law

‘It’s about freedom’: Local lawmaker trying again on motorcycle helmet law repeal

General Posts / By

by Austin Huguelet / Gannett from https://www.therolladailynews.com A local lawmaker still wants to let some Missouri motorcyclists ditch their helmets. Sen. Eric Burlison, R-Battlefield, almost had it last year. After pitching the idea as a win for individual freedom, he got it attached to a larger transportation bill that passed both houses. But Gov. Mike Parson couldn’t stomach another part of the bill and vetoed it. This year, Burlison thinks he’s got a decent shot to pass the idea as its own bill. Parson, a Republican, supported similar stand-alone bills as a legislator, so Burlison’s main focus is on getting it through the legislature again. “We’ll see how much time (Senate leaders) give it on the floor,” he said Friday, “but over time, we’ve made so many compromises on this, so I hope people will take that into consideration.” Those compromises, Burlison said, include a requirement for those going without helmets to have qualifying health insurance. The exemption from the state’s helmet rule would also only apply to riders ages 18 and up. Those provisions will likely never be enough for opposing lawmakers who say the plan will lead to more deadly accidents. They have a point. National Highway Transportation Safety Agency research indicates helmets saved more than 1,800 lives in 2016, and that if all motorcyclists would have worn helmets that year, 802 more people could have been saved. On its website, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention make its position clear: “The single most effective way for states to save lives and save money is a universal helmet law.” They also point out that riders wouldn’t have to prove insurance coverage unless they were pulled over by law enforcement and worry the cost of accidents will ultimately take a toll on Medicaid. But Burlison sees the entire […]

‘It’s about freedom’: Local lawmaker trying again on motorcycle helmet law repeal Read More »

Senate passes anti-‘motorcycle profiling’ bill on 25-9 vote

General Posts / By

by Betsy from https://www.idahopress.com Legislation pushed by Nampa Rep. Robert Anderst for the past three years to forbid “motorcycle profiling” by law enforcement – deciding to pull someone over or arrest or search them solely because they’re riding a motorcycle or wearing motorcycle gear – handily passed the Senate today, on a 25-9 vote. Last year, the bill died in the Senate on a 17-18 vote; and the year before that, after passing the House unanimously, it was killed on a 13-22 vote in the Senate. This year’s bill, SB 1292, started in the Senate. As they have for the past two years, motorcycling enthusiasts and members of motorcycle groups turned out in big numbers to testify in favor of the bill in committee, saying they’ve been profiled by law enforcement officers when they were abiding by all laws. This year’s bill, like last year’s, in addition to defining and forbidding motorcycle profiling, also states that it’s not creating any new basis for lawsuits.

Senate passes anti-‘motorcycle profiling’ bill on 25-9 vote Read More »

Vagos Motorcycle Club trial to resume later in this month

General Posts / By

by Rio Lacanlale from https://www.reviewjournal.com A lengthy federal racketeering trial against eight Vagos Motorcycle Club members will take a weeklong break after four days of closing arguments, which initially were expected to wrap up this week. Arguments will continue Feb. 18 due to a conflict in U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro’s schedule. The Las Vegas trial began in July. Between Monday and Thursday, jurors heard from federal prosecutor Daniel Schiess and five of the eight men’s defense attorneys. On trial are Vagos members Pastor Fausto Palafox, Albert Lopez, Albert Benjamin Perez, James Patrick Gillespie, Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez, Bradley Michael Campos, Cesar Vaquera Morales and Diego Chavez Garcia. The men previously pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, murder, and using a firearm to commit murder during and in retaliation to a crime. Each faces up to life in prison if convicted. The charges stem from a 2017 indictment accusing Vagos members of a slew of crimes dating to 2005 and spanning more than a decade, including the 2011 fatal shooting of a Jeffrey Pettigrew, a rival Hells Angels gang member in Sparks. Under the racketeering charge, in addition to the 2011 killing, the defendants are accused of robbery, extortion, kidnapping and possession of narcotics with the intent to sell. Arguments this week from both sides reiterated two different versions of the 2011 shooting previously told to the jury. Schiess spent nearly three days carefully laying out the most significant evidence presented during the trial, arguing that the killing was both an authorized hit by Palafox, the international president of Vagos at the time, and part of a broader criminal conspiracy. But according to the defense, Gonzalez, accused of being the shooter, was “acting in the defense of others” when he fired the fatal shots.

Vagos Motorcycle Club trial to resume later in this month Read More »

Police Aim To Stop Reckless Motorcycle Groups Before They Start Dangerous Stunt Rides

General Posts / By

by Todd Feurer from https://chicago.cbslocal.com/ CHICAGO (CBS) — Responding to growing complaints about packs of reckless motorcycle riders, Chicago police told aldermen they taking a more proactive approach to reining in swarms of bikers who speed down streets and expressways, performing dangerous stunts that put themselves and others at risk. Stunt rider motorcycle groups have become more popular in recent years, Chicago Police Cmdr. Sean Loughran, who heads the department’s Special Functions Division, said at a City Council Public Safety Committee meeting on the problem. Office of Emergency Management and Communications executive director Rich Guidice said there were approximately 1,100 calls to 911 last year complaining about dangerous motorcycle groups. Rather than trying to stop the groups after they’ve started speeding through the city, police said they plan to keep track of the groups on social media, in an effort to stop large stunt rides before they start. CBS 2’s Jim Williams has previously reported the stunt biker groups, which frequently post social media videos of themselves popping wheelies, speeding down sidewalks, and blowing through red lights and stop signs, sometimes coming within inches of hitting pedestrians crossing the street. Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), who called on the Chicago Police Department and OEMC to detail their plans to address the dangerous motorcycle groups, said they often ride in groups of 200 to 300 people, speeding down expressways, Lake Shore Drive, and even side streets, ignoring all traffic laws, and putting other motorists and pedestrians in danger. Loughran said part of the challenge in cracking down on the groups is that chasing them isn’t worth the risk, because it would only put more lives in danger, and actually give the stunt riders what they want – a chance at making a viral video of a police chase. “These individuals, the worst

Police Aim To Stop Reckless Motorcycle Groups Before They Start Dangerous Stunt Rides Read More »

Prescott man gets 4 years in prison after high-speed chase on stolen motorcycle in Ohio

General Posts / By

from https://www.dcourier.com ZANESVILLE, Ohio — A 20-year-old Prescott man was sentenced to four years in prison after leading officers on a high-speed chase through two counties in Ohio last week. Andrew Johansen was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to three felony counts. According to prosecutors, some time before Dec. 11 Johansen answered an ad for a motorcycle for sale in Canton, Ohio. He asked to test drive the motorcycle and drove away with the bike. On Dec. 11, an officer tried to stop a silver Honda motorcycle on I-70 in Cambridge, Ohio. The driver, later identified as Johansen, refused to comply and sped away, reaching speeds of up to 130 miles per hour. After leading officers and state troopers on a high-speed chase that continued on and off the interstate and through heavy traffic, Johansen eventually lost control of the motorcycle and was taken into custody, police said. In a statement to media, Ohio State Patrol said they suspected the cold weather affected Johansen’s ability to control the bike. According to the statement, Johansen’s first words to law enforcement were, “I’m cold.” Officers on the scene noted that Johansen was shivering and displayed symptoms of hypothermia at the time of his arrest. According to Arizona court records, Johansen has a criminal history in Arizona. Since 2017, he has been charged with unlawful flight from pursuing law enforcement, fraudulent schemes and artifices, shoplifting, trafficking in stolen property, failure to appear in court and possession or use of drug paraphernalia. The past charges were filed in Prescott Valley and Yavapai County. Due to a recent conviction and probation status in Arizona, Johansen agreed to waive his investigation and move to sentencing. He was sentenced to four years for failure to comply, receiving stolen property and obstructing official business. According to a report

Prescott man gets 4 years in prison after high-speed chase on stolen motorcycle in Ohio Read More »

Legislature passes “autocycle” bill, creates new fee for three-wheelers

General Posts / By

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The state Assembly has signed off on a bill that would define autocycles in state law and establish registration fees for the vehicles. Autocycles are three-wheeled vehicles that can seat one or two people. The Republican-authored bill would define an autocycle as a vehicle with three wheels in contact with the ground, seating that doesn’t require straddling and a steering wheel. The bill would establish a $45 annual registration fee and allow anyone with a regular driver’s license to operate one. The Assembly approved the bill unanimously Tuesday. The Senate passed the measure in October. The measure goes next to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who can sign it into law or veto it. The governor’s spokeswoman, Melissa Baldauff, didn’t immediately respond to an email asking if Evers supports the bill.

Legislature passes “autocycle” bill, creates new fee for three-wheelers Read More »

Hundreds of drunk scooter riders lost their licenses at Germany’s Oktoberfest this year

General Posts / By

by Zac Palmer from https://www.autoblog.com Drinking and riding carries the same penalty as drunk driving Oktoberfest just wrapped up in Munich, and surprisingly, there’s some pretty alarming transportation-related news coming from it. Ride-sharing scooters and drunk party-goers don’t make for a good combination, but that’s exactly what German police had to fend with throughout the 16-day-long event. According to German news outlet Deutsche Welle, and picked up by The Drive, local police say they caught 414 people riding scooters while under the influence. Of those, 254 riders had their driver’s licenses revoked on the spot. Germany treats scooters the same as cars, so there are serious consequences for not following the rules of the road — similar to America, there are repercussions for drunk driving. What remains unreported is how many accidents or injuries occurred as a result of all the drunk scootering. German police were on high alert when it came to the scooters, as they were just unleashed on the public in June this year. The numbers are slightly better for folks who were driving an actual car in the city of Munich during the festival. Police found 315 drunk drivers and forced 215 of those to give up their licenses immediately. Millions from all over the globe attend Oktoberfest every year. Beer is consumed in copious amounts in massive beer glasses known as steins — the only size of beer served in the beer tents amounts to 33.8 ounces. Drinking tasty German beer and singing all day may have given some folks a little too much confidence to pilot an E-scooter home rather than walking like the rest of the crowd. Police did a great job of keeping the scooters from entering onto the Oktoberfest grounds, banning their use during the festival itself. We’ll leave you with

Hundreds of drunk scooter riders lost their licenses at Germany’s Oktoberfest this year Read More »

The German Autobahn is under threat

General Posts / By

By Cameron Kirby from https://www.whichcar.com.au The last bastion of high-speed driving freedom could soon be outlawed There is a new plan to kill the Autobahn as we know and love it. If a minority party in Germany’s federal parliament has its way, a new national 130km/h limit could replace the unrestricted sections of the Autobahn. Currently there are 5353km of Autobahn which have the ‘unrestricted’ advisory speed limit. The Alliance90/The Greens political party, often referred to simply as The Greens, is behind the move, and is pushing the lowering of limits as part of a package of new measures intended to reduce emissions. “A speed limit would be a commandment of reason for an enlightened society in the 21st century,” said Green politician Cem Özdemir. It’s claimed that enforcing a 130km/h limit would lower Germany’s carbon dioxide emissions by between one and three million tonnes per year. In 2018, Germany produced 725.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Lowering speed limits to 130km/h on the autobahn is supported by the German police union, with the head of the federal trade union Michael Mertens stating: “For us, a speed limit for transport policy reasons is urgently needed”. A vote on the proposition will be held in Germany’s national parliament, the Bundestag, on October 13. The federal parliament has 709 seats, with the joint Union alliance, made up of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU), and Social Democratic Party of Germany (SDP), holding a majority with 398 members. The Greens hold 67 of the 311 seats in opposition. The Union has previously defended the unrestricted speed limits on the Autobahn, including when they were attacked earlier this year. In January a leaked report from a government-appointed committee called the National Platform on the Future of Mobility

The German Autobahn is under threat Read More »

U.S. moving to block California vehicle emissions rules

General Posts / By

Two U.S. agencies are preparing to submit for final White House regulatory review a plan to revoke California’s authority to set its own vehicle greenhouse gas standards and declare that states are pre-empted from setting their own vehicle rules, two people briefed on the matter said on Thursday. WASHINGTON: Two U.S. agencies are preparing to submit for final White House regulatory review a plan to revoke California’s authority to set its own vehicle greenhouse gas standards and declare that states are pre-empted from setting their own vehicle rules, two people briefed on the matter said on Thursday. The Environmental Protection Agency in August 2018 proposed revoking a waiver granted to California in 2013 under the Clean Air Act as part of the Trump administration’s plan to roll back Obama-era fuel economy standards through 2025. The EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are expected to seek approval to finalize the first portion of the rule dealing with California and other states before completing action on setting yearly fuel efficiency requirements. The plan would not revoke California’s ability to set low-emission vehicle standards that has been in place since 1990, the sources said. The move comes as President Donald Trump has expressed anger with automakers over the issue. In July, four major automakers, including Ford Motor Co and Volkswagen AG, said they had reached a voluntary agreement with California on fuel efficiency rules. California and other states had vowed to enforce stricter Obama-era emissions standards, after Trump proposed rolling back the federal rules. Automakers had worried that court battles between state and federal governments could create years of uncertainty for manufacturers. The plan, also backed by BMW AG and Honda Motor Co Ltd, is more stringent than Trump’s proposal but looser than the Obama-era rule. California, the most populous

U.S. moving to block California vehicle emissions rules Read More »

Extra staff hired, jail space prepared for Sturgis motorcycle rally

General Posts / By

STURGIS, S.D. — Law enforcement agencies in Meade and Pennington counties are hiring more officers, temporarily opening a second jail and keeping a courthouse open seven days a week for the Sturgis motorcycle rally and the hundreds of thousands of free-wheeling visitors it will attract over the next several days. “We’re already busy,” Sturgis Police Chief Geody VanDewater said before the rally officially began Friday, Aug. 2. VanDewater wouldn’t say how many temporary officers he hires but said they come from South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Minnesota and other neighboring states. Some are working the rally for the first time while others, like one officer who is returning for his 41st rally, are repeat visitors. Permanent officers will continue to work 12-hour shifts with no days off during the 10-day event, VanDewater said. Meade County Sheriff Ron Merwin also hires temporary deputies, mostly relying on the office’s own reserve deputies and officers with Game, Fish & Parks. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office hired eight deputies from South Dakota and neighboring states and will also have about 10 of its reserve deputies working full-time, said Chief Deputy Willie Whelchel. The eight temporary deputies are assigned to two-person foot patrols in the office’s contract communities of Wall, New Underwood, Keystone and Hill City, Whelchel said. The Rapid City Police Department didn’t hire extra staff and isn’t requiring its officers to work overtime as they have in past years, said Captain James Johns. During the rally, the Meade County court remains open during the weekends and the old jail — located in the basement of the courthouse across the parking lot from the new jail — is reopened, Merwin said. Extra staff from the area is hired to help the corrections officers, but they don’t carry handcuffs or weapons. The old jail has

Extra staff hired, jail space prepared for Sturgis motorcycle rally Read More »

Scroll to Top