by Dave Chubby Charlebois

Awareness

If you read your newsletter thoroughly you’ll see there are many things to stay on top of and much to do in the upcoming months. Our freedoms are regularly being attacked and vigilance is the key. All this going on and the weather is finally nice enough to bring the scoot out of hibernation too, sometimes we just have to prioritize.  The one thing that I like to put at the top of my priority list this time of year may not involve contacting your legislator but remains one of the most important things we can do for all motorcyclists in the state.  I’m talking about motorcycle awareness. Sure it’s important to stay on top of the issues, but I hope letting your neighbors know that we ride and we are once again sharing the road with them is one of the most important things that you can do during the riding season. So after finishing up your pre-ride maintenance on the scoot, maybe you should start thinking about how you can do your part to make the public aware that we are out there.

Most motorcycle awareness materials were handed out at officer training and by this month every region should have distributed their supplies at their meetings. Each region once again received yard signs with more available from John Reblin if needed,  placemats ,coasters, and  bumper stickers that reach out to the public with our awareness message “Look for Motorcycles”. Awareness public service announcements are available online and plenty of ideas were shared about getting the word out this spring. If you’re not aware of these giveaways, take the time to attend your regional meeting and ask if there is anything still available. We still have yard signs but will be limiting sales to events throughout the summer.

With the help of Lamar Outdoor Advertising and some regional sponsors we will be posting over twenty billboards throughout the northern half of the state with our “Be Aware” message. Look for these signs in your region and please support their sponsors and thank Lamar for helping us get this very important message out this year.

This will be our eleventh year doing motorcycle awareness rallies throughout the state and they keep getting better. Regions planning rallies should be listed elsewhere in this newsletter and we would like you to come out and show your support at one of them. These rallies often attract media attention which has the ability to get the word out tenfold over the cars that just pass you by that day.  Rallies are a great opportunity to promote brotherhood and to bring the family along to show their support also.

With warm weather finally here take the time to dust off the scoot and do the required PRM to ensure a safe riding season. When you’re done, think about attending an ABATE meeting in your area to find out what legislation may be affecting us in the near future or to pick up some awareness material for next month. And remember, although May is Motorcycle Awareness Month, we need motorists to be aware of us all year long. We need them to recognize that we are their co-workers, neighbors, coaches, and friends. Bikers come from all walks of life and deserve to be seen on our roadways. Once again, it is up to you to make a difference. Let’s get our priorities in order and join together to promote awareness this year. I look forward to seeing you at a rally. Until next month…Ride Free