American Motorcyclist Association Seeks End To Virginia Motorcycle-Only Checkpoints

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has expressed concern
to Gov. Bob McDonnell over a recent motorcycle-only checkpoint in
northern Virginia, calling the stop "discriminatory."
The Arlington County (Va.) Police Department conducted a
motorcycle-only checkpoint on May 28 during the annual Rolling
Thunder gathering in Washington, D.C. The Rolling Thunder event,
held May 27-29, involved tens of thousands of motorcyclists riding
to the nation's capital to seek accountability for prisoners of war
and service personnel missing in action.
In the letter, dated May 31, AMA Washington Representative Rick
Podliska told McDonnell that motorcycle-only checkpoints are
discriminatory and profile only motorcyclists.
"The AMA urges the Commonwealth of Virginia to suspend the use of
motorcycle-only checkpoints until questions raised by the
motorcycling community have been addressed," Podliska wrote.
Those questions include: How do motorcycle-only checkpoints
increase the safety of motorcyclists? Where do states draw their
authority to conduct motorcycle-only checkpoints? Is "probable
cause" required to stop a motorcycle and, if so, what constitutes
probable cause?
"The safety of motorcyclists is better served by efforts that
minimize injuries and fatalities by preventing crashes in the first
place," Podliska wrote. "The most efficient way of doing so is not
through sporadic, discriminatory roadside checkpoints, but by
mitigating crash causation."
Copies of the letter were also sent to Arlington County Police
Chief M. Douglas Scott, Virginia House of Delegates Transportation
Committee Chairman Joe May and Virginia Senate Transportation
Committee Chairwoman Yvonne Miller.
The Virginia motorcycle-only roadside checkpoint is the latest in a
series of the discriminatory checkpoints that have been conducted
in Utah, New York state and Georgia. The AMA is strongly opposed to
this practice.
In a victory for motorcyclists, lawmakers in New Hampshire recently
approved, and the governor signed into law, a bill that prohibits
law enforcement agencies or political subdivisions from accepting
federal money for motorcycle-only roadside checkpoints.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave
Georgia a $70,000 grant to conduct one or more roadside
motorcycle-only checkpoints and the state police did so as
thousands of motorcyclists rode through the state on their way to
Daytona Beach, Fla., for Bike Week March 4-13.
The AMA opposes the federal motorcycle-only checkpoint grant
program, and U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and some of his
colleagues have asked U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to
suspend the program.
Sensenbrenner has also introduced H.R. 904, which would prohibit
the U.S. transportation secretary from providing funds for
motorcycle-only checkpoints.
"The NHTSA should focus on decreasing the likelihood of crashes
from occurring in the first place," Podliska said. "No public money
should be applied to promoting such a program without first
addressing questions from the motorcycling community."
In addition to letters submitted to the past and present governors
of Georgia, the AMA also sent a letter to NHTSA Administrator David
Strickland urging him to suspend the grant program that gives
states money for motorcycle-only checkpoints until questions have
been addressed.