From: allyn@netcom.com (Mark Allyn)
Subject: Massachusetts Regististry of Motor Vehicles & bicycles
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 92 20:31:28 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Keywords: bicycles, registry McGlaughin

Regarding my postings about bicycles and the Mass. Registry of Motor
Vehicles - 

I quickly became aware that a number of you were a little confused at me
for posting my articles in your local newsgroup from my location here
in Washington State through a machine in California. 

Well, I should have mentioned a little background of myself and why I 
posted what I posted where I posted. 

First of all, I was raised in Winchester, Mass. My family name is Allyn, and
we lived on Crescent road back in the sixties. I loved to ride my bicycle 
around Winchester when I was a child and have had no problems with traffic,
thrown objects, and all of the other stuff that you folks mentioned. This
is fine and dandy and I have no doubt that many of you have done the same
in your childhood years before you were able to get your drivers' licenses.
In addition, I either rode my bike, if there was no snow, or walk otherwise 
to partake in a a 90 customer three square mile paper route that started at
4:30 in the morning. This was in eastern Winchester around Highland Ave,
Mason St. and Prospect. In addition, I used to commute every Saturday, via
bicycle, from Winchester to Medford Square to work at Nobo's TV shop (which
is now closed but some of you may remember it). Again, I had no trouble with
traffic, thrown objects, police harassment, or whatever. 

In my early teen years, I relised that I did not need a driver's license to
survive in this world and so what if I did not have one. I would concentrate
on my hobbies in electronics and bicycling and not push to get my license
at the instant I became of age.

That was that until my older brother was set to get his license when he
became 16. He was looking forward to it when he was 15. I can still see
the anticipation in his eyes as he looked forward to his beginner's permit.
What happened to him and every other 15 year old at that time (about 1965)
would convince me never to get a license until I absolutely need it and
convinced me that the Registry and the Registrar, who was a Mr. McGlaughin
at that time were not angels.

Out of the blue, the Registry changed the age from 16 to 17 for a license
and likewise the learner's permit age from 15 1/2 to 16 1/2. This was torture
to my older brother and many other kids. I can still remember the tears in 
his eyes. This was bad enough.

What really turned me off was later I learned that the Registry did this
under the personal direction of Mr. McGlaughin. Furthermore, Mr. McGlaughin
did this because rumor from several sources had it that he had a personal 
dislike leaning toward hatred of teenagers. There were even whispers
that maybe he had a rough childhood of his own as a teenager and took
it out on every teenager in the state through his official capacity as
Registrar. It would be interesting if any of you personnaly knew Mr.
McGlaughin and could verify whether or not this was true.

Anyhow, when this happened, I said to myself, this is it. No license and
no chance for them to get any of my money unless I absolutely had to
get a license. As it turned out, I did not get a license until I graduated
from college at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1976 when I was 24 years
old. That license was in the state of Maine.

Later, out of curiosity, while walking from North Station to the Science
Museum in Boston, I stopped in and took a look around the headquarters of
the Registry which is located at 100 Nashua Street. The place is a claptrap,
rat infested, falling apart firetrap! I did not feel safe in there and I
immediately left. If registration fees and vehicle taxes were supporting
this craphole, I wanted no part of it. Until these folks clean up their act,
get better law enforcement, and get rid of the deadwood, I will continue
to advocate boycotting them!!

Truly Yours

Mark Allyn