Lobby Day 2007

More Advice from Tom McGrath, Motorcycle Atorneys

Ask Tom - January 2007

Lobby Day 2007

Lobby day is upon us again. It is Monday January 15, 2007. This is a holiday so many people are off. That morning Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists lobbyists, as well as other motorcyclists and any other interested people will go to the Virginia General assembly to discuss upcoming legislation that affects motorcyclists in Virginia with the delegates and senators who will decide the fate of that legislation. On the day before, Sunday, January 14, from 12:00 to 5:00 pm, Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists lobbyists will lead an information meeting at the Comfort Inn, located at 3200 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA to discuss this year's legislation affecting motorcyclists. We will also talk about how to talk to your legislators about these issues, if you have never done that.

We leave the Comfort Inn at 8:00 am sharp on Monday, January 15 for our annual trip to the Capitol. After lobbying our legislators, we will attend the opening of the House of Delegates daily session, and be recognized from the floor. Afterwards, The Law Offices of Tom McGrath provides lunch for all those who attend.

This year we are expecting numerous bills of interest to Virginia motorcyclists. One increases the penalty for any driver who kills another person due to violating their right of way. Another would exempt motorcycles from tolls. Last year this was viewed as an attempt to get out of paying tolls. This year we want to convince our legislators that it is a safety issue. Motorcyclists are the only motorists who have to put their feet down in the grease pit that is the floor of most toll booths. Additionally, for those of us who ride all year, we find ourselves holding up traffic as we dig below our chaps and riding gear to get to our change, all while balancing our bikes, that is if we haven't put down the side stand and dismounted, further holding up traffic. Virginia code already allows numerous exceptions to paying such tolls and none of them is for safety purposes.

The remaining two bills concern helmets. One would bring the penalty for any helmet violation in line with the penalty for failing to wear a seat belt. It would be a $25 civil penalty with no court costs. Currently a helmet ticket costs in excess of $75 with court costs. That is 3 times what an automobile driver pays for a seat belt violation. There is no reason for that difference. The second would allow adult riders to choose whether or not to wear a helmet while riding on any of Virginia’s byways. Several years ago this bill failed by only one vote.

As always there will be numerous bills submitted at the last minute which will negatively affect motorcycling. As these bills are filed we will be able to identify them and discuss them at lobby day so that we can convince the legislators why they are bad bills. Those who came last year will remember the bill that would have required proof of insurance before one person could sell another person a motorcycle, even if the person buying the motorcycle had no intention of putting the bike on the road. We killed that one with the help of all of those who participated in last years lobby day.

I encourage everyone who can to come out to join us. It is a lot of fun, it is educational, and most importantly it shows the legislators that motorcyclists are a significant and active section of the electorate.

For more information you can call VCOM at (800) 437-9434. For Room Reservations call (804)359-4061 and ask for the VCOM rate.

The preceding is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Before attempting to settle any claim you should contact an attorney. The rules governing insurance coverage may be different in your state .

Tom McGrath is a personal injury lawyer with credentials that are rare in his profession. When Tom's not lawyering, he's lobbying to protect your rights, or crisscrossing the Commonwealth teaching motorists and motorcyclists about their rights, helping them to understand the insurance laws and how to protect themselves and their loved ones. Got a question? Send Tom an email at tom@tommcgrathlaw.com, or visit http://www.motorcyclevirginia.com/.

Thanks for visiting VirginiaWind.