A letter to the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association)

I just encountered the AMA's response to the incident in New York a few weeks ago.  I was bothered enough that I wrote and sent them the following letter.

To whom it may concern,

This morning I was directed to your page (http://www.roadrunner.travel/2013/10/08/an-important-message-from-the-american-motorcyclist-association-about-the-new-york-city-incident-involving-an-suv-driver-and-motorcycle-riders/) regarding the incident which occurred in New York on September 29th, and I wanted to pass on my reactions to your response.

My initial response was "Yeah, that sounds about right for a group that doesn't care about motorcyclists."  Your reaction is one part of why I am not a member, and will probably never be a member.  Leaving aside the fact that you're blaming the driver in any of this (defending yourself from an outright assault is still legal in all states, as far as I know, and attempting to escape from an assault as well), there are some problems here.

These riders did not "[decide] to take the law into their own hands."  These riders broke off from an illegal event the police were trying to shut down, repeatedly violated traffic laws, were riding recklessly on a busy highway, and then terrorized and assaulted someone who was unfortunate enough to be on the road at the same time as them.  The NYPD were out in force trying to stop this ride from happening, and these riders broke off to continue on their own.  Let's state this clearly:  These riders ignored a legal police order, broke traffic laws, and assaulted an innocent bystander.

These riders did not "take the law into their own hands."  They are violent criminals.

No motorcycle organization should respond to this event with anything but condemnation and scorn.  If you want American law to support motorcyclists, you need to change your stance.  You need to condemn these riders, support laws blocking these illegal "stunt rides," and act publicly to convince the public, both riding and non-riding, that you are as opposed to this sort of outrage as they are.

As it stands, you appear to not care about anything but image.  You appear to be concerned only that this might paint other riders in a bad light.  Perhaps that is also why you oppose laws banning overly-loud exhaust systems, and requiring helmets or safety gear:  because you don't care about riders, only your image, and you would rather rail against an unfair public than address the problems we, as riders, have caused.

Sincerely,

  Andy McKenzie