UPDATED - Saskatchewan's R.A.G.E. President REAR ENDED

Rhonda was lodged under the car, miraculously
she suffered minor injuries and is already home and resting
Photo: Neil Hein, VP R.A.G.E.

The woman who has been working tirelessly as the president of the Riders Against Government Exploitation had a guardian angel on her shoulder last night as she experienced one of the most horrifying things every rider faces - being rear ended.

From eyewitness accounts, Rhonda Cwynar and a friend were riding when this incident took place, not stationary!

Rhonda was impacted by the drivers side bumper, pushed almost up to her riding companion's position and then the SUV climbed over the bike. Rhonda was trapped underneath the SUV, still on her bike.
Allegedly the driver of the SUV was IMPAIRED AND TEXTING at the time.

Allegedly she never looked up and never hit the brakes.

Rhonda is lucky to be alive and as unscathed as she is.

Rhonda is one of many volunteers working hard to keep Saskatchewan's riders as safe as is possible and protecting their pocket books at the same time. R.A.G.E. is all about holding government accountable and "lobbying" for equitable treatment of riders.

Photo shared from Facebook

Their government insurance, SGI, needs to address bad drivers and the fines, demerits and penalties.

It is something the entire R.A.G.E. team and their strategist Don Fuller have been working hard at.

Rhonda Cwynar, she is a wonderful woman who is deeply passionate about working for fair treatment of the riding community.

There will be some sliver linings that come out of this crash - I always look to find the silver lining...
(You have to otherwise you'd go nuts.)

Because this crash happened to a person who sits on the Motorcycle Review Board at the SGI round tables, Rhonda is going to be able to chronicle everything that happens as you move throughout the system and call them on stuff that you or the rider down the road would never get to.

She is going to be able to lobby to change the bad driver laws in an even more powerful way than before. (Saskatchewan's fines for chronic bad drivers are a joke). Nothing like first hand experience to give you that"edge".

She is going to be able to lobby to really change the texting and driving laws and driver awareness and education.

Photo shared on Facebook

I am deeply thankful that this single mom is able to continue being a mom...
I am deeply thankful that this woman is still alive to be able to do this work.
She truly had a guardian angel on her shoulder.

And, if the riders from Saskatchewan get behind R.A.G.E and start lobbying for change in their own communities, start really lifting their voices together, you in Sasktechewan are the best hope for the rest of the country - to see massive change in DRIVER education and awareness happen.

In other news, Liane Langlois of M.O.D.E.L reports that the Edmonton Noise Bylaw is being challenged.  Join the Edmonton Motorcycle Club Facebook page to find out more on what to do if you have a ticket.

Please visit the M.O.D.E.L. blog for information on the bylaw and how to contact M.O.D.E.L.

Have a great day everyone,  I'll update you more on Rhonda's condition and the information on her crash as more info becomes available.

UPDATE: From CJME
The 40-year-old woman allegedly driving the SUV, Tanja Hinks, is being charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm and driving while exceeding 0.08.

Update from Rhonda herself: I have a broken ankle, broken collar bone and tissue trauma but I am in one piece thanks to wearing good gear in part and a guardian angel who had other plans for me.

I want to thank all my well wishers, it means so much to see the support and comments. You have no idea how much.

I'll keep you up to date through our VP Neil Hein and Belt Drive Betty.  Thanks again folks, I am one grateful woman today, sore but grateful.

PLEASE ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you, and please consider wearing good gear.

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider

Lobbying for Change

In Saskatchewan, Riders Against Government Exploitation, (R.A.G.E.) have a battle ahead of them with a government that appears to be continually putting them off and or "lying" to them.

The minister responsible for SGI, Saskatchewan Government Insurance, Donna Harpauer, seems to be invisible and yet, Saskatchewan has the highest motor vehicle accident and death rate in Canada.

According to Don Fuller, strategist for R.A.G.E. the issues that R.A.G.E. will be addressing at the upcoming Rate Proposal Hearings are:

1) Opposing the 2014 (6.4%) rate increase for Motorcycles

2) Opposing SGIs continued practice of increasing insurance rates for all vehicles not just motorcycles.

- RAGE has proposed SGI stop increasing license plate rates across the entire Saskatchewan motoring public.

- RAGE has proposed SGI begin focusing on a "real long-term solution" to the escalating accident, injury and death rates in this province.

- R.A.G.E. does not agree with implementing increase after increase in order cover the costs associated with high-risk drivers behavior.

- It is RAGE's position that individuals responsible for the escalating costs of licensing in this province need to held accountable for their behavior.

Note: The personal injury insurance component is not in here as SGI has already identified a full-scale review is happening in 2014. The issue of personal insurance will be addressed by R.A.GE. in that venue where are efforts will have greater impact.

R.A.G.E. has some fundamental and core issues they will be raising at the upcoming Rate Proposal Hearings:

License Demerits
- Raise demerits on high-risk drivers "driver's license" not the license plate.

- Raise the dollar value on the demerit points to where they are more in line with today’s costs, and present a real consequence for high-risk driving behavior.

- Extend the time-frame of the demerit fee from "one-time" to multi-year.

License Suspension
- Reduce the number of demerits an individual can accumulate on their driver's license before their license is suspended.

- Demerits and fines associated with driving demerits must remain in effect through-out the term of a suspension.

Criminal Charges
- Review the criteria for criminal charges related accidents, injury and high-risk behavior causing death.

Law Enforcement
- Request law enforcement be more diligent in assessing fault and charging individuals "at" the "scene", as well as filling out accent reports in full.

- Police services informed R.A.G.E. that police officers seldom assess fault or charge individuals at the scene unless alcohol is involved.

- Accident reports are seldom filled in with all the information needed for any type of full-scale causation study (i.e.: Hurt Report).

These issues affect all drivers not just motorcyclists and it is imperative that all Saskatchewan drivers and riders get out to these meetings and show the government that they want REAL CHANGE not rate increases.

There are many issues involved in seeing accident and injury rates go down in Saskatchewan, and R.A.G.E, as part of the Motorcycle Review Committee put many suggestions forward.

There is now a second group that has formed in Saskatchewan to see the way SGI does things changed, but they are calling for privatization of insurance for motorcyclists and others.

It will be a tough battle to get an insurance company to come into a province where there are only 30,000 registered motorcycles but it might be possible if all 1,114,170 people in the province opted for privatization. Would rates actually go down in a province with a small population?

I ask that question because after all, private companies are about profit just as much as any government insurance is!

R.A.G.E. isn't against privatization, but sees the issue of driver behaviour as the single issue that will reduce crashes and injury in the immediate future.  Privatization is something that has been talked about in Saskatchewan since the 80's but it will not happen unless the people are truly persistent and unified.

Remember, Lobbying for Change takes four things:

1 - Determination and the will of the people to see change happen.

2 - Letters, phone calls, emails and attendance at hearings

3 - Patience, because the wheels of government turn slowly, especially when the bureaucracy is affected. Changing the way things are done involves the changing of systems and mind sets!

4 - Persistence - never let up the pressure.

DATES for Rate Review Meetings ARE:

REGINA -- April 7, 7:30 p.m. at the Delta Regina

SASKATOON -- April 9, 7:30 p.m. at the Delta Bessborough

You'll have a chance to ask SGI questions and express your views on the rate proposal. 

Learn more here: http://saskratereview.ca/images/docs/sgi-2014/srrp_SGI%20Media%20Release_Mar3_posting.pdf

What are your thoughts on this subject?

There's lots of other news in the news feeds this morning, check it out at www.beltdrivebetty.com where our work is keeping you informed!

I hope everyone who subscribes to the Busted Knuckle Chronicles is enjoying their newspaper today!

If you are fortunate enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider