Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

BADDS: 8tIIdy &llis bill ud write or telegraph your opiDioas about it to you &&ate S8nUOL Mes~es shoald be brief, polite aDd clearly worded. You local Dewspaper or library CaD give yOD the Dame of your state Seu.tor aDd Ilis address. TEXT OF THE PROPOSED MOTORCYCLE DANGER BILL AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 23, 1967 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 12, 1967 .AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 31, 1967 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 28, 1967 .AMENDED IN ASSElIffiLY APRIL 11, 1967 CALIFORNIA LEGI8LATURE-1567 REGULAR SEMION ASSEMBLY BILL No. 978 Introduced by Assemblymen Foran, Deddeh, Ray E. Johnson, Xarabian, Priolo, Townsend, Shoemaker, Lanterman, Wilson, Be1otti, OoJlS&1ves, :Negri, and Hayes (Coauthors: Senators Dills, Beilenson, and Collier) March 9, 1967 B&iiJUUU) TO OOJDD'1"1'Elll ON TlUNBPOBTATJON AND OOJ(VER(ll! An act to amend Sections 12509, 12804, 14608, and 27800 of, to add Sections 27802 and 27804 to, and to repeaZ Sectiom 12654 and 27801 of, the Vehicle Code, reZating to motor tiehicles. The people of tlte Btate of CalifomiCI do enact III foT1.ov1,: • Now bere"s a model that's very popular with Hell's Angel s ••• • I A.B.978 SECTION 1. Section 12509 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read: 12509. (a).Any person who is over the age of 17 years and 6 months may apply to the department for an instruction permit. The department for good cause may issue to the applicant an instruction permit which shall entitle the applicant while having the permit in his immediate possession to drive a motor vehicle, except a motorcycle, upon the highways for a period not exceeding six months when accompanied by, and under the immediate supervision of, a California licensed driver 25 years of age or over, not holding a probationary type license. The department may further restrict the permits as it may determine to be appropriate to RSSure the safe operation of a motor vehicle by the permittee. (b) The department may also issue an instruction permit to any physically and mentally qualified person age 15 years and 6 months or over who has successfully completed or is taking driver training instructions as provided in Section 12507. The instruction permit shall be restricted to the operation of a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle either when taking the driver training instruction of a kind referred to in Section 12507, or when practicing such instruction and accompanied by a licensed driver as provided in subdivision (a) . (c) The department may also issue an instruction permit to a person who has been issued a valid driver's license to authorize the person to obtain driver training instruction and to practice such instruction in order to obtain an additional class driver's license or an endorsement. SEO. 2. Section 12654 of the Vehicle Code is repealed. SEO. 3. Section 12804 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read: 12804. (a) The examination shall include a test of the applicant's knowledge and understanding of the provisions of this code governing the operation of vehicles upon the highways, the ability to read and understand simple English used in highway traffic and directional signs, his understanding of traffic signs and signals and the applicant shall be required to give an actual demonstration of his ability to exercise ordinary lind reasonable eontrol in operating a motor vehicle by driving the same under the supervision of an examining officer and submit to an examination appropriate to the type of motor vehiclc or combination of vehicles he desires a license to drive. The examination shall also include a test of the hear- ing and eyesight of the applicant and neb other matters as may be necessary to determine the applicant'. mental and physical fitness to operate a motor vehicle upon the highways and whether any ground exists for refusal of a license under this code. The examination for a class 1 or class 2 license under subdivision (b) of this section shall also include a doctor'. report of a medical examination of the applicant. In establishing the requirements consideration may be given to the standards presently required of motor carrier drivers by the Interstate Commerce Commission. Any physical defect of the applicant which in the opinion of the department is compensated to insure safe driving ability shall not prevent the issuance of a license to the applicant. (b) In accordance with the .following classifications, any applicant for a driver's license shall be required to submit to an examination appropriate to the type of motor'vehicle or combination of vehicles he desires a license to drive, except that an applicant who has never been licensed in this state or any other jurisdiction shall also be required to submit to an examination for a class 3 driver's license: (1) Class 1. Any combination of vehicles and ineludes the operation of all vehicles under class 2 and class 3. (2) Class 2. Any bus, any "farm labor truck," any single vehicle with three or more axles, any such vehicles towing another vehicle weighing less than 6,000 poundS gross, and all vebicles covered under class 3, except that a person holding a .valid class 3 license on the effective date of this act may drive a bus designed to carry not more than 15 passengers until such time as the license expires without obtaining a class 2 license. (3) Class 3. Any two-axle vehicle, except a bus, motorcycle or "farm labor truck" and such vehicle towing another vehicle weighing less than 6,000 pounds gross. (4) Class 4. Any motorcycle. Authority to operate vehicles included in a class 4 license may be granted by endorsement on a class 1, 2, or 3 license upon complttion of appropriate examination. A person holding a valid class 1, class 2 or class 3 driver's license on the effective date of the amendments to this section enactecl at the 1967 Regular Session of the Legislature may drive a motorcrcle until such time as the J1cense expires without obtaining a class 4 endorsement. (c) The department may accept a certificate of driving experience in lieu of a driving test on class 1 or 2 applications when such certificate is issued by an employer of the applicant provided the applicant hall first qualliied for a clase 3 license and also met the other examination requirements for the license for which he is applying. Such certificate may be submitted as evidence of. the applicant's experience or training in the operation of the types of equipment covered by the license for which he is applying. SEC. 4. Section 14608 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read: 14608. No person shall rent a motor vehicle to another unless: (a) The person to whom the vehicle is rented is licensed under this code or is a nonresident who is licensed under the laws of the state or country of his residence. (b) The person renting to another person has inspected the driver's license of the person to whom the vehicle is to be rented and compared the signature thereon with the signature of such person written in his presence. (c) A protective helmet of an approved type is offered to the person to whom a motorcycle is rented. This subdivision shall become operative six months after the date upj>n which the regulations concerning protective helmets become effective. SEO. 5. Section 27800 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read: 27800. No person shall operate any motorcycle: (a) Equipped with a seat so positioned that the driver, when sitting astride the seat, cannot reach the ground with his feet. (b) Equipped with handlebars that are more than 15 inches in height above that portion of the seat occupied by the driver and depressed by the weight of the driver. (c) Carrying any other person, except on a seat securely fastened to the machine in the rear of the driver and provided with footrests and handgrips, or in a sidecar designed for the purpose of carrying a passenger. (d) Not equipped with a windshield, unless the driver is wearing a faceshield, goggles or glasses. .fet ~ lie is; eM 8iIY llllS8e~ep is; we&PiBgo llpeMew,e ~ 8evePiBg. SeRials eBft 813eB 1;eea sftees He Bei eeBSiaeped llPe'e~e iee4; eevePiB«. SEO. 6. Section 27801 of the Vehicle Code is repealed. SEC. 7. Section 27802 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read: 27802. (a) No person shall operate or be a passenger on any motorcycle without wearing a protective helmet at all times that the vehicle is in operstion. On and after January 1, 1972, all protective helmets required by this section shall be of a type which has been approved by the department, except those worn by peace officers, which shall comply with the minimum standards adopted pursuant to Section 27804. (b) This section shall not apply to operators of or passengers in three-wheeled vehicles which have an enclosed passenger compartment. SEC. 8. Section 27804 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read : 27804. (a) The department shall establish ,specifications or requirements for approved·type protective helmets, and the specification or requirement standal'ds shall not be lower than those specification or requirement standards established by the United States of America Standards Institute standard Z 90.1-1966. (b) No person shall sell or offer for 'sale any protective helmet which is not of a type approved by the department. This subdivision shall become operative six months after the date upon which the regulations become effective. lQ ~ Q., &; ~ M ~ .:; ~ ~ ~ ..,J ~ u

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