[Bristol-Birds] Fw: Birding 101 Public Service Announcement

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Dexter Newman
To: Bristol Birds
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 11:47 AM
Subject: Re: [Bristol-Birds] Birding 101 Public Service Announcement


Lynda and I just spent the weekend in the Smokies.  The noise pollution from 
motorcycles down there has gotten totally out of control.  I  glad to see some 
effort to put a stop to it.  Maby it will catch on and move west.

Dexter Newman
Johnson City, TN

  -------------- Original message -------------- 
  From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx> 

  Birding 101 Public Service Announcement-- by Rob Biller

  Hello.  I am a convicted non-seatbelt wearing birdwatcher who was pulled over 
and given a ticket with his seat belt on.  I am going to tell you my story and 
let you know what you can do so it does not happen to anyone else and we can 
all be "safe".  

  On Sunday April 20th, I was birdwatching in Shady Valley.  Heavy cloud cover 
in the morning and rain showers off and on all day kept the temperatures stuck 
in the mid to upper 40's.  The birds didn't care and neither did I because the 
winds were not blowing much.  I had a great morning and birds were plentiful as 
you may have read on Bristol-bird or TN-bird listserves.  I started to break 
for lunch, when I decided to head up Iron Mountain and nose around up there 
awhile.  While on one of the pull off on the mount ain between Shady Valley and 
Mountain City, I  noticed Tennessee State Troopers coming down the mountain 
road and into the Shady Valley.  All total I saw 4 Troopers come down the hill 
but I must've missed one as when I stopped at the restaurant to eat, I noticed 
5 Tennessee State Troopers having a meeting next to the silo at the crossroads. 
 

  After lunch, I noticed they were gone and I decided to go down to Quarry Bog 
again.  About a half hour later I am arriving back at the "crossroads" of the 
valley.  I start turning right onto highway 421 when I notice one of the State 
Troopers had pulled over a driver.  Seeing the traffic stop reminded me that I 
didn't have my seatbelt on so I quickly put it on.  I travel a bit farther 
toward Holston Mountain when I notice another State Trooper coming toward me 
with his lights on.  I start slowing down and trying to figure out what he is 
doing.  We slowly pull up next to each other and he says 

  "Sir, Could you pull over please?"  

  "Um...Yes, sir" was my reply.

  I back off the road, turn off my engine, and put my hands out my downed 
window like Dave Worley taught me to do so the officer can see my hands until 
he gets to my car.  It doesn't take him long to come over to my car and I 
notice as he is walking over, he notices my seat belt on.  

  "Sir, the officer back there," says the officer as he points to the officer 
who had pulled over the other car, "says that when you passed him you didn't 
have your seat belt on.  I need to see you license, vehicle registration, and 
proof in insurance please."

  Me being mostly an honest soul says, " Yes sir, I had just pulled out not too 
far back and when I saw the officer it reminded me to put it on."   He replies, 
 "It doesn't matter, you should have it on all the time."  

  Don't get me wrong, the guy was nice enough and he was right.  But being 
pulled over for a seatbelt violation via radio transmission?  Something more 
has to be going on there.

  So I took my lumps, paid my $10, and get to wear a stupid vest that says 
"Seatbelt Violator" while picking up trash all for being pulled over with my 
seat belt on.  OK, I made that last bit about the vest and the trash but it 
reminded me of that Arlo Guthrie song (I made a small change in the 
lyrics).....What are you in for Kid? Not wearing my seatbelt....and they all 
moved over on the group "W" bench.  And creating a nuisance...and they all came 
back and we had a good ol time on the group "W" bench....

  I went back to Shady Valley this weekend and the lady who was working the 
store part of the store/restaurant informed me further what was going on.  
According to her, someone in the Valley has a lot of pull and complained a lot 
about the growing motorcycle riding population through Shady Valley on the 
weekends.  The State of Tennessee has come up with about $30,000 to have 4-5 
State Troopers in Shady Valley every weekend from April - October monitoring 
for any and all violation they see.  Again according the corner gas lady, the 
could even be for a loud muffler. She went on, "one of the troopers are getting 
a camera so they don't to chase the motorcycles through the mountains and 
another trooper is getting trained with the drug sniffing dog."  They 
apparently mean business for the booming metropolis of Shady Valley.

  So to conclude this Public Service Announcement, and remember while you are 
birding - wear your seatbelt.  If you are in Shady Valley this summer - make 
sure your seatbelt is on (birding or not), make sure you license plate is not 
out of date, check to see if all your papers are where you can easily get to 
them (insurance/registration), don't forget your wallet or purse, cross your 
fingers and toes, and hold your breath.

  This has been a Public Service Announc ement paid for by Rob Biller to the 
State of Tennessee (via Mountain City) in the amount of $10 and 25 minutes of 
time.

  Thank You and good birding. 

  Rob Biller
  Elizabethton, TN

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