You got the sense that the movement had lost some of its umpph.
Sure there were several hundred bikers demanding that the state lift
the mandatory brain-bucket law but the numbers were not anywhere near
what they use to be over the 34 year span of this ride to the capitol
event.
"Some of them were afraid of the rain,' observed one of the rally
leaders who noticed the small turn-out too. It rang hollow as this
group ain't (sic) afraid of nothin' let alone a little moisture on
their covered heads.
Whether you agree with these guys or not, you do have to pat them
on the head for coming back year after year with nothing to show for
it. They have managed to pass legislation in one house or the other to
remove the motorcycle helmet law, but this current governor has always
threatened to veto. In other words they are zero for 34 years.
Credit the highway safety lobby, the insurance companies and others
for defeating this move claiming lives will be lost if the helmets come
off.
"The statistics don't support that in the thirty some other states
that don't have a helmet law," contends Vince Consiglio of Milford who
is one of the stalwarts whose been here plenty of times.
But hope does spring eternal and Herb Rials who lobby's for ABATE
claims to have the support of every candidate for governor minus one.
So if the house and senate next year kill the helmet law, chances are
pretty good, a governor's signature, not a veto, will be attached to
the measure.
However if the Nerd gets in, it could be more of the same for the
motorcycle crowd. Rich Snyder apparently wants to keep the helmets
right where they are..on the heads of those who don't like it.