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TIGER
TALES - APRIL 2009
Happy Spring to
all! I'm sure all of you by now are seriously getting
into the warmer riding weather and enjoying all the festive motorcycling
events available, and our ABATE members are no exception. I've reminded
folks here in the past that our ABATE Members continue to travel all over the
Sooner State, reaching out to our Riding Community on
Motorcycling Quality of Life issues. Hopefully, some of you have
already seen our ABATE Booths popping up at locations like the periodic
Swap Meets at the State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. Don't hesitate to
stop by and learn more about YOUR State Motorcyclist Rights
Organization! When I spoke about our successful ABATE Legislative
Breakfast which took place in February, I neglected to mention that
dozens of motorcyclist attendees were present in the House Gallery,
where ABATE was recognized, and received an ovation from the Oklahoma
House of Representatives. That was truly
gratifying!
We've received some good legislative news over the last few weeks, and
I want to echo ABATE's Political Director Holly Swinford and State
Secretary Brook Bullock and extend my thanks to all of you who have
picked up pens and phones or went to the State House to urge
your
Legislators to vote for the bills we're supporting, or oppose those we
stand against. Most notably, HB 1795, which contains the same verbiage
as the Motorcycling Mobility and Safety Act, was passed by the entire
House, with over two-thirds voting for it. This is our "Red
Light" Bill
that I've been talking about in months past. This bill and HB2264,
which assigns money for Motorcycling Education, Safety and Awareness
programs, both have headed to the State Senate for consideration. We
have some terrific folks, such as State Senators Jim Reynolds and Steve
Russell, in our corner on these issues, but concerned motorcyclists
all
over the state need to contact their Legislators and let their opinions
on important issues be known. Don't hesitate to make your voice heard!
On the down side, HB2080, the Anti-Gang Bill, also passed the entire
House and goes to the Senate, albeit with more definitive wording which
hopefully won't subject innocent members of our Riding Community to
harassment if it passes. To their credit, the bill's authors were
receptive to our concerns when we discussed the issue. There are other
bills as well which are still alive and are of concern to us, like a
bill to make it easier to renew your Driver's License, and a Right-To-Repair
bill that would allow individuals and independent shops
access to procedures, tools and information that are the exclusive
province of dealerships. Someone should have the ability to repair his
own vehicle without being forced to take it to a specific facility!
On the National front, Missouri's Freedom of Choice bill to repeal its
Mandatory Helmet Law passed the full Senate and proceeds to the House, where
it's been approved in the past. Arkansas has also defended Freedom of Choice against multiple threats
this year, but another one has just arisen. Using an obscure
parliamentary maneuver, the defeated Helmet law requiring lids for those
under 25 was allowed to be revived as a Universal Law for ALL riders!
Illinois is also faced with
Mandatory Universal Helmet Legislation this year. On the good side,
Georgia's Red Light Bill, similar to ours, is progressing through their
system, and Maryland
and Nevada have freedom of choice bills pending.
Nevada has issued a Nationwide Call To Action to convince their
Legislators that allowing adult riders to choose for themselves will be
good for tourism. Unfortunately, Nebraska's Helmet Law Repeal attempt
(LB200) died in committee, so you'll need that skid-lid again if you're
headed that way en route to Sturgis. That means the Cornhusker
State
isn't going to get my tourism dollars again! What I found particularly
irritating about Nebraska's experience this year was that the U.S.
Department of
Transportation, through the National Transportation Safety
Board (NTSB), testified in favor of helmet usage before the State
Legislature. Neither I nor Nebraska Freedom Fighters see any difference
between this situation or the NHTSA's lobbying attempts-they're using
YOUR Tax Dollars to circumvent States' Rights and lobby for Helmet Law
passage! ABATE of Nebraska intends to "Follow the Money" and
get more background information on how this developed, so stand by for
news. As you might expect, ABATE of Oklahoma and the other SMROs will
continue to address critical topics both here and nationwide, including the
upcoming NCOM Convention, ABATE's "Party On The Plains" in Enid in
October, and the Mid-South M.I.L.E. Motorcyclist Rights Seminars. We'll
also continue to address newsletter, merchandise and membership issues as we
continue to refine our overall organization as we expand our scope of
operations. In that vein, I want to deeply thank all of our Board Members
and others in ABATE who are stepping up and assuming more responsibility to
ensure the Organization runs well. My confidence in their actions increases
every time I read e-mails indicating not only a commitment to getting things
done and willingness to share ideas, but also the dedication to ABATE's goals
of defending Motorcycling Freedom and improving riding for all, regardless of
background--I appreciate you!
I'm pleased to announce that, in keeping with the ABATE State Board's
decision last month to extend the invitation, Jonathan M. Sutton Esq.,
Attorney-at-Law, has graciously agreed to become one of ABATE's Legal
Advisors, along with lawyer Holly Hefton of Oklahoma City. Holly's a
longtime Downed Bikers Association member who's been our legal advisor for a
few years now. For those who don't know him, Jonathan is from Tulsa,
and is an enthusiastic supporter of Biker Liberty and
Constitutional Rights who's been attending our Oklahoma Confederation
Of Clubs meetings. He's with Sutton and Associates, P.C.
at 4401 South
Harvard, Tulsa OK
74135. His phone numbers are: (918) 747-9977 and
(918)
747-8884 (FAX), and his e-mail address is:
jonathan.m.sutton@suttonlaw-ok.com
I hope our ABATE Family will make Jonathan feel welcome, and that our Riding
Community will get to know him better, since it's always a good idea for a
motorcyclist to have a
riding-knowledgeable attorney available should one get in a jam!
I'd like to remind everybody to please put Monday, May 25, on
your
calendars. That'll be when ABATE hosts its annual War Memorial Run
to
the State Capitol Veterans' Memorial Park. For those who have never
attended, ABATE's Central OK District has, for going on 20 years now,
organized a Bike Parade on Memorial
Day to pay tribute to our Armed
Forces members who have made the Supreme Sacrifice for their Country.
From a humble start of only around ten riders deciding to take some time to
honor our war dead, the event has grown to include hundreds of
participants-our own Oklahoma Rolling Thunder! Speaking of
which, you might also want to be part of Sunset Chapter ABATE's Operation
Carry The Flame Across America on Sunday, May 17, where hundreds
of Oklahoma Motorcyclists escort the Rolling Thunder contingent traveling
cross-country to Washington DC into El Reno for a festive cookout at the VFW Post on Highway 81. It's quite a dramatic
and heartfelt occasion. Be sure to obtain more detailed information on these
and other ABATE events at our State Website: www.abateofoklahoma.org
Tiger's Tip O' The Month: I was disheartened by reports of several
fatality motorcycle accidents in a short period of time as we've come
out of Winter into Spring,
and was thinking of how important it is to
tune up your most important motorcycling equipment--yourself. Lots of
us don't ride much over the Winter, and some of us just charge out there
at first sight of the sunny weather, without taking into account that
our skills can lapse from disuse, just like with other complicated
operations. Industrial physiologists have determined that it takes more
separate neuro-motor skills to ride a motorcycle than it does to fly a
helicopter, and as an Air Force Veteran, I know of very few chopper
pilots that take to the sky without being 100 percent involved in it.
Getting in the mind-set that the environment has changed as we move into
Spring, whether it involves road conditions, the weather, traffic
patterns or your physical and mental condition, can help you increase
your chances of staying in one piece. Taking a Rider Education
refresher course every few years, like the Experienced Rider Program, to
hone your skills wouldn't hurt either. So, you two-wheeled chopper
pilots be just as committed to being mentally and physically prepared
before getting out there as you are to enjoying the warmer Spring wind
in your face. This is the time for April Foolishness, but we certainly
don't want any of that to turn into the kind of pain that affects
everyone who rides when members of our Community get injured or killed.
In closing, I want to offer a final salute to a couple members of our
Riding Community who have passed on. Mel Crane was tragically killed in an
auto accident last month while heading to his BACA Meeting. Mel was a
Veteran and longtime Biker, and an active BACA and American Legion Riders Post #1340 Member
who regularly attended our ABATE Bike Parades on both Memorial Day and Veterans' Day.
He was an all-around good guy who'll be sorely missed. Bill Strickland
was a Vietnam Combat Veteran, recipient of the Purple Heart, and an experienced Biker
who was a member of both Oklahoma City-area H.O.G. Chapters. He and his wife
Brenda were also to be found at our ABATE Bike Parades, as well as at
numerous other events. Bill unfortunately succumbed to cancer last
month. Please remember in your thoughts and prayers the grieving
families of both these fine gentlemen, who represented the best of America
and were taken from us far too early-they both will be sorely missed. Ride
Free Forever, Mel and Bill! Enjoy the warmer weather, everybody, Ride
Safely, Sober and Aware, and I'll see you on the Road as April Showers bring
May Flowers.
Keep It On The Black Strip Between The Trees,
Tiger Mike
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