The governor and the wheels of justice

Re “Gov. Won’t Get a Ticket for His Ride, Police Say,” Jan. 12

It’s nice to see that no one in authority seems able to cite the governor for his traffic accident because the police did not see it happen. I wish the same courtesy had been extended to me, but instead a citation was mailed. But then again, to balance the scales of justice, someone has to pay.

DAN MCCARTHY

Torrance

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Re “Gov. to Ditch Bike for Now,” Jan. 11

The question isn’t why Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t cited this time. He was legally allowed to operate a sidecar because of a loopy loophole in California law. The real question is: Why wasn’t he cited for his previous crash, when he was riding a two-wheeler -- and hence he was unlicensed?

Unlicensed riders are over-represented in motorcycle crash and fatality statistics. There have been programs to impound the motorcycles of riders who are caught riding without a motorcycle license. So why was the celebrity given a pass?

Hopefully the flap about Schwarzenegger’s latest stunt will draw some attention to the value of a motorcycle license. And maybe California will close the loophole for sidecars, which are even less safe than motorcycles.

ART FRIEDMAN

Principal Investigator/Editor

National Agenda for

Motorcycle Safety

Santa Monica

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Now that the governor has been taken to task for riding a motorcycle without the proper license, he should take the opportunity to promote safe motorcycle riding and automobile driver awareness of motorcycles.

It would be great if, on the way to getting his M1 license, he would take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course and invite the media to watch him doing the right thing; it could lower his insurance and boost public awareness about the need to share the road safely.

With gas prices on the rise, more drivers are turning to economical two-wheel transportation, which means more novice riders on the road -- and the inherent dangers.

JIM POWELL

Fullerton