RSS

To the AMA,

Three questions regarding the November 2009 issue of AMA News & Notes:

1. What, exactly, made the October 5th USDOT announcement of the so-called first major motorcycle crash causation study the "formal" announcement, as compared to all the "pre-formal" announcements of the same study that preceded it? Should we now expect a series of "post-formal" annoucements, or has this cow been milked?
   
   
2. Why does your summary of LaHood's Distracted Driving Summit fail to mention that (a) the AMA was neither invited nor allowed to be a panelist, and (b) the USDOT issued their press release 156-09 summarizing the outcomes of the Summit at 1:07pm ET on Thursday October 1st, which means that the "outcomes of the Summit" were determined before the Summit was even concluded (or perhaps, before it ever commenced)?
   
   
3. Below I read "Beginning October 1, 2009, the AMA will accept applications from qualified non-profit (501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4)), motorcycle-related organizations for grants to promote motorcycle safety and awareness education. The deadline for submission of an application is December 31, 2009... On March 1, 2010, the AMA will award five $1000 Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Education Grants..." Do I read this correctly? If so, then the only reason I won't ask about the split between "safety" (promoting a commodity) and "awareness" (championing our cause) is that there's not enough there to scrap over. THE ENTIRE PROGRAM WILL GRANT ONLY $5000? Will not the cumulative cost of time and paperwork invested by the AMA and all the candidates far exceed that amount? What is the underlying objective of this (mini-)grant program?

Bruce Arnold
Bruce@LdrLongDistanceRider.com
Follow me on Twitter @ironboltbruce
Co-Moderator, Bruce-n-RC's Biker Forum
Author and Publisher, LdrLongDistanceRider.com
Mile Eater Gold Member, Iron Butt Association (IBA)
Sustaining Member, Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF)
2009 Chairman's Circle, American Motorcyclist Association (AMA)
Signatory, 911 Truth Statement & Petition (911Truth.org|ae911Truth.org)

REJECT CITIZENS UNITED v. FEC:

http://ldrlongdistancerider.com/07

REPEAL THE PATRIOT ACT:

http://ldrlongdistancerider.com/03

REFUSE CLOUDMARK CENSORSHIP:

http://ldrlongdistancerider.com/02

RE-ELECT NOBODY:

http://ldrlongdistancerider.com/01

REALLY INVESTIGATE 9/11:

http://911truthbikers.com

READ BIKERS RIGHTS NEWS:

http://bikernews.ldrlongdistancerider.com