Ups And Downs
UPS AND DOWNS
DOWN: To Washington Governor Muth Gardner, for striking a small blow against personal freedom. Gardner recently signed into law a bill that makes helmet use mandatory for motorcyclists in his state. While no reasonable person would argue against the use of helmets, the use of helmet laws remains an unsavory bit of intrusion into our personal lives. What is strangest about the Washington law is that, in an apparent mass lapse of traceable logic, the Washington House of Representatives amended the bill to exclude owners of antique motorcycles. Weird.
UP: To the Tulsa Trail Riders, for bringing a classic back to America.
In 1994, the International Six-Day Enduro will be held in the United States for the first time since 1973. Back then, it was called the ISDT (International Six-Day Trials); but whatever you call it, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious motorcycle competitions in the world. The Tulsa Trail Riders, a club that operates out of the private John Zink Ranch near Tulsa, Oklahoma, already has arranged the necessary funding for the event, and the fact that it will be held on private property means that land-use problems will be minimal. So far, the United States team has never finished higher than second in the ISDE’s World Trophy competition.
DOWN: To Greek architect and sculptor Dimitris Korres. for taking liberties in the name of art. While we here at Cycle World would hardly take it upon ourselves to decide what is “good art” and “bad art,” we do know motorcycles. And we couldn’t help but find Korres’ cre-
ation. which he calls “WomanMotorbike,” rather offensive. As to whether or not it's art, we can only echo Cycle Worlds Art Director Elaine Anderson: “It would be art if she weren't wearing high heels.”
UP: To the motorcyclists who have pledged to be “Pro Riders.” In the first five weeks of the AMA’s NHTSA-funded Pro-Rider campaign, 1 500 riders have taken the time to sign up to be safer motorcyclists. Pro-Rider is a rider-awareness program that asks enthusiasts to adhere to a 10-point code regarding their motorcycling habits. The points emphasize riding with the proper license, not riding under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and the voluntary use of helmets. Admittedly, 1500 isn't a very large number when compared to the millions of motorcyclists in America; but so far, the typical respondent is very young and a non-AMA member, so the program apparently is getting through to the people it can help most. Pro-Rider displays can be found at many motorcycle dealerships.
DOWN: To the U.S. Department of Transportation, for continuing to ignore us. In its recently released national transportation policy for the future, titled “Moving America,” the department seems to look at motorcycling as more of a problem than a solution.
Rather than encourage the use of motorcycles to reduce traffic congestion and gasoline consumption, the report simply emphasizes the DOT’s support for mandatory helmet laws. This treatment comes despite the fact that the American Motorcyclist Association participated in a continuing dialogue with the department in hopes of providing a more-rounded view of our sport.
DOWN: To the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, for forgetting some very fundamental freedoms. This California county is currently considering a policy that would ban off-highway-vehicle activity in any of its residentially zoned areas. This is despite the fact that residentially zoned estates are commonly as large as 80 acres in that county. The bottom line is that, if this shortsighted policy is endorsed, residents of the county would be violating the law by riding on their own land. E3
If you come across a mot ore vc l ereía t ed item that you think should be singled out for an UP or DOWN, send the information to CW Roundup, 853 W. 17 th St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627.
