Southwest Chapter of ABATE of Florida May 2011 Newsletter

MAY 2011 Volume XLV, Issue XI

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Presidents Message

Membership Report

Renewals

Events

Legislative Report

Biker Bytes

Minutes

Calendar

Southwest Chapter Meeting on Sunday, May 22nd, 2011

VICTORY LANE CAFÉ 10 AM ~ BOARD NOMINATIONS

RENEWALS ON PAGE 9 - ARE YOU DUE TO RENEW ?

MAY 2011 GOV DECLARES MOTORCYCLE SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH

ABATEof Florida, Inc.

Southwest Chapter PO BOX 60745 • Fort Myers, FL 33906

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Name _________________________________________________________ Mailing Address: _________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip Code ________________________________________________________ Email Address: ____________________________________________ Phone: _______________________________ (Include Area Code) May we use your phone number for our phone tree? YES NO

Are you a registered Voter? YES NO

Please Lister your voting districts from your Voter Registration Card:

_________ FL House _________ FL Senate _________ US Congress Name of Chapter you wish to join _________________________________________________

Select ONE of the following:

____New/Renewal - Annual Membership Due $20.00

____ Lifetime Membership $ 150.00

____ Transfer Membership to: ____________________________________________________

____ Change of Address: ________________________________________________________ Signature __________________________________________________ Date: ____________ Sponsored by Chapter Member : _________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER USE

Dues Paid by □ Cash □ Check □ Money Order

Mailed Date: Membership Card _________________________

Copy of By Laws _________________________

Membership Expiration _________________________

Memberships are open to anyone 18 years of age or older All members receive with their paid membership a membership card, our bi-monthly Masterlink magazine, Chapter Newsletter,

Chapter voting privileges and personal involvement in Statewide legislative actions and their freedom to ride

SOUTHWEST CHAPTER OF ABATE OF FLORIDA, INC. PG. 2

ABATE OF FLORIDA, INC.

MISSION STATEMENT WHO WE ARE

We are a non-profit organization of motorcycle en-thusiasts from all walks of life. We lobby and educate the government and the general public to promote motorcycling in a safe and positive image. We en-deavor to enlist the cooperation and participation of all organizations and individuals that share a similar interest in preserving our American tradition of FREE-DOM. We promote motorcycle safety, training, & po-litical awareness. We ARE NOT A CLUB OR A GANG. We fund our work through toy runs, poker runs, campouts, and other motorcycle activities. We are your neighbors & friends who work, pay taxes, and get involved with our community. We serve and sup-port our country and believe in freedom. We use all legal means to protect our rights without infringing on the rights of others.

OUR GOALS

To become a powerful and viable political force in legislative matters concerning the motorcyclist.

To promote the safe riding habits without infringing on individual freedoms.

To motivate the bikers to write letters to their legisla-tors before, during, and after the legislative session.

To furnish our members with a newsletter to keep all bikers informed in regards to upcoming legislation.

Disclaimer:

The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of ABATE of Florida, Inc. and or the Southwest Chapter. This publication allows members to express their beliefs and opin-ions. ABATE of Florida, Inc. and Southwest Chapter accept no responsibility for the comments, opinions or views contained in this newsletter.

Please direct correspondence in reference to this publication to:

Frankie M. Kennedy Sr. (cell) 239 849 9065 (fax) 239 772 3320

Donations to ABATE of Florida, Inc. are not deductible for Federal Tax

Purposes.

ABATE of Florida, Inc. © 2010 ABATE of Florida, Inc. Southwest Chapter • All Rights Reserved

ABATE of Florida, Inc. and the Southwest Chapter do not condone drink-ing while riding or driving

IDENTIFICATION STATEMENT

SOUTHWEST CHAPTER MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ISSUE DATE: MAY 2011

PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY ABATE of Florida, Inc.

Southwest Chapter PO Box 60745

Fort Myers, FL 33906

PRESENTLY, MEMBER MATERIAL DEADLINE IS THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE EACH CHAPTER

MEETING FOR BOARD APPROVAL FOR SUBMISSIONS

NEW ADVERTISERS OR AD CHANGES MUST

BE SUBMITTED BY THE

15TH OF EACH MONTH

Southwest Chapter Meeting Schedule

May 22nd, 2011 @ 10 a.m. at

Victory Lane Café Located at

4150 Hancock Bridge Pkwy., North Fort Myers, FL 33903

239.995.0340


President’s Report

May 2011 From the desk of “The Chief”

As always I hope this newsletter finds all in good health and spirits.

Nominations for the June elections were opened at this last meeting there will be another round of nominations at our next chapter meeting please come out and support the Southwest chapter if you were ever interested in getting more involved …. Now would be a good time.

There are many open positions on the board of directors available this might be a consideration for some of our members just come out and get involved in this process.

As of this writing we are canceling our annual Bears for Bears event due to lack of interest, We at the Southwest chapter did a small Bears for Bears about a month ago with the preschool in Ft Myers and we had a deputy from the Sheriffs dept came by the school and picked up the bears from the preschoolers.

We have a few weekly events that all are wel-come to join we do a bike night at the Clubhouse on Santa Barbara on Tuesday nights and then the Tiki Hut in the Cape on Wednesday evening as well as Victory Lane Café in North Ft Myers on Hancock Brige Pkwy. Also on Wednesday eve-nings please come out and support our chapter as well as meet new people and enjoy yourself.

Ride Safe,

Frankie

THE FOLLOWING TAKEN FROM OUR STATE BYLAWS …….

ARTICLE IX – CHAPTER OFFICERS

A) The affairs of the Chapter are to be managed by the

Officers of the Chapter who shall be

elected a minimum of one year by the members of the

Chapter.

B) The Executive Officers of the Chapter shall be the

President, Vice-President, Secretary,

Treasurer. The Trustees of the Chapter shall be the

Sergeant at Arms, Membership,

Public Relations, Products, Newsletter, Two (2) State

Delegate/Legislative and Safety

Director. The Executive Officers and the Trustees of

the Chapter shall be collectively

known as the Chapter Board of Directors.

C) The term of office for the Chapter Board of Direc-

tors shall be for a minimum of one (1)

year or more, with no maximum number of consecu-

tive terms in office at the chapters

discretion. Chapter elections shall be held in June.

Chapter Board of Directors must be a

member in good standing to obtain and retain office.

D) THE DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT SHALL

BE:

1) To perform the duties of chairperson at all Chapter/

Board meetings.

2) To insure accomplishment of duties by other Chap-

ter Board members in the time

frame allotted.

3) Initiate such actions as are necessary to insure the

orderly operation of the

Chapter.

4) Act as spokesperson for the Chapter before all

Business, Government, and

Individual Organizations and Agencies.

5) Ex-Officio member of every committee.

6) Will appoint a pro-tem to fill a vacant position until

the next regular meeting

when the membership can vote on a person to fill the

vacant position.

7) Exception: Treasurer will be replaced by vote of the

membership only.

E) THE DUTIES OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

SHALL BE:

1) To act as assistant to the President and to perform

the duties thereof in the event

the President shall be incapable of performing those

duties.

2) Chairperson of all committees. -continued on page 6


ABATE of Florida, Inc.

Southwest Chapter PO Box 60745, Fort Myers, FL 33906

President Frank Kennedy 239.849.9065 [email protected] Vice President Wayne Cerra 239.989-3349 [email protected] Secretary Scott R. Turner 239-633-5765 [email protected] Treasurer Rob “Big Bird” Cran 239.997.2852 [email protected] Sergeant At Arms Bob “Burn Out Bob” Penn 239.573.6487 [email protected] Assistant Sergeant At Arms Pat Jablonski 203.232.2695 [email protected] Quartermaster Vic Piorkowski 239.823.6159 [email protected] Assistant Quartermaster Open Position Email Frankie in reference to this position @ [email protected] Safety Coordinator Alberta “Birdie” Clark 239.770.0096 [email protected] Safety Coordinator Earl “Smokey” Clark 239.770.0096 [email protected] Safety Coordinator Richard Mocny 504.232.9702 Legislative Ken “Teddybear” Miller 239.693.7035 [email protected] State Delegate Earl “Smokey” Clark 239.770.0096 [email protected] State Delegate Richard Mocny 504.232.9702 Alt. State Delegate Frank Kennedy 239.849.9065 [email protected] Alt. State Delegate Alberta “Birdie” Clark 239.770.0096 [email protected] Membership Trustee Open Position Email Frankie in reference to this position @ [email protected] Webmaster Taylor Musburger 239.334.1620 [email protected] Products Open Position Email Frankie in reference to this position @ [email protected] Advertising Rob “Big Bird” Cran 239.997.2852 [email protected] Vendor Wayne Cerra 239.541.8879 [email protected] Newsletter Editor Barbara L. Bardell 239-822-3272 [email protected] Photographer Taylor Musburger 239.334.1620 [email protected] PR/Communications Ken “Teddybear” Miller 239.693.7035 [email protected] Events Vice President Wayne Cerra 239.541.8879 [email protected] Chapter Chaplain Tom Provenzano 239.267.8641 [email protected] Road Captain Robb Rabell 239.458.3136 [email protected] Road Captain Vic Piorkowski 239.823.6159 [email protected]

HELP SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL MRO* *MOTORCYCLE RIGHTS ORGANIZATION

ABATE OF FLORIDA, INC. © 2010 ABATE of Florida, Inc. Southwest Chapter • All Rights Reserved

Donations to ABATE of Florida, Inc. are not deductible for Federal Income Tax Purposes

ABATE of Florida, Inc. and Southwest Chapter Does Not Condone Drinking and Driving

F) THE DUTIES OF THE SECETARY SHALL BE:

1) To act as recording Secretary at all Chapter/Board

of Directors meetings.

2) To insure completion of all Chapter correspon-

dence, reports and required forms in

a timely manner.

3) To receive, record and file records of all activities

and business transactions of the

Chapter. 9

G) THE DUTIES OF THE TREASURER SHALL BE:

1) To receive, record and account for all the Chapter’s

funds in accordance with

legal and Corporation policies.

2) To dispense Chapter funds in accordance with the

policies established by the

Chapter Board of Directors and to maintain records of

the same.

a) Withdrawals from the Chapter’s funds shall require

two (2) signatures and

the approval of the Chapter Board of Directors.

b) The President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary

and Sgt-at-arms shall

be authorized to sign checks.

c) No two (2) persons in the same household can sign

the same check.

d) The bearer of the check may not be one of the

counter signers.

3) Maintains and furnishes such financial records to

the Chapter Board of Directors

as may be required.

a) All financial reports must be sent to ABATE OF

FLORIDA, INC., and

must be mailed by the 5th of each month.

b) All financial reports must be accompanied by origi-

nal receipts, related

paper work and all money owed.

c) All financial reports must have the President’s and

Treasurer’s signature.

4) Notifies the Chapter Board of Directors if Chapter

funds fall below a minimum

operating balance.

H) THE DUTIES OF THE SERGEANT-AT-

ARMS TRUSTEE SHALL BE:

1) Be in charge of all security arrangements for any

and all Chapter events.

2) If unable to attend any scheduled event, shall notify

the President at the earliest

possible time.

3) Co-ordinate, maintain and secure all Chapter equip-

ment.

4) Perform additional duties as directed by the Presi-

dent or the Chapter Board of

Directors.

5) Co-ordinate with the State Sergeant-at-Arms at

State Events.

6) Responsible for annual inventory of all Chapter

property, to be submitted to the

State Sergeant-at-Arms before the December State

meeting.

I) THE DUTIES OF THE MEMBERSHIP TRUS-

TEE SHALL BE:

1) Work with the Treasurer, Secretary to maintain the

membership records of the

Chapter.

2) Co-ordinate with the State Membership Trustee.

3) Receive and maintain all Chapter membership ap-

plications and process same.

4) All membership reports must be mailed to ABATE

OF FLORIDA, INC. by the

5th of each month. If a Chapter has no membership ac-

tivity for the month a

negative report must be submitted.

5) Responsible to co-ordinate recruiting new mem-

bers, and arranging membership

drives.

6) Will give each new member a copy of these By-

laws at the time of their

membership.

7) Responsible for issuing membership cards indicat-

ing proper name and expiration

date.

J) THE DUTIES OF THE PUBLIC RELATIONS

TRUSTEE SHALL BE:

1) All copy is subject to Chapter Board of Directors

approval prior to release.

2) Acquire and issue news releases to the media.

3) Develop a database of information defining the me-

dia companies.

4) Develop and implement a system by which media

releases are issued to the

appropriate selected media. 10

5) Work with the State Public Relations Trustee to de-

velop a means of achieving

satisfactory local media coverage. -continued on page 8


Guidance of the Motorcycle Maker

Imagine the troubles of this world and the troubles

we've personally experienced, as well as those we

have seen...! And, think of all those situations

many of us are personally experiencing now!

They could involve the failures and trouble of fi-

nances, personal relationships, family, business

shut downs, unemployment, illness, foreclosures,

and law suits. And, the list goes on...

One thing is for certain, it all involves us as hu-

man beings, made by God.

But, just as we will easily go to the manufacturer

and/or its representative to resolve issues and

problems with our motorcycles, for some reason,

many of us will not go to our Maker to resolve and

seek guidance, involving what we are personally

going through. Perhaps we just have not thought

about doing that.

God became man, a human being, by sending His

son to be here. The Son of God experienced being

a human being, much like us. And, He probably

needed to deal with His humanness. Therefore,

don't you find it interesting that Jesus spent much

time with the Maker? In Mark 1:35, He spent

time praying/communicating with the father. In

Mark 6:45 and 46 , He went into the mountain and

prayed. In Mark 14:32 through 34, He fell to the

ground and prayed. In Luke 5:16, we find that He

often slipped into the wilderness to pray. In Luke

6:12, He spent the whole night in prayer. Then, in

Mark 1:12 and 13, He heads into the desert and

spent 40 days and 40 nights with God the Father.

Let's examine ourselves. When was the last time

we spent some serious time with God?

We did not make ourselves. Therefore, we cannot

know ourselves as well as God knows us.

Please let go and truly let God into your life! Turn

all those cares, worries, and concerns over to Him.

Jesus came not only to give us eternal life when

our physical body dies and we pass into eternity.

But, He came to give us life, more abundantly,

now.

Please pray. "Dear God, the God of Abraham,

Isaac, and Jacob, my heavenly Father, I confess

that I am a sinner and have been separated

from You. I ask forgiveness of my sins. I re-

pent and accept this gift of repentance. I con-

fess with my mouth that your son Jesus is my

savior and died for me. I believe in my heart

that You raised Him from the dead. I receive

Jesus into my heart and ask Him to become the

center of my life. Lord, please help me to learn

how to effectively pray and be able to commu-

nicate all that is going on in the life you have

given me. Teach me how to know your re-

sponse and guidance, through your Holy Spirit.

I ask, in the Name of Jesus. Amen."

Blessings,

Tom and Kathy Pastor Tom (Estero River ABATE Life Member and

Southwest Chapter Chaplain) and Pastor Kathy (SW

ABATE Life Member - Foursquare Chaplain)-

www.messiahsmessengers.org or

[email protected] 239-267-8641


DEAR FELLOW ABATE MEMBERS

http://www.messiahsmessengers.org

mailto:[email protected]

6) Provide reports on activities to the Chapter Board

of Directors.

K) THE DUTIES OF THE PRODUCTS TRUS-

TEE SHALL BE:

1) Orders, inventories and distributes all Chapter prod-

ucts.

2) Submit an annual physical inventory with the De-

cember financial report.

3) Responsible for the collection of all product money,

and remit proceeds of the

same, with expense report to the Chapter Treasurer on

a monthly basis.

L) THE DUTIES OF THE NEWSLETTER TRUS-

TEE SHALL BE:

1) To be responsible for printing, publishing, and

mailing a newsletter to all

members, and complimentary issues to interested par-

ties.

2) To have extra newsletters printed for events, func-

tions, and for promoting


3) To select material for the newsletter so as to portray

a positive image of ABATE

OF FLOIRDA, INC. to the general public.

4) To obtain advertising for the newsletter and remit

proceeds of the same, with

expense reports to the Treasurer on a monthly basis.

M) THE DUTIES OF THE SAFETY DIRECTOR

TRUSTEE SHALL BE:

1) To be responsible for the overall operation of the

chapter level Motorcycle Safety

Awareness Program (MSAP).

2) To work with other chapter members and the State

Safety Director to further

motorcycle safety with the state.

3) To coordinate chapter activities with the designated

Assistant Regional Safety

Directors in furthering the MSAP.

4) Remit expense reports to the chapter Treasurer on

an as required basis for

expenses directly related to the MSAP.

5) To identify, train and develop individual chapter

MSAP instructors.

N) THE DUTIES OF THE STATE DELEGATE

AND OR LEGISLATIVE TRUSTEE

SHALL BE:

1) To attend all the regular and special State Meetings.

a) Distribute all paperwork to the appropriate Officers.

b) Responsible (by signature) for the delivery of Life

Member card to the

member.

2) To keep the Chapter informed on all State and Na-

tional news.

3) To work with the State Legislative Trustee on all

related items. ■

SOUTHWEST CHAPTER

LIFE MEMBERS

Keith Baker Darrell Barnett Denee Bartels Scott Blink Chet Butz James Burkholder Nora Burkholder Don Campbell Frances Cazes Wayne Cerra Jonathan Conant Terry Covington Audrey Cran Maggie Cran Rick Cran Rob Cran Robert “Cruz” Crusan Ginny D’Asti Biffle Davis Mary Dicenzo-Porter Al Diagiaco Frank Disomma Cindy Doak

Randy Eck Brian Galvin Sonny Gartrell Lynnda Gray Bob Hall Harry Hoover George Huttman Susan “Red” Huttman Dan Jackson Cindy “CJ” Jordan Frankie Kennedy John Kennedy

Ed LaCombe “KD” Marlowe Russell May Rev.Rea Means Don Meredith Jr. Jo Ann Miller Kenneth Miller Jim Mozeleski Terry Padilla Bob Penn Asuncsion Peppers Richard Peppers Kathleen Provenzano

Rev. Thomas Provenzano Bill Robinson Janet Rolfe Tabitha Rossi Roland Salsberry Jencye Schmitt Jerry Schmitt Bruce Scheiner Elsie Seif Robert Simon Kelly Smith Richard Stergulz Sandy Stergulz Grandpa Stewart Lynda Stewart Scott Turner Ruth Vorys Teresa Webster D. Payton Wells Michael Wieland Jama Wyatt Steve Wyatt


SOUTHWEST Chapter Member-

ship Report by Wayne Cerra

5 new members, 2 renewing

and 25 up for renewal in next

30 days.

WELCOME THESE NEW

MEMBERS

March 2011

Vincent Panipinto, Naples

Tony Allen, N. Ft Myers

Tom Danicarte, Manheim, PA

April 2011

Louis Louchart, N Ft Myers

Renee Renna, Cape Coral

RENEWING MEMBERS FOR

APRIL

Robert Speakman, Ft Myers,

Frankie Story, Cape Coral

DUE to RENEW

John Adams, 5/11

Rob Assenzio, 5/11

Joel Bachhuber, 5/11

Alberta Clark, 5/11

Debbie Clark, 5/11

Earl Clark, 5/11

Dale Conrad, 5/11

Daniel Curry, 5/11

John Dahlgren, 5/11

Shane Hanley, 5/11

Eddie Kibblin, 5/11

Eunice Kibblin, 5/11

Ernest Maroon, 5/11

Sharon Merchant, 5/11

Rob Rabell, 5/11

Trudy Rabell, 5/11

Tommy Redding, 5/11

George Riden, 5/11

Penny Severnce, 5/11

Bob Stubbins, 5/11

James Taylor, 5/11

Sara Van Nostrand, 5/11

Nic Weber, 4/11

Lester Wohlers, 4/11

Allen Jon Wolf, 5/11


LEGISLATIVE REPORT ~ May 2011

Good Morning Freedom Fighters,

From ABATE of Florida, Inc.

Darrin “Scribe” Brooks

Every Marine a rifleman!

I have heard this statement many times in my life, but it was the most recent time that it made me think of ABATE of Florida, Inc. Let me first pay my undying re-spect to all the people who have served this Country in both times of war and peace. Allow me to give recogni-tion to the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Na-tional Guard, and Merchant Marines, however, it is the USMC that I have always been most enamored. But I digress…

Every Marine a rifleman!

The saying emphasizes that every Marine, no matter what their MOS (military occupation specialty), is also trained infantry and with few exceptions they have to cer-tify annually with their rifle and physical fitness. Conse-quently, a Marine no matter what they do, must be ready to defend this country at a moments notice.

Every ABATE member a legislative warrior!

ABATE of Florida, Inc. has many jobs that must be done in order for the Chapter and organization as a whole to be successful and move forward. Just as every Marine is a rifleman, it should also be said that every ABATE member is a legislative warrior. No matter what your role is with ABATE of Florida, Inc., every one of you must be ready to fight for your rights and safety when needed. That time, my friends, is now. We are all counting on your help.

My thanks go out to all of you that have taken the time to call and/or write our legislators. I have heard that a cer-tain Representative has received hundreds of phone calls and many more e-mails. As of this writing, we are still fighting to get HB 403 on the House Transportation and Highway Safety Subcommittee. We will continue to fight until we emerge victorious or until the final bell tolls.

Now that we are coming up to the time of year when Chapter elections are being held, I encourage all of you to remember that despite the level of participation you choose in your Chapter or the State Board, you are all legislative warriors. With that in mind, I have dedicated the past year furthering your training on how best to fight

for your rights, so when the time comes you will be ready.

I leave you with the immortal words of Shakespeare’s Henry V before the battle of Agincourt:

“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition: And gentlemen in England now a-bed shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."

I was not around eleven years ago when you won the right to choose how you ride, but I will be damned if I let this battle for stiffer penalties pass me by without doing my duty.

What do you say? Will you join me in this fight or will you be “accursed” because you choose to do nothing? Ulti-mately, this choice is once again, yours.

Good news, Our Senate Bill 608 passed out of it's last committee by a vote of 7-0. Sen. Joyner who gave us our only "no" vote in it's first committee, turned around and voted "yes" today. SB 608 is on it's way to the Sen-ate Floor for it's final vote.

As far as HB 403 goes, it ain't over till the hanky hits the floor. So keep letting YOUR House Representative know that you want them to vote yes on HB 403 / SB 608.

Recently the Governors Highway Safety Association re-leased their "study" that reported a decline in motorcycle deaths, YET, they say this is only because the use of helmets has risen. And to top it off they encourage all States to mandate helmet use. hummmmm.

At first glance you would think that the GHSA is directly related to all the State Governors. But, it is not......

Just so there is no confusion, please be aware that the GHSA is not an association of Governors, but a collec-tion of state safetycrats who are formed under a 501c3 umbrella. I have had to correct many people who are duped by the misleading name of this group.

Governors Highway Safety Association

What is GHSA?

GHSA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit representing the state and territorial highway safety offices that implement pro-grams to address behavioral highway safety issues.

Vision -CONTINUED ON PAGE 14


Hello future leaders and friends,

I trust everyone is enjoying this great weather we

have been having. Another month gone and one

month closer to elections. I ask each and every one

of you to reach down inside and take a look at what

you have done to help this chapter succeed. Now is

the time to step up and bring your chapter to the

forefront. As many of you are aware, this past year

has been tough on the economy, the chapter and

yes, you. Many homes and jobs have been lost. We

have lost a few friends and the chapter has lost

some of its membership. Elections are coming upon

us pretty fast. This chapter cannot run itself. Now is

the time to step up and make the most of it. All po-

sitions are open at this time. We had nominations

this past meeting and I am happy to announce that

many have been nominated but discouraged that it

is all the same people who have been running this

chapter for the past few years. Many of you have

expressed concerns about the chapter and now is

the time to step up and be recognized.

Thank you Frankie for bringing the chapter up to

date with the treasurer report and I will be working

on membership reports and yes, yearly pins.

On a lighter side, there are many events coming up

and again we could use your help. Feel free to call

me and let’s see where we can put your efforts. 239

-989-3349

I have been asked many times about chapter shirts,

patches and products. Thanks to Vic, Gator and

myself we will start selling products at Tuesday and

Wednesday nite bike nights. I will also look into

having chapter shirts made up. If you’re interested

in purchasing a t-shirt or a polo shirt with your

chapter logo, let me know.

Our next big event will be the 5 star event in July.

Please let’s show some enthusiasm and come out,

support the chapter. Remember, the chapter with

the most in attendance brings home the trophy, this

includes members, friends and anyone who comes

in and mentions Southwest chapter.

That’s all I have for this month. Come out and

nominate but more important, get out and vote.

Till next month, Keep the shiny side up

Wayne, VP

Safety Report

We are currently looking for a new Safety Coordi-

nator. At this time all classes are current.

Victor Piorkowski and Taylor Musburger are look-

ing into a Junior ABATE program.


Through GHSA leadership, partnerships and advocacy, States and Territories move toward zero deaths on the nation's roadways.

Mission

GHSA provides leadership and advocacy for the States and Territories to improve traffic safety, influence na-tional policy, enhance program management and pro-mote best practices.

Goals

1. Promote traffic safety as a national priority

2. Expand and deliver member support services

3. Develop new and strengthen existing partnerships

Ensure sufficient resources to support association ser-vices and priorities

GHSA Executive Board

GHSA is governed by an Executive Board consisting of officers as well as representatives and alternates from the 10 NHTSA regions.

Officers are elected by the membership and serve a term of one year. There can also be up to five at-large mem-bers.

News from the AMA –

U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) will re-introduce H. Res. 1498 at the beginning of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month on May 2. The resolution urges the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to concentrate on motorcycle crash prevention and rider education instead of lobbying state lawmakers to enact mandatory helmet laws, the American Motorcyclist Asso-ciation (AMA) reports.

The AMA applauds Sensenbrenner for re-introducing H. Res. 1498 and needs your help to get other Representa-tives to cosponsor the resolution. This resolution will help answer what the NHTSA is doing to prevent crashes from occurring in the first place and to make crash pre-vention the core of any motorcycle safety program. The best way to reach your Representative is to send him or her a pre-written e-mail immediately by following the "Take Action" option below and entering your informa-tion.

To date, Reps. Tom Petri (R-WI), Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Ron Paul (R-TX), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Tim Walberg (R-MI), and Walter Jones (R-NC) are original cosponsors.

To view AMA's press release on the resolution, amacy-cle.org.

From the Motorcycle Riders Foundation,

Washington, D.C.

Motorcycle Riders Foundation Testifies Before Con-gress

The US House of Representatives Committee on Trans-portation and Infrastructure held a historic two-day hear-ing March 29 and 30, 2011. The focus of the hearing was to gain valuable insight as the Committee drafts the next surface transportation reauthorization. The current legislation expired September 30, 2009 but has been on life support via a series of extensions that currently ex-pire September 30, 2011.

The hearings called in a record 40 witnesses over the two days. The lengthy list included union representa-tives, mass transit, taxi drivers, truck drivers, financing experts and, of course, a motorcycle safety specialist.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) was contacted by committee staff to bring an expert motorcycle safety witness. To accommodate the request, the MRF con-tacted long-time MRF supporter Senator Bob Letour-neau. Letourneau is a 15-year veteran of the New Hampshire legislator, who along the way chaired the New Hampshire House Transportation committee, as well as the New Hampshire Senate Transportation com-mittee. He now serves at the New Hampshire Depart-ment of Safety as the resident Motorcycle Safety Spe-cialist. He is also a recipient of the MRF's highest honor, the John "Farmer" Eggers award.

Senator Letourneau was the only motorcycle safety ex-pert on the witness list. His unique qualifications made him the perfect advocate for the expansion of the 2010 motorcycle safety grants. His testimony focused on the grant program, stressed its importance to the states, and urged the committee to keep the funds as they are now and not dilute the program to be used for frivolous pur-poses such as promotion of personal protective equip-ment, which was recently suggested by David Strickland, Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Ad-ministration (NHTSA).

The Subcommittee Chair John Duncan (R-TN) was es-pecially impressed with Senator Letourneau's testimony and personal observations concerning the validity of the New Hampshire rider education program. Letourneau cited a valuable and impressive and remarkable statistic, "Over ten years the New Hampshire rider education pro-gram has trained 23,000 students and out of the 23,000 students only 1 has been involved in a fatal crash, and

- CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/KNCNPNUPCF/BUGEPNUQSQ/6769897336

http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/KNCNPNUPCF/BDHKPNUQSR/6769897336

http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/KNCNPNUPCF/IZZCPNUQSW/6769897336

http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/KNCNPNUPCF/CALDPNUQSX/6769897336

http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/KNCNPNUPCF/BZPQPNUQSY/6769897336

http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/KNCNPNUPCF/JWMTPNUQSZ/6769897336

http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/KNCNPNUPCF/HLPDPNUQTA/6769897336

http://capwiz.com/amacycle/utr/1/KNCNPNUPCF/CTQQPNUQTB/6769897336


Motorcycle & Automotive REPAIRS

Quality Workmanship

FRANKIE KENNEDY 239.849.9065

Thank you for your support Of

The Southwest Chapter Of ABATE of Florida, Inc.

As always, the MRF will keep you up to date on this im-portant issue.

To read the written testimony go to:

www.mrf.org/pdf/2011-03-29%20Letourneau.pdf

US House Passes Bill to Limit EPA Power to Regu-late Green House Gasses

Thursday, April 7, the United States House of Represen-tatives passed a bill (HR 910) that would prohibit the En-vironmental Protection Agency from regulating green house gasses (GHGs) as an air pollutant. The most common GHG is water vapor followed by carbon dioxide otherwise known as CO2.

The bill would add a new section to the Clean Air Act (PL 101-549) exempting greenhouse gases from the EPA's purview, while repealing numerous agency actions to implement new emission restrictions.

The bill immediately effects all producers of GHGs ex-cept motor vehicles, including motorcycles.

The bill holds in place the existing motor vehicle rule from 2011 until 2016, but removes EPA''s authority to regulate greenhouse gases and issue rules on mobile sources after 2016, as it relates to GHGs. The bill also removes the waiver provided to California. Should the bill become law, it would strip the EPA's ability to limit tail-pipe emissions in 2016, until then all motor vehicles are subject the Agency's regulatory control.

However, the future of this bill is bleak as the Senate voted earlier this week on similar language and it failed.

The Kids Just Want to Ride, The Senate Version

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) has filed an amendment (S. 264) that replicates the House language (HR 412) that exempts youth motorcycles and ATVs from the Con-sumer Product Safety Commission's lead ban. The amendment, 1 of 104, is filed to the Small Business In-novation Research Reauthorization Act (S. 493). There is no way to know if and when the amendment will be called.

Call your Senators and ask them to vote 'yes' should it come up for a vote. You can reach the US Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.

Federal Highway Administration Undertakes Re-search into Motorcycle Safety

Recently the Motorcycle Riders Foundation participated in a project with the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The project is a "scan" of motorcycle safety programs and initiatives being carried out by States and

Organizations. The purpose of the "scan" is to gain in-sight into what's happening in the motorcycle safety community, what works and what else needs to be done. The individuals asking the questions, some of whom ride, are genuinely interested in making a difference and not just prescribing safety laws as a silver bullet. A full report will be available with a year.

Motorcycle Riders Foundation meets with US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation, along with a few members of ABATE of IL, recently met with the nation's highest ranking transportation official, United States De-partment of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. La-Hood also had his top safety staffer, National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland in on the meeting.

The MRF urged Strickland and LaHood to back off on the controversial motorcycle-only roadside checkpoints recently funded by the Agency. Administrator Strickland did his best to defend the checkpoints. Other topics of discussion included asking Strickland to change his 2012 budget request, specifically the modification to what is now known as the 2011 motorcycle safety grant pro-gram. In Strickland's budget request, he asked that the program be opened up to not only fund rider education and share the road campaigns but also be used for hel-met use promotion and helmet use promotion laws.

The MRF told Strickland that if he wants to fund helmet campaigns to please find another pot of money to raid, as this program was created by motorcyclists for motor-cyclists. Out of his $850 million dollar budget request to attack this $7 million dollar program is just wrong. Cer-tainly, he could find another source of cash for his hel-met hunt. The MRF does have some praise for Strick-land, He recently successfully completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic Rider Course. He had good things to say about the experience and now has a deeper sense of value for proper and affordable rider training.

The group then encouraged LaHood to reinstate the Mo-torcycle Advisory Council, whose charter ended last fall. LaHood seemed willing to do so. The Council had met twice a year for four years and advised the Secretary on infrastructure issues as they relate to motorcycling.

The MRF looks forward to continuing to work with Secre-tary LaHood and his staff in the future.

Motorcycle Fatalities Drop in 2010


The Motorcycle Riders Foundation has been informed of a report that will be released at midnight April 19th by the Governors' Highway Safety Association. The report takes a close look at preliminary highway fatality data for the States. The report which examines data for the first three quarters of 2010 shows motorcyclists fatalities dropped two percent. A similar report released last year had motorcyclists deaths down ten percent.

It is not known what the fourth quarter will bring but the first two had significant drops and the third had a slight increase.

The same report also indicated that overall use of DOT helmet use had risen by thirteen percent.

On a call with journalists, MRF Vice President of Govern-ment Relations said "if you want to increase DOT helmet use, abolish mandatory helmet law, forcing helmets onto motorcyclists against their will pushes them to purchase the lightest, smallest helmet that can be found and are

often times not DOT compliant." "Furthermore most hel-met law States do not require a DOT helmet."

The MRF will publish the full report when it is available.

See you in the wind,

„TEDDYBEAR‟

Southwest Chapter Abate Meeting

Minutes. April 17th 2011

Frankie Kennedy- President Wayne Cerra- VP Treasurer- Rob “Big Bird” Cran Secretary- Scott Turner Sgt, at Arms- Burnout Bob ex-cused 11 Members- 1 Guest

PRESIDENT‟S REPORT: Frankie called the meeting to order at 10:20 AM with Pledge and moment of silence. Frankie informed chapter that Marsha, Burnout Bob‟s wife has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and to keep her in our prays. Swamp Fest is looking for a new site, Shell factory is out. Nominations for elected positions are today, next month and June. New bike night has started on Tuesdays at Santa Bar-bara Club House. This is one of our advertisers, please support. Wayne has stepped up to catch up membership but welcomes help. Rob has caught up all the treasurer‟s reports and we are current. We just beat the deadline. Anyone not getting the newsletter by e-mail please up-date your e-mail with any board member. Hogs and Rods moving forward and will be held on De-cember 4th 2011. State Police supported motor cycle safety this year up in Tallahassee. VP‟s REPORT: Bears for Bears is in need of a venue and the board is looking for ideas. We are looking at starting at Victory Lane. This will be a poker run the weekend before Memorial Day. We are looking at May 22nd after our monthly meeting. 5 Star will be held at Corkscrew General Store again this year. It will be July 29th through July 31st. This year‟s theme is 11 years of freedom of choice. West Coast Chapter is now a member of the 5 Star. The name will not be changed. There will be designated camping for those with children under 18. Gate fee is $15. or $20. for the weekend. Weekend will be full of events includ-ing bike rodeo put on by West Coast. Each chapter‟s sgt at arms will be responsible for security. Next 5 Star meeting will be 3rd Saturday in May after Peace Rivers Run a Muck. Keep an eye on newsletter for more. There will also be a flyer in newsletter. July 9th and 10th will be the board seminars. Details to

follow. We are looking into Chapter shirts so we can show sup-port for our chapter. We will be riding down to Gator Alleys Mash Bash. Look for details in newsletter. Next State meeting will be at Black Creek. Rick Scott proclaimed May as motor cycle safety month. Please check out stiffer penities update in the newslet-ter. There are also press releases in the newsletter. SECRATARIES REPORT: Scott asked for a motion to accept the March minutes as written in the newsletter, Bab‟ s made motion and Gator seconded. Motion pasted. TREASURERS REPORT: We are current and waiting state approval. SARGENT AT ARMS REPORT: Burnout Bob excused, no report. MEMBERSHIP: Wayne is catching up reports. Position open at this time, looking for someone to step up. NEWS LETTER: If you are not receiving your newsletter on line by e-mail please make sure to send her an e-mail and put add to e-mail list in the subject line. Every-thing going in newsletter needs to be to Barbara by Wednesday after meeting. New ads must be turned in a week before meeting to get board approval. LEGISLATIVE: HB 403 was dead 1 week before ride on the Capitol. SB 608 is not expected to pass. No stiffer penalties bill again this year. WEB SITE: Please check out web site as it is being up-dated by Taylor. SAFTEY: No report OLD BUSINESS: None New Business: Nominations for President were open, the following were nominated: Frankie Kennedy, Burn-out Bob, and Vic Piorkowski. Nominations were closed. Nominations were opened for VP, the following were nominated: Wayne Cerra, Scott Turner. Nominations were closed Nomination were opened for Treasurer, the following were nominated: Rob Cran Todd KC Burns. Nomina-tions were closed. Nominations were opened for Secretary, the following were nominated: Scott Turner, Todd KC Burns. Nomi-nations were closed. Nominations for Sergeant of Arms were opened, the following were nominated: Burnout Bob Penn, Gator and Pat Jablonski. Nominations were closed. Nomina-tions for Membership Director were opened, the follow-ing were nominated: Kelly Smith, Keith Baker, Larry

MEETING MINUTES

MISSION STATEMENT


WHO WE ARE . . .

We are a non-profit organization of motorcy-

cle enthusiasts from all walks of life. We

lobby and educate the government and the

general public to promote motorcycling in a

safe and positive image. We endeavor to

enlist the cooperation and participation of all

organizations and individuals that share a

similar interest in preserving our American

tradition of FREEDOM. We promote motor-

cycle safety, training, & political awareness.

We ARE NOT A CLUB OR A GANG. We

fund our work through toy runs, poker runs,

campouts, and other motorcycle activities.

We are your neighbors & friends who work,

pay taxes, and get involved with our commu-

nity. We serve and support our country and

believe in freedom. We use all legal means to

protect our rights without infringing on the

rights of others.

OUR GOALS . . .

To become a powerful and viable political force in

legislative matters concerning the motorcyclist.

To promote the safe riding habits without infringing

on individual freedoms.

To motivate the bikers to write letters to their legis-

lators before, during, and after the legislative ses-

sion.

To furnish our members with a newsletter to keep all

bikers informed in regards to upcoming legislation.

SUPPORT YOUR

CHAPTER EVENTS


Dobransky. Nominations were closed. Nominations for Legislative Rep / PR were opened, the following were nominated. Ken Teddy Bear Miller. Nominations were closed. Nominations opened for Newsletter, the following were nominated: Barbara Bardell. Nominations were closed. Nominations for Safety Director were opened, the following were nominated: Frankie Kennedy, Vic

Piorkowski Nominations for Web Master were opened, the following were nominated: Taylor Musburger. Nominations were closed. Good of the order: Motion to adjourn Barb Bardell, second Ray Walters, motion carried. Meeting adjourned 11:25 AM ■


Our Brothers and Sisters of

Estero River - Chapter Events

Red White & Blue Bash June 19th, 2011 San Carlos Country Club Celebration of incoming/outgoing board/ poker run

5 Star Event July 29th, 2011 All 5 SW Florida Chapters host this event. Corkscrew Country Store 3 Day Event

Southwest Chapter of ABATE of Florida, Inc.

5 Star Event July 29th, 2011 All 5 SW Florida Chapters host this event. Corkscrew Country Store 3 Day Event

Southwest Chapter Birthday Party Sunday, September 25th, 2011 Details to be determined Christmas Run Sunday, December 11th, 2011 Details to be determined

Our Caring Circle will be posted each month.

This month please keep in your thoughts and prayers the following members and

their loved ones.

Burnout Bob and Marsha Penn 239.573.6487

Teddy Bear [email protected] Brenda Berg (823-2173),

Lyn & Rob Assenio, Trudy & Robb Rabell (458-3136),

Jim Rosser (283-5301) Theresa Baker (549-3409)

A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT AND THANKS

TO OUR LOCAL EVENT PROMOTERS

FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR MRO





Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 CLUBHOUSE GRILLE BIKE NIGHT TUES. 6-10 P.M.

4 5 6 MASH

BASH

Flyer page 41

7 OKEECHOBEE BIKE FEST 9-? Flagler Park


11 SW Chapter Bike Night Tiki Hut & Victory Lane

12 13 14 Last Bike Night of the Season FORT MYERS

15 HARLEY

DAVIDSON FT MYERS

RIBS, RIDES & RESCUERS SEE FLYER PG 36

16 17 CLUBHOUSE GRILLE BIKE NIGHT TUES. 6-10 P.M.


19 20 21 PEACE RIVER RUN- A-MUCK Fri - Sun

22 Chapter Meeting Nominations



26 27 28


RUN A MUCK MAY 20TH

May 2011

CHAPTER MEETING MAY 22, 2011 VICTORY LANE

BOARD NOMINATIONS

SOUTHWEST CHAPTER

OF ABATE OF FLORIDA, INC.

WEEKLY BIKE

NIGHTS:

TUESDAY

PORKY’S LAST STAND

PELICAN LARRYS

CLUBHOUSE GRILLE

WEDNESDAY

PARADISE TIKI HUT

VICTORY LANE

CAFÉ

ARIZONA PIZZA

ALVINO’S

IRON RHINO

TIKI TIME

THURSDAY

HOOTERS (PORT CHAR-

LOTTE)

ZOOKIES

SOUTH SIDE BAR AND

GRILL

THE CAFFEINATOR

THE HOT SPOT

MEMORIES BAR & RES-

TAURANT

THE SPOT

FRIDAY

PARADISE TIKI HUT

IRON RHINO

SATURDAY

SALT WATER COWBOYS

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat


2 3 4



9 10 11



16 17 18

19 ESTERO Red White and Blue Bash



23 24 25

26 CHAPTER MEETING ELECTIONS



30

June 2011 SOUTHWEST CHAPTER

OF ABATE OF FLORIDA, INC.

WEEKLY BIKE

NIGHTS:

TUESDAY

PORKY’S LAST STAND

PELICAN LARRYS

CLUBHOUSE GRILLE

WEDNESDAY

PARADISE TIKI HUT

VICTORY LANE

CAFÉ

ARIZONA PIZZA

ALVINO’S

IRON RHINO

TIKI TIME

THURSDAY

HOOTERS (PORT CHAR-

LOTTE)

ZOOKIES

SOUTH SIDE BAR AND

GRILL

THE CAFFEINATOR

THE HOT SPOT

MEMORIES BAR & RES-

TAURANT

THE SPOT

FRIDAY

PARADISE TIKI HUT

IRON RHINO

SATURDAY

SALT WATER COWBOYS


4TH SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH

SW CHAPTER MEETING



CLUBHOUSE GRILLE 2114 SANTA BARBARA BOULEVARD

TUESDAY NIGHTS 6 P.M. - 10 P.M.

Thank you to

Victory Lane Café For your support

Of Southwest Chapter

Southwest Chapter

Chapter Meeting

May 22nd, 2011 @ 10 a.m. at

Victory Lane Café Located at

4150 Hancock Bridge Pkwy., North Fort Myers, FL 33903

239.995.0340

LOOK TWICE

FOR THOSE

DRIVERS

WHO DON’T

[Cycle eNews] AIM/NCOM MOTORCYCLE E-NEWS SERVICE: NCOM Biker Newsbytes APRIL 2011

CONGRESS ACTS TO REINFORCE BAN ON NHTSA LOBBYING May is Motorcycle Awareness Month across the country, and Con-gressional lawmakers are introducing a resolution on May 2 to continue current restrictions on NHTSA that prevent the federal transportation agency from lobbying state and local governments to enact helmet laws. The lobbying ban was originally amended into the Transportation Equity Act in 1998, but U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and his House colleagues want to reinforce the prohibitions on NHTSA lobbying and focus the agency’s efforts on crash preven-tion and rider education. According to the resolution, the U.S. House of Representatives "supports efforts to retain the ban on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's ability to lobby state legislators using fed-eral tax dollars, encourages continued growth in the motorcyclist community, and encourages owners and riders to be responsible road users." The resolution, similar to a version Sensenbrenner introduced last session, goes on to say that the House "recognizes the importance of motorcycle crash prevention as the primary source of motorcycle safety (and) encourages NHTSA to focus on motorcycle crash pre-vention and rider education as the most significant priorities in motorcycle safety." “KIDS JUST WANT TO RIDE” COMPANION BILL INTRODUCED IN U.S. SENATE U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) has introduced an amendment to exempt youth motorcycles and ATVs from the “lead law” that will effectively ban the sale of these machines. Senate Amendment 264 would exempt youth off highway vehicles from the overly-restrictive lead-content provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008, which has deci-mated the youth motorsports industry and will ban their sale at the end of the year unless the CPSIA language is changed. Meant to protect our children from imported toys with lead-based paint, the CPSIA prohibits the making, importing, distributing or selling of any product intended for children 12 and under that contains more than a specified amount of lead in any accessible part. The unintended consequences were that, because some parts such as brakes and battery components contain lead, dealerships were barred from selling motorcycles and ATVs intended for young riders, as well as replacement parts. The Klobuchar amendment is similar to H.R. 412, the Kids Just Want to Ride Act introduced in the House by Rep. Denny Re-hberg (R-MT), and would amend S. 493, the Small Business Inno-vation Research Reauthorization Act. You can contact your Congressional representatives through the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to urge their support.

BIKERS PROTEST MOTORCYCLE-ONLY CHECKPOINTS

Hundreds of motorcyclists from around Georgia rode to the Capi-tol to rev their engines in protest of a federal grant the Georgia State Patrol is using to conduct motorcycle-only checkpoints. The crowd denounced the overly-invasive and discriminatory road-blocks as unconstitutional and chanted “No more profile stops” and "Education, not checkpoints!" The protest rally came two weeks after the state patrol conducted motorcycle checkpoints on Interstates 75 and 95 during Daytona Bike Week, during which troopers stopped motorcyclists at road-blocks to check for proper paperwork, approved helmet, and prop-erly functioning equipment. “The roadblocks are a violation of our rights and are a pure at-tempt at profiling,” said Dan Forrest, State Director of ABATE of Georgia. “Having a registration, proof of insurance and an endorse-ment on our license does make us safe. Loud pipes never killed anyone.” Georgia is the first state to conduct such checkpoints under a fed-eral grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administra-tion as part of a $350,000 pool of funds available to as many as five law enforcement agencies nationwide to test the effectiveness of a New York State Police pilot program. Several motorcycle organizations are urging riders to call on Gov-ernor Nathan Deal to cancel the remainder of the checkpoints, which will be scheduled over the next 20 months at undisclosed locations during unannounced times. Some in Congress have also questioned NHTSA’s grant and called for Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to pull the plug on fu-ture funding for motorcycle-only checkpoints. Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI), who recently co-sponsored legislation to prohibit such grants, called the checkpoints “outrageously intrusive.” Indeed, many of the protesters at the March 23rd rally held signs in support of US House Resolution 904 which would prevent the US DOT from providing funds to states which would be used for motorcycle roadblocks. In the meantime, motorcyclists are also awaiting a court ruling on the constitutionality of the New York checkpoints, being chal-lenged by N.Y. Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) Attorney Mitch Proner on behalf of his clients as well as representing the interests of ABATE of New York and the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM). MOTORCYCLISTS COME TOGETHER FOR JAPAN The 2011 Japan Earthquake and subsequent Tsunami last month has affected the motorcycle industry in a big way, especially since Japan is home to the "Big Four" motorcycle manufacturers: Ya-maha, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki. As the disaster relief efforts continue in Northeastern Japan, American motorcyclists are doing what they can to help those struggling through the cleanup and rebuilding, with U.S. motorcy-cle industry groups, racing series and even the American division of Japanese manufacturers raising funds in various fashions.

tel:%28202%29%20224-3121

Three U.S. powersports industry associations announced that they are joining forces to provide financial assistance to the relief efforts underway in Japan. The boards and members of the Motorcycle Industry Council, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the Spe-cialty Vehicle Institute of America are collectively donating $10,000 to the 2011 Japan Relief Fund, and each organization is encouraging its members and individuals in the riding community to make their own contributions via a link on their websites (visit MIC.org, rock-moto.com, motorcycles.org, MSF-USA.org, SVIA.org or atvsafety.org and click on the “2011 Japan Relief Fund” tab). All donations will go to experienced non-governmental disaster relief agencies in Japan that have a proven track record of emergency humanitarian relief and restoration work. To provide support to those affected by Japan’s worst natural disas-ter; the massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake that triggered a tsunami that caused widespread devastation and crippled nuclear power plants, the presidents of all of the U.S.-based Kawasaki entities are collecting donations from employees under their matching gift pro-gram and forwarding the contributions to the Red Cross. The Kawa-saki Good Times Foundation is contributing $50,000 to initiate the charitable giving campaign. Even iconic American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson has reached out to the disaster zone with a $250,000 donation to the American Red Cross aid effort in Japan, and has established a link on their website to the Red Cross (www.RedCross.org) to make it easier for employees, customers and other riders to contribute. EUROPEAN STUDY YIELDS INSIGHT INTO MO-TORCYCLE ACCIDENTS European researchers discovered some interesting facts about the common causes of motorcycle accidents. The Motorcycle Accidents In Depth Study (MAIDS) was based on 921 motorcycle accidents, which included 103 fatalities, across France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. While some of the findings were expected, others were unanticipated. Not surprisingly, the study indicates that the motorcyclists most often collided with passenger vehicles. Sur-prisingly or not, 70% of passenger vehicle drivers involved in acci-dents with motorcycles failed to perceive the motorcyclist. And while 73.1% of riders attempted some form of collision avoidance, 32% nonetheless experienced some form of loss of control during the maneuver. While all this may seem disheartening to riders, there are steps that can be taken to maximize safety; other findings from the study indicate: Over half of the accidents occurred at intersections - Although 90% of those involved in crashes were wearing helmets, 9% of helmeted riders lost their helmets in crashes due to improper fit, fastening or damage - Younger riders -- those between 18 and 25 years of age -- crashed at a higher percentage and riders aged 41 to 55 crashed less frequently - Riders wearing dark clothes were more likely to crash than others - Modified conventional street motorcycles were over-represented in crashes in the study, but engine size did not ap-pear to be a factor - Unlicensed bikers were more likely to crash than properly licensed bikers - Weather was deemed to be a factor in only 7.5% of accidents. VIRGINIA LAUNCHES “RIDER ALERT” CARD Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) and Bon Secours Virginia Health System, in partnership with Motorcycle Virginia, Inc., have

launched a new program designed to save the lives of injured motor-cyclists. The program provides free identification data cards that will help first responders provide rapid and accurate medical assistance to riders involved in accidents. Motorcyclists who participate are provided a free Rider Alert card that contains their personal emergency contact and medical informa-tion in the event of a crash. The cards are kept inside the lining of riders' helmets and come with a 1-inch round sticker placed outside the helmet to alert emergency responders of the card. The sticker also warns bystanders not to remove the rider's helmet, which could prevent further injury. RAA officials say the Rider Alert card program is the first of its kind in the United States, and said that they modeled their program on an initiative in Great Britain known as "CRASH Card", developed two years ago by that country's Ambulance Motorcycle Club. On a national level, Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) was founded on a similar premise over 25 years ago by California attor-ney Richard M. Lester, issuing free Emergency Medical cards to bik-ers across the country that are linked to a database of their impor-tant medical information and emergency contact. A.I.M. has noti-fied ambulance companies and first responders across the country to look for the yellow A.I.M. Card in a downed rider’s wallet. “We applaud Virginia’s Rider Alert program and can appreciate their organizers’ level of commitment to implement such a life-saving project,” said Lester, whose A.I.M. program also networks with biker attorneys in every state to represent the interests of injured motorcy-clists. “When a rider is down, they need all the help they can get as fast as they can get it.” More than three million A.I.M. Cards have been issued since 1985, and you can get yours free by calling (800) ON-A-BIKE or visit www.ON-A-BIKE.com. Free “Do Not Remove This Helmet” stickers are also available. WEIRD NEWS: HONDA WORKING ON MOTORCYCLE SEATBELTS Yes, you read it right…Honda is working on a system of seatbelts for motorcycles. Seems crazy, but it appears to be a serious project judg-ing from the patents Honda has filed for the system, and images posted on BikersPost.com. According to the website, the belt arrangement is designed for larger touring bikes like the Gold Wing where the rider won't be moving around much in the seat, and the belt can work with the airbag to more effectively reduce injuries. However, Honda apparently has recognized that in a lot of accidents it's better to be away from the bike rather than attached to it, so their new seatbelt system also has elements of ejector seat: When the computer senses that the bike is irretrievably tipping over it releases the entire seat, with the rider still attached, and inflates an airbag backrest. “The idea is that having ejected you slide down the road in a sitting position, with the seat betwixt your hide and the asphalt. Sort of extreme tobogganing.” Of course, nobody envisioned airbags on a motorcycle either, before Honda’s R&D team put one on their Gold Wing as a factory op-tion. ■

http://rockmoto.com/

http://rockmoto.com/

http://motorcycles.org/

http://atvsafety.org/

http://www.redcross.org/

http://www.on-a-bike.com/

Name of Business: __________________________________________________________________________

Address:__________________________________________________________________

Business Phone: _____________________________ Contact: ______________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________

Phone:______________________ Cell: __________________________

Email: ______________________________________________________

Type of Ad: Business Card Quarter Page Half Page Full Page

Duration of Ad: ____________________

Start Date of Ad: _____________________ Stop Date of Ad: ______________________

Authorized Signature: __________________________________________________

Print Name: ______________________________________________________

Type of Payment: Check _________ Check Number __________ Cash ___________

Advertisement Pricing

Business Card Quarter Page Half Page Full Page

6 Months $55.00 $85.00 $145.00 $200.00

12 Months $80.00 $135.00 $245.00 $375.00

Full page 12 month advertisers will receive an additional 2 months FREE

All advertisers will also receive a one year ABATE of Florida, Inc. membership which

also includes a $4,000.00 accidental death policy

All artwork must be submitted in PDF or JPEG format

All advertising MUST be approved by the Southwest Chapter of Abate of Florida, Inc.

For further information please contact

Rob Cran 239.997.2852 [email protected]

ADVERTISING APPLICATION

ABATE of Florida, Inc.

Southwest Chapter PO BOX 60745 • Fort Myers, FL 33906

Documents

Southwest Chapter of ABATE of Florida May 2011 Newsletter