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CVO Social => In The News => Topic started by: Screamin on June 01, 2011, 07:36:53 AM

Title: Put Va. in the M/C only checkpoint list
Post by: Screamin on June 01, 2011, 07:36:53 AM
More BS from the Commonwealth:

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/NewsView/11-05-31/AMA_seeks_end_to_Virginia_motorcycle-only_checkpoints.aspx
Title: Re: Put Va. in the M/C only checkpoint list
Post by: muddypaws on June 01, 2011, 07:44:59 AM
I live in VA and so far have not been at one of these stops. However I have run into the ones that stop everyone. Both times the office never even looked at my license or registration and just said have a nice day. Must have been a biker. Same officer both times.
Title: Re: Put Va. in the M/C only checkpoint list
Post by: hogsty on June 01, 2011, 08:38:15 AM
Added to my list of places to avoid
Title: Re: Put Va. in the M/C only checkpoint list
Post by: smkblwr on June 01, 2011, 09:10:43 AM
just another way to increase revenue for the commonwealth.
Title: Re: Put Va. in the M/C only checkpoint list
Post by: DavidB on June 01, 2011, 08:14:34 PM
They still haven`t put up those new state sighns." Welcome to the Socialist State of Virginia "
Title: Re: Put Va. in the M/C only checkpoint list
Post by: RedDevil on June 01, 2011, 08:24:25 PM
They still haven`t put up those new state sighns." Welcome to the Socialist State of Virginia "

I live in Virginia also, and have never seen one of these.  Apparently, this was done by the city of Arlington, not the Commonwealth of Virginia.  And coincidentally, the Pentagon, which is where the Ride to the wall starts from, is in Arlington.  There was roughly 600,000 motorcycles descending on the nation's capital.  An over-reaction to potential terrorism at the Pentagon?  Yes, definitely, but don't put this on the Commonwealth...Arlington is an independent city and therefore can do more enforcement than the state requires, so blame Arlington.  To call the commonwealth a socialist state because of this is childish and totally unwarranted.  And it's everyone's choice to choose not to go somewhere when they are riding their bikes.   JMO

:devil:  
Title: Re: Put Va. in the M/C only checkpoint list
Post by: DavidB on June 02, 2011, 07:54:50 AM
I live in Virginia also, and have never seen one of these.  Apparently, this was done by the city of Arlington, not the Commonwealth of Virginia.  And coincidentally, the Pentagon, which is where the Ride to the wall starts from, is in Arlington.  There was roughly 600,000 motorcycles descending on the nation's capital.  An over-reaction to potential terrorism at the Pentagon?  Yes, definitely, but don't put this on the Commonwealth...Arlington is an independent city and therefore can do more enforcement than the state requires, so blame Arlington.  To call the commonwealth a socialist state because of this is childish and totally unwarranted.  And it's everyone's choice to choose not to go somewhere when they are riding their bikes.   JMO

:devil:  

My apologies Reddevil,
I got a twisted sense of humor.
 Just referring to the statement of the Va resident about another track of revenue. The state is beautiful and the roads are like no other in the country. I just couldn`t afford to pay the vehicle taxes for them.
Title: Re: Put Va. in the M/C only checkpoint list
Post by: RedDevil on June 02, 2011, 04:06:17 PM
My apologies Reddevil,
I got a twisted sense of humor.
 Just referring to the statement of the Va resident about another track of revenue. The state is beautiful and the roads are like no other in the country. I just couldn`t afford to pay the vehicle taxes for them.

No problems David, and thanks.  I agree with the personal property tax statement though.  Having to pay additional taxes on personal vehicles year after year sucks. >:(
:devil:
Title: Re: Put Va. in the M/C only checkpoint list
Post by: dlaws01 on June 02, 2011, 05:42:38 PM
Quit pickin' on VA. Bureaucrats transcend state boundaries and all states have there share of idiots in places of power.
Title: Re: Put Va. in the M/C only checkpoint list
Post by: TIF2 on June 10, 2011, 04:58:07 AM
^^

+1
Title: Update on Rolling Thunder Checkpoints
Post by: VaEagle on June 16, 2011, 08:22:16 AM
I saw this posted a couple days ago on another website.

Update on Rolling Thunder Checkpoints
Today I have more news concerning the motorcycle only checkpoint that was conducted on Route 1 in Arlington VA during Rolling Thunder. Upon hearing about the checkpoint I sent a Freedom of Information Act letter to the Arlington Police Department in order to get the operations plan as well as the personnel involved and citations issued. I received my response today.

The checkpoint was a "Motorcycle Safety/Drivers License Checkpoint." The report began by justifying the need for the checkpoint. According to the report, The Arlington County Police Department's Special Operations Section conducted research on motorcycle crashes over the past ten years. The report that was sent to me stated that "Crash data obtained from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles revealed not only a significant raise in motorcycle fatalities since 1999 but a 73% rise in motorcycle fatalities from 2006 to 2007." It went on to state that "Updated information was not available."

That last sentence bothered me. I am sure that the Arlington County Police Department's Special Operations Section has great resources so I found it hard to believe that 2007 was the last year about which they could find crash facts. I decided to go to the DMV website. There under traffic crash data is all of the crash data through 2010. The Arlington County Police Department's Special Operations Section was correct about 2006 to 2007. In 2006 there were 70 motorcycle fatalities in Virginia. In 2007 there were 126. However, in 2008 that number fell to 79. In 2009 it fell further to 71. In 2010 there were 78 motorcycle fatalities in Virginia.

As much as it bothered me that they claimed that there was no updated information available about motorcycle fatalities when clearly there was, and further that such data showed a drop and general leveling since the aberration of 2007, that was not what I found most troubling about the report. I had also asked the police department to provide documentation as to how the time and location of the checkpoint had been chosen. The report stated that the site along the Route 1 corridor was chosen due to the number of motorcycle accidents that had occurred there in the past. The report then went on to state as follows: "The site was also selected due to the high volume of motorcycles that utilize Route 1 during the Memorial Day weekend attending the Special Event called Rolling Thunder." They specifically targeted riders on their way to honor those who have fallen in defense of our freedom.

So how effective was the checkpoint? The checkpoint was conducted between the hours of 12:00 P.M and 7:00 P.M. Seventeen officers or detectives operated the checkpoint. There were also two additional personnel assigned to logistics and towing. 529 motorcycles were stopped during those seven hours. A total of eleven citations were issued. That's right, eleven. Nineteen people were paid for seven hours. (Probably more because you have to set it up, break it down, conduct training etc.) Nineteen people at seven hours is 133 man hours spent. At least 529 motorcyclists (I say at least because I am sure that many were two up) were detained in order to issue eleven citations. There were six tickets for no motorcycle endorsement. Two tickets issued for expired registration. One ticket issued for no operator's license in possession. One ticket issued for no helmet. One ticket issued for violating a highway sign.

The Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists is drafting proposed legislation to be discussed at the upcoming legislative roundtable (the roundtable will be the topic of an email next week). The purpose will be to prohibit such checkpoints in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The checkpoint conducted by Arlington County demonstrates the lack of any basis to single out motorcyclists for this type of detention. Those who took part in Rolling Thunder honored those who put freedom above all. By doing so they honored freedom itself. The same cannot be said of those who targeted them without any justification.

Matt Danielson
McGrath & Danielson
Tom McGrath's Motorcycle Law Group
1-800-321-8968
Motorcyclelawgroup.com
 

Title: Re: Update on Rolling Thunder Checkpoints
Post by: mr_magoo on June 16, 2011, 08:55:52 AM
All that just to harrass motorcycle riders.
Title: Re: Update on Rolling Thunder Checkpoints
Post by: justplainjim on June 16, 2011, 12:29:38 PM
Thank You for your effort..
Title: Re: Update on Rolling Thunder Checkpoints
Post by: muddypaws on June 16, 2011, 01:20:08 PM
Great job on the research. Thanks
Title: Re: Update on Rolling Thunder Checkpoints
Post by: bigdave110 on June 16, 2011, 02:02:41 PM
You know, this reminds me of years long ago.
When we used to ride in groups and went into small towns, we always got pulled over.
That stopped for so many years and it was great.
Now I see it starting all over again.
Noise laws, random stops (Bikes only). I just hate it.
Not much else to say.
It just sucks.
Dave