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| Sunday July 26, 2009 2nd Annual Poker Run For the P.A.C. Fund Benefits A.B.A.T.E.'s Political Action Committee Fund. Bikers are very generous supporting other good causes, it is now time to support your own cause as well. This event supports YOUR rights! Sponsored by A.B.A.T.E. of the Garden State, 4H Fairgrounds on RT77, Mullica Hill, NJ. Click here for map. Registration: 10:00AM to 12:00PM, $20.00 per person 80 mile ride through Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland and Atlantic Counties. Ends in Williamstown with food and prizes. Info: 609-922-3953  |
YOU can now have your say! Click here for our comments section. |
Tips for writing to your legislators It is often important to comunicate with your legislators in order to affect legislation that needs to be passed or being considered for passage. This article will provide some good tips on how best to accomplish your goals. |
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." |
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Training, education - not helmets - will save motorcyclists' lives You see, it's like this: If you stick a monkey on a motorcycle, without any skills, he's going to crash and die. But if you educate the monkey through motorcycle training and teach him how to ride, he'll live be happy and won't end up someone's hood ornament. Then you have the people who think that by dressing the monkey in brightly colored reflective clothes and adding a helmet, the monkey is now safe. |
| Website Improvement This website has significantly improved and reorganized the legislative information pages. You can now easily view current and past legislative updates, calls to action, as well as quickly find your district number, and legislators' addresses and phone numbers. Click here to enter the legislative information section. |
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to view a helmet law map of the US.
to view chart on total motorcycle registration information.
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is the best organization representing bikers nationwide on the federal level. ABATE of the Garden State encourages all bikers and supporters to join and support the MRF.
for information on joining the MRF.
for links to to other motorcycle rights websites.
(Courtesy of ABATE of SC)
Florida Economy Boosted by $3 Billion Since Repeal of Mandatory Helmet Law
This is almost three billion dollars in five years that has been put into the economy of the State of Florida , and this is a low figure as it doesn't include antique motorcycle or mopeds that are licensed differently in Florida . Over one hundred eighty million dollars in taxes went directly into the state treasury for the general fund. This does not include the tourist money that has increased because of Florida being a freedom of choice state. In the past five years over 3 billion dollars has been put into the economy in general from Bike Week and Biketoberfest.
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Cost of the War in Iraq
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Did you hear that the Federal Reserve just hired the executive from Bear Stearns who was in charge of risk management to help supervise banks? |
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If you wish to contact ABATE, for all general communication, please email
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Bikers are Passionate |
| Online Membership Membership in ABATE can now be paid for online using a credit card or PayPal. Click here to join ABATE or renew your membership. |
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June-July State Newsletter
is now complete. See the beautiful pictorial tribute to Tom Gordon. |
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Rep. Joe Harrison, R-Napoleonville, Louisiana |
| ***UPDATED*** List of NJ legislation affecting bikers Here is a list of proposed legislation affecting bikers with bill numbers and links to the bills. Included are descriptors of the legislations and the ABATE position on these bills. (requires Adobe Reader) |
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| Do you know how a bill becomes law in New Jersey? Click here to see the steps neccesary to move from an idea to a law. |
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"Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time, who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done, if we are always doing." |
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| NTSB calls for mandatory helmet laws in all states! Here is an agency that has just focused solely on helmets while totally ignoring cell phone use by auto drivers, cookie cutter guard rails on our highways, driver awareness, rider training, ignoring right of way violations, and other issues that could save far more lives than helmets. The NTSB website states that helmets should be required right at the top of their home page! Click here for the MRF response to this issue Click here for the AMA response to this issue Click here for Long Distance Rider response to this issue. Click here for Street Bikers United Hawaii thoughtful response to this issue. Click here to write the NTSB with your thoughts on this. The NTSB has no experience with motorcycles, has totally ignored them for over 4 decades. So whose agenda are they advancing? Now they make broad pronouncements on their safety that take away our freedom to make our own informed adult choices. The NTSB has investigated 124,000 airplane tragedies, 10,000 other surface transportation tragedies, but only 6 motorcycle tragedies in the last 40 years. They should stick to investigating airplane crashes.. |
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| Click here for the results of the ABATE survey where you voted on what our priorities should be. |
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| Have you ever had someone discuss motorcycle issues with and you find yourself at a loss of what to say? Click here for talking points to use to bolster your arguments for motorcycle rights. |
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"There are more head injuries for bicycle riders, snow skiers, water skiers, skateboard riders, gymnasts and cheer leaders than there are for motorcycle riders, should we have the state indemnify all of them?"Click here for US motorcycle registration figures.
Source: US Department of Transportation, 2004 figures.
NJMA has legally registered to start using the name, American Bikers Advocating Training and Education. We will be using A.B.A.T.E. of the Garden State. ABATE / NJMA plans to increase our presence, broaden our scope in New Jersey and align our state with the 38 other states with ABATE organizations. We welcome all New Jersey motorcycle Rights Organizations (MROs) and riding clubs to join us and encourage motorcycle rights minded riders to form new chapters throughout the state.
To enhance and protect the motorcyclist riding rights in New Jersey. To enhance the common good and general welfare of New Jersey ’s motorcycling community by promoting education, awareness, safety concerns and to foster a general understanding by motorcyclist and motorist alike. To make our voices heard on legislation affecting riders in New Jersey on a local, state and national level by creating a united community of motorcyclists connected through our organization. Furthermore, we address any legislation concerning motorcyclists locally, statewide or nationally. Finally, we will engage in charitable activities benefiting our organization, the motorcycle community and society at large.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead
We too, born to freedom, and believing in freedom, are willing to fight to maintain freedom. We, and all others who believe as deeply as we do, would rather die on our feet than live on our knees.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
(1882 - 1945),
32nd President of the United States
Nixon to MoDOT: Take that poll and shove it Gov. Jay Nixon has vetoed money for the Missouri Department of Transportation in retaliation for a publicly financed lobbying effort against a bill relaxing Missouri’s motorcycle helmet mandate. The department recently spent about $33,000 on a public opinion poll showing that a majority of respondents favor an existing state law requiring all motorcycle riders to wear helmets. On Thursday, Nixon vetoed $33,000 from the transportation department’s administrative budget for expenses and equipment during fiscal year that starts next Wednesday. Nixon denounced the poll, declaring: “Taxpayers are darn sick and tired of people spending public money to lobby public officials like that.” |
| Thursday June 25 to Sunday June 28, 2009 Thunder in the Valley  For those looking for something different, this is the event to visitSince Pennsylvania repealed its helmet law, this event has grown from 5,000 in its first year, to over 200,000+ since. The people actually have "Welcome Bikers" signs on their homes. As Thunder in the Valley® grows, so does its popularity. The rally is taking the east coast "by storm." A Rider magazine writer recently said, "This rally has spirit...they make you feel welcome in every way!" Nice easy 4 to 5 hour ride from Philadelphia. Once there, you can cruise the beautiful mountain roads of Western Pennsylvania, with or without your helmet. |
AIM ATTORNEY SUES NY POLICE FOR ILLEGAL CHECKPOINTS Last year the New York State Police and county sheriffs stopped every motorcycle en route to twelve different events for "safety checks." With the riding season starting, the New York State Police expect to conduct up to fifteen motorcycle-only roadblocks throughout the state this year. One of the events targeted was Americade, the largest motorcycle event in the Northeast. Police set up two checkpoints during the Lake George-based rally in June that netted 84 tickets for unapproved helmets, 19 for modified exhausts and 32 other vehicle and traffic violations. New York A.I.M. (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists) Attorney Mitchell Proner, an active motorcyclist and personal injury attorney, is initiating the lawsuit on behalf of all motorcyclists. ABATE of New York supports the legal action. Proner said that the New York State Police "uses the pretense of safety inspections to delay and harass motorcyclists without any reasonable belief that any laws are being broken." Although courts have upheld DWI checkpoints as generally permissible, "These motorcycle roadblock stops are lengthy and do not address any legitimate safety concerns," according to Proner. |
Drastic New York City bill against motorcycle noise still shows signs of life A battle fought by New York bikers and motorcycle advocacy groups in December 2008 may be far from won, with a recent report indicating the next round is imminent. Last December a bill was considered that would make it harder for bikers to hang on to both their wallets and motorcycle. In an effort to reduce motorcycle noise, a law was considered requiring all motorcycles to display tags certifying approval by the Environmental Protection Agency. Without the tag, police could issue a ticket without having to prove the motorcycle exceeded the 80-decibel limit set by the city's noise code. |
Kawasaki Develops Night Vision Helmet Mount for Its Flagship Motorcycle  According to patent documents rooted out by Gizmag, Kawasaki is developing a rack of novel technologies for the next generation of its high-tech flagship motorcycle, the 1400 GTR. These include not only an infrared camera system, but also a helmet-mounted, heads-up display for projecting those pictures, and a collision avoidance system, which will detect and highlight potential dangers. The timing of the roll-outs of these technologies isn't nailed down, though Gizmag speculates that the first round will come this fall, at the Paris motorcycle shows. |
Missouri Governor "truly undecided" about helmet law repeal Missouri Governor Jay Nixon says he remains truly undecided about whether to sign a bill repealing Missouri's motorcycle helmet law. But the founder of the Brothers of the Third Wheel believes the state's helmet requirement will have an economic impact on Branson this weekend as his group kicks off their annual "Trike Week" gathering at Compton Ridge Campground. "We've still got members today that won't come because of the helmet law," said Jim Sickler of Ava, who heads the Brothers of the Third Wheel event. |
ABATE and all bikers lose a great freedom fighter Tom gave to the community his time, devotion and energy. He was a lifetime member and former Asst. Chief of Louden Fire Co. and 3rd and 4th Degree Knight of Knights of Columbus Council 774. He will be remembered as a "Freedom Fighter." He was the State Representative of NJ Legislature for ABATE of the Garden State. He worked hard and diligently as a Medical Engineer for MLS in VA Beach. Tom was a very multi-faceted human being that God above endured on Earth. He will be sadly missed by his family, friends, and co-workers. |
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It Takes More Than A Helmet To Save A Life  As a society we should focus more on crash avoidance rather than safer crashes. I prefer not to crash at all as opposed to crashing and maybe, just maybe, not getting hurt as bad as I could have. Let us be clear, there is no helmet on the market that can prevent a crash. My response for many years to people who question my decision not to wear a helmet when I ride is, “It's not what is on the head but what is in the head that keeps you safe.” |
Missouri lawmakers create defense for running red light Motorcycle and bicycle riders could run through stalled red lights under legislation that's heading to Gov. Jay Nixon. Some motorcycles and bicycles aren't heavy enough to trigger automated traffic lights. Under the bill, those on bikes would have a defense for running a traffic signal that has been red unreasonably long. To qualify, the rider must have come to a complete stop and the intersection would need to be clear. It also needs to be shown that the traffic signal was malfunctioning or failed to detect the waiting vehicle. |
Missouri motorcycle helmet amendment heads to Governor for final signature The bill would allow people at least 21 years old to ride a motorcycle without wearing a helmet as long as they're not traveling on an interstate highway. The amendment would change a mandatory helmet law that advocacy groups have tried to change for decades. Much of the bills successful passage has been attributed to lawmakers adding the helmet provisions to a larger bill regarding motorcycle insurance.Starting to look like Missouri is becoming a motorcycle friendly state. This is the result of hard work by Motorcycle Rights Organizations. |
No easy riding from MVC fees Assemblyman Michael Doherty, R-Warren, has introduced legislation to return fee-setting power to the Legislature. What the MVC is doing demands scrutiny from the public and lawmakers, but Doherty's remedy is premature. |
Some motorcylce truisms
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Freedom fighter passes away A good friend of motorcyclists and a staunch freedom fighter passed away on Monday morning. Michael J. “Boz” Kerr had been a member of the Chicago Chapter of ABATE it seems since birth, Michael served the Chicago Chapter as President in 1997 & 1998 he also served on the board in many positions and received the highest award the Chicago chapter has, the Dave “Dogkiller” White award. Last year he was nominated for the Rich Neb award and was too sick to come from my room to see him receive it but I was told that he was speechless for once. He is survived by his wife, companion and good friend Eva Kerr. |
The Second Annual Trevor James Beef-N-Beer Benefit Will be May 2, 2009 beginning
at 3 pm. Please Support the Trevor James Foundation by joining us for a press
conference that will occur at Dazzyo’s Pub & Grill, 505 South Route 73 in
Cedarbrook, NJ. Presentations from State Senators Sweeney and Madden, Assemblyman
Nelson Albano, Congressman Rob Andrews and hopefully Governor Jon Corzine will
ensue. After the conference, motorcyclists will process down Route 73 to Berlin.
Past the site of a billboard that bears Trevor and his son Dylan’s image along
with driving past the crash site. They will circle back and conclude the
festivities at Dazzyo’s Pub & Grill with a benefit from 4-7 pm that will feature
food & music.Click here for press release. |
Are cable crossover barriers killing motorcyclists? In all the simulated wire rope barrier collisions, the wires guided the motorcycle into the posts leading to heavy contact with the post. The motorcycle and the rider were subjected to large decelerations because of this snagging effect and hence elevating the injury risk for the rider. While the simulations in this report are preliminary, they show that the risk of injury to a motorcyclist colliding with either a wire rope or a concrete barrier will be high. The findings also suggest that while the current design of flexible barriers has safety advantages over concrete barriers for passenger vehicles, the opposite may be true for motorcyclists. |
Proner & Proner, Attorneys at law, has filed a Federal class action lawsuit in the Federal Court for the Northern District of New York against the New York State Police as well as New York State and county authorities to stop them from conducting motorcycle-only roadblocks near popular motorcycle events.
May 18, 2009: It’s with a heavy heart that I pass this news on. Tom Gordon passed away last night, at about 11:00 PM.He is the beloved husband of Diana (nee Strzelski). Father of Alex Gordon and his wife Nicholle of Hammonton, Nadia Gordon-Steen of Atco, Adam Gordon and his wife Nikki of Sicklerville, and his loving youngest son Todd C. Gordon of Berlin. He is also survived by his siblings, William Gordon Jr. of Santa Rosa, CA, Joan & Steve of NH, James & Judy of NH, Scott & Denise Gordon of NH, and David & Leslie Gordon of NH, his Godmother, Aunt Rita Cole of NH and many nieces and nephews.
Opponents of pending increases in some state motor vehicle fees are jumping the gun in calling for the Legislature to yank away the state Motor Vehicle Commission's relatively new power to set those fees. ABATE of the Garden State, a motorcyclist rights group, is battling what it calls a 650 percent annual increase, from $10 to $65, to register a motorcycle, starting July 1. 
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