How To Influence State Legislators

[BearLakeSteve]

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2015/jan/20/bill-would-ease-way-new-three-wheeled-cars-idaho/

Does anybody have experience contacting their state legislators about licensing the Elio as a car/autocycle rather than motorcycle? A bill is being introduced in Idaho and I am looking for suggestions before contacting the members of the house committee. I think there are only 5 or 6 of us in ID who have gone all in, so we could use the support and experience from those of you in other states.

 

[JEBar]

we are in the same boat in NC .... I emailed the fellow who introduced the bill and thanked him .... I also emailed my state representatives and requested that they support it .... the reaction has been positve

 

[Chaz]

Money works best, small denominations in an envelope. Or give their spouse a high paying job for doing nothing. If you check this is how the big bills get passed.

 

[Jambe]

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2015/jan/20/bill-would-ease-way-new-three-wheeled-cars-idaho/

Does anybody have experience contacting their state legislators about licensing the Elio as a car/autocycle rather than motorcycle? A bill is being introduced in Idaho and I am looking for suggestions before contacting the members of the house committee. I think there are only 5 or 6 of us in ID who have gone all in, so we could use the support and experience from those of you in other states.

Steve, I read your post three times just to be sure I understood what you are saying.

To be clear, we do not want the Elio to be registered as a car. It is a motorcycle by federal definition and that is what we want for a variety of reasons--lower insurance costs, less federal regulations, etc. If the Elio were to be classified as a car it would never be built.

 

[BearLakeSteve]

Steve, I read your post three times just to be sure I understood what you are saying.

To be clear, we do not want the Elio to be registered as a car. It is a motorcycle by federal definition and that is what we want for a variety of reasons--lower insurance costs, less federal regulations, etc. If the Elio were to be classified as a car it would never be built.

I don't know about you, but wearing a helmet while driving will take much of the fun out of driving the Elio. The Feds gave some guidance that would create a new category of autocycle for 3-wheeled vehicles like the Elio...roll cage, seatbelt, pedals for accelerator and brake. This is a different class of vehivle than the Can Am Spyder or the Polaris Slingshot. Several states already recognize this distinction and that is what I am looking for in Idaho.

 

[John Painter]

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2015/jan/20/bill-would-ease-way-new-three-wheeled-cars-idaho/

Does anybody have experience contacting their state legislators about licensing the Elio as a car/autocycle rather than motorcycle? A bill is being introduced in Idaho and I am looking for suggestions before contacting the members of the house committee. I think there are only 5 or 6 of us in ID who have gone all in, so we could use the support and experience from those of you in other states.

Check the regional forums and clubs threads for your area, and others.

I can quickly sketch what I've been doing, and can chat with you if you want.

Initially I had a series of conversations with one of the senior staff at Maine's department of motor vehicles, Eric Bellavance. He was helpful, and actually expressed a personal interest in getting an Elio due to his long work commute (like mine). I then got in touch with Joel Sheltrown VP for Governmental Affairs at Elio. After elections this past November, and Committee assignments, I asked a local legislator here in Lewiston Maine, Jared Golden, who luckily was assigned to the Transportation Committee to submit a bill to introduce the autocycle category. We now have LR1721 which will become the bill to reintroduce an autocycle category into Maine statute.

Maine actually had an autocycle category in statute for several years, but it was quite restrictive and had a sunset clause so it expired last year. I'm almost glad that it expired, because in the last conversation I had with representative Golden he elaborated on his conversation with DMV that they were recommending rewriting the whole rule because of changes in the industry and what I was advocating for with the Elio.

[Broken External Image]

 

[John Painter]

I don't know about you, but wearing a helmet while driving will take much of the fun out of driving the Elio. The Feds gave some guidance that would create a new category of autocycle for 3-wheeled vehicles like the Elio...roll cage, seatbelt, pedals for accelerator and brake. This is a different class of vehivle than the Can Am Spyder or the Polaris Slingshot. Several states already recognize this distinction and that is what I am looking for in Idaho.

Yes, the "autocycle" rules in most states basically modify the existing motorcyle category allowing for a new class of vehicle exempt from several things like helmets, and motorcycle license endorsements as requirements for operating an autocycle.

“autocycle means a three wheeled motorcycle on which the drivers and passengers ride in a completely enclosed, tandem seating area that is equipped with airbag protection, a roll cage, 3 point safety restraints for each occupant and antilock brakes and that is designed to be controlled with a steering wheel and pedals”

The motorcycle license endorsement doesn’t increase public safety by any measurable manner since autocycles handle like automobiles and have automobile controls. Basic motorcycle manuvering like “leaning into a curve” or riding two abreast” etc, obviously have no value to autocycle operators. Autocycles like the Elio are too wide and too long to pass the endorsement test anyway—even the 3 wheel test for the Spyder.

Helmets as you suggest are particularly dangerous in autocycles for several reasons;
1) Helmets in enclosed vehicles create field of vision limitations.
2) Helmets in enclosed vehicles create difficulties in hearing sirens, warning bells, horns, etc.
3) But most importantly, helmet requirements create a dangerous situation with the use of 3 point
Safety restraints. The restraints keep the body from moving forward in a collision, but the head will move violently forward. The extra 3-4 lbs of weight (about 30-40% increase in the weight of the head) can easily cause severe damage to the neck, from whiplash to paralysis to death.

 

[Husker1]

Look at my post under nebraska and you can read the bill that is being discussed here. An auto cycle will be licensed as a motorcycle, seat belts will be required, (no helmet) and you drivers license will just be a normal operators endorsement. Hope this helps.

 

[Husker1]

LB231 was introduced today in Nebraska. http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/104/PDF/Intro/LB231.pdf
It's 37 pages and I haven't read it all yet but I'm sure it will put a person to sleep.

So I've been emailing with Senator Smith about this bill and I received confirmation on a few questions.

Dear Mr. Larsen,

Again, I appreciate your continued interest in LB 231. You have interpreted the language of the bill correctly.
1. The autocycle will be required to have only one license plate just like a motorcycle,
2. In order to be defined as an autocycle, the vehicle must contain a three-point safety belt system as well as airbags. Occupants of an autocycle will be subject to the same requirements as those currently in place for occupants of any motor vehicle. Since we are defining the autocycle as a type of motor vehicle and not a motorcycle, the helmet law will not apply to occupants of an autocycle.
3. Again, the autocycle is being defined as a type of motor vehicle and therefore, only a standard Class O drivers license will be required to operate an autocycle. There will be no special certification necessary.

A public hearing on LB 231 is tentatively scheduled for February 2nd in front of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee, of which I serve as the chairperson. It is always helpful for committee members to hear how the policies we are considering impact Nebraska's citizens. A letter to the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee members expressing your reasons for supporting LB 231 would certainly be welcome. If you care to, you can send the letter to my email address and I can make sure it becomes part of the hearing's permanent record.

Sincerely,

Jim Smith
District 14 | Nebraska Legislature
PO Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604
Telephone: 402.471.2730
Email: jsmith@leg.ne.gov

 

[AriLea]

It would be good to give any contact you have reference to, the various bills and committee recommendations that have gone before. Even though he should be aware of some of that already. But it speeds their research as well as their interest.