MoDOT chief stays in high gear despite reversal on seat belts (Missouri Primary Seat Belt Law Dies)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch via stltoday.com ^ | May 23, 2005 | Shane Graber and Elisa Crouch

[tahiti]

Rahn wanted Missouri to follow Illinois' lead by adopting a primary seat belt law. Rahn insists such a law could save lives.

Rahn thought the bill had a chance because it also would have done away with the state's motorcycle helmet law. That's right. Had the bill passed, you could be stopped for not wearing a seat belt but not for riding a motorcycle without a helmet. The bill failed.

[tahiti]

I have won another one.

I would like to think the "brief" that I wrote and sent to my state rep, warning him that there is a federal law, 42 USC 1983, upheld by the Supreme Court in the case Hafer v. Melo (1991), that makes him personally responsible for the financial damages his unconstitutional actions may cause by depriving a citizen of his "rights, privileges, or immunities."

I very happy that Missouri legislators did not trade one unconstitutional law for another: mandatory seatbelt law for a no helmet law.

This past weekend, I deliberately rode my motorcycle in Missouri without a helmet for 30 miles hoping to get a ticket, so I could start the process of judicial review to nullify the law as unconstitutional.

Unfortunately, there was not a cop in site.

I will try again this weekend.

[SAJ]

Excellent work!

There was lots of screaming to Reps and Senators from my friends and associates also, although I don't believe that anyone filed a brief. It was plain as day from the get-go that the intent was to throw a sop to motorcycle riders so that they'd support this POS bill, then, once passed, to reinstate the helmet law.

Someone needs to explain a few things to certain members of the General Assembly, I'd say.

With a horsewhip.

[TexasTransplant]

It is Money! For awhile in Texas it was "There is Gold in Mold"

Pete thought that seat belts would continue his money grubbing winnings (to add to the 187 million)

I wear a seat belt, I cuss every "Tax Collector" (read local law enforcement) that I see because I know he/she is scoping me out for the $200.00 fine and I know in his/her head they are computing how many more clickit tickets they need to write.

Nanny laws are nothing but another Tax and an intrusion by Government.



TT

[Just A Nobody]

Congratulations on this win for you and Missouri! Good luck with the helmet law. Will you also work on reversing the secondary seat belt law? What state will you go to next?

I am sooo excited there is someone out there trying to fight this nanny state crap!

[quietolong]

Bump