The American Motorcyclist Association with Nick Haris
If you’re a motorcyclist living and riding in the U.S., Nick Haris works for you. Even more so if you’re one of the more than 200,000 members of the American Motorcyclist Association, whose tagline is “Rights, Riding, and Racing.” Haris leads a team of six who comprise the AMA’s government-relations department. Their job is to protect your rights as a motorcyclist in the halls of government. In the second of two interviews with Haris, “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long digs into significant issues facing 21st-century motorcyclists, such as autonomous vehicles. “If this technology cannot recognize and respond correctly to other road users,” states Haris, “and I don’t care if it is a pedestrian, a bicyclist, a motorcycle, or another car, it shouldn’t be allowed on public roads.” Haris sheds light on other hot-button subjects, like alternative energy, helmet laws, land management, and lane filtering. “I often say, ‘Ten percent of the world has an opinion about motorcycling. They're in favor of it—you and I. Ten percent have some reason they don’t like it. And then, 80% don’t care.’ So, let’s not move them into the, ‘I don’t like motorcycling category,’ by doing something stupid.’”