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Tiger
Tales - February 2010
Greetings
to my riding Brothers and Sisters! I hope this finds everyone
bearing up well in what's turned out so far to be quite an interesting
Winter. Those getting ready for our annual ABATE General Membership
Meeting are traveling with single-digit temperatures and wind chills
well below zero. Oklahoma City was Ground Zero during our record
blizzard on Christmas Eve, and received over fourteen
inches of snow,
which was a historical record. In the twenty-three years I've been
proud to have lived in the Sooner State, I've survived the worst
tornado, the worst Ice Storm, and now the worst Blizzard in Oklahoma
History, so I guess my fun meter is definitely in redline! Still the
pros far outweigh the cons for being an Oklahoman, especially when it
comes to motorcycling! I've very much looked forward to seeing all my
ABATE Family at this year's meeting, designated the "Oklahoma
SMILE",
and will have more to report on how things went next month as State
Motorcyclists Improve Legislative Effectiveness. The Quartz Mountain
Resort has been very supportive of our get-together over the past few
years, and ABATE's Great Plains Chapter has done a magnificent job of
coordinating logistics and providing the Hospitality Suite. Everyone in
our organization has contributed valuably to the occasion's success, and
the quality of the event is testament to everybody's efforts. Next
month, we'll be holding the State Board Meeting back at Madison's
Kitchen, but I just wanted to let folks know that they're recovering
after getting burglarized just before the SMILE Weekend. They lost all
their TVs, the Cash Register, and even all the meat from the freezer.
Please have a good thought for Diane and Hamid as they get back on their
feet.
I'm very much looking forward to seeing everybody who can attend this
month at ABATE's Legislative Breakfast! It'll be held Wednesday,
February 10, 2010, 7:30AM until 12:30PM at the State Capitol Fourth
Floor Rotunda. For going on 20 years now, ABATE has invited the entire
Oklahoma State Legislature
and their staffs to join us for breakfast,
and folks from Legislators to mailroom workers have enthusiastically
participated. This event provides an excellent opportunity to get to
know your State Senators
and Representatives, and discuss meaningful
issues with them. We'll have computers at the Rotunda for folks who
aren't familiar with their elected officials, so they can obtain their
office locations and phone numbers. As you should know by now, ABATE
will again bring up our "Red Light" bill, the Motorcycle
Safety and
Mobility Act, which has been carried over to the 2010 Session. Our
Rider Safety, Education and Awareness bill has also been carried over to
the 2010 Session, and has been renamed "Gunner's Law" in honor of
our own "Gunner" Catcher from the Muskogee Chapter, who was
tragically killed last November by a negligent motorist. Naming the
bill in his honor would pay fitting tribute to Gunner's considerable efforts
to
promote Rider Education, Safety and Awareness programs in our state.
ABATE and the OK Confederation
Of Clubs signed up thousands of
motorcycle owners supporting these programs in advance of an Interim
Study authorized by the Legislature, and the petitions have been
submitted verifying those owners who agree to a three-dollar increase in
vehicle registrations to support these vital programs. ABATE is
optimistic that, with everyone working together to interact with our
Senators and Representatives, we can pass these important bills as we
continue to improve Motorcycling Quality of Life in our state. Other
issues ABATE intends to support include a bill imposing restrictions on
texting and other cell phone use, and an increase in defined penalties
for Jaggers' Law, which penalizes negligent, inattentive motorists who
cause death or injury. Gunner's death is one of our most recent graphic
examples of why we need to do this.
Tiger's Tip O' The Month: You should already be aware that motorists in
general are definitely not looking for motorcycles out in the middle of
Winter. Driving with a defensive mind-set every time we mount up can
significantly enhance our survival out there. Not only are there an
increasing number of inattentive drivers, but it seems the number of
homicidal maniacs aggressively threatening riders has increased as well.
Always head-check and liberally use your mirrors to watch out for those
aggressive motorists who dart in and out of traffic. Expect a higher
number of the irresponsible and reckless to be out at night and on
weekends. Driving defensively and anticipating threats will increase
the chance of you're arriving at your destination in one piece. Do all
you can to, as the Air Force says, "Equal your Takeoffs and
Landings"!
Well, that'll wrap things up for this month. I'd like to ask everybody
to please continue to remember COD's "Ripper" Bailey in your
thoughts
and prayers. Ripper was involved in a workplace accident before the
Holidays, and sustained multiple second-and third-degree burns. His
condition was stabilized and he was able to make it home for Christmas,
but he has to go back into the hospital for skin grafts and other
surgery. Ripper has been a longtime Freedom Fighter in our state, and
was one of ABATE's original organizers--please remember Ripper and
Michelle in your prayers. Before I head out, I want to give my
heartfelt thanks to folks that I've been privileged to work with over
the past years. Of course, that includes all our State Officers and
appointees, and the Chapter Officers and members who've been out there in the
trenches defending Riding Liberty in our state. However, I need to
specifically thank Carmaletta Lara, who has stepped up to serve as COD
Chapter Secretary for 2010. She functioned as an anchor for our State
Organization over many years as State Treasurer, Newsletter
Editor, Membership Chairperson, and Merchandise Coordinator, and could always
be counted upon for logistical support for our annual ABATE Legislative
Breakfast and a host of other events. Her selflessness and dedication
merited her receiving an NCOM Silver Spoke Award at the 2007 NCOM Convention,
as well as the deep appreciation of ABATE Members throughout Oklahoma.
Many thanks, Christy--you were my Right Arm!! Keep each other warm out there,
everybody! Enjoy a very Happy Valentine's Day with the meaningful
people in your lives, stay out of trouble during Mardi Gras, keep Riding
Free and Safely, and I look forward to crossing paths with you somewhere out
there.
Keep It On The Black Strip Between The Trees,
Tiger Mike
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