ABATE of Wisconsin and the Future of Motorcycling in Wisconsin

by Steve Panten

As many motorcyclists are gearing up for a voyage to the western side of South Dakota for an event referred to as Sturgis, I am unpacking from making that trip earlier this month. Every time that I take a ride like that, I am reminded about one thing…. this is a long ride, and it’s a lot of time for my brain to entertain me. It’s an opportunity for me to think, since my computer is at home and my phone is packed away somewhere in the tour pack.

I spend much of that time thinking about what motorcycling is going to look like in the future. Is it going to be anything like what we have been enjoying for the past century? Is it even going to exist? Actions that we take right now are going to determine the future, so what actions are we taking?

Last month, John Reblin and I met with the State Department of Transportation Secretary Thompson, the head of the Wisconsin State Patrol, Superintendent Burrell, and the Bureau of Traffic Safety (BoTS) Manager, David Pabst. The big topic of course was how we can partner together to reduce motorcycle fatalities in the State of Wisconsin. As I am writing this, fatalities are equal to the 2020 numbers which were 40% higher than the 10-year average. Since single vehicle crashes are the main cause of these fatalities, we discussed plans for a joint effort to encourage riders “RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE.” Look for more information soon about that, and about how we can encourage motorcyclists to take a rider training course, more specifically, an experienced rider course.

As we all know, since I have been writing about it in just about every article, autonomous and connected vehicles are becoming more popular on Wisconsin roads. During our meeting with the DOT we discussed many aspects of how Wisconsin is going to implement these vehicles into the mainstream we call the Wisconsin roadways. We learned that truck platooning is currently not being done in this state and driverless technology is….in a small way…. with an ALERT driver behind the wheel.

While testing is being done, full implementation is still not on the radar. The State DOT is working with other states to try to better understand the technology, and to properly draft policy for them. They are all still in an information gathering pattern. What they told us was that the information gathering includes who needs to be giving input on how to best move forward. I would like to think that after our meeting, input from motorcyclists is going to be needed.

Bottom line, it was a good meeting. We have work to do, and I am looking forward to working together. Motorcycling as we know it is in jeopardy but at least we are being included in the discussions of how to move forward. It would be easier if we were not crashing and killing ourselves, so let’s work on that first. Ride your own Ride. Stay sober and ride within your skill level. If you are riding with someone not as experienced as the rest of the group, make it easier for them to keep up.

What else. The House of Representatives passed their version of the Highway Bill, called the “Investing in a New Vision for Environmental and Surface Transportation (INVEST).” Motorcyclists were able to get some major wins in the version that passed, thanks to the Motorcycle Riders Foundation and the supporting SMRO’s. The bill contains language to prevent using federal money from the DOT for motorcycle only check points, includes mode of transportation when collecting data on traffic stops, reestablishing the Motorcycle Advisory Council, and adding more seats for motorcyclists, requiring information about motorcycles when discussing safety studies for autonomous vehicles, and finally, increasing funding for motorcycle safety programs (used for state rider training programs). The bill was sent to the Senate where they will write their own version. The good news is that the language that benefits us was in their original draft, so we are hopeful it will remain.

Make plans to attend this year’s Annual Meeting in Baraboo. We will be hosting our next Future of Motorcycling in Wisconsin Summit on Saturday, and then we are planning to take ride to the Capitol in Madison. The goal is to reinforce the message that motorcyclists need to be heard. We are a legal road user, and we contribute to highway repairs through registrations and fuel taxes, so we need to be part of the discussion when working on the State Department of Transportation’s vision of “Connect 2050”. We will need help from the state legislators to ensure that any policy change needs to be reviewed for how it will affect motorcycling in the State of Wisconsin. Together we can create a safe and enjoyable environment for motorcyclists in the State of Wisconsin.

That’s it,

Steve