Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

, AB36 author Dick Floyd shook hands with his star witness. Evel Knievel. just before Knievel endorsed the proposed mandatory helmet law. California motorcyclists lobbied for "freedom of choice." but the Assembly Transportation Committee voted to approve AB36. •• California helmet bill clears committee By Farren Williams SACRAMENTO, CA,APR. 22 Bolstered by testImony from motorcycle stunt king, Eve! Knievel, helmet law proponents today cleared the first major hurdle in bringing mandatory helmet use to the almost 800,000 motorcyclists who ride on public d . Cal' £ . roa ways.In Iornla. Followmg a three-hour publie hearing, the Assembly Transportation Committee voted 10-4 to approve AB36, a bill authored by Assemblyman Richard Floyd (DGardena), which would require all motorcyclists to wear helmets while operating their bikes on public highways. The action marked the first time any helmet bill has passed a committee vote in the California Legislature. In 1980, the last time Floyd attempted to enact a helmet bill in California, the measure died in the Transportion Committee, where it received only two votes. AB36 faces five additional committee and floor votes before it can be sent to tbe desk of California Governor George Deukmejian. A spokesman for the ,?overnor said he has taken no posi lion on the bill. Floyd's measure is expected to win ea y approval when it reaches the Assembly Ways and Means Committee sometime next month. If the bill is later approved on the as embly floor, it will be forwarded to the state senate, where the entire process will be repeated, beginning in the Senate Transportation Committee. About 500 motorcyclists, clad in black leather, tatoos and club ~olo~s, converged on the state capItal Ln hopes of influencing the vote. The committee, however, chose to focus 'on grim statistics presented by Floyd and his many witnesses. They ignored the bikers and theit slogan - "Freedom of choice - no helmet law in California." Floyd cleverly turned the hearing into a media circus by using a star wimess - Evel Knievel. Knievel's presence ensured extensive media coverage. His testimony resulted in helmet biIl news reports from no less than eight Sacramentoarea television stations. In addition, AB36 news stories were published in Sacramento's two daily newspapers (The Bee and The Union), and wireservice reports from AP and UPI were sent to newspa~rs throughout the state. Knievel urged tbe committee to approve AB36 to protect California's young, helmetless riders from suffering possible, crippling head inj uries during motorcycle accidents. "Some 16- to 25-year-olds don't think properly," Knievel told the committee. "The taxpayers of your state ... pay $15,000 for every kid who falls off a motorcycle. Onequarter of all persons killed in motorcycle accidents would be alive and well today if they were wearing helmets. They need laws to abide by. The laws are your responsibility." Knievel concluded his testimony with a story. "I was in a bar the other night," said Knievel, "and a fellow walked up to me and said, 'Aren't you Evel Knievel?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Tell me something. What did it feel like when you feIl off that motorcycle? How bad did it hurt?' I said, 'Do you have a car outside?' He said, 'Yes.' I said, 'Come outside and I'll show you.' "I told him to sit on the hood of his car, while his wife drove," said Knievel. "I told him to have his wife take the car out on the fr~way and when she reached 80 mpn to honk the horn. I told him, 'When your wife honks the horn, jumpl That's what the hell it feels like.' "This man, who was obviously drunk and obviously stupid, said to me, 'Before I try anything like that I'm going to go home and get my helmet.' Which proves one thing even a drunk, stupid man knows enou,?h to wear a helmet." _ Kmevel's testimony brought boos and catcalls from the bikers assembled in the crowded hearing room. As he walked out the door, KnieveJ, ever the showman, blew the belligerent crowd a kiss. Knievel was Floyd's most flamboyant witl')ess, but the assemblyman presented numerous others, includ- ing mothers whose helmetless sons had died in motorcycle accidents, and former motorcyclists now confined to wheelchairs because of head injuries suffered in motorcycle crashes. The Gardena assemblyman also quoted countless statistics which "prove" the perils of helmetlessriding. eln 1985 there were 80 I fatalities and 27,325 injuries resulting from motorcycle-related accidents in California. eMotorcycles represent 3.6% of the total number of vehicles in California, but motorcycle deaths represent 16% of total vehicle accident fatalities. eln 1984, 829 motorcycle riders died in California - more than twice as many as it) any other state. eMotorcycle-related fatalities have increased nationwide, from seven percent in 1975 to 10% in 1985. eA 1986 National Highway Traffie Safety Administration (NHTSA) study showed, "spectacular benefits for helmet use ... for reduction of head and face injury, with subtle advantage for reduction of neck injury." eA 1986 NHTSA study claims motorcycle fatalities have increased anywhere from 10.4% to 33.3% in states where helmet laws have been repealed. eA 1985 study at UCDavis Medical Center examined 51 admissions for Rusty Areias (D-Sa1inas) YES' Steve Cute (D-lliverside) NO Elaine Eastin (D-Frem.ont) •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• YES Jerr')' bves (1)...R.ealto) Y'ES Gil Ferguson ~:R.Newport Beach) •••••••••••••••••••••••••• NO R<>i>ert Frazee (It Carlsbad) YES. Bev H:ansen (R-Saota Rosa) YES Elihu Harris (D-Oakland) ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• YES Lucy Killea (D·San Diego) •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••. YES Bill Lancaster (R-Covina) ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• NO Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) ••••••••••••• : ••••••••••• YES P~il.Wyman (~-Bakersfield) •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• NO William Duphssea (R-San Carlos) ••••••••••••••••••••••••• YES Richard Katz (D-Sepulveda)••••••••• : ••••••• ~ •••••••••••• YES

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