SF Chronicle: Licenseless governor strikes an ugly chord

[Newsjock]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/01/12/GUV.TMP

Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer
Thursday, January 12, 2006

Harleygate?

Maybe not, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appears to have skidded into a potentially nasty political curve this week when he revealed, after a recent motorcycle accident, that he'd been tooling around on his hog for years, apparently lacking a proper motorcycle license.

... "If you're a public figure, you don't get to decide (what laws) are important," said Hans Gut, 50, an accounting executive from Concord and loyal Harley rider -- one of an avalanche of readers who wrote to The Chronicle in reaction to the news. "They all are."

Political opponents, likewise, took aim -- like the campaign of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly, who charged the governor had shown for years "he cannot or will not meet the higher ethical standards" voters expect, whether it involves driving or his own business licenses.

In a week in which the governor released a $125 billion 2006-07 state budget, pollster Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California noted that the increasing attention to the issue illustrated that seemingly unimportant matters can sometimes strike a heavy chord with voters.

Having the proper driver's license "is something that the voters relate to," he said. "And the way the governor goes about handling this issue will be very important. It may not be the biggest political issue, but it says something to the votes about his character and his lifestyle and his habits -- how he feels about the law."

more

[TygrBright]

1. "How he feels about the law...?"

How he feels about it?

Like any other Republican... he thinks it only applies to OTHER people.

Duh...

eye-rollingly,
Bright

[MADem]

9. Just like the pretzeldunce!

He signs a law, then writes himself a note that says "This doesn't include ME!"

GOP rules! It's all about how THEY FEEL!!

[LibDemAlways]

2. The average Californian knows what its like to

stand in an interminable line at the DMV to take the tests necessary to get a license and also knows what it's like to be on the receiving end of a costly ticket for even a minor infraction. The outrage is because Ahnold thinks he's such a bigshot he's above the law and doesn't have to follow the rules. All those dumbshits who voted for him thinking he was some action hero have now been introduced to the vain and pompous self-important jerk behind the facade.

[Journeyman]

5. And as Governor, I doubt he'd have to wait in line to get his license. . .

so he shows even more arrogance than the average scofflaw who simply "doesn't want to be bothered."

[Pachamama]

34. It's also dangerous & an endangerment to public safety! It's more than

just whether he didn't want to be "inconveinenced" by the long DMV lines and setting up the licensing test. The training and testing to qualify for the license for the Motorcycle class Drivers License is quite detailed and intensive...not easy either. The fact that this asshole who is the Governor and even holds the power of major decision making in both times of emergency and even life/death re. death row inmates, would deem himself above the law and pick and choose which he follows is bullshit! Also, the fact that he would endanger his son?

I hope that someone, whether its the state attorney general or flat out the CA DMV or CA Highway Patrol and some judge not only revoke/suspend his regular drivers license for his cars/hummers, but that he is prohibited for several years from even driving a motorcycle and prohibited from testing and seeking a license for a motorcycle as well during that time. I hope they slap a big fine on him and make the asshole go to traffic school.

What a piece of shit who emulates our equally assinine President who picks and chooses which laws to abide by!

:grr:

[oioioi]

3. Cali M1 Test

Requires written motorcycle safety test and riding exam.

I'd like to see a CHP motorcycle cop's reaction if a regular joe told him he didn't need an M1 endorsement to ride a Harley with a sidecar.

I wonder if you can even buy the mandatory liability insurance for the bike without the M1 endorsement - if he doesn't have insurance on the bike, and seeing as this was an injury accident, the California DMV would be obliged to suspend his driver's license under California law.

What are the chances?

[emald]

6. this is an excellent point of law

and should be examined. No license = no insurance seems to me but I'm nobody. I do know that if I wanted insurance I sure wouldn't expect to get it without having a license. Can you imagine driving a truck without having a CDL? And trying to get insurance? How is this any less important? Just because of the size of the vehicle? So it's not important to follow the law if it's a small vehicle?
Wow, this is a really dumb move by him. How could any politician be so dumb? And such a little thing. Wow, it boggles the mind really.

[melm00se]

12. nope

not necessarily true...not all insurers check (or ask) to see if you have a motorcycle endorsement, just woe betide you if you have an accident and don't have one...


what you can not do is register a vehicle without insurance...

BTW, depending upon who you ask, the numbers of unlicensed motorcycle operators ranges between 20-40% of the total riding population and this number has steadily dropped due to the wide availability of state sanctioned motorcycle rider training courses.

[emald]

14. thanks for the information.

[Vinnie From Indy]

22. Name one that does in business in CA that doesn't!

n/t

[melm00se]

23. for example

I carry an M endorsement (have for years)...and when I got new insurance last year all they asked from me is "do you have a license and for how long?" not "do you have a motorcycle endorsement?"

it is not incumbent upon the insurance industry to police whether or not you have a license or not (they just don't have to pay your claim if you don't), their job is to right the policy...

in addition, some state allow you to self insure via an umbrella policy or by posting a bond with the DMV...

[DemBones DemBones]

13. According to a statement by one of his publicity flacks,

he has a Class 3 license and that covers him for driving a motorcycle with sidecar. (Seems strange to me; in my state I think you must have a motorcycle license for riding any motorcycle, with or without a sidecar.)

She was forced to admit that all the years Ahhnold's been roaring around on two-wheelers he was riding without the proper license.

He ought to be charged and fined.

[txindy]

16. Yep, lots of pictures exist to prove he's been breaking the law for years

He does love those Harley photo-ops.

Ah-nuld needs to be charged.

[FredUptoHere]

20. as a part of the Cali M1 test- do you push your bike a set distance?

I had to when i got mine in Illinois 20-some years ago...I'd love to see ah-nuld pushing his harley...up a hill.

[oioioi]

38. Not as I recall, just basic steering and control test

The written test is quite demanding compared with a standard DL test. You have to know about applying brakes in the correct order, m/c road safety rules, etc.

It sounds like he's going to get off scott free - I doubt that most regular riders would be so lucky if they had an accident with a kid on board.

[HuffleClaw]

4. i think that california has more cars per capita than

any other part of the US. so it would follow that it would 'strike an ugly chord'. and his 'side car' dodge probably only pisses folks off even more. and his kid was riding with him so that wouldn't impress folks either. why elected officials (of any stripe) get special consideration is beyond me. you'd think they would be held to a higher standard, given their responsibilities, but noooo.

[ShockediSay]

7. He should now make a Hell's Angels movie

But I think he's got a ways to go

Before coming close to Marlon Brando

[f-bush]

8. Fuck Arnold

He's a worthless draft dodging Nazi pig!!!!

[slampoet]

10. Let me get this straight....

The Governator is just annother Illegal Alien W/o A proper Driver's Liscence?

[Bucky]

33. HA HA!! Excellent point!

Except, of course, he's perfectly legal.

[BiggJawn]

11. Bee Eff Dee.

Didn't know I had anything in common with the Gropenfuhrer.

I had a MC endorsement when Indiana first instituted them, but did not re-new it after my Electra-Glide disappeared. Didn't see any need, since thanks to Ronaldus Rex, the chances of me getting another scoot were pretty dim.

Then a fellow gave me a Kawasaki, and well, I just never got around to getting my endorsement re-instated...

And since I gave up playing bumper pool with SUV's almost 10 years ago, I still don't see a reason to re-instate it.

[txindy]

17. Are you the governor of your state, swearing an oath to uphold state laws?

:shrug:

[BiggJawn]

25. And your point is?

Reminds me what a co-worker said when Jim Bakker had his tit in the ringer over having his dick in a church secretary and everyone was screaming for blood. I said "I thought you folks were all about forgivness and shit?"

And he said "*WE* hold our LEADERS to a higher standard of conduct!".

Uh, yeah, so when you become a leader, you become super-human or something?

BTW, did you know that Our government is illegally spying on us, and there's old people who can't pay their heating bills?

Herr Gropenfuhrer's lack of paperwork still seem that important?

[txindy]

26. The point is that he took an oath

If he can't be held to that oath, then the rest is moot. It has nothing to do with private citizens breaking laws or televangelists being hypocrites. It's about an oath to uphold the laws of the state and the casual disregard of that oath.

So, yes, it's important.

[BiggJawn]

32. Random chance forbid if he ever runs a stoplight or...

...has a parking meter expire on him.

And I'm sure you'd feel the same way if it was a Democrat who didn't have their MC endorsement, right?

[txindy]

35. Yes, I would. You obviously don't have a problem with breaking an oath.

I guess that inauguration in CA was just for show, then. And those examples are hardly the same.

[FredUptoHere]

19. if you would have been involved in an accident at the time-

i'm guessing that it WOULD have been a BFD to you.

i finally gave my M classification up- when i had to renew my liscense in a hurry for a vacation trip- if i wanted to keep the M classification i had to take the written test- i hadn't ridden in years, and didn't 'prepare' as i wasn't expecting it...i missed one question too many and lost the M. they told me i could come back the next day and re-take the test- but i didn't have the time. now if i ever want it back, i'll have to take the FULL test- written and safety course.

[BiggJawn]

24. You're right, it would have been.

But then, I don't think there would have been a public outcry on a "liberal" message board for me to have been drawn and quartered and had my gonads boiled in oil, either.

[FredUptoHere]

28. not unless you put yourself above the law and the other serfs.

then maybe...

[rodeodance]

15. these average matters matter cause we have to abid or get fined or worse.

simple as that Mr. pollster!

....In a week in which the governor released a $125 billion 2006-07 state budget, pollster Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California noted that the increasing attention to the issue illustrated that seemingly unimportant matters can sometimes strike a heavy chord with voters.

[rocktivity]

18. Does that mean that ANY Californian with an auto license only

can operate a motorcycle as long as it has a sidecar and isn't spotted by the police comitting a traffic violation? I don't know why, but I don't think so--I just don't think that if this had happened to anyone BUT Arnold, they would have endured the same fate.

For PR's sake, at the very least, Arnold should have apologize for not having a license and voluntarily pay the fine.

:headbang:
rocknation

[rocktivity]

21. NOT his FIRST accident?

"I have an M-1 endorsement, and I have taken motorcycle safety classes,"...said...a music producer and audio engineer...Noting the governor has had two bike accidents -- one in Santa Monica in 2001 resulting in broken ribs -- he added, "I can't help but think those classes could have prevented this accident in this case."

He wasn't governor then, of course. But since Arnold's admitted that he's NEVER had a motorcycle license since coming to to America, why wasn't he cited for not having a license THEN?

On edit: In December 2001, Schwarzenegger broke six ribs and was hospitalized for four days after a motorcycle crash in Los Angeles. The accident occurred when a car stopped in front of him and he was unable to change lanes to avoid the vehicle. His ribs were broken when his chest hit the motorcycle windshield.

"It was very painful, much more painful than the heart surgery," he said at the time...

:headbang:
rocknation

[FredUptoHere]

29. time to storm the statehouse.

we want ANSWERS, dammit.

[melm00se]

27. interesting...

as I am not fully aware of the rules in CA as it relates to motorcycles, I looked at the Motorycle handbook for CA (http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl655/dl665mcycle.pdf)

it is interesting that "a motorcycle with a 2 wheeled side car weighing less than 1500 pounds is also considered a motorcycle" (pg 1)

seeing a harley weighs in between 600-800 pounds (depending upon model), it is possible that the side car may be sufficient to put it over the 1500 pound limit (that'd be an awfully heavy side car tho)

Can't seem to find stuff on what composes the skills test, but my guess is you must demostrate the ability to:

Go straight, upshifting once and downshifting once
Come to a complete stop at a specific point
Negotiate a left and right hand turn within a specified area
Negotiate an avoidance manuever (swerve) both with and without braking
weave back and forth (slalom)
Sharp curve (like entering a a freeway via a cloverleaf ramp)
and finally and not the least, the dreaded figure 8 in the box.


All the while using your brakes (both of them) and the proper signalling devices.

[rocktivity]

30. This is the wonderful thing about DU

We represent so many walks of life that you can always count on someone being qualified to answer any question!

Now for my next question--Does the motorcycle or the sidecar have to weigh less than 1500 pounds? There's a difference between "a motorcyle WITH a sidecar weighing less than 1500 pounds" and "a motorcycle with a sidecar which have A TOTAL WEIGHT of less than 1500 pounds." If it's the former, and Arnold's sidecar weighs less than 1500 pounds, he's GUILTY!

On edit: The motorcycle skills you list bring me back to my original point--am I to believe that California law says that you can ride a motorcycle with a sidecar on an auto driver's license with NO motocycle lessons or skill testing WHATSOEVER?

:evilgrin:
rocknation

[melm00se]

31. I would interpret

the weight limit as being both bike and side car as the prior sentence in the manual indicates that a motorcycle is vehicle that "has a seat or saddle for the rider; is designed to travel on not more than 3 wheels and weighs less than 1500 pounds." so the 1500 pound mark appears to be the key...

Yes, the skills necessary to drive a motorcycle are different than those nedded to handle a bike/sidecar combination (no countersteering necessary on the latter, as a sidecar rig does not lean in turns as an example) but some skills are similar: like counterbalancing in a turn - on 2 wheel bike you do this, generally, in low speed turns (there are others but not as common) whereas a sidecar you counterbalance when turning left (otherwise the rig can turn over), which is why there are specific and specialized courses for sidecar drivers.

[0007]

36. Perhaps he's an illegal immigrant also, LOL!

[caligirl]

37. On Will and Willi this am," Just another immigrant without a license"

[leesa]

39. Figures Americans would tune in to this....God Americans are a stupid

population! I have traveled around the world and I can't think of a populace less informed and less curious than Americans. Lazy, lazy people!