The SC Republican Presidential Primary is this Saturday. If you will be out of town you can vote with an Absente Ballot. If applying by mail, the county voter registration office must receive your application no later than four days prior to the election. If you wish, you may apply and vote in person up until 5:00 p.m. the day before the election.
1) Highway safety, helmet use
2) Motorcycle helmet debate continues
3) Wheels Through Time Museum founder shares expertise in Las Vegas
4) New winter beer festival adds warmth to cold WNC days
5) Need something to "Shake Up" the Winter Blahs?
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1) Highway safety, helmet use
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http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jan/13/highway_safety_helmet_use27462/
Highway safety, helmet use
Sunday, January 13, 2008
As the debate on highway safety and motorcycle helmets continues (see the featured letters to the editor today) some recent observations from Department of Transportation Secretary H.B. "Buck" Limehouse are in order.
In a letter to state legislators last week, Mr. Limehouse cited highway safety as a major DOT initiative this year and listed motorcycle fatalities as an area of particular concern. He wrote:
"South Carolina currently ranks second in the nation in motorcycle fatalities and the numbers grow each year."
A task force is developing plans for legislation to improve the situation. And while it's not clear if the task force will recommend mandatory helmet use, Mr. Limehouse notes that "of the 458 riders who were killed from 2002 to 2006, 74 percent were unhelmeted." Additionally, of the 9,535 riders injured during that same period, 66 percent weren't wearing helmets. The state requires helmets on riders under the age of 21.
Mr. Limehouse cites other safety issues, including insufficiently maintained secondary roads, drunken driving, and the need for citizens to use their seat belts.
South Carolina has a mandatory seat belt law, but usage is only 75 percent. The importance of wearing a seat belt is apparent in a figure cited by the DOT director: "Last year, 64 percent of people killed on the highway who had access to seat belts were not using them."
As it works toward its recommendations, the task force on motorcycle safety needs to review figures showing the apparent decline in helmet use.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that helmet use actually declined by 20 percentage points from 2000 to 2006, while both the number and rate of fatalities increased. The NHTSA estimated that helmet use could reduce fatalities by 37 percent.
Mr. Limehouse says the state's highway safety plan will include strategies for "increased seat belt and helmet usage."
The NHTSA figures, in particular, offer a compelling reason to reverse the trend of declining helmet use by motorcyclists.
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2) Motorcycle helmet debate continues
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http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jan/13/motorcycle_helmet_debate_continues27431/
Motorcycle helmet debate continues
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Feeble argument
A recent letter to the editor lamented a recent Post and Courier article regarding helmets and motorcycle accidents.
The author defies the "safety-crats" who "are so anxious to save lives" and concludes that we should "let those who ride decide" about wearing helmets. The Charleston community needs to be aware of the widespread reverberations of such a feeble argument.
The topic of government control and individual freedom is a complex one. Yet on the subject of helmets, consider a situation that makes an individual choice a public responsibility: A motorcycle rider who chooses not to wear a helmet has an accident after which the rider is rushed to the hospital. Let's say the rider is uninsured, but to stay alive requires extensive emergency care for head trauma at a local hospital. Because emergency care is never refused, the cost of caring for the rider must be absorbed by the hospital and ultimately by the taxpayers who fund those hospitals.
Therefore, the issue is not as simple as letting "those who ride decide." If the burden of caring for someone ignorant enough not to wear a helmet can fall on the public (which it often does), then the government, acting in the interest of taxpayers, has a right to mandate the wearing of helmets.
No taxpayer wishes to or can afford to fund the perilous and, since the writer points out helmets "are defined as articles of clothing," unfashionable decision not to wear a helmet.
MARK A. PACULT
Sayle Road
Don't force helmets
Some of our legislators have already informed the press they will not amend the current helmet law. Fatal head injuries happen in automobiles, too. Why would you only require motorcyclists to wear helmets? The seat belt law didn't reduce deaths in 2007.
A task force is making recommendations, but they do not include helmet law changes. The changes that are recommended by motorcyclists will cost the state money and effort to fix, and state agencies will have to participate. Driver responsibility, education, road maintenance and enforcing laws are proven factors in reducing crashes .
Sales of motorcycles are rising, boosting the economy. When the California helmet law went into effect in 1992, sales dropped significantly, according to the California Department of Transportation.
Rising health costs are not attributable to motorcyclists. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the majority of motorcycle-crash costs are paid by privately purchased insurance.
Some feel safer wearing a helmet; others don't. Helmet laws succeed only by decreasing the number of riders.
Most know the risks in riding and must be free to choose protective equipment, but not be forced to.
FRANKIE NELSON
Task Force Committee Member
Club Bridge Road
St. Helena Island
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3) Wheels Through Time Museum founder shares expertise in Las Vegas
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http://citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008801120304
Wheels Through Time Museum founder shares expertise in Las Vegas
By Paul Clark
MAGGIE VALLEY - Wheels Through Time Museum curator and founder Dale Walksler will be taping segments for two national media outlets today at the 17th annual Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction.
Clear Channel Radio's "USA Biker Nation" and Speed Television's "American Thunder" called on Walksler to provide expert commentary during the world's largest motorcycle auction.
"USA Biker Nation," a nationally syndicated radio show, airs Saturdays in several major markets including San Francisco, Minneapolis, Denver, Roanoke, Va., Boise, Idaho, and Houston. Hosted by Peter Boyles, of Denver's KHOW radio, the show is dedicated to bringing motorcycle news and events to its listeners.
"I heard about Wheels Through Time and Dale Walksler through a number of friends of mine, who said it'd be a great feature for the show," Boyles said. "With the auction coming up so soon, I couldn't imagine a better person to provide a bit of commentary for our listeners."
For the second straight year, Speed Television's hit series "American Thunder" will call upon Walksler to provide commentary from the Las Vegas auction. Last year, Walksler and the show's host Michele Smith highlighted several of the rare machines sold over the weekend.
"The international flavor of the Las Vegas auction gives Wheels Through Time an exemplary opportunity to share its knowledge and contribution to the motorcycle industry with a very broad radio and television audience," Walksler said.
The "USA Biker Nation" Web site is www.usabiker nation.com. For information on "American Thunder," visit www.americanthundertv.com.
The Wheels Through Time Museum is off U.S. 19 in Maggie Valley. Visit WheelsThroughTime.com.
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4) New winter beer festival adds warmth to cold WNC days
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New winter beer festival adds warmth to cold WNC days
by Tony Kiss, The Beer Guy
published December 26, 2007 12:15 am
In these dark days of winter, we have some bright news today: a winter beer festival is in the works for Asheville. And it’s coming up soon.
The new Winter Warmer festival happens 3-7 p.m. Jan. 19 at The Garage at Biltmore, the new music room at 101 Fairview Road near Biltmore Village. That’s smack next door to the French Broad Brewing Co. The event will feature all local beer, plus food and live music.
The affair is being organized by Mark Lyons of Asheville Brews Cruise, the service that takes beer-lovers around to the local breweries for backstage tours. He figured that just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean that beer drinking stops. And he’s got a good point.
Traditionally, beer festivals are held around here in the warmer months. And it’s a long time until April, when Hickory Hops traditionally starts the regional brew fest scene, and even longer until Asheville’s big Brewgrass festival, which comes in September. Brewgrass has become so popular that it’s sold out before the first beer is poured.
That leaves a big gap in the schedule. There’s been some suggestion that Asheville could support its own springtime beer fest, and that’s a good goal to shoot for. In the meantime, put the Winter Warmer on your schedule. Tickets are $35, and that covers the brew, a souvenir glass and a barbecue dinner. Get more information at www.brewscruise.com.
This is the opinion of entertainment editor Tony Kiss, who writes his Beer Guy column every Wednesday. His Brew of the Week feature appears Fridays in the Take5 entertainment section. E-mail him at tkiss@CITIZEN-TIMES.com.
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5) Need something to "Shake Up" the Winter Blahs?
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Need something to "Shake Up" the Winter Blahs?
Join us for the 1st Annual Winter Warmer Beer Festival!
Mark your calendars for the 1st Annual Asheville Winter Warmer Beer Festival! Asheville Brews Cruise, French Broad Brewing Co. and The Garage are co-hosting a winter beer festival on Saturday, January 19, 2008. This event will be held at The Garage at Biltmore (next door to French Broad Brewing Co.) from 3:00 - 7:00pm.
Please Note: All Tickets sold after Sunday, January 13th will be held as will-call tickets.
Bands playing at the event are: Marc Higgins Band & Dehlia Low
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association.
Tickets are $35pp and will include a souvenir mug, samples during the event, and BBQ provided by Luella's. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event starting at 9am at The Garage. Advanced tickets may be purchased in January, please call for details:
Chris Hart @ 828-505-2663
Mark or Trish Lyons @ 828-545-5181
Tentative Brewing Participants include:
French Broad Brewing Co.
Highland Brewing Co.
Green Man Brewing Co.
Pisgah Brewing Co.
Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co.
Heinzelmannchen Brewery
Catawba Valley Brewing Co.
Order tickets now at
http://www.ashevillebrewscruise.com/
FF Note: Bikers seeking lodging near Asheville are encouraged to reply to this email to reserves space at GRCMMCC early.
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