Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Wind (Continued from page 2) product development and marketing ina "Top 100 'Fortune. 500' company in the packaging industry." O'l 00 O'l ....... The West Coast Challenge Series is a six-event road race series pitting top contenders from WMRRA. OMRRA and AFM at three different West Coast race tracks. The dates are: Portland. May 19-21; Seattle. July 30; Sears Point. September 3-4 (races both days); Seattle. September 9-10; Portland. September 23-~4. Featured money classes are 600cc and 750cc Superbike with a payout to the top series finishers. For more information. contact WMRRA at 206/ 242-3289. OMRRA at 503/6557266 or AFM at 415/327-0908. Metzeler Motorcycle Tire has announced a contingency suppo. program specifically for Novice Production and Endurance racers using Comp K tires at MCRA events. The top three finishers in A, Band C Production will pocket $75, $50 and $25, respectively, while the top 100-Kilometer endurance finishers will receive $150, $100 and $75. For more information contact Metzeler at 206/348-4000. Veteran motocrosser Ron Turner broke his right lower leg on Saturday. April 29. while competing in the 250cc Pro class at southern California's Perris .Raceway. Hearing that Turner did not have medical insurance. track operator Goat Breker raised money on Sunday from racing participants to help defray Tumer's medical expenses. Cards. letters and contributions can be sent to 350 East San Juancinto. Perris. CA 92370. The Friday night before Turner broke his leg, he captured his 500th career Pro motocross class win at Ascot Park in Gardena, California. Motocrosser Alex Krivinsky. "Tank" to his friends. died as a rasult of injuries sustained in a crash while competing in the Senior class at Moto Masters Park in Mexico. New York. on April 23. Godspeed~ "Tank." KTM America will be offering pit support and technical assistance to all KTM riders participating in the SCORE Baja 500 off-road race, in B.C., Mexico, June 3. For more information, contact Scot Harden at 619/440-3995. Bob Hannah (Suz) won the 260cc Pro class over Lowell Thompson (Suz) during the motocross portion of the TT Weekend in Boise. Idaho. April 29-30. Tony Graves (Suz) won the 126cc class. while Scot Tyler (Yam) topped the 600cc division. On Sunday. National 600cc Dirt Track Champion Chris Carr (H-D) won the AMA Regional Championship TT. Senator to introduce nationwide helmet law By Stuart Lawson WESTERVILLE, OH, APR. II Senator John H. Chafee, (R- \ Rhode Island), the ranking minority member of the U.S. Senate's Committe on Envi- 50 ronment and Public Works, has prepared draft legislation which would require nationwide helmet use. Senator Chafee intends to introduce legislation which will 'require all states to pass automobile safety belt and motorcycle helmet laws to decrease the number of deaths and serious injuries on the nation's highways. Twenty-three years ago, similar provisions of the Highway Safety Act of 1966 forced states to adopt the initial round of mandatory helmet laws. To gain additional information on the proposal, Robert Rasor, AMA vice president of government relations, scheduled an appointment in Washington, D.C. with Chafee. Rasor joined a delegation led by Lou Petrucci of the Rhode Island Motorcycle Association. Wayne Curtin of the Motorcycle Rider Foundation and Sherm Packard of the New Hampshire Motorcycle Association were also present. The major element o[ the bill requires all states to pass safety belt and motorcycle helmet laws or lose up to 10 percent of their highway construction money after 1992. A small grant incentive is included in the bill to encourage states to implement and enforce the helmet law. Highway safety money arid Section 402 dollars are not affected by Chafee's draft bill. Thirteen years ago, motorcyclists fought and overcame this type of legislation that many considered federal "blackmail" by upporting an amendment to the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1975 which prohibited the federal government from penalizing states not enacting mandatory helmet laws. Senator preparing bill to require heaHh insurance By Stuart Lawson WESTERVILLE, OH, APR. II A bill that present a potentially devastating blow to the motorcycle marketplace IS being developed by Senator Orin' Hatch (R-Vtah). The bill would require mandatory health insurance for all motorcycle operators. The legislation is being prepared by the Republican minority of the Labor and Human Resources committee as an alternative to a bill, sponsored by the Democratic majority, which requires all employers to provide health care benefits for their employees. Robert Rasor, AMA vice president of government relations, confirmed reports of the legislation and met privately with Win Froelick, M.D. and George Lewis, members of the committee staff, to discuss Hatch's intentions. ,",ccording to Froelick, there are $8.5 billion of uncompensated health care costs absorbed by the taxpayer each year. Froelick based his information on findings from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Froelick claims that the research reflects two areas that stand out as sources for th~se cosrs - pregnancy, primarily those not having benefit of prenatal care, and motorcycle accident victims. Based on information gathered by Froelich and Lewis, the average cost per motorcycle accident is $25,000 and up to $360,000 for a fatality. According to Froelick, the fundamental issue is not the dollars, but that society is subsidizing the costs and that the individual should bear the expense. Rasor pointed out to both committee staff members that, in recent years, motorcyclists have been treated very unfairly by the insurance industry and that some form of federal monitoring system should be implemented if excessive price gouging by insuIance companies is to be avoided. While this proposal has JUSt surfaced, the AMA government relations department will maintain close involvement with key senators and their staffs to keep AMA members advised on how to become involved. Members should tell Senator Hatch that indivi.dual groups and lifestyles should not be singled out for special insurance requirements. Everyone interested can write to: The Honorable Orin G. Hatch, 135 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510. OHV use of Rock Creek threatened By Jim Bowman CARSON CITY, NV, APR. II The AMA District 36 Legislative Action Office (D-36 LAO) is currently fighting a battle for off-highway vehicle (OHV) rights in the Rock Creek area of the El DoradoNationaJ Forest in northern California. This is a. significant battle because if D-36 loses, the loss may set a monumental precedence that could eventually prohibit OHV use in all National Forests. The battle began when the U.S. Forest Service prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) on the Rock Creek area in preparation for a motorcycle enduro. The EA claims that the Rock Creek area is a critical deer range and that OHVs inflict stress on the deer herd. The EA called for seasonal closure of the area from November I through May I, and it also called for new wet weather closure policies. The U.S. Forest Service has used the EA to affect almost total closure of the area. The California Enduro Riders Association (CERA) has not been able to host enduros in the area since 1987. Individual riders who visit the area have to think twice these days. It may be open, it may noL CERA began this battle with the Forest Service in 1985. CERA had hosted two enduros each year at Rock Creek for 10 years, but the Forest Service has been making it more difficult for CERA to continue. The cancellation of four enduros since 1987 has broken the financial back of CERA and has demoralized many of the members. The D-36 LAO was formed in recognition of the battle CERA was fighting for all motorcyclists and OHV users. D-36 LAO's sole purpose is to protect motorcyclists' rights to use public lands in northern California. The D-36 LAO works with motorcycle clubs and other OHV agencies to monitor and respond to aU actions that may change our rights to use public lands. D-36 LAO maintains that the EA is unfair because it is based on hearsay, not scientific evidence. During the past 10 years, the deer population in the area has actually mcreased. Evidence also suggests that the deer receive much more stress from hikers, dogs, horse riders, hunters, and poachers, who make much less noise and do not have lO foUow predictable paths. D-36 LAO also maiJ}tains that the EA is discriminatory because it only restricts OHV use. There are no restrictions on activities such as hiJcing, walking dogs, horse riding, and hunting. The EA also fails to mention the negative impact logging has had on the deer habitaL Evidence suggests that planned Green Sticker expenditures in this area will actually improve the deer habitat in 10 years to a level that the U.S. Forest Service cannot accomplish for 20 years. Previous Green Sticker expenditures have already improved the habitat for all types of users. D-36 LAO is filing a motion protesting that the EA is not an appropriate study and its enforcement has unfairly restricted OHV use. The U.S. Forest Service is also filing that the EA is appropriate. Unfortunately, Karen Schaumbach has formed an association of anti-OHV property owners that use the name Friends Aware of Wildlife Needs (FAWN). FAWN is rallying around the deer herd issues in the EA and is also filing a motion, claiming that the EA is. not valid because it does not go far enough. FAWN's motion calls for complete closure of the area. On April 21, attorneys for 0.36 LAO, the U.S. Forest Service, and FAWN filed motions regarding the EA. By May 12, all parties are to respond lO all other motions, and by May 21, all parties must respond to the responses. On June 23, .all motions go before a judge for a decision. After the decision, any party may appeal and call for a trial. The Rock Creek decision will be a major decision for all motorcyclists and OHV users. On a scientifically weak EA, the U.S. Forest Service and FAWN have effectively shut down a major OHV area. If the Rock Creek decision goes in favor of the Forest Service or FAWN, environmentalists everywhere will know that they can close areas based on accusations, not on evidence. We need to win this battle lO show the Forest Service that motorcyclists have rights and that we need equal consideration in forest plans. Hundreds of motorcyclists have already lost money due to cancelled events and surprise closures. The Green Sticker fund has paid for major improvements in this area, and soon, we motorcyclists may not be able to use them. Decisions by the Forest Service and groups like FAWN are not trivial. These decisions have the potential to deny our OHV rights, taking money from our pockets in the process. The D-36 LAO would like you to publish this letter or find another way to help us reach the off-road public that Cycle News serves. All AMA District 36 enduro and cross country clubs are now donating $1 from each event entry to the D-36 LAO, but we need more supporL The Forest Service is spending our tax money to fight us, and FAWN is receiving free attorney time. D-36 LAO ex~ to spend $20,000 in preparauon for the June 23 hearing. If we have to appeal the R~ Creek decision, the costs will be much higher. Lawyers have already begun to study 7000 pages of case-related material prepared by C.E.R.A., and they feel we have a good case. If you would like to contribute to the Battle of Rock Creek, please send $1, $5, $20, or whatever you can manage to D-36 LAO, 333 South Carson Meadow Drive, Suite 41, Carson City, NV, 89701. If you would like more information, please contact Bill Dart at the D-36 LAO office: 702/8850650., •

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