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We Believe GWRRA is anInternational AssociationHaving just read the January 2009 issue, Iwould like to comment on TalmorSuchard’s letter (“Readers’ Rides”, “IsGWRRA Really an International Association”,page 10) about GWRRA and Wing World notbeing international enough.Being a Danish guy, of course I do understandTalmor’s point of view. However, I amvery satisfied with GWRRA’s conclusion:Thatit will remain largely focused on the USA.The reason why I have subscribed toGWRRA/Wing World for several years isexactly because of all the American subjectsin Wing World. And also because of theextremely positive atmosphere you have inyour magazine and in your organization.I am a great fan of both your country andyou American people. I visit your country asoften as possible and enjoy driving a (rented)motorcycle there—until now mostly in theWest and the South. In fact, in 2006 I drovecross-country from Daytona, Florida, to LosAngeles together with some Danish friends. Itwas a fantastic experience.I subscribe to six different motorcyclemagazines, and Wing World is absolutely thebest because of the above-mentioned reasons.If I wanted to read more aboutEuropean, Israeli, or African motorcycle culture,I simply would subscribe to magazinesfrom those countries. And, actually, I neverread articles about these subjects when WingWorld contains such.What I think could be interesting to readabout in Wing World—both for youAmericans and for us foreigners—is what weforeigners experience when we travel in yourcountry. That would also harmonize withyour main idea and could add some differentand new points of view to the stories. Suchstories could also contain cultural differences,such as what Talmor asks for.To follow that idea, I will soon write anarticle about some of my experiences frommy motorcycle trips in the U.S. and what kindof reflections they have caused a 50-year-oldDanish guy.Mogens JoergensenGWRRA #246297Ringsted, DenmarkHi, I would like to respond to TalmorSuchard’s letter (“Readers’ Rides”, “IsGWRRA Really an International Association”,We reserve the right to edit or excerptReaders’ Responses. Send typed, dated andsigned letters to “Readers’ Responses,” WingWorld, P.O. Box 42450, Phoenix, AZ 85080-2450 or by email to editor@gwrra.org.page 10). With all due respect, yes, I thinkGWRRA is an international association.We (my wife and I) are Members ofGWRRA, and we live in Tijuana, Mexico. Sincewe joined GWRRA, they have been morethan kind and helpful, especially CA-1F, whichis the Chapter that we ride with when we goto the USA.I have written to Wing World severaltimes, and they always answer my questions.They even put in an article that I wrote tothem (June 2008, page 12), and they put inanother one from fellow Member Ody Pondfrom Saudi Arabia, and one from ISR-A inIsrael.In all fairness, GWRRA is doing its best topublish all of us. However, I will grant you thatmost of our fellow Members don´t knowhow hard it is to own a Gold Wing in a foreigncountry. I know about this; I own a 1988GL1500 and had to pay $7,900 (U.S.) for it(with a salvage title, over 115,000 miles on it,and several broken parts). Plus, the Mexicangovernment charged me over $1,800 (U.S.)tax to put Mexican plates on it. And gettingparts is very difficult, as are gas prices (about$3.80 to 4.28 (U.S.) per gallon).So yes, you could say that I know whatTalmor is talking about. But all of that is nothingcompared to the acts that our GWRRAfamily does on a daily basis and the friendshipthat they offer you, me, and anyone.These arefrom the heart. [If in doubt, please see thestory I just sent to the “International News &Views” section of this issue, (page 22)].And please remember our motto of“Friends for Fun, Safety, and Knowledge”. Tome, it is just what it says.Javier & Betty ChavezGWRRA #289717Tijuana, MexicoAlternative forEmergency Contact InfoIpicked up a copy of Wing World a coupleweeks ago and enjoyed it immensely. Itbrought back many memories of riding my1957 Indian. (And yes, I still have it.)The issue I was reading was October of2007, and the “In the Zone” editorial (“FullCircle: A Plea for Safety Gear”, page 4) andthe article by Lynn Dailey (“In Case ofEmergency: Why Contact Info is ImportantEven on a Group Ride”, page 31) has promptedme to write.There is an organization called “Next ofKin Registry” (www.nokr.org) that warehousesall the truly important data neededshould you be in an accident. Even if you areconscious, do you know your blood type?Most people don’t!You can check out this site on the Web. Itis free, you can register online, and the onlyones able to access the information are lawenforcement, medical personnel, and hospitals(they have an access code, thus keepingyour information confidential). It is also usedby the U.S. military.Misty LenzHermanville, MississippiJust My Opinion:Headlight Modulators Stink!Iam going to disagree not with DougRoberts (“Just One Person: My ModulatingHeadlight Trial”, November 2008, page 69)but with the Federal and Florida State Statutesthat allow the use of headlight modulators.The issue here is safety. The only personthat the headlight modulators help is the personriding the bike that has them.The dangeris from the distraction it causes. It draws others’attention off the road and onto the lights.You can see these lights for miles, and I don’tthink car drivers should be distracted for thatlength of time. The outcome could be disastrous.And as a rider myself, I don’t like bikeswith modulators coming at me or behind me.My experience shows riding in front of someonewith modulators is very distracting! I thinkthat only emergency vehicles should havethem and that they may even cost more livesthan they save. Aren’t daytime headlights andalert motorcycle drivers enough?I’ve been riding 45 years, and I’ve learnednot to irritate potential road rage idiots. Hadthe author been riding with his modulatorbehind the judge on the judge’s way to thecourthouse that day, the ticket might not havebeen dismissed. Just my opinion.Freddy DomingueGWRRA #179759Nederland,Texas●10 Wing World