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Real Nerve
In 1968 the State
Legislature of the Great State of Wisconsin, in their collective
wisdom and backed by the Governor, passed a law designed to control
the behavior of motorcyclists throughout the state. Among other
things, it required the wearing of helmets upon the head of persons
riding motorcycles. It was precise about where you had to wear
the helmet because one of Wisconsin's sister states (Illinois
or Michigan I think) was careless about the wording and had people
strapping helmets to knees, ankles and elbows and taking cases
to the state supreme court on appeal and winning!
This law took away
much of the pleasure of motorcycling and created a rift between
bikers and the powers that be. I lived in the Capitol City of
Madison and watched the growing resentment turn political when
a local motorcycle club joined forces with a few renegade legislators
and promoted yearly protest rallies against the law.
We would meet at
Warner Park some ten miles from the Capitol on a Saturday or
Sunday morning and after a few hours of socializing we would
strap our helmets to our back rests and head downtown in defiance
of the law. In the later years there were estimates of 100,000
bikers in the parade from every corner of the state. On the way,
police would block off intersections and let us pass unmolested.
The trouble would start when we broke up after the rally and
headed home. We wanted to ride all day without helmets but the
Cops would pick on smaller groups and issue tickets. A ticket
was a sign of real nerve. Ten years after the law passed I was
in the Senate chambers when the vote to repeal was taken. I can
still hear the sound of that cheer for freedom echoing in my
ears....
I took this photo
in the staging area before one of the rides. I politely asked
this charter member of the Milwaukee Outlaws if I could photograph
his tattoo and he graciously struck a pose. I always marveled
at the diversity of humanity that showed up and got along at
these rallies. A common cause brings together birds of many feathers. |