Posted: Wednesday, 16 July 2008 1:22PM
Police To Crackdown On Motorcycle Riders
CHICAGO (WBBM) -- Warm weather and high gas prices are bringing out more motorcycle riders to Chicago area roads. State and local police are launching a crackdown on reckless motorcycle riders that will include patrols using air support, radar guns, lidar (which uses beams to follow a vehicle) and roadside safety checks.
Last year, 157 people died in motorcycle crashes on Illinois roads. That's up 18 percent from the previous year. In the first half of this year, there have been only 56 fatalities in the state.
State Police Lieutenant Jim Alexander says he's seen more motorcycles out this year and he attributes that in part to record gas prices.
Chicago Police Commander Bob Evans says police will target open stretches of road that motorcycle riders use to speed.
He says almost half of the fatalities are alcohol-related. Police estimate 92 percent of motorcycle riders in the U.S. have NOT had any formal training.
As we have been warning since the inaugural press conference of the Ride Proud Dress Loud campaign by the Florida Dept. of Highway Safety, watch for that to start happening here next.
Spying uncovered
Documents show state police monitored peace, anti-death penalty groups
By Nick Madigan Sun reporter 8:18 PM EDT, July 17, 2008
Undercover Maryland State Police officers repeatedly spied on peace
activists and anti-death penalty groups in recent years and entered the
names of some in a law-enforcement database of people thought to be
terrorists or drug traffickers, newly released documents show.
The files, made public Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union of
Maryland, depict a pattern of infiltration of the activists'
organizations in 2005 and 2006. The activists contend that the
authorities were trying to determine whether they posed a security
threat to the United States. But none of the 43 pages of summaries and
computer logs - some with agents' names and whole paragraphs blacked out
- mention criminal or even potentially criminal acts, the legal standard
for initiating such surveillance.
State police officials said they did not curtail the protesters'
freedoms.
The spying, detailed in logs of at least 288 hours of surveillance over
a 14-month period, recalls similar infiltration by FBI agents of civil
rights and anti-war groups decades ago, particularly under the
administration of President Richard M. Nixon.
David Rocah, a staff attorney for the ACLU in Baltimore, said at a news
conference Thursday that he found it "stupefying" that more than 30
years later, the government is still targeting people who do nothing
more than express dissent.
Yehaw little doggies, now why yu reckon they need all them names on a database? They gonna pay you a visit? Ummmmm, anyone notice whether this violates the constitution or not? Wake up America?
Outlawing gangs is proposed
by: MICK HINTON World Capitol Bureau 7/18/2008 12:00 AM
OKLAHOMA CITY — A state representative said Thursday that he wants to
outlaw gangs by passing a law to enable gang members to be charged with
a misdemeanor.
Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, R-Oklahoma City, said he realizes that such a law
might not pass constitutional muster.
The Oklahoma City Republican previously failed in getting a law passed
to outlaw pit bulldogs because the attorney general said an entire breed
could not be singled out.
Tim Hock, vice president of the Oklahoma Gang Investigators Association,
said he strongly endorses Wesselhoft's efforts. Hock, an Oklahoma City
police detective, said he could not speak for his department but only as
an officer of the association.
"There's absolutely no reason why we should allow a gang to be legal,"
he said. "I don't think there is one good thing a street gang does."
Wesselhoft said allowing gang members to be charged with a misdemeanor
would give officers the means to interrogate them about criminal
activity in the community.
Check out Florida's new “gang” law. Check out RICCO. Check out the Patriot Act Check out how Australia has dealt with their “gangs”. Or read Rounding Up Radicals
A. Mitchell Palmer and the Red Scare, © Steve Sagarra Aug 25, 2007
“Containing jewels such as:On the heels of the Russian Revolution and the continuing saga of World War I, the United States government began a zealous internal campaign to stamp out any dangers posed by those suspected of extremist ideology. Popularly known as the “Red Scare,” illegal searches, unwarranted arrests, and the expulsion from the U.S. of radicals and subversives came to exemplify the era.”
Troopers target 'Bike Night' crowd
State Highway Patrol safety outreach effort includes BW3's visit
By JESSICA CUFFMAN • The Marion Star • July 19, 2008
MARION - With increasing gas prices, motorists searching for a means to save money at the pump are turning to motorcycles, increasing their traffic and creating a higher risk for accidents among bikers.
The Marion Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol will be promoting motorcycle safety for bikers and non-bikers alike this week with a capping appearance at Buffalo Wild Wings' weekly bike night from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, July 24.
"With more people on the road driving more motorcycles, you're going to have more injuries," said Trooper James Fraley, who is leading the publicity push for the Patrol.
Fraley and some other troopers are motorcycle enthusiasts themselves and are noticing friends and relatives making the switch from cars, sport utility vehicles and trucks to motorcycles for regular transportation. The OSHP reintroduced the use of motorcycles for patrol in the past few years after 50 years of absence and troopers will have the bikes at bike night for those who attend to check out.
Reminds me of a story involving blotter acid and a police motorcycle. aw never mind.
7/18/2008
Australian Company to Issue Arizona Speeding Tickets
Arizona to use 200 fixed and mobile speed camera units to raise $165 million in revenue.
Speed cameraThe Arizona Department of Public Safety announced yesterday that it would pay an Australian company $28.75 for every ticket it is able to issue on state highways. By September 26, Melbourne-based ticket vendor Redflex will activate what will soon become the largest speed camera operation in the United States. Governor Janet Napolitano (D) commissioned the program to generate $165 million in revenue from the $165 citations. Redflex hopes this bottom line inspires other states to follow.
"We fully expect this program to provide a benchmark for the role speed enforcement will play in traffic safety in North America in the next decade," Redflex Traffic Systems CEO Karen Finley said in a statement to Australian investors.
Redflex already operates two speed vans on behalf of state government, but the new contract expands the program to allow up to 200 automated ticketing machines. The company plans to blanket the state with 40 mobile speed vans, 10 mobile red light camera systems, 90 fixed speed cameras and 30 cameras capable of simultaneously issuing tickets in two directions.
To help minimize voter backlash against the program, lawmakers last month eliminated points for these photo tickets, ensuring drivers would avoid insurance penalties and license suspensions. Early deployment plans also show out-of-state motorists will be a prime target. According to a state police news release, the placement of cameras on Interstate 10 west of Phoenix will issue tickets to "commercial and non-commercial vehicle traffic from California." Each highway patrol district will have at least two mobile speed vans to place in high-volume locations. State police have already dropped the speed that triggers a citation from 11 MPH to 10 MPH over the limit.
Illinois was first to deploy a speed camera program.
Hmmmm, is Illinois now going to compete with Florida to be the first true Police state in the Union.
People we can not urge you enough to take notice of what has been happening to Rights and Freedoms as it pertains to motorcyclists in Australia (our most recent post here). In states across the country yo can see the same bureaucratic attitudes
popping up in discriminating ordinances and police actions towards motorcyclists.
The gig is however, Motorcyclists are people! So it isn't the rights and freedoms of motorcyclists being violated it is the rights and freedoms of American people being violated! Wake up to that. The Maryland Spying program is aimed at "all" people.
Now it maybe that you are just a motorcycle rider that wears all the goodies and obeys all the laws and could care less about what others perceive as discrimination.
It maybe that you consider yourself a "Biker" that has no need for an interest in politics. Maybe you think that shit happens in other countries, states, cities and towns. Well it happened in Australia, it is happening here and if you "cherish" your lifestyle as much as you claim, it is time to stop relying on the MRO's that are kissing the asses of politicians and start taking action. Or lose your lifestyle.Add to Technorati Favorites
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