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Community eases rule against motorcycling
©Associated Press
November 26, 2002
JACKSONVILLE -- Bill Francisco has to push his 483-pound Harley-Davidson a half-mile before firing up the motorcycle's engine.
The reason: The Woods community, an Arlington subdivision where Francisco lives, does not allow motorcyclists to ride anywhere on its private roads, even if they own homes there.
But the rules are about to change. Effective Jan. 1, homeowners and their spouses will be allowed to ride the machines straight out of their driveway -- provided they pay $125 for the privilege and pass a safety inspection.
"They think if you have a motorcycle, you're like a Hell's Angel; you're not a decent person," said Francisco, a 44-year-old airline pilot, of some of his neighbors. He says he has been harassed to the point that eggs have been thrown at his home by people opposed to his bike.
For decades, motorcycles and mopeds have been banned in the community, mainly because some think that motorcycle users in the area lower property values and promote other problems, including excess noise.
Sometimes, even pushing the bikes isn't enough to appease the antimotorcycle residents.
John Camlin, a 52-year-old car sales manager, said, "I've had an old lady coming the other way stop her car, roll the window down, point her finger and say, 'You're not supposed to ride your bike in here."' He was pushing his cycle at the time.
Steve Thomaston, president of the homeowners association, said the new, more tolerant policy toward motorcycle owners would be reviewed regularly and might be repealed if residents complain.
"We're going to see how it works," he said. "If it doesn't work, we're going to change it back. The people that ride the motorcycles will make or break this."
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