Friday, May 6, 2011

More BS! (State and County Government)

County BS
The county has come up with a NEW burn ban which only effects people living in rural areas. The ban includes NO trash burning, no grilling or BBQ'ing, No welding or any other outdoor burning of any kind. Now I wonder what they plan to do to alleviate the problem of trash buildup down here? (Probably nothing) Folks in the city are exempt from part of this and can still use their BBQ pits and so on. So happens that my burn barrel is full of trash that needs to be burned and there is also trash in here that needs to be added to that, but I'd have to burn what's in there before I could do that.

Now I suppose the trash can be kept in bags outside for the wind to blow it away and believe me that will happen. Or perhaps everyone can sack up their trash and leave it along the highway to be collected. Maybe even dump it on the courthouse lawn to make sure it gets the attention it deserves. At the very least make sure the county commissioners get the message in the next election.
State BS
A new law was passed making it where a person can not register their motorcycle until they take a ridding course. For here I think the nearest place to take one of those courses is Lubbock Texas which is about 370 miles from here. They are also costly so there is no way I will go through this latest BS. I've been riding motorcycles since I was 13 years old and now get hit with this BS! I'd like to know the real reason for this BS. Oil company Pressure or maybe just STUPIDITY on the part of the people that hatched the idiotic law? The fact is now that gas is so high a lot of people would be buying motorcycles because they can't afford to drive a gas hog anymore. Perhaps Nick has the right idea about buying a donkey to pull a cart. Maybe everyone can do that, make a trip to Austin and visit the state capital after feeding their donkey a laxative. Give the people that came up with the BS plenty of DS to ponder!

20 comments:

  1. I haven't heard anything about the riding course, but I would have to think it should be like anything new like they do. You would have to be grandfathered, no pun intended lol. Usually they don't go back on everyone and just start at an age that has been picked for no specific reason. Dwight and Rhonda took one when they got their bikes, but I'm like you, I've never done one either. I'll have to do some checking into it as I don't have any plans to do one either. If you haven't officially been told about the burn ban, I'd do a quick trash burn and get it done. I know when we lived out in the country you had to contract someone to pick it up from out on the highway, and I don't remember it being cheap either. Good luck and let us know if you hear more on the motorcycle class and I will too!

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  2. Did some quick looking and I can't find anything about a new law stating what you said. I'm sure if this was going to happen we would have heard all about it from the HOG group. I also looked this up about your fire ban, and it seems about clear as mud. This is from their website,


    Brewster County has a burn ban in place. Exceptionally dry conditions mandate that the ban be strictly enforced by law enforcement. Violation of the burn ban can bring a fine for a Class C Misdemeanor, or a fine for violation of the County’s Emergency Management Plan. Starting a fire which damages the property of others could also result in significant civil liability.

    Everyone, please take extra precautions. This means no outdoor activity which could either generate sparks or utilizes open flames. Be aware that grinding, cutting metal and welding, etc. are major causes of wildfires in our county, as is carelessness with lighted cigarettes.

    Also remember that catalytic converters on vehicles can and do start fires; avoid operating vehicles out in the grass and be especially vigilant if you must do so.

    Last but not least: no outdoor burning! And don’t even think about requesting a waiver of the burn ban while these dry conditions continue. The Brewster County Emergency Management Department will not be issuing any waivers whatsoever until conditions improve substantially.

    Just a few days back, Alpine and North Brewster County came perilously close to burning up. Let's all work together to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

    I can read as much into this as I want, and not if I don't. You may read it differently too, I'm sure.

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  3. They must have a class in Alpine because I see them taking the riding test in that lot just b4 the rr tracks, Give the license branch a call.

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  4. Chill..out..old..guy..as.I.believe..you.are..grandfathered,...in!!I..took..the..course.and.got.an."A"..does.not.mean.I.should.be.on.a.motorcycle!

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  5. I guess I'll have to call the courthouse to verify the info I was given on the riding course, but I refuse to take one whether its true or not. Guess I need to start researching what I here, but know there is a lot of BS down here.

    The Burn Ban is in effect though. So I still want to know what the hell they expect people to do with their trash. I might have to clean out the Dungeon II once a week and move the burn barrel in it before lighting it. That would be inside burning. (Lot of damn work though and it would smell like burning trash in there for ever.

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  6. I haven't heard about the law to register your motorcycle. To get your "M" designation on your "drivers license", you have to take the motorcycle course, then pass a written course with the state.

    The state actually funds the motorcycle school's budget, and requires them to teach a specific curriculum to people wanting to get their Motorcycle designation on the drivers license. So the driving part of the test is done at the motorcycle school. I have a friend who has a motorcycle school in San Antonio, so know all about it, plus what I had to go thru to get my M designation on my license.

    Could you be confusing the two? Just a thought. I think if the law had changed about the registration of a motorcycle, I would have heard about it thru my club too.

    Terry

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  7. Frann, I'm chilled or maybe I was hot under the collar after hearing it?

    Terry, the source has been not so accurate before so I'll do some checking myself. I've also had class M on my license since I was 13 so that means 50 years.

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  8. Okay, the way I understand it: if you take an approved motorcycle safety training course, you don't have to take the riding part of the driver's license test to get the "M" on your license. Still have to pass the written exam. That's it.

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  9. you can make a catalitic burner to burn your trash from three 55 gallon drums and a forced air blower. the first drum is the fire pit with the lid second is the burn off drum and the trird is the water bath this burns trash well and leaves no sparks just escaping steam but it dose use about 30 gallons of water a year to run but it also makes its own water from condensation if you burn it at night when its cold..

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  10. Frann is funny. Glad you're chilled. Believe half of what you know and none of what you think, or some such stuff. There's a motorcycle course at Sul Ross. Gives you an excuse to come to town. I think you should ride your motorcycle to the course.

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  11. Tffnguy


    I would still use your burn barrel at 3:00 am out on the other side of your trailer facing away from the road on sand with water and fire extinguser on standby. If you can just lump it over the the legion, its an easy fix. I got a motorcycle license and evan know I've been riding since 1980, I took the course anyway so I would not have to go through the hassle with state trooper following me around while I got my stupid test.
    If you already have a motorcycle license, you may be ok to get you trike registered.
    Next time Im in Terlingua, are we gonna blast some beer cans or what?

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  12. HA HA! Glad I found your blog... keep up the great work!

    Steve
    Common Cents
    http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com

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  13. markiesparkie, I've already got the M on my license and have had it there for the last 50 years. If they take it off because I haven't taken a course then that's less $ the state extorts out of me.

    Ricky, dumping the trash on the courthouse lawn sounds a lot easier and less expensive (maybe).

    Ginger, no courses for me. If I took the course on the trike they'd probably pass me before I took the course just to get me out of there.

    CC, I'll figure something out on the trash. I won't be renting a dumpster for $100+ per month though.

    Don't know about the beer cans, but there will be targets to shoot at.

    And to TFT (If he reads this) Its better to shoot at beer cans than humans right? Least wise if the human isn't trying to cause you harm.

    The only thing worse than gun grabbers in this country is would be gun grabbers from other countries.

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  14. I'm coming out this week on the bike...Should be there Thursday thru Sunday. Will look for the Falcon, and hopefully get to introduce myself.

    Terry

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  15. Motorcycle License

    Requirements for All Applicants
    All first time applicants for a Texas motorcycle license must:

    1. Apply in person at a Texas Driver License office.
    2. Complete the requirements for an original applicant.
    3. Present a completion certificate of the Motorcycle Safety Course (MSB-8 or MSB-8R), approved by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. This completion certificate waives the driving test if you are 18 years of age or older.


    It.sounds.like.it.just.waives.the.driving.test...

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  16. Terry, if we had a time frame maybe we could arrange a meeting with Frann, Nick and myself somewhere? (Legion, BBMI or where ever) If the road in front of here wasn't so bad I'd suggest here, but I don't even like riding a dirt bike through the bad part so sure wouldn't want to try a street bike. Who knows maybe even JW might join us?

    Frann, It sure sounds like I'm grandfathered in on this. I guess I'll find out when or IF I go to register the trike again.

    And on another note 9 points was covered with rain yesterday evening and it looked like it was really coming down from the legion. It even looked like it was well between here and 9 points, but that was as far this direction as it made it. I think it moved off to the south so some of us got some rain. The solar panels show signs of a few sprinkles though.

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  17. Sprinkled.here.for.about.5.min's.

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  18. We are flexible. Like I said, will be arriving there sometime in the afternoon this Thursday, and will be there till Sunday. Let us know and we can meet up maybe Thurs/Fri/or Sat some time? Would be fun to hook up with Frann too. Have some questions for her on the earthbag house she is building. I wish the Grub Shack was open, but have been wanting to eat at Tivos too...I'll buy you guys dinner one night.

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  19. Nick, Stopped by with a keyboard!! Yeah..now if my new camera would show up I will be able to BLOG again!

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  20. Terry, I guess we can figure something out by then.

    Frann, glad you can at least type normal now. ;)

    And to All the Mothers out there. Hope you have a Happy Mother's Day!

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