OPINION

By Tim Anderson
It didn’t take long for one of the big legislative battles of the year, at least for motorcyclists, to get started.

Here we go again!

The 2012 Colorado Legislative session started on Wednesday January 11th in spite of the first real snow of the year. People are always asking how they can be heard, and if it really matters. More than once COIR has heard this phrase from Representative Jerry Sonnenberg, “If we don’t hear from you, we don’t know there is a problem”.

Representative. Sonnenberg is correct, Yes your voice does matter and yes you can be a part of a process that could change our lives or at least help to assure that we hold on to the rights that we have .

By Tim Anderson

The audit of Colorado’s Motorcycle Operator Safety Training (MOST) Program released a couple months ago revealed what can only be termed program abuses, questioned the need for the program, and has ruffled more than a few feathers.

What a great day for motorcyclist here in Colorado. The first day of the 2012 Legislative session starts Wednesday January 11th, but COIR is continuing to keep motorcyclists on the minds of our ‘friendly’ Legislators with our first Legislative Social & Bar-be-que.

Over a year and a half ago, COIR began to question how our tax payer funded Motorcycle Operator Safety Training (MOST) was being administered and questioned a bill before the 2010 legislation that would have approved the expenditure of some of those tax dollars on questionable usages under the guise of promoting motorcyclist safety awareness. We have known for some time that our tax payer dollars were not being properly utilized or that maybe they might be in some cases being unlawfully spent under the administration of the Colorado Department Of Transportation.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. (Bill of Rights, December 15, 1791)” We are guaranteed our right to free speech, which should include what we wear. If you think that this will not affect you as a motorcyclist, you are mistaken. Everyone should be vigilant to keep their rights protected by our Constitution.

Standing up for ones’ rights, is the only way an individual can hope to change the thoughts of those who dare to take away those rights. By joining together with others of a like mind to become a roar instead of a single voice, sadly, has become the only way the individual can be heard above the many voices that challenge our lifestyle.

Colorado is a very good place for motorcyclists to live and ride. We have fairly good roads, weather conditions good for riding all year around, and for the most part little hassles by the government/law enforcement. Since the Legislative session went so well this year, we really did not have any good fights on our hands. So we have decided to start our list early for next session. A few items that need to be taken care of are motorcycle ignition interlock devices, motorcyclist sleeping at rest areas in Colorado on the highways, and motorcycle part modification.

What a glorious day April 14th was for all motorcyclists here in Colorado. Just as planned, motorcyclists were on the steps of the Capitol as one united voice to be heard by our Legislators! Not bad weather, nor being that April 14th was a work day, nor that this was the first gathering of motorcyclists at the Capitol in many, many years – nothing kept the motivated motorcyclists away.

Motorcycle history will be made on April 14th, 2011, at the Colorado State Capitol! All motorcyclists are welcome to ride to the Capitol and attend the long awaited “let the Legislators know we count” rally on the West Steps.