On the heels of my serenity-now post I can’t help but vent at the news that’s out about Gov. Schwarzenegger. Seems that after taking 15 stitches to the lip following an accident in which the motorcycle he was driving collided with a car backing out of a driveway, it’s been revealed that Ahnold doesn’t hold a Class M licenserequired — by the state he purports to lead — of anyone who owns and operates a motorcycle.
The only thing Arnie leads is by lousy example.
And further it was reported that upon discovery by CHP officers at the scene of the accident that he was in violation, did they cite him as they undoubtedly would any other improperly licensed citizen? Hell no! Their reasoning? Well, they arrived after the accident and didn’t witness it.
Riiiiight. Look, I’m glad he wasn’t seriously injured and that his son riding in the bike’s sidecar avoided getting hurt. This isn’t about questioning Arn’s ability on a Harley, it’s about obeying the fucking law — whether you’re the leader of a motorcycle club or the leader of Kalifornia.
So the next story I want to read is about Schwarzenegger getting the ticket he’s due with a follow-up on him doing what all legally minded motorcycle drivers past and present have been obligated to do: take and pass the proper written and driving tests.
I know: Dream on. The bullshit privilege afforded him by his office and his celebrity will make the ticket never happen and an “M” on his license magically appear.
UPDATE:Â
From the L.A. Times piece in today’s paper, which quotes an Arnold staffer as saying she doesn’t think he’ll be riding anymore until he’s properly licensed, there’s also this:
But officials at the state Department of Motor Vehicles and other experts said a citation was unlikely because of a loophole in the law. The motor vehicle code states that an M1 license is required for drivers of all “two wheel” vehicles. Because Schwarzenegger was driving Sunday with a sidecar, his bike had three wheels.
Good grief. Gotta love those loopholes. If I were an unlicensed motorcyclist I’d be out bolting on a trailing third wheel (maybe from a skateboard or a grocery cart) to the rear axle of my ride right now. After all the law doesn’t say where the third wheel has to be, just that it not be a two-wheeler.
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