coming from a candidate running for state representative in a special election:

SUBJECT: RE: Motorcycle Helmet Law Question
TO: douglas@voter.com

Douglas

I support a person's right to choose to wear a helmet

Joe Candidate

Wasn't that easy? Absolutely. So why am I the only one who seems to be capable of doing such a simple thing?

In most places the State Motorcyclist Rights Organization (SMRO) never contacts the candidates ... at all. They don't even mention elections on their websites, let alone provide info on how to help biker-friendly candidates.

This puzzles me.

But I'm not an SMRO, so I don't vote on whether to look at candidates, vote on what questions to ask, and then vote on which candidate to endorse. Or vote on what to do about it, assuming a choice was made. If I did, it wouldn't matter because term limits would probably come along sooner.

I just do it.

Of course there are a few SMRO's that are on the ball. In those states, I just rely on the SMRO to pick them. They tell me who's biker-friendly, and then I pass the word along to you. Then, of course, it's up to you to act on it.

I'm pretty smart, and I always look at new ways to do things. That's not typical for a biker, but who cares about what's normal? The important thing is to discover, to innovate, to create, to change. But none of this matters unless people first find out about it ... and then act on it.

Borrowing an old saying, "You can lead a biker to knowldge, but you can't make him think."

So think about it, already. Then do something.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

< MS > Biloxi (2)

November 17 is the date for the Mississippi House District 117 special election. If none of the candidates wins by at least 50%, a runoff election will take place on December 8. Here's a brief news article about it:

Special election set for Janus seat

SunHerald.com Gov. Haley Barbour has set a special election for Nov. 17 ... The deadline to qualify for the election will be Oct. 18 ...

How close are you to this district? Enter your address to see:  

Opportunity Knocks

I'm happy to say that we now have about a dozen Legislative Alert subscribers on the Gulf Coast. All we need now is for one biker to evaluate the candidates. And if one of them is biker-friendly, our Legislative Alert subscribers will be the first ones to know.

You can be the first to know as well. Just visit B4BS.NET and click on the red "Subscribe" tab at the top of the page. Or you can contact us at ride2repeal@gmail.com to learn more.

Slacktivism and Faketivism

There are many who "talk" bikers rights, maybe even join a state motorcyclist rights organization (SMRO). But most of them never lift a finger to actually get bikers rights. You've seen them, and you know them. Heck, you might even be one of them.

These "Slacktivists" are the ball-and-chain of every SMRO. That's primarily why these organizations have such a hard time getting anywhere. Most of the work an SMRO does is spent providing services to all its members, the majority of whom are Slacktivists who don't give much of anything back.

It takes a lot of manpower to manage membership records, publish monthly newsletters, and do everything else that's required in the by-laws of a corporation. And that's just to keep operating. The underlying reason for all the paperwork, all those meetings, and all that drudgery is supposed to be the advancement of bikers rights.

Remember ... that's the "R" in S-M-R-O.

But Slacktivism isn't the only self-inflicted barrier to the cause of bikers rights. There's something else, too. It's not nearly as obvious, but it's much harder to overcome. I call it "faketivism."

Faketivism is a hard nut to crack. The passion is definitely there all right, as well as the action to back it up. But it's rigidly misdirected action ... sometimes sensational, but always ineffective.

It's frustating to watch, knowing full well that restoring bikers rights is far easier than biker faketivists realize. But instead of doing what efficiently produces concrete results, they work harder and harder at getting nowhere. And they're getting pretty darned good at it.

It reminds me of a totally weird religion called "cargo cults" that exist in primitive island cultures. When WWII was being waged across the Pacific, the natives saw advanced technology for the very first time. They observed how the GI's seemed to perform certain rituals, like talking on radios, and then the "gods" would reward them by sending bountiful cargo down from the heavens.

When the GIs departed, however, the natives had to obtain cargo for themselves. So they crafted headphones out of coconuts, they erected bamboo control towers, and they chanted incantations up towards the heavens. To this very day they are convinced that, if only they can perfect their rituals, the gods will once again bestow them with bountiful cargo.

Biker faketivists believe they can get their rights back by performing certain rituals, too. Like annually riding their motorcycles around the capitol on a Sunday afternoon. Writing compelling letters to newspaper editors. Celebrating offical proclamations about motorcycle awareness. Raising money for an important charity. Even picking up trash along highways.

These are worthwhile activities, but only as long as they produce what you want them to. Fellowship, education, recognition, caring, and community are the kinds of things that bikers can and should do. It's who we are, and it's what we do.

But if your goal is to restore your rights, you might as well put on some headphones made out of coconuts. Make sure they're comfortable, because you'll be waiting a long, long time.

Sound like biker blasphemy? Better keep those coconut headphones on ... or else you just might turn into a heretic like me.

The reality of politics is that "might makes right." Regardless of what biker faketivists will tell you, without power you have NO rights in the real world. You can beg all you want, but don't expect anything but table scraps.

For bikers rights, you need biker power.

So where does all this "biker power" come from? Simple. It comes from having the ability to "make or break" a legislator's election. If you think it comes from writing letters, making phone calls, or sending faxes during the legislative session, think again. If you waited until the session, you missed your window of opportunity.

You "make" politicians by helping them win elections. And you "break" politicians by helping them lose. Any special interest group ... including bikers ... that can deliver votes has real power. And politicians compete for their services.

I'm not talking about the private and solitary act of voting. Telling a legislator that you voted for (or against) him is a quaint argument, but it has no lasting value. Besides, bikers are a tiny minority compared to major voting blocs. Saying "I'm a biker and I vote!" is little more than a snarky slogan on a bumper sticker.

I'm talking about DELIVERING votes. And that means campaign work.

But try and find any mention of "campaign work" on a bikers rights website. Read the minutes of any state board meeting and try to find those two little words. Ask any chapter officer how you can work as a campaign volunteer. Try to find out who the "State Campaign Coordinator" is.

When your search produces only blank stares and unanswered questions, you're in the fantasy world of bikers rights faketivism. But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Just keep an eye out for any biker who actually has an open mind, and is searching for something new to try ... as long as it works, of course.

As to the rest of them, no problem. For the most part, they're all pretty good people who are just trying to do what's right. There ain't no "bad guy" to blame. They just don't know how to let go of traditional approaches and become effective. It's up to you, then, to find the people who will listen, who will learn, who will give it a try.

Nothing succeeds like success. And you gotta start somewhere. So give your time and attention to the bikers that can follow your logic. That's a basic leadership practice, sometimes called "feeding your best horses." They'll carry the load and go the distance ... as long as you take care of them first.

Now I'm fairly certain that what I just said will totally piss off a lot of bikers.

That is not my intention, but it is the price of challenging the status quo ... of shaking up the establishment ... of speaking truth to power. But I have absolute faith in the ability of a few bikers to rise to the challenge ... to take charge of their future ... and to finally make a difference.

I'm hoping that biker is YOU.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

< DC > Washington

There may be a special election in Washington, DC to replace a city council member.

The Ward 1 Councilman is wrapped around the axle with a bribery scandal. His chief of staff was arrested on bribery charges, and the investigation is ongoing.

The City Council is the legislative body for the District of Columbia, and Ward 1 covers the affluent Northwest portion of DC. Here's a news article about the incident:

D.C. Taxi Scandal: Now With More Bribery!

Reason Magazine
Ted G. Loza, [chief of staff to D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1)] was taken into custody at his home in the 1400 block of Columbia Road NW ...

How close are you to this district? Enter your street address to see:  

Opportunity Knocks

I sent a Legislative Alert to our DC, Maryland, and Virginia subscribers. No word yet on whether there will be a special election. The councilmember has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But we do know that Metro Washington bikers will be ready, with several activists living well within driving distance.

I will personally evaluate this race, since I used to live in Ward 1. And if there's a biker-friendly candidate in the running, our Legislative Alert subscribers will be the first ones to know.

You can be the first to know as well. Just visit RIDE2REPEAL.COM and click on the red "Subscribe" tab at the top of the page. Or you can contact us at RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com to learn more.

< MA > Boston

There may be a special election in Boston to replace a Massachusetts state legislator.

The state senator was nabbed for leaving the scene of an accident. He said he panicked and left the scene because he has two previous drunk driving convictions.

The Middlesex, Suffolk, and Essex senate district covers the northern half of greater Boston. Here's a news article about the incident:

State Sen. Anthony Galluccio cited for Cambridge hit-and-run

My Fox Boston
He won a four-way special election in 2007 to replace former Sen. Jarrett Barrios after he resigned. Galluccio was convicted of driving under the influence ...

How close are you to this district? Enter your street address to see:  

Opportunity Knocks

I sent a Legislative Alert to our Massachusetts and Rhode Island subscribers. No word yet on when the election will be. But we do know that New England bikers will be ready, with several activists living well within driving distance.

I'm pretty sure a very sharp activist will evaluate this race. And if there's a biker-friendly candidate in the running, our Legislative Alert subscribers will be the first ones to know.

You can be the first to know as well. Just visit B4BS.NET and click on the red "Subscribe" tab at the top of the page. Or you can contact us at ride2repeal@gmail.com to learn more.

Ask the Candidates

We're RIDE2REPEAL.COM, and we help biker-friendly candidates win. That's how we build a biker-friendly majority in the state legislature. And that's how the helmet law gets repealed.

But how do we know who's biker-friendly ... and who isn't?

By finding out their position on the universal helmet law. For legislators holding office, their voting record says it all. There is no better proof of how they vote -- than how they vote.

That's why it's so important to submit repeal bills ... in both houses ... and to push the bill as far as it can go. Never withdraw it, even if you know it won't pass. Make them vote on it.

Lacking a voting record, the next best thing to do is to simply ask them.

This is the same approach we take with new candidates that challenge sitting incumbents. And it really isn't that hard. In fact, it's so easy that I often ask the candidates myself.

I simply send them an email with "Motorcycle Helmet Law Question" in the subject line. And then I just ask, "What's your position on the universal helmet law?" Nine times out of ten, they write back and tell me. Either they support it, they oppose it, or they're undecided.

Repeal Supporters

Any candidate that comes straight-out in favor of repeal is "black-and-white" on the issue, and a trustworthy ally. If they're running a strong race against a repeal opponent, do all you can to help them win.

But be careful not to alienate competing candidates, whether or not they support repeal. We can't afford to make enemies through our own carelessness.

Fence Sitters

Most candidates will hedge on their answer, even if they already have a private opinion on the issue. But once they find out that local bikers will work their hearts out for a repeal supporter, they quickly show their cards. And the closer the race, the quicker they are to take us up on our offer.

While most of the fence-sitters lean one way or the other, quite often they don't have any opinion on repeal. This makes the campaign season the perfect time to bring the subject up. It's too late once they're already in office ... because they'll have no overriding incentive to support repeal.

Repeal Opponents

These are the nanny-crats that we need to keep OUT of the state legislature. I'm not talking about fence-sitters here. Any candidate that would take this stand at the outset is also "black-and-white" on the issue. We should help their opponents if we can, but by all means stay under their radar.

They will not only vote against us on repeal, they will get their colleagues to vote against us as well. So if they're vulnerable to defeat ... BURY THEM! Eventually, when we get good at picking off the weak ones, the rest of their herd will learn to keep their distance on repeal.

Make it Personal

The more personal your contact, the more real your relationship. If you have the time, pay a visit to the candidates. Just go to their campaign website and find out when they're having a campaign rally, a meet-and-greet, or any other public event. At this point, they WANT to meet voters.

The next best thing is an email or a phone call. While it's not quite as personal as meeting with them face-to-face, it's still pretty good. And it's SO easy to do ... only takes a minute. Be sure to take notes if you take this approach during an election year, because it's easy to forget who said what.

Questionnaires should be your last resort. Not only are they impersonal, most candidates hate them. Even our strongest supporters will throw them in the trash. No candidate wants to give their opponents ammo to be used against them. And anything you can ask on a questionnaire you can also ask in a personal way.

Of course the only "wrong" way to find out is to wait until after the election is over. As long as they're running for office, they need to reach out and listen to voters. But once they're in office, the window of opportunity is shut tight.

Keep it Local

When it comes to checking out the candidates, I always defer to the SMRO. In most cases they know the landscape, the history, and the "powers that be." There's no way I could do what they do ... and I don't even want to step into their shoes ... or get in their way. They're the natural choice to take the lead.

But sometimes there's "nobody home" at the SMRO. Struggling organizations have their hands full trying to stay afloat. They are too overwhelmed with survival issues, and unable to mount any kind of organized volunteer effort. And a few of them simply aren't interested in campaign work. Their focus is elsewhere.

Lacking SMRO support, the next best option is to rely on Legislative Alert subscribers to step up. Again, keeping it local, we ask them to contact the candidates. But sometimes that doesn't work, either. Starting from scratch, all by yourself, can be an instant turnoff. That's why ride2repeal@gmail.com is here to help, 24 by 7.

But ultimately, in a few states, the local route still turns out to be a dead-end. Then -- and only then -- will RIDE2REPEAL.COM step up and work directly with the candidates. We also reach out to state legislators that take a stand on our behalf, the sponsors who put their names (and stake their reputations) on our repeal bills.

First Things First

Once we find a biker-friendly candidate who's running in a winnable race, we help them win. It's amazing to see the gratitude written all over their faces: When we show up in their time of need ... when we celebrate their victory ... and when we visit them at the state capital. That's what I call Biker Power.

But the first priority is helping them win. After that, everything else falls into place.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Get it?

This weekend there were two very different biker events on opposite sides of the Potomac River. Helmet law repeal was the primary goal of each. In comparing the two events, they provide a perfect example of potential vs. actual power in the world of biker activism.

Let's see if you "get it."

One event was a large rally in Maryland, with hundreds of bikers protesting the helmet law. We started out with hot coffee, listened to some good speeches, and then rode along beautiful country roads on a warm Sunday afternoon. Once we got to Annapolis, we circled the state capitol, and then gathered at our destination for food, music, and fun.

The other event was just a couple of bikers, riding through the Virginia suburbs. No music, no food, no speeches. Just two bikers with campaign yard signs strapped to their luggage racks, each with a list of a dozen addresses.

It would seem that the Maryland event had the most impact. It took a lot of work to set up, and it brought together hundreds of activists with a common purpose. We stood together, and we rode together. Everyone in downtown Annapolis heard our thunder, and we turned lots of heads.

But did anything actually change?

Did Maryland bikers get one step closer to helmet law repeal? There was a tremendous amount of potential ... with about a thousand man-hours of activity over the course of a few hours. It's hard to know for sure, but we all certainly think we did.

Only time will tell.

Over on the Virginia side of the river, those two bikers met at the campaign headquarters of a state delegate. He's running for reelection in a very tight race. He's also a member of the House Transportation Committee. Those two bikers spoke with him for about 15 minutes while they were each loading campaign signs onto their bikes.

In the course of their conversation, the delegate thanked the bikers for helping him in his time of need, and he offered to sponsor legislation to repeal the helmet law. The bikers were happy to hear his offer, but let him know that their top priority was the immediate task of getting him reelected.

Then they rode their separate ways, going house to house through the suburbs, delivering campaign signs to voters who had requested them. And in so doing ... delivering votes to the delegate.

But did anything actually change?

Did Virginia bikers get one step closer to helmet law repeal? There was just a tiny amount of effort ... with only about four man-hours of activity that Friday afternoon. Not thousands, or even a dozen. But it wasn't potential power.

It was actual power ... it was REAL power.

Yes, Virginia bikers got one step closer to repeal. It was probably more like two or three. They helped reelect a biker-friendly candidate. They earned the gratitude of a member of the House Transportation Committee. They cultivated a personal relationship with a legislator. And they got themselves a bill sponsor.

Most biker activists follow the traditional approach. And they've been doing it for so long, they're actually starting to get good at it. RIDE2REPEAL.COM will keep trying to earn their support, because they represent a tremendous amount of potential. We want to kick it up a notch and make it REAL.

So if you want to bridge the gap between what's potential and what's actual biker power, you obviously "get it." We need you just as much as you need us.

So come and join our network, and you can start by clicking on the red "Subscribe" tab at the top of RIDE2REPEAL.COM. Together we'll do more than just talk about repeal. We'll get it, too.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

PS: Special thanks to Robin McGlohn and Bob Seoane for making a difference, and to George Owings and John Seger for their steadfast encouragement.

Simple Tips

Campaign "sign blitz" work is pretty easy. But unless you've done it before, you might find out a few things the hard way. So here are some simple tips to make the job easier.

The first tip, if you're riding a motorcycle, is "Save the box!" These are the boxes that the signs come in from the factory. If you bungee a few dozen loose signs on the back of your bike, things get out of control in a hurry. But if you securely strap the box they came in to your luggage rack, and then load it with campaign signs (upside down - wires poking up), you'll have a ready-made "sign magazine."

Median strips are often a great place to put campaigns signs. The easiest way to get to the prime spots is to pull up to a lighted intersection like you're making a left turn. When you stop, your ole' lady jumps off the bike, plants a sign, and hops back on. If the light changes, just take the turn (or U-turn) and circle back around.

Watch out for fire ants. Those little bastards can climb up your leg before you know it. There isn't always a mound of dirt to warn you, especially if there's a storm drain nearby. Just to be safe, always stomp your feet once you're done putting in any sign. It's never a good thing to have ants in your pants while you're pulling into traffic.

Sometimes the dirt his hard-packed, or there's a lot of gravel beneath the surface. Bring a claw hammer and a 12-inch nail. It's amazing to see how easy they go in when you've got the right tools. You can even put signs into pavement or concrete if you can find a rubber seam. It makes a big impression when your candidate is the only one with signs on the median.

When it comes to prime spots, the best are median end caps at lighted intersections. Drivers sit for a little while with nothing else to look at. It's no surprise that these end caps are the first ones taken by competing sign crews. The sooner you can stake your claim, the better.

It also helps to imagine how signs look to drivers coming from different directions. If you have to share an end cap with another sign, try to get the left-side of the far end cap (when viewed from across the intersection). Avoid utility poles, and NEVER block a road safety sign.

There are a lot of other things I could mention, like bringing gloves, using suncreen, and not blocking the roadway. Your safety and the safety of others around you is YOUR responsiblity, so don't be stupid and take chances. Of course you can NEVER remove your competitor's signs ... that's a federal crime. Don't break any other laws, or else your candidate will have to pay the price.

Got tips yourself? Have any questions? Email RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com.

Progress Report

There are a lot of things bikers do to fight the universal helmet law. But the most effective thing, by far, is to work as a campaign volunteer for a biker-friendly candidate in a tight race.

That's what we do. And with the Virginia elections coming in about one month, we are busy ... making progress.

Yesterday a few bikers worked for a Delegate who's running for reelection. It's a close race. He's on the transportation committee, and he always votes for repeal. He said he'd like to sponsor our next repeal bill.

Do you think he'd have offered to sponsor a repeal bill if it weren't for bikers coming to help him in the political fight of his life?

Forget about it!

Today we'll be helping another candidate in a different part of Virginia. This one is a freshman in the world of state politics. It's pretty certain he'll win. But again, we were there to help him through a tough primary battle.

During the last session, neither one of these candidates new we existed. Then we helped them in their time of need. And in the course of helping them, they got to know us on a personal basis. That means that, during lobby day, we'll come as friends -- not as strangers.

That's what I call PROGRESS.