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Let
the Proclamations begin!
Cathedral City, California
declared May as Motorcycle Awareness Month.
Get YOUR City to do it, too! |
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Councilman
England, 2nd from left, signed the Proclamation,
adding a small "M1" beside his
name to signify the importance of being
licensed to ride. Pictured L to R, Bob Bassett,
Councilman Bud England, Mayor Kathleen DeRosa, ABATE
Local 36 Public Relations Officer Halle Fetty,
Valley V Twin Owner George Fetty, Councilman Paul
Marchand, Mayor Pro Tem Greg Pettis, Jim Shuler,
Engine Joe's Cycle Shop Owner Lesley Boniface, Al
LaSalle.
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| Proclamations
accepted by ABATE Local 36 of Palm Springs |
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Rancho
Mirage |
Palm
Desert |
Desert
Hot Springs |
Coachella |
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It's
a LAW!
Senate Concurrent Resolution 101 proclaimed May as
Motorcycle Awareness Month in California. All made
possible by Senator Jim Battin & Staff and Halle
Fetty from Valley V Twin. |
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Indio |
La
Quinta |
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Palm
Springs |
Cathedral
City |
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Indian
Wells |
Splatt
with Senator Dennis Hollingsworth |
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Many of ABATE of California's Proclamations
are enshrined in the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall
of Fame.
Much
thanks to Linda "Moxxsie" Wright
from ABATE Locals 1 & 2, and Sturgis
Museum Executive Director Pepper Massey-Swan.
We're
looking to fill up the rest of the wall!!
Please
join in our effort!
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May
is Motorcycle Awareness Month
Proclamations have been signed in many cities across the
nation.
The Proclamations emphasize the need for
motorists to share the road safely, urging all motor
vehicle drivers to be on the look out for motorcycles
while also reminding motorcyclists to ride responsibly.
Motorists often don't think to look for
motorcycles on the road, in fact, the most common type of
collision occurs when a driver pulls out from an
intersection directly in front of a motorcyclist. Usually
they say they never saw the bike. That's why it's key for
all motorists to be on the lookout for motorcycles and to
respect their right to be there.
Following are a few guidelines for
motorcyclists:
1) Get Trained - Whether you're a
new rider or someone with years of experience, there's a
California Motorcyclist Safety Program RiderCourse for
you. Research has shown that more than 90 percent of all
riders involved in crashes were either self-taught or
taught by friends. The CMSP's newest curriculum, the Basic
RiderCourse, is available at over 150 training sites in
California
. Call 1 (877) RIDE-411 or visit www.ca-msp.org/
2) Get Licensed - For information
on licensing requirements in
California
, visit http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#2505
. If you get caught riding a motorcycle without a license
in
California
, your bike might be towed and you might be arrested.
3) Ride Sober - Recent data
confirms that alcohol is involved in almost half of all
single-vehicle motorcycle crashes. Don't drink and ride.
And don't ride impaired. Drugs prescription,
over-the-counter, or otherwise) diminish visual
capabilities and affect judgment.
4) Ride Responsibly -Wear
protective gear, eye protection, jacket, full-fingered
gloves, long pants, and over-the-ankle boots. Keep your
bike well maintained. Maintain proper lane positioning to
further increase your visibility to drivers, and keep a
"space cushion" between your bike and other
traffic. Most importantly, know your skill level and ride
within it.
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How
to Make Motorcycle Awareness Month Happen in YOUR Community
 ABATE Local 36 of Palm Springs pioneered
the first Proclamation Event of it's kind in 2005,
bringing together riders, the public and local
politicians to heighten awareness.
Bikers rented a movie theatre
and showed the film "Easy Rider" on the big
screen. The film was last seen in theatres in 1969.
In 2006 they did it again,
showing "The World's Fastest Indian."
You can do the same thing in
your community to bring motorcycle awareness to the
public. The life you save, might be your own.
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NOW is the time to start
lining up the ducks to have May proclaimed as Motorcycle
Awareness Month in YOUR community. Motorcycle awareness isn’t
“somebody else’s job” or something we should entrust to
another government program. The reality is, if you ride, it’s
YOUR job, and your responsibility to the riding community to set
an example for others and heighten awareness on behalf of BOTH,
motorists and riders.
We achieve awareness with an
all out media assault. It starts with a simple piece of paper
from a city council and you build upon that success with
articles in local newspapers, letters to the editor, stories on
local TV stations, interviews on local talk radio. If you’ve
got the money, sponsor a billboard, hand out bumper stickers. We’re
super intensifying our efforts this year to beat last year’s
effort, and I hope you’ll find the time to help lead the
effort in your neck of the woods. The life you save might be
your own.
1. Ask your ABATE Local if you
can help get an awareness proclamation for YOUR city. ASK FIRST,
as a matter of courtesy and to avoid duplicate efforts! ABATE is
the Official Motorcycle Awareness Month Organization serving
California. We’re going to need the help of many other riding
organizations to get the job done. If your group would like to
get involved, we’d be happy to help you. Contact an ABATE
Local in your area and let’s work together to achieve a common
goal. See pictures of what ABATE achieved last year: http://www.geocities.com/palmspringsabate/motorcycleawareness.htm
2. Visit www.bikernation.us to
find the official language and the talking points you'll need to
take to City Hall. Once you've got the language, 95% of your
work is done. Note: the language has been changed this year, to
more accurately reflect the number of riders and enthusiasts in
California. (1 Million)
3. Contact City Hall, the
Mayor's office, a City Councilperson or even your County Board
of Supervisors and let them know you'd like to see May
proclaimed as Motorcycle Awareness Month. Let them know that you
already have the desired language in hand. When you’ve gained
interest, you have options. You can either accept the
proclamation at a city council meeting and say a few words, or
simply stop by the front desk and pick it up. We prefer you
clean up real nice like and get a picture of you shaking hands
with your Mayor for our website and the Bailing Wire. Helpful
Hint; Local 36 P.R. Guru, Halle contacted the Mayor in one city
and had the proclamation in less than 2 days. Councils could
take much longer. Always remember, your Mayor might be running
for State Assembly next year. These proclamations help us
develop good working relationships early in a politician’s
career.
4. ABATE is working on a
Resolution at the State Senate and State Assembly level with SCR
16, a Senate Concurrent Resolution authored by Senator Jim
Battin. Senator Battin will handle the bill in the Senate;
Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia will carry the effort in the State
Assembly. Call, write, email or fax YOUR representatives and ask
them to support SCR 16, to proclaim the month of May as
Motorcycle Awareness Month in California. We hope to have the
Official Resolution presented to us on the steps of the state
capitol at the California Motorcycle Awareness Rally.
5. A National Resolution is in
the works, probably to be introduced by motorcyclist and US
Senator, Max Baucus of Montana. If passed for each of the next
two years, it will fulfill the 3 year obligation to be enacted
as national law. The effort was begun by Senator Ben Night Horse
Campbell, who recently retired from the US Senate. More details
when we get 'em.
6. We're asking you to BRING
your Resolutions and Proclamations to the California Motorcycle
Awareness Rally on the State Capitol steps, April 18, 2005 to
show off to the media, and maybe even Ah-nuld the Governator!
Schedule an appointment with your reps and show off your new
hardware, whether they're on our side or not, motorcycle safety
and awareness is a non-partisan issue that everyone should agree
on. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to begin developing
relationships with your representatives. A good relationship
with an elected official is the key to attaining results in
California, and you can never have enough of that.
7. Bring your Resolution to
the Motorcycle Awareness Parade at the ABATE Regional Rally in
Lake Elsinore, scheduled for May 6,7 & 8, 2005. We expect to
have a few VIPs there to present ABATE with even more honors,
and we'd like your efforts to be on display as well, for all to
see.
8. To be included in the
special Motorcycle Awareness Month Web Page for 2005 and
possible articles in the Bailing Wire, Quick Throttle Magazine
or the Thunder Press, please submit the following items to palmspringsabate@yahoo.com.
- · A close up photo of your
proclamation from a digital camera.
- · A picture of you, or
your group, shaking hands with elected officials.
- · A digital picture of
your entire group standing with your proclamation, along
with the proper spelling for everyone’s name.
9. Contact your local media.
Get an article in the local newspaper. Get a story on the local
TV news. Schedule an interview on a local radio program. Put
together a motorcycle awareness party at a local hangout and
invite the media and elected officials for a public reading and
acknowledgement. A simple blurb in just one local newspaper
could save the lives of many local motorcyclists and their
passengers.
10. When Motorcycle Awareness
Month is over, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame
would like to display your Proclamation or Resolution! Our
friend, Pepper, serves as Executive Director at the Museum.
Pepper has given us a special wall of honor for the display of
our Resolutions. You'll need to put it in a nice frame because
the museum doesn't have the budget to buy a bunch of frames. Ask
everyone in your Local (or at your big party) to autograph the
backside of the frame for posterity, then submit a nice photo
showing your entire group. Send it to: Sturgis Motorcycle Museum
999 Main Street, PO Box 602, Sturgis, SD 57785 ATTN: Pepper
Massey-Swan, Executive Director
11. Catchy slogans and phrases
are needed. Memorable quips like, “Look twice, save a life”
and “Let’s not meet by accident.” ASAP Chair, Larry
recently made mention of a possible contest. Get involved with
ASAP, the ABATE Safety and Awareness Program. Visit their
website: http://www.abatesafetyandawarenessprogram.org. Larry
has asked for one liaison from each Local to be in contact with
ASAP to relay info to members. This benefits us all.
12.. What are you waiting for?
You've got work to do.
Thanks for your selfless
dedication to the cause! ~splatt
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How to Get a Proclamation From Your City
Contributed by ABATE of CA Local 36 Public Relations Officer,
Halle Fetty
Getting
Started
A. Get the verbiage for the
Proclamation & supporting documentation from your Local and
read it. Let me
emphasize that, READ IT. Become
knowledgeable about your subject.
B. Write your Proclamation
request letter. Find
a way to make the issue a personal one…i.e. “I was hit by
the driver of a vehicle who didn’t see me” is more effective
than “Too many riders are going down”… however, don’t
tell any untruths because they may come back and haunt you if
you are asked to speak when the Proclamation is handed to you. Be humble, swallow
your pride, bury your ego – elected officials need to feel
like they’re appreciated.
Put emotion into it – be passionate about your request.
C.
Always start the letter with “Dear Honorable Mayor”
and their last name (i.e. Dear Honorable Mayor Fudrucker)
D.
Use formal business letter formatting – it gives a much
better impression. Also,
plan on using a nicely formatted FAX Coversheet if you’ll be
faxing your request.
E.
Make sure you include your name, your contact
information, and your position in the Local (member, officer,
etc)
F.
Grab a pen or pencil, a large piece of paper and go to
Step 2….
Gathering
Information
A.
Find out who the Mayor is of your
City.
B.
Using either the internet or a
phone book, look up the phone number for your City Hall.
C.
Call the main number and ask, “Who
would I speak to regarding Proclamation requests?” (This is
normally someone in the City Clerk’s office)
D.
Write down the name of the
person you are transferred to (Very important!! This person will
probably be the person you talk to next year).
E.
Politely introduce yourself and
act like you know nothing about City Government. Ask them how they like
to receive Proclamation requests.
Tell them you already have the verbiage for the
Proclamation (they LOVE that).
Most cities prefer requests to be faxed to them. Try your best to have a
conversation about your specific request – become a person
with a purpose in their mind.
Jot down notes about the person you speak to (see “d”
above), and the specifics about sending your request. Be prepared to send the
fax, or email immediately while that person still has you fresh
in their mind – this is very important.
Making
the Request
A. Fill in
your FAX Coversheet with the appropriate phone numbers, people,
date, how many pages, etc.
B. Fill in your letter – include
Mayor’s name, City Hall address and phone/fax numbers,
Salutation, etc.
C. Fax pages to City Hall –
Cover sheet, Letter, Supporting Documentation, Resolution
verbiage.
D. After sending the request
(unless you’ve U.S. Snail Mailed it), wait about 10-15
minutes and call back and ask for the person you spoke to. Say something like,
“Hi Sally (assuming of course that is her name!), this
is Frank Biker (assuming of course that is your name). I
just wanted to check and see if you had received my Proclamation
request fax (or email).”
If she says no, verify the fax number and try again.
If she says yes, thank her very much and ask her how long it may
take to get a response. After she
responds, thank her again and hang up. Write down the time
frame she gives you. Make
a point of calling back around that time just to check and
see if there’s anything else they need from you in order to
honor your request.
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May is
Motorcycle Awareness Month
PROCLAMATION
LANGUAGE
Version One
Recommended for Cities, Towns and Counties
WHEREAS, Motorcycle riding is a popular form
of efficient transportation and recreation for more than
1,000,000 people in California; and
WHEREAS, It is important that the drivers of
all vehicles be aware of one another and learn to share the road
and practice courtesy; and
WHEREAS, Motorcycles provide a means of
transportation that uses fewer resources, causes less wear and
tear on public roadways, and increases available parking areas;
and
WHEREAS, The safety hazards created by
automobile operators who have not been educated to watch for
motorcyclists on the streets and highways of California are of
prime concern to motorcyclists; and
WHEREAS, It is especially important that the
citizens of California be aware of motorcycles on the streets
and highways and recognize the importance of motorcycle safety;
and
WHEREAS, The American Brotherhood Aimed
Toward Education (ABATE) of California Local ___ of
______________ is an organization that is actively promoting the
safe operation, increased rider training, and increased motorist
awareness of motorcycles; and
WHEREAS, It is important to recognize the
need for awareness on the part of all drivers, especially with
regard to sharing the road with motorcycles, and to honor
motorcyclists' many contributions to the communities in which
they live and ride; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by _____________________ that the
month of May, 2008, is hereby officially designated Motorcycle
Awareness Month in the _________ of ___________________.
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Version Two
Recommended for Personal Resolutions from a
Politician.
WHEREAS, Motorcycle riding is a
popular form of efficient transportation and recreation for
more than 1,000,000 people in California; and
WHEREAS, It is important that the
drivers of all vehicles be aware of one another and learn to
share the road and practice courtesy; and
WHEREAS, Motorcycles provide a means
of transportation that uses fewer resources, cause less wear
and tear on public roadways, and increases available parking
areas; and
WHEREAS, The safety hazards created
by automobile operators who have not been educated to watch
for motorcyclists on the streets and highways of California
are of prime concern to motorcyclists; and
WHEREAS, It is especially important
that the citizens of California be aware of motorcycles on the
streets and highways and recognize the importance of
motorcycle safety; and
WHEREAS, The American Brotherhood
Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) of California is an
organization that is actively promoting the safe operation,
increased rider training, and increased motorist awareness of
motorcycles; and
WHEREAS, It is important to recognize
the need for awareness on the part of all drivers, especially
with regard to sharing the road with motorcycles, and to honor
motorcyclists' many contributions to the communities in which
they live and ride; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by ____________________,
that he/she recognizes the month of May 2007 as Motorcycle
Awareness Month.
Member Resolution No. _______
Dated the ____ day of May, 2008
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Splatt's
Article on Why You SHOULD Get a Proclamation
(Featured in the Motorcycle Rider
Foundation's MRF Reports issue for May/June 2006)
Mining Political
Gold from the Motorcycle Awareness Month Message
May is
Motorcycle Awareness Month across the nation and the
ready made acronym makes it easy to remember; Motorcycles
And You. As
riders take to the highway in celebration of a new
riding season, a gentle reminder from the riding
community is heard, “Look Twice, Save a Life.” Bumper
stickers, public service announcements and asking
your city, county or state for a formal
motorcycle awareness month proclamation might make
all the difference in saving lives, but another rare
treasure lies hidden within the awareness message
which is political gold for those of us in the dusty
arena of rider’s rights; building a lasting
relationship with your lawmakers.
I’ve been
riding for 20 years, but only recently have I come
to appreciate the opportunity which resides within
the motorcycle awareness month message; that of
sustaining friendships and making new converts. Whether you’re
working with a city council member or a state
senator, having the month of May proclaimed as “Motorcycle
Awareness Month” in your city, county or state is
a win-win situation for everyone involved. For
politicians, our awareness campaigns provide an
incredible platform to convey their concern for
public safety. Such endeavors are custom tailored to
every politician’s most critical need; gaining
recognition within the community for good deeds,
which often translates into votes.
Sure, a
proclamation is nothing more than a fancy piece of
parchment signed by those in power. It’s what you do with
the proclamation that matters most. Having the
proclamation in hand gives you immediate legitimacy
in calling on the media to help spread our message.
Herein exists the true power of the awareness
doctrine. You now have a free pass to take all our
catchy slogans and sound-bites to the airwaves.
Choose a well versed spokesperson to send around for
interviews, and whether it's radio, television,
internet or newspapers, as it’s so often said; the
life you save just might be your own. In a moment,
you’ll see why I have amended this axiom to serve
a different purpose; the rights you
save just might be your own.
A well thought
out program on your behalf makes participation for a
politico far more enticing. For instance, my riding
community has a habit of asking every city around to
proclaim May as motorcycle awareness month. Then, we
throw a big shin-dig where we ask each city and
state representative to attend or send a
staffer to present those fancy proclamations at
a specially designed motorcycle awareness “event”
with maximum media exposure. We rent out a big movie
theatre, secure a film such as “Easy Rider” or
“The World’s Fastest Indian”, throw in a bike
show and other traditional Biker faire, and
amazingly, the politicians are stumbling over
themselves to attend.
In 2005, our special event, “Vrroom With A
View, Motorcycle Awareness Night at the Movies”
boasted a mayor, city council members, a state
assembly member and a state senator’s top staffer.
The highway patrol’s motor officers competed with
city police units in the bike show. Certified
motorcycle safety instructors passed out training
literature and mixed learning with fun by hosting a
walk the line contest while donning the “drunk
goggles.” The
fire department made money selling hot dogs while
local bands played equally tasty tunes. The
Community Bloodmobile accepted donations while local
motorcycle shops mixed it up with the media. With so
many varied facets of American culture rubbing
shoulders and getting to know one another, the
relationships nurtured at that event will be
long lasting.
What I didn’t
tell you was that the riding community had a history
of problems with one those politicians before the
event. Motorcycle awareness month became the olive
branch that both sides could agree on, something we
could work together on, and now a year later we’ve
made great strides in seeing eye to eye on issues of
relevance to motorcyclists, including lid laws.
Never underestimate the time you spend with your
city council on seemingly non-controversial issues.
Your involvement at the beginning of a politician’s
career could come to pay huge dividends should
he/she one day garner a seat in congress. Even small
issues have the ability to affect the larger issues
of our day when you know a lawmaker’s office staff
by name and your phone call becomes more than a pink
“While you were out” memo-minder. As it is in
nature, motorcyclists should be both diligent and
patient when panning for political gold, and always
remember that today’s city council member could
quite possibly pan out to be tomorrow’s state
senator.
Splatt serves
as
Assistant
State
Director for
ABATE of
California
and is
proudly serving his 3rd year as a member
of the ABATE of
California
Board of
Directors. For
more tips on how to make motorcycle awareness month
a success, click on the motorcycle awareness month
link on Splatt’s website at www.bikernation.net.
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"Helmet use is
a safety issue--helmet law is politics"---Roger Hull
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