Title: Myrtle Beach New Motorcycle ordinances
Description: ''rallies a public nuisance'' ..etc....
Description: ''rallies a public nuisance'' ..etc....
PIWYR HOME ENTRY PORTAL - September 28, 2008 11:54 AM (GMT)
Myrtle Beach New Motorcycle ordinances
September 24, 2008
September 24, 2008
Wednesday was the first full day for a series of new ordinances in Myrtle Beach.
City council passed the ordinances at Tuesday afternoon’s council meeting, primarily to try to stop the May bike rallies.
Myrtle Beach passed 15 ordinances Tuesday to crack down on a 70-year tradition of motorcycle rallies in the city, but some attorneys warned the new laws might not survive legal challenges.
City Council unanimously passed nearly all the ordinances, which include rules requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets, restricting where bikers can park and strengthening loitering rules, The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News reports.
Lawyers representing Harley-Davidson of Myrtle Beach and other businesses that cater to bikers suggested some of the laws are illegal, but city attorney Tom Ellenburg told them to “save those arguments for the judge.”
Many others, in favor of and against the rallies, spoke in front of a packed house in the council’s chambers, including former Mayor Mark McBride, who quietly urged the council to rescind the ordinances and simply enforce the laws the city already has.
“You’re making a mistake,” McBride said.
But Councilman Wayne Gray said the city is ready to face any legal challenge.
The only vote that was 5 to 1 is a new law requiring helmets and protective eyewear if you’re riding a motorcycle or a moped. The helmet ordinance appears to be the least popular among rally supporters and might face the toughest challenge. State law doesn’t require helmets for riders 21 and older.
However that law does not go into effect for about 90 days—Dec. 21.
Three of the ordinances took effect immediately.
- The first changed the city’s nuisance code which, now declares the rallies a public nuisance.
- The second changed the special event law, which now declares that special events requiring any excessive use of public resources, like police, is against the law.
Under that law, anybody who promotes special events and causes the use of extra resources will be fined. - And the third law that is in effect right now is one about noise.
There is already a noise law on the books, but the change is very specific.
It now states that it is against the law to operate a motorcycle that has a measured noise level of more than 87 decibels.
One promoter of the fall Harley-Davidson rally, which is next week, tells News13 he’s moving forward with everything, the rally will go on as scheduled and just rolling the dice.
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