See all the pretty dignitaries (oh believe me this is not all of them) and the police motorcycles that have nowhere else to go. See Just some of the pretty motorcycles that came to the Capital to hear what the pretty dignitaries had to say. And just what was it that the all the pretty dignitaries invited all the pretty motorcycles to the capital to hear?
Why they wanted all the pretty motorcycles to hear them announce their brand new "Ride Proud, Dress Loud" Campaign, that you get to help pay for with the set aside motorcycle safety money that comes out of your tax dollars.
You see, apparently we are not pretty enough, or at least "Proud Enough to dress Loud enough" to keep cell phone addicted, burrito munching, soccer moms, deal making politicians and text messaging young un's from running over us.
And yes it is our fault isn't it when somebody violates our right of way and kills us. I mean after all, we were not aware that wearing those pretty green fluorescent shirts and painting our motorcycles bright orange (wouldn't that clash?) would save our lives and that failure to do so would absolve all the distracted, negligent, disrespectful drivers on the road from any responsibility for turning us into flat people.
We were also reminded of the new law that requires us all to get lern't up via one of them there motorsickle training courses fer about $200 plus, that uses a curriculum that has not been proven to be effective. Which I'm damn sure glad they did. Cause that way we can avoid Billy Bubba Bob when, without any edye-cation at all, he can get himself a drivers license, a four wheel drive pick em up and drag a loaded trailer behind him through busy downtown streets while callin Walmart on his cell phone to see if his order fer deer pee is in yet.
Now I understand that this is probably a difficult concept fer dignitaries to unnerstand. but see I'm thinkin some of them folk what run over us do see us and just don't give a damn cause after all their vehicle is bigger than our vehicle. And besides, all they gots ta do is say, "well gee officer I didn't see them" and they maybe gets an $80.00 ticket and not even a bill for "Flat people" clean up!
Now one reporter, I mean like this was a real reporter. We could tell. Know how? Cause rather than just write down blather he asked an intelligent question (did you get that wanna be reporters? Or does we need to explain it further?). Yepper, he asked about what about "other vehicle drivers", which some of "we" promptly jumped in on because we knew they didn't want to answer questions based on the fact that they said they didn't want to have an open question period.
In fact, some of "we" even asked for specifics. Well we got our answer from one of the official police dignitaries. He said he was going to direct his officers to enforce the law????? What???
I thought officers went to school to learn that, as a police officer it is your job to enforce the law? He did recover quickly to say that he was going to instruct his officers to be on the look out for people who were driving in a reckless manner that could endanger motorcyclists.
Well hell, add a fluorescent green shirt to that and ride worry free.
It must have comforted some because they quit listening and headed to the free food and sodas.
Some of we however stuck around to ask a few more questions to which we got, blah, blah blah.
And try to make a few comments about driver distraction, penalty inequities, cell phones and Inattentional blindness (which blows the Dress loud gig right out the window. But when we mention inattentional blindness people stare. Why you reckon that is I wonder).
We even passed out a 17 page press packet full of all sorts of facts, figures, and links. Now lets see if anybody reads them! Does anybody want to wager any money on how many wanna be reporters will read them and use them in their stories? I thought not.
You got to admit however that the Dept. of Highway Safety is pretty quick though. Some of "we" were braced to rebuke NHTSA statistics. They got wind and switched to state statistics. Which in itself is cool because it is an acknowledgment that even they do not trust NHTSA statistics.
Some of "we" did express loudly that we felt it was a bit unfair that the states expectation is that the motorcyclist should carry the lions share of the burden for the ignorance of negligent and distracted drivers. But then since we are going to be the lions share of dead. Unless of course the Officer dignitary can achieve that for which he is not equipped.
One thing this "we" did get an opportunity to say to one D.O.T. official, is that this "we" is tired of it and is gonna fight back.
Now we would be remiss were we not to mention that the Florida Department of Highway Safety (who assured us that things would change because we have a new administration??????
Hello, ain't this administration a bit older than new?) used your motorcycle safety grant monies to hire a marketing firm to publicize this event. And aren't we ever so grateful that they went to so much trouble to insure we were informed about what most bikers already know.
I feel so safe now I'm heading out to Northeast Capital Circle during rush hour tomorrow with a pretty green shirt and Big Sign on the Back that says, "CAN YOU SEE ME NOW ASSHOLE"!
Mark my words, this is a prelude to new and improved laws to further restrict your rights. Have we lied to ya yet?Add to Technorati Favorites
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