The link above will take you to, are you ready for this? Validation of what we have been hollerin bout for how long. It is an 11 page letter from the "Insurance Institute of Highway Safety" taking the "Federal Highway Administration" to task for flawed and incorrect statistics and advising them that they can no longer rely on the "governments" (or at least the Federal Highway Administration, ain't that part of the gov'ment). And the FHA cops to it. The flaws they refer to are numerous and worth reading just for the joy of it. However here is the gig. Many of the flaws they point out are also data used by the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHTSA) which means what? Well it means what we have known all along. Just because the gov'ment say's it, don't make it so . In fact if the gov'ment say's it and you believe it kiss to your house, wallet, gun and Motorcycle good bye. Ya know, kinda like "weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq?
NOW, here is how it all matters to YOU, biker or not. Once a person gets elected to a political office he/she becomes government. Which means whatever common sense or commonality they had with the common man or common woman is gone. They will get in their little offices and ask their little aides to get on their little computers and find them a little data about some BIG ISSUE that affects all of us. Well, Joe or Mary aide hops on the puter and googles up some gov'ment stuff real quick like. Bullet points it, runs panting like a dog with their tounge hanging out over to Mr. /Ms. Elected, bows politely and say's here you go sir/mam (tryin to be politically correct here). Elected dude/dudette says where did you get it. Aide says from da gov'ment. Elected dude/dudette pats aide on the the head and says "good little aide". Then Mr/Ms. politico (unless paid to do so otherwise. Whoops! Did that just come out of my out loud keyboard?) votes based on the wrong information (remember Iraq now).
The sad thing is that now the press in local papers all around the country in editorials is regurgitating these flawed statistics in order to dance to the mantra of "helmets, helmets, helmets" (see letters to various news organizations on Bruce and Rays forums, link in side bar, saves me typing).
How relevant is this? Think about it, meditate on it, ponder it a spell. Heres an industry that could justify making more bucks based on figures provided by the government that has decided that thy governments figures are so bad they can't risk it. The Insurance industry mind you. An industry that makes money taking risks. How bad can it be (and what are THEY up to?). Watch your back.
OK, a little more good news. Bill S620 by Bullard (a man with some cojones) outlawing the use of cell phones while driving. If you are a cage driver you prob. goona be upset. If your a biker your prob gonna be going thank God.
The bad news. The proposed auto insurance rate hike bill (hmm how can they justify that now) just got a companion bill. That does not bode well for our wallets. Ride on (is that show still on? I hate that show)....rc
