Do you ABATE?

  • September 18, 2012 10:50 AM PDT
    Only a fraction of the over one million registered and licensed motorcyclist in the State of California participate or give support to any type of Motorcycle Rights Organization but you can bet your ass most of them bitch and complain about their Freedoms of the Road constantly being challenged and taken away from them. California is not unique, the same rider apathy exists in every state.

    It’s time to end the Lip Service and get involved. Join ABATE or MRO of choice and help make a difference or sit quietly and be happy how ever things turn out.

    If you want to become a State of California ABATE Member, shoot me over your name and mailing address, in a message, and I’ll get a membership card in the mail to you TODAY and I’ll help you identify your closest ABATE Local.

    For those out of state, check this link and find your states ABATE:

    http://www.bikercrap.com/Resources/abate_states.htm />
    Join ABATE, and help fight to protect your Freedoms of the Road!

     
  • September 18, 2012 3:07 PM PDT
    To be honest, I've never understood what ABATE did or what it stood for. Thanks for the info. I've been to CMA gatherings when ABATE talked about this or that ride they were hosting.
  • September 18, 2012 8:47 PM PDT
    I am a member of ABATE of Wisconsin, have been for years. I used to belong to AMA, needed to be to be in sanctioned events. Everyone does need to be involved, protect our rights, or someone WILL take them away. A lot of people hate bikers. They want us off the road. We must not allow that to happen. We need to protect ourselves, JOIN NOW! There is strength in numbers.
  • September 18, 2012 10:59 PM PDT
    LCStrat, if you need any info on ABATE, please do not hesitate to let me know and I will do what I can. We as motorcyclist really need to start standing up and protecting our Freedoms of the Road. As Jeff stated on the post above, there is strength in numbers and right now, the number of Motorcycle Rights Freedome Fighters SUCKS! It's pretty hard to look credible to the folks that are trying to take your freedoms away when you can not get a fraction of a percent of your own group to stand up and fight the good fight......and also it costs MONEY to fight that fight. I tell people all the time, even if you do not want to be involved or even go to a single ABATE meeting, at least pay membership every year as those dollars are importaint, leave the bike park one day and you'll cover the cost of membership, it's not a real big sacrifice for most.

    Russ
    • 1855 posts
    September 19, 2012 3:12 AM PDT
    I was public relations officer for my ABATE region for nearly a dozen years. In that position I concentrated mostly on what we did for the community and recruitment of members. As for motorcycle rights; I don't believe in PAC funds, i.e., bribing politicians do the right thing. Certain State ABATE officers are also on a payroll in our state and I'm totally against that; specifically travel pay to those who lobby in Washington.If you can't "volunteer" to protect your rights then your mission isn't about motorcyclist's rights. On a personal level we all should (individually and personally) fight for our rights. That means letters and petitions to your legislators; demand their attention, not PAY for it.

    I don't know what goes on in other states regardinng ABATE. But I would suggest that everyone dig deep into what your state ABATE actually does for MR's. And if you are not a member of an MRO get involved on a personal level.

    Peace
    • Moderator
    • 16795 posts
    September 19, 2012 4:13 AM PDT
    My advice is join your Local / State A.B.A.T.E. and get INVOLVED!
  • September 19, 2012 5:01 AM PDT
    Yep,region 2,Starke county.
    • 846 posts
    September 19, 2012 8:35 AM PDT
    I'm a member of the MMA (Mass Motorcycle Association) here in Massachusetts as well as a member of the AMA. The MMA here in Massachusetts has done some great work on behave of all motorcyclist in the state and continues to do so. I was amazed some of the stuff that was in the legislature to take away our rights that they have worked to remove.
  • September 19, 2012 9:30 AM PDT
    Jimmy, although ABATE is not perfect (no MRO is) it, and other MROs, are essential in the protection of our Freedoms of the Roads. I am in agreeance with you on PACs, and ABATE is the only PAC I belong to. As big a community as we are, sadly, as I am sure you are quite aware, not many of us get invoved in protecting our rights. It's all but impossible to do so without someone lobbying for us and trying to ensure the right folks are in the office as so few really even care if we came or went. It's also important that we are focused and look unified which is all but impossible as individuals IMO.
  • September 19, 2012 12:18 PM PDT
    Here's a list of New York chapters..   www.abateny.org/chapters.html />
  • September 19, 2012 1:24 PM PDT
    I have never been an abate member but I do ride to several of their rallies in Ca. and Az. and to be honest I tried last year to go to a meeting of Ca. abate # 11 in northern San Diego County and the bar they had listed as a meeting site was closed several months earlier, WTH. After coming home from Ca Abates rally in Kernville last weekend, I checked abate # 11s meeting place and it was the same bar. It is still closed!!
  • September 19, 2012 1:58 PM PDT
    Wheels, if I may ask, did yo uget the info off of the ABATE web site or the bailing wire? I want to get this resolved ASAP, we can't be our own worst enemy.
  • September 19, 2012 1:58 PM PDT
    Good to see you at the rally by the way.......
    • 1855 posts
    September 20, 2012 12:46 AM PDT
    BikerCrap wrote...
    Jimmy, although ABATE is not perfect (no MRO is) it, and other MROs, are essential in the protection of our Freedoms of the Roads. I am in agreeance with you on PACs, and ABATE is the only PAC I belong to. As big a community as we are, sadly, as I am sure you are quite aware, not many of us get invoved in protecting our rights. It's all but impossible to do so without someone lobbying for us and trying to ensure the right folks are in the office as so few really even care if we came or went. It's also important that we are focused and look unified which is all but impossible as individuals IMO.

    Nearly impossible as an individual; you're right.  I'm not saying MRO's are bad. I'm saying check into what your local is doing.

     Here's the thing about active support for your rights, regardless of your agenda, "do whatever you can within the law to get your point across".  There's nothing wrong with chaining yourself to the court house steps to get some attention and reaction to your cause.  Holding a beauracrat responsible instead of paying him off isn't that difficult.  My belief is this: If an agency of the gov't wants they can and will make your life miserable. I believe we can do the same. Hell, individuals do it to one another all the time; i.e., ex-wives, ex-employees, ex-employers, IRS agents, insurance agents, etc.

    A little innuendo goes a long way.  If someone would bribe me before they would do what's right there's a better than average possibility that his/her life is going to be made a living hell; a rumor here, a rumor there. I learned this a long time ago from the way political opponents treat/attack one another.  If they can do it then so can we.

    Peace

  • September 22, 2012 11:07 PM PDT
    wheels wrote...
    I have never been an abate member but I do ride to several of their rallies in Ca. and Az. and to be honest I tried last year to go to a meeting of Ca. abate # 11 in northern San Diego County and the bar they had listed as a meeting site was closed several months earlier, WTH. After coming home from Ca Abates rally in Kernville last weekend, I checked abate # 11s meeting place and it was the same bar. It is still closed!!



    Wheels, this was in my inbox this morning, from Dan, the P of L11........

    Yes, the Oakvale Bar and Grill is closed. We still meet in the parking lot under the trees. Anyone who shows up on the 2nd Sunday of the month at 1100 can’t miss us. Starting in November we will be meeting at the American Legion in Escondido.
     
    Dan Buse
    ABATE 11