TEXAS - more laws changing

[Scooter Bob]

Here's a bunch more things changing for Texas this month. Here's an excerpt from the newsbytes I handed out the info at our ABATE meeting Tuesday night.

 

 

THE AIM/NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE is brought to you by Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM), and is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester. For more information, call us at 1-(800) ON-A-BIKE or visit us on our website at www.ON-A-BIKE.com.

 

NCOM BIKER NEWSBYTES

Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish,

National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM)

 

MULTI-FACETED MOTORCYCLE BILL ENACTED IN TEXAS

Senate Bill 1967, authored by Texas State Senator John Carona (R-Dallas) and sponsored by Representative Norma ”Da’Lady” Chavez (D-El Paso), introduces many motorcycle-related changes in the Lone Star State.

 

Included in the bill are 1) funding by Texas Department of Transportation for a public awareness campaign to promote motorcyclist safety and the concept of sharing the road with motorcyclists; 2) changes to the definition of a motorcycle to include certain enclosed three-wheeled passenger vehicles; 3) changes to the licensing requirements for enclosed three-wheeled passenger vehicles; 4) a requirement for all applicants for a motorcycle license or endorsement on a regular or commercial driver's license to provide proof of successful completion of a basic motorcycle operator training course; 5) penalties for failure to yield the right-of-way violations resulting in bodily injury range from $500 to $2,000 while those resulting in serious bodily injury range from $1,000 to $4,000; 6) a prohibition against stopping or detaining a motorcycle operator or passenger solely to determine whether the person has successfully completed a motorcycle operator training and safety course or is covered by a health insurance plan; 7) a requirement for the Department of Transportation to develop a standard of proof of health insurance coverage for adult motorcycle operators and passengers; and 8) a requirement that all driver education courses or driving safety courses include information on motorcycle awareness, dangers of failure to yield the right-of-way to motorcyclists, and the need to share the road with motorcyclists.

 

Governor Rick Perry signed the bill into law on June 19; it becomes effective September 1, 2009.

 

“We made history, Warriors,” exclaimed Sputnik, State Chairman of the Texas Motorcycle Rights Association (TMRA-II) and Chairman of the National Coalition of Motorcyclists Legislative Task Force (NCOM-LTF). “We owe Da’Lady and her entire staff a huge debt of gratitude for all the work they did for riders this session.”

 

 

Just for everyone's info, Scooter Bob

[Owen]

Here's a bunch more things changing for Texas this month. Here's an excerpt from the newsbytes I handed out the info at our ABATE meeting Tuesday night.

 

MULTI-FACETED MOTORCYCLE BILL ENACTED IN TEXAS

Senate Bill 1967, authored by Texas State Senator John Carona (R-Dallas) and sponsored by Representative Norma ”Da’Lady” Chavez (D-El Paso), introduces many motorcycle-related changes in the Lone Star State.

 

Included in the bill are 7) a requirement for the Department of Transportation to develop a standard of proof of health insurance coverage for adult motorcycle operators and passengers;

 

Governor Rick Perry signed the bill into law on June 19; it becomes effective September 1, 2009.

 

WTF??? What is the point of this? Looks like another 'revenue resource' to me...

[Dave77459]

WTF??? What is the point of this? Looks like another 'revenue resource' to me...

 

An idea.... In Texas, you need to have adequate health insurance to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. I have several friends who have been stopped and given citations for riding without helmets, even though they do have adequate health insurance. The officer simply did not believe them or didn't accept their proof.

 

If having a standard proof of insurance means you can more easily ride without a helmet, if that is your choice, then I am for it. It will make officer's lives easier too.

 

Note: I choose to wear a helmet when I ride.

 

Dave

[jlh3rd]

i wasn't too crazy about #7 either

[GaryZ]

WTF??? What is the point of this? Looks like another 'revenue resource' to me...

 

We have been down this road before. The majority of vehicle accident health costs not covered by insurance comes from CAR accidents, not motorcycle accidents. Why isn't "proof of health insurance" demanded for car drivers? Why would ABATE approve something like this?

[Venturous Randy]

We have been down this road before. The majority of vehicle accident health costs not covered by insurance comes from CAR accidents, not motorcycle accidents. Why isn't "proof of health insurance" demanded for car drivers? Why would ABATE approve something like this?

 

I think what would be more appropriate, in this line of thinking, would be requiring people to not have to wear their seatbelt in a car if they have adaquate health insurance. They are not requiring health insurance to ride a motorcycle, but to ride without a helmet. I am not sure where it was, but I have heard of that law before.

RandyA

[loehring]

I think part of the problem is in some insurance policies. There are some that exclude 'dangerous activities' and they list motorcycles as one. If you're injured in an accident they won't cover you. They put it in the fine print. I've had to check that for every policy I've had here in GA.

[Guest scarylarry]

I will step out my box and add my 2 cents..

 

I believe helmet a choice of and adult which to me adult is when you can drink and vote..

 

The proof of insurance if your wearing helmet is a good thing cause if you go down and you don't have a helmet nor insurance, who will take care of you if you are left brain damage...

 

If you can afford a bike and insure it then health insurance can be bought as well..

 

I ride without a helmet when on back roads, but the interstate I wear one, which really the interstate is a safer feeling for me...

[GaryZ]

Some of you are getting off on a tangent . . .

#7 says nothing about helmets. It says if you ride a motorcycle, you must have proof of health insurance coverage. There are many times more car accidents versus motorcycle accidents and the uninsured medical costs are far greater. Yet the Texas ABATE people are proud of this new law that negatively effects motorcycle riders.