Kill the Goose

There's absolutely nothing to like about California Senate Bill 435, which will outlaw aftermarket exhaust pipes and expand police power.

This bill's sponsor, Senator Fran Pavley, is someone who's always been antagonistic towards the biker community. Same goes for Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal, who's chairman of the Transportation Committee. They will vote on SB435 today, and the odds are stacked against us ... as they have been for some time.

A lot of bikers are upset because ABATE can't kill the bill, and use words like "rolling over" and such. I know this isn't true because I've been fighting against this bill, right along with many other ABATE members, all of whom are livid about SB435. I also know that the ABATE leadership team has given it their best effort, and now they're trying to minimize the harm that this bill would inflict upon all of us.

As much as I hate giving any quarter, I must also admit that SB435 is not as bad as it once was. Our leadership AND our membership have made significant progress on reducing the adverse impact of this bill. I respect and appreciate every bit of initiative, hard work, persistence, and team work that a lot of people put into it so far. And people are still fighting the good fight. So to everyone who stepped up I say THANK YOU!

But let's take a step back and ask ourselves this question:

How can we stop bills like this BEFORE they happen?

It all boils down to whether legislators like Pavley and Lowenthal have anything to fear from us. Right now, obviously not! And whether we continue fight SB435, or grudgingly accept the lesser evil, the fix is only temporary. There will always be more bills to come ... as well as our noisy reactions ... until we make anti-biker bills into a career-ending proposition for legislators.

We bikers put an astounding amount of work into fighting this bill. Hundreds of letters. Tens of thousands of signatures. Untold hours of debating and negotiating. Packing the hearing room to the rafters. But all of our work did NOT rise one single step above expressing our opinion. We told our legislators what we thought ... but they can choose not to listen because they see no consequences.

We talked the talk, but are we prepared to walk the walk?

Imagine we could turn back time to exactly two years ago, on the 28th day of June in 2008. And on that very day, knowing SB435 is looming in our future, what should we do? Nip it in the bud, of course.

We don't need a time machine to know that every session, biker-hating nanny-crats like Pavley and Lowenthal are coming after our rights. We KNOW what lies ahead, as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow morning. Should we wait until someone submits an anti-biker bill, and only then voice our opposition?

Well that's exactly what we did.

Now imagine the amount of work bikers put into reacting to SB435. Heck, even one-tenth of that amount is still a ton. But imagine instead, back in the summer of 2008, we put that energy into close races -- as campaign volunteers -- against candidates like Pavley and Lowenthal.

Well it's 2010, and its another election year. So let's kill the goose:

No more goose; no more goose eggs.

There are already candidates across the state, running right now, who want to lay some eggs on us during the 2011 and 2012 sessions. It's a FACT. And it has been a fact in every election ... since before any of us ever threw a leg over a motorcycle.

As Santayana once said, "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Let's fill another room with bikers. Only this time, let's make it in a biker-friendly candidate's campaign headquarters. That is where legislators will take notice because it's a matter of job security. Then they can't ignore us in a committee hearing, like they did today. All we have to do is earn their respect by becoming relevant during an election year.

Want to kill SB435? See you on the campaign trail.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com
PS: Thanks to ABATE of California!

Stopping Power

We are putting the brakes on helmet laws. That takes stopping power, and that's exactly what the RIDE2REPEAL.COM approach is all about. To better explain this, let's use a "panic stop" as an example.

Imagine you're riding along, minding your own business. Suddenly there's a deer in the road, right in front of you. Unless you hit the brakes pronto, you're going to get a face full of deer salad sandwich.

So you do what comes natural. You plant both feet on the ground and try to drag yourself to a stop. But there's just one problem ... it's not very effective. Sure, you'll eventually stop, but you can't generate enough friction to avoid hitting Bambi.

Fortunately, your ole' lady is on the back of the bike, and you're damn glad she's a "big beautiful woman." So you both dig in your heels. After all, there's strength in numbers, right?

But again, same problem. Not enough stopping power.

Let's suppose you planned ahead, because you knew it was deer season again. Happens same time every year, so why not be prepared?

This time you have a trailer on your bike. And on board you have a few people who are doing everything they can to stop the whole complicated careening contraption.

Some folks are dragging sticks on the ground, while others are throwing ballast overboard. Fortunately the bike trailer has some real thinkers on board, too. They brought a PA system, and they're calling for all passers-by to help stop the crazy train.

And since you now have a sidecar too, other folks are reaching up front to "help" by grabbing the handlebars, or even throwing themselves in front of the tires. Even your mother-in-law is there, giving you driving tips in that charming "I told you so" way she has. Every little bit helps, you would think.

Of course we all know about brake levers and brake pedals. And most of us know that the front brake has 80% of your stopping power. Just one finger of squeezing or one tap of the toe ... in the right place at the right time ... will do more than all the hollering and stick dragging in the world.

The helmet law is a lot like that deer in the road, inconveniently right in your face. And working for biker-friendly candidates during the upcoming election is just like the braking system. It works really well, but only if you use it.

To break it down even further, there are different kinds of volunteering, just like there are different kinds of brake controls. If you knock on doors and make phone calls, it's like using the rear brake. Pretty good in most situations, and definitely the best to use when you're at the very end of the ride.

The real power comes from the other kind of volunteering, and that's delivering campaign signs. Mainly, because it's so easy to do. Just get a list of addresses and a box of signs. Then it's just going for a ride to deliver them, not unlike a poker run. Find the house, pop it into the ground, and ride off to the next one.

Yeah, we've been fighting the helmet law the good ole' fashioned way for DECADES. And if we keep dragging our feet and hollering at bystanders, we're going to keep winding up as "Deer John" at the end of the day. It is time for a totally new approach.

Bottom line: If you do nothing but campaign work, you will repeal the helmet law. But if you do everything EXCEPT campaign work, you will not.

It's easy to get started. Just visit RIDE2REPEAL.COM and click on the ELECTIONS tab at the top of the page. (Don't see it? Click HERE.)

Select your state from the menu, and click on the GREEN candidate's name. This is someone who supports adult helmet law repeal, plain and simple. Clicking will take you to their campaign website, where you can enlist as a volunteer. Help them win, and get one step closer to restoring your rights.

Now who's hungry for some venison?

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Repeal the Helmet Law

It's a lot easier than you think. Help us win this battle -- in just ONE election cycle.

It takes campaign volunteers, helping biker-friendly candidates win elections to the legislature. Just visit RIDE2REPEAL.COM, and subscribe to our ELECTION ALERTS. We'll let you know about nearby races, and all you have to do is show up and lend a hand.

Right now we need to help Sam Blakeslee win Senate District 15, which includes San Luis Obispo and Monterey. His election takes place on June 22, 2010. This will be an extremely close race, so every volunteer counts.

YES it sounds too easy. But it really works. Campaign volunteers are more powerful than voters, because we deliver votes BY THE DOZENS, and legislators SEE US making a difference.

Stop fighting ... and start WINNING. Do your part and we'll win another district, and get one step closer to restoring our right to decide. It's as simple as that!

Tonight's the Night

California is holding primary elections tomorrow. In many of these races there are candidates on opposite sides of the helmet law. So if you are a California biker and you want your right to decide, tonight is the night to take it back.

Click on the ELECTIONS tab at the top of RIDE2REPEAL.COM. Then scroll down until you find a district near you. The good guys are shown in green text, and clicking on their name will take you to their offical campaign website. Then it's just a matter of lending a hand.

Campaign volunteers are more powerful than voters. That's because they deliver votes by the dozens. And the candidates naturally rub elbows with campaign volunteers. Voters are hiding behind the curtain, so there's rarely any personal contact with the candidates ... regardless of how they vote.

So get off your butt and help a biker-friendly candidate. And bring friends ... lots of friends!

- RIE2REPEAL@gmail.com