Written by FastFred Ruddock, September 19, 2007
We are still looking forward to the second half of the current South Carolina Legislative Session. Opportunities and challenges await the bikers of South Carolina in the second half. Like many football games the second half can make all the difference. We need to stay focused while executing our best plays and watchful of the opposing team's best plays and special teams. Please use the two lists below to be come familar with our plays and their plays before the big game.
A glaring problem is lack of funding for South Carolina's Rider Education Program. Rather than a special tax for bikers I suggest we work our legislature and others for grants to cover the expense. Cage drivers pay no special tax for driver programs offered throughout the state and even in most if not all high schools; bikers should be treated no different.
Additionally we would be wise to watch the federal efforts underway to bring back federal mandates for all rider helmet laws. It would be prudent to consider supporting the MRF and joining the MRF's email alert list. We can overcome our obstacles provided we all work together.
Handicap License Plates for motorcycles have long been available
in SC
S605 a bill to allow for vertically mounted license plates for motorcycles. Sponsored by Grooms and currently in the Transportation Committee.
S732 a bill to amend current gambling laws in to allow non-profit organizations to using various games such as poker and dice for the purpose of fundraising. This bill is currently still stuck in a senate subcommittee and sponsored by McConnell. H3201 is a similar bill in the House but lacks the important protections to be granted by S732 to organizations such as ABATE.
S111 Reb’s bill to allow motorcyclists to treat defective traffic signals as stop signs. This is the second legislative session for this bill. Much as we would all like to pass this bill is currently an excellent tool to address defective traffic signals throughout South Carolina. This bill is currently stuck in a senate subcommittee and sponsored by Leventis and Knotts. North Carolina and Tennessee have passed similar bills.
S272 is a bill to instruct the Department of Transportation to design and erect along the state's highways traffic signs that promote motorcycle safety at locations where motorcycle fatalities have occurred within three years before the erection of the sign. This bill is on life support and is currently unlikely to pass because the lone sponsor has died.
H4145 is a bill to provide currently available special license plates for motorcycles in addition to just cages. Currently in the Education and Public Works Committee and sponsored by Brown, Alexander, and Battle
S493 is a bill that provides the Department of Motor Vehicles may issue Military Veterans Motorcycle special license plates to United States Armed Forces Veterans who own motorcycles registered in their names. The requirements for production and distribution of the plate are those set forth in Section 56-3-8100. The veteran owning the motorcycle must also present to the department a copy of his DD214. This bill has already passed both the house and senate and is now currently listed in conference committee.
S812 All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Act is a bill to provide reasonable ATV safety while respecting parental and property rights. Currently resides in the Transportation Committee and sponsored by Grooms, Campsen, Verdin, and Bryant.
S122 is a bill that provides a person driving a motor vehicle which is involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident must submit to a chemical test of his breath for the purpose of determining the presence of alcohol if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person is under the influence of alcohol to the extent the person's faculties to drive are materially and appreciably impaired. Currently in a Transportation Subcommittee and sponsored by Martin, Ryberg, Richardson, Vaughn, Mescher, Knotts, Cleary, and Fair
S3092 is a bill to allow for the use of cameras at intersections and other locations for traffic enforcement. A similar law in Virginia greatly increased rear-end accidents and was repealed as a direct result. Motorcyclists are placed at great hazard to life and limb by rear-end accidents. Currently stuck in Judiciary Committee and sponsored by Hamilton.
S714 is a bill that may encumber ABATE with more red tape and fees; for example: "A political awareness organization which receives or expends more than two thousand five hundred dollars in the aggregate during a calendar year, within fifteen days of incorporation, shall register with the State Ethics Commission as provided in this section. Each political awareness organization registering shall pay a fee of one hundred dollars."
My life has been a dedicated blend of open road adventure and relentless advocacy for motorcyclists’ rights. I'm "Fast Fred" Ruddock, and my journey on two wheels began as a teenager. Over the years, I’ve owned 13 Harleys and several other motorcycles, machines that were far more than just transportation. They represented a freedom that I have fought to protect. Recognizing the power of information, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, skills I immediately put to use for the movement.
My commitment to advocacy led me to a complete immersion in ABATE of South Carolina (ABATE of SC). I quickly moved through the ranks, starting by developing the ABATE of SC website in 2001 and serving as the Berkeley/Dorchester Chapter Coordinator. This progressed to serving as Lowcountry Area Coordinator, where I successfully shifted our local focus decisively toward rights and rapidly increased membership. From 2003 to 2007, I served as the State Coordinator, where I helped coordinate several key legislative victories, including the passage of the Purple Heart license tag bill and the successful repeal of unnecessary handlebar height restrictions. My primary strategic goal was always to achieve widespread political influence by organizing a chapter in every single county.
On the national front, I extended my influence by serving as the State Representative on the board of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) for several years during the 2000s. This role ensured that the concerns of South Carolina riders were directly represented in critical federal legislative discussions. Crucially, I also worked to shape public opinion: I wrote articles related to motorcycle rights for various magazines and had a small column in Easyriders magazine for several years, using media to educate riders nationwide on the issues impacting their freedom.
My activism was not only about lobbying but also direct action and constitutional challenges. I participated in the Myrtle Beach civil disobedience against local helmet laws, contributing to the legal groundwork for the eventual overturning of that restrictive law through a landmark SC Supreme Court case. I also challenged helmet laws personally, fighting three tickets in court as an act of civil disobedience in several states. I lobbied in multiple state capitols with me friends across the country. My dedication continued after my ABATE leadership, as I served as the Director of Bikers Of Less Tolerance (BOLT) of South Carolina.
Today, while I also enjoy working as a river guide and sharing my travel adventures, my legacy remains rooted in the fight for motorcycle freedom. I have spent decades on the front lines, utilizing both political strategy, legal challenges, and national media to protect the rights of every person on two wheels.
I'm a professional whitewater guide and kayak instructor. I grew up rafting, sailing, and surfing, and I spend my North American summers guiding on world-class whitewater. I have spent much of my adult life riding motorcycles and paddling kayaks.
Raft with me: Check out Fast Fred Rafts for details.
Got questions about solo travel, Latin America, or budgeting? I'd be happy to give you honest answers!
My Travel & Video Gear: Curious how I travel so light? Dig into my Amazon Shop for an inside look at the gear I carry. (Purchases via this shop provide a small commission at no extra cost to you.)
Tip Jar: Your support helps fund the next adventure of cup of coffee!