Racing and Rights
Dec. 10, 2003 – A lot of ATVA members hold competition memberships. If you're one of them, have you ever really thought about what your competition card gets you? We asked ATVA/AMA Legislative Affairs Specialist Royce Wood to get the answer.
The first advantage is easy to recognize. With an ATVA competition card you get to race against the best ATV riders on the planet, in the most-respected racing events in the nation.
But the card also gets you a lot of benefits you don't realize. In fact, having a competition card, or a regular ATVA membership, helps the ATVA continue to put on the races.
And holding a card helps keep ATVs legal, period.
How do you get all that with a competition card?
Because your membership helps support the ATVA and the AMA/ATVA Government Relations Department, which works 24/7 to protect your right to ride.
Here are just a few examples of how the Government Relations Department has been working for you:
1) The ATVA and AMA told the Consumer Product Safety Commission at a hearing that safety training is a vital part of preventing ATV-related injuries. ATV opponents called for strict regulations. Some even suggested children under 16 should be banned from riding ATVs, and that ATVs should be equipped with rollbars, seat belts and speed governors.
2) The Government Relations Department quickly organized activists in East Peoria, Illinois, to fight the city's ban on operating ATVs or off-highway motorcycles within the city limits, even on a homeowner's private property.
3) The department is working to get federal legislation approved so that health insurers can't refuse to cover injuries related to riding ATVs. Currently federal rules allow insurance companies to deny benefits for ATV-related injuries.
4) The department worked against a bill in Massachusetts that would ban the sale of new two-stroke ATVs and off-highway motorcycles.
5) Slightly more than $50,000 was raised to support the public land access efforts of AMA District 37 (Southern California). The AMA matched $50,000, bringing the total for AMA D-37 to a bit over $100,000. District 37 played an important role in the fight to reopen the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, popularly known as Glamis.
6) ``Ride Into Political Action'' seminars were conducted in Great Falls, Montana, Phoenix, Arizona, Austin, Texas, and in New Jersey. Participants learned to work together to strengthen the collective voices of ATV riders, motorcyclists and other OHV enthusiasts. Topics included speaking out for ATV riding; lobbying in state capitals, Washington and at home; writing editorials for local media; and attending political fund raisers and receptions.
From the statehouse to the White House, from Congress to township councils, the Government Relations Department is out there fighting for your right to ride.
That's not just for one race, that's 24/7, all year.
So you should be proud knowing that you are not only racing, but you're doing your part to help ensure the continued survival of ATVs.
Royce Wood can be contacted by telephone at (614) 856-1900, ext.1225, by e-mail at rwood@atvaonline.com, or by mail at Royce Wood, ATVA, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147.