In the next few weeks, you’ll be reading a lot about May being Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. One group felt that the best way to start this month off was by having a motorcycle run and a pancake breakfast to improve awareness.
Luzerne County ABATE Chapter President Dave Corby said that what they are working on right now to help motorists to pay attention to motorcyclists is the “Look Twice Save a Life Motorcycles are Everywhere” yard signs. You will see many of these signs popping up as we move into riding season. Despite the weather that we’ve been having up until now, it’s not been great riding weather. As the weather improves the number of motorcyclists will increase. Now is really the time to really start being on the lookout as you drive.
When I asked him what makes him most proud of his work with ABATE, Corby said, “Teaching my children to get involved and standing up for what you think is right or a worthy cause. With being involved with ABATE, my two children have learned it takes a lot of hard work and determination to accomplish/organize successful events.”
So what is ABATE? It stands for Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education, its mission statement reads, “An Alliance of Bikers dedicated to the protection of the individual rights of motorcyclists through political change, charitable works and public education.” You can see from some of the issues mentioned before that they do indeed take their work seriously.
One issue that I can really get behind is the issue of distracted drivers. We have all heard stories of people having accidents because of distracted driving. Texting, being on the phone and even reading the newspaper while driving can lead to serious accidents. One of the most common reasons for motorists having accidents with motorcycles is “I didn’t see them.”
The yard signs and other work that ABATE participates in tries to educate bikers and motorists alike to the dangers of not being totally focused on their driving. Bikes are way too easy to miss if you’ve only got 75 percent of your attention on the road.
What is important about May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month?
“May being declared Motorcycle Awareness Month is a simple reminder that we are out there, and we have the same rights on the road as any other vehicle,” Corby stated.
Biker’s rights are protected. On its website, abatepa.org, you can see that emphasized. One of the issues at stake here is the helmet law. Currently, in Pennsylvania, riders are not required by law to wear a helmet as in some neighboring states like New York and Virginia. ABATE states, “It was never about the helmet, it was about the choice.” While I personally believe that everyone should wear a helmet, Corby argued that it is about having the choice to wear or not wear a helmet.
After the pancake breakfast, those riders that chose to were treated to a wonderful ride to meet up with the ABATE of Pa. Pike County Chapter for its annual chicken barbecue. Corby said that anyone can contact them either on the website mentioned above or via their Facebook page. No matter where you live, there is a local chapter of ABATE near enough.
Some other tips to think about as more bikers take to the roads: Obey all road signs — even the yield signs, stay off the dang phone, and my favorite: Stay on your side of the yellow lines. The lines are there to separate the road into two driving lanes; one for you, and one for oncoming vehicles. One other point is that this riding season will see many more sponsored runs going on. Be patient, and pay attention to the traffic control people as they are out there to make everyone safe.
So as we move into the riding season of 2011, let’s make it a safe year for all people who share the road. So read the signs, and practice looking twice — it may save a life. Motorcycles are indeed everywhere!
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