Volume V Issue VIII

AMA News & Notes August 2006

Representatives of the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) and the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) recently joined Turnpike Authority Chairman Matthew ~.J. Amorello, announcing there were no reported motorcycle fatalities on major roads leading into and out of New Hampshire during the three weeks surrounding Laconia Bike Week despite New Hampshire officials reporting nine motorcycle fatalities during the same period.
The Turnpike Authority posted large signs on over 45 toll booths reading, “When changing lanes, check for motorcycles.” The MassHighway Department had 10-20 flashing signs with the same message during the past three weeks. Funding for the awareness campaign came from a Motorcycle Safety Program where $2 of each annual motorcycle registration funds these type programs and rider education.
This was the fourth year the MMA worked with State Officials in targeting the Laconia Bike Week period for greater motorists awareness. The MMA has been invited to submit additional plans for motorcycle safety to the MassHighway Strategic Plan, and the Executive Office of Transportation’s 20-year Plan.

The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a two-day public forum on motorcycle safely beginning on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 in Washington, DC. Board Member Debbie Hersman will preside as Chair of the forum. Last year, 4,315 motorcyclists died in crashes and the rate of motorcycle fatalities has increased more than 25 percent since 1997. “At a time when highway fatalities have been decreasing, motorcycle fatalities have continued to increase, both in overall number and in fatality rate,” said Member Hersman. The goal of the public forum is to gather information about ongoing motorcycle safety research and initiatives, as well as safety countermeasures that may reduce the likelihood of motorcycle accidents and fatalities.” During the forum, the NTSB will examine issues raised by a number of recent motorcycle accidents, including the ..June 12 motorcycle crash involving Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and the .June 11 crash involving a motorcycle and a minivan in Williamsport, PA that killed five persons. NTSB staff will lead technical panel discussions that will examine each major aspect of motorcycle safety, including rider training and licensing, rider protective equipment, vehicle design, and public education of motorists and motorcyclists. Representatives from the motorcycle industry, government, and motorcycling organizations will be invited to give presentations highlighting their perspectives. The forum will be held in Washington at the NTSB’s Board Room and Conference Center, 429 L’Enfant Plaza, SW. An agenda for the forum will be posted on the NTSB’s website when available. The general public will be able to observe the forum either in person or by webcast at www.ntsb.gov.

Trails End Minutes by Stan Viets

August 2006

The following members attended the July meeting, Rick Totty. Terry and MC Scott, Larry Cole. Eldon Reeves, Rusty Higgins. Floyd Nunnelee. Hubert Gross. Dan Randall Don and Marion Oller, Tod Beers. Hiidia Max and yours truly. We had one guest, Mark Hansen: thanks Mark come back any time.
We welcome Tod back from their recent move to Minneapolis, Cindy will be coming soon, they are moving back home to Cordova.
Our thought and prayers are with Sharon Englander Mother, who is undergoing treatment in Lincoln, Nebraska. Cindy bad bought a home there and will be moving to be with her mother.
We only had 3 Birthdays in July. Tad Beers, Saundra Stroud and Doug Pauley and 1 anniversary, Mike and Brenda Hopper, their first.on the 8th, Congratulations and best wishes to all.
Ending 2nd quarter bank balance $963.25
I don’t have an update on all renewals but at last count we have 7 that haven’t as yet renewed. Our thanks to all that have renewed. we appreciate your support We hope everyone will renew.
If you have any possible sponsors in mind, please check and see if they would like to include their business size ad in happy Trails, as well as on the MTR web site, all for only $30.00/year. As always, please check with our advertisers/sponsors as you have need for their services.
Our web site has not been updated since June 18th. Eddie lost his computer and files but has his new one up and running and updating our web site. As a reminder if anyone has any corrections, now would be the time to check and see if any changes are needed, please let me know. Also check the MTR web site often for updates.
For those technically minded the MTR web site is 1 KB or 1000MB. We are currently using 102 MB or just over 10% of our space.
As a suggestion you may want to check your email messages on the night before a MTR scheduled ride. As you know sometimes our rides may be postponed or cancelled due to threatening weather either in Memphis or at our destination, in the interest of safety and you may not get the message.
Now for the highlight of our meeting. Dan Randall gave us an informative and interesting travelogue of his 27 day, North to Alaska adventure, along with his picture album. His reports and more pictures are on the MTR web site. Thanks Dan you did a wonderful presentation of your adventure making a lot of us wish we could have been there.
For your future planning information, please note some events will be over before the newsletter is published.
July 15th Saturday. Burnt Burger V Cookout, Arkabutla Lake. MS. was held around 3:00 PM in the afternoon, we had 26 members and guest in attendance. Thanks to our chief cook. David and all his help we enjoyed great food and fellowship. Dan led us on a scenic ride of approx 100 miles through North Mississippi to arrive in plenty of time to eat.
July 29th Coon Dog Cemetery Ride, Carbon Hill, AL now rescheduled. Itinerary to follow. A nice ride and interesting place to visit.
August l9th/29th “The Big One”-Yankee Reunion Tour-Cooperstown and NY State. Billy will have detailed itinerary later for those going on the trip, currently numbering 12. 1 am leaving early to visit with my family in Warren, Ohio and then meet up with the group on 1-80 near Youngstown on the 20th.
We discussed a possible MTR sponsored St Jude fund raiser, in response to a request from St Jude, although this is a great charity it was decided we would continue with our annual Christmas dinner and party for the children at the Tennessee Baptist Children Home in Millington and Bartlett.
Hope y’all got to Early Vote Starting July 14th for us Shelby County folks. 142 offices are being voted on, a record, but expect an hour long wait.
Thanks to all that brought door prizes, remember win one bring one.
Other ride discussed.
Floyd and I attended the USGP, Formula 1 race in Indianapolis, July 2nd, it was a first for us both. If you like hi-tech, fast, quick. unbelievable expensive, beautiful race cars and 130 plus decibel noise it the place to be. at least once. There was a large crowd of folks, a lot of folks from Germany, Spain. Canada and many other countries in the world. We bad a special free place to park our motorcycles in the Judy 500 infield and were surprised it was gravel. We made it over 2 days and rode approx 1000 miles in mostly 95 degree heat. With lots of water we made it without any problems.
Our next meeting will be Thursday August 10th. hope to see you there.
MTR theme for 2006 is to Ride Safe and with a sense of awareness. Adjourned at 8:05 PM

Stan

High Visibility Protects Motorcyclists
by Jennifer Warner WebMed Medical News

April 8,2004— Conspicuous motorcycle riders are more likely to
arrive at their destination safely and without injury, a new study
shows.

Researchers found wearing reflective clothing, a white or light
colored helmet, and using headlights during the daytime can
reduce serious injuries or death from motorcycle crashes by up to
one-third.

The study shows that increasing the use of these measures may be
an inexpensive way to promote motorcycle safety and prevent
injury and death.

Visibility Improves Motorcycle Safety

In the study, researchers compared 463 motorcycle drivers
involved in crashes that resulted in serious injury or death in New
Zealand with 1,233 randomly selected drivers in the same region.

The study showed that about two-thirds of crash-related injuries
occurred during the day in urban areas with speed limits less than
35 miles per hour, and 72% occurred in good weather.

After adjusting for other factors, such as driver’s age, years of
motorcycle riding experience, and alcohol use~, researchers found
simple things that increased the driver’s visibility dramatically
reduced crashes and injuries.

Door Prizes - Win One Bring One

Donated By:	Prize	Winner
Larry Terry & MC Stan Eldon Eldon Dan Dan Dan	Auto glass cleaner Surprise bag Soft peppermint candy Armor All glass cleaner Wiping cloth Cleaner Leather wipes Alaska box	Tod Eldon Eldon Stan Hubert Larry Mark Floyd
Don & Marion	50/50	$37.00

“Remember, no matter where you go, there you are”

• . .Earl Mac Rauch

For example:

Drivers wearing fluorescent or reflective clothing had a 37% lower risk of crashing compared with other drivers.

Compared with using a black helmet, wearing a white helmet reduced the driver’s risk by 24%.

Using daytime headlights reduced the risk of crashing by 27%.

However, the study showed wearing light-colored clothing wasn’t enough to increase motorcycle driver visibility. There was no association between risk of crash-related
injury and the frontal color of the driver’s clothing or motorcycle.

Researchers say it’s the first population-based study to look at the relationship between motorcycle driver visibility and crash-related injury.

“The study suggests that low physical conspicnity is a contributing factor in a significant proportion of road traffic crashes causing injury,” write researcher Susan Wells, of the University of Auckland, and colleagues.

They say the findings indicate that enacting laws requiring daytime use of headlights and encouraging greater visibility among motorcycle drivers could improve motorcycle safety and reduce motorcycle crash-related injuries and death.

SOURCE: Wells, S. British Medical Journal, April 10, 2004; vol 328: pp 857-860.

Submitted by David Elston

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays

12 Don Oller
18 Dan Randall
21 Terry Taylor
22 Darnell Gibson

Anniversaries:

03 Jerry & Sissy Turner
06 Billy & Hilda Max
07 Buck & Donna Permenter
28 Cl1arlie & Darnell Gibson