Your opinion of "ABATE"

Mr Bogus

Trouble Makers Inc.
Donating Member
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Just got off the phone with the head of "ABATE" of Indiana and he wants help..

He wants to know what/how to get the sport bike guys involved in ABATE..

I most certainly have my own opinion of ABATE and their organization.. (will save that to myself for now, but I certainly aired some out with him :) )

Here is what I want..


  • What would it take to get your interest in ABATE

  • What do you think of ABATE currently

  • Would you participate in "sport bike" related ABATE activity

  • What does ABATE need to do for the sportbike community

  • if given the chance, would you consider working "with" ABATE towards common goals

(please this is NOT adebate about ABATE, just thoughts and opinions...)

if you have ideas or feelings about one or all of the above, spill it..

if you would rather not post publicly, PM it to me.. Thanks..
 
ABATE started off in the RIGHT direction, but have since gone in a wrong direction in my opinion.
To get "Sport Bike" riders involved they need to drop some of their militant hard line NO HELMET thinking.
That is my opinion.
YOU asked for it.:poke:
 
I simply cannot join/support them if they are "anti helmet". Goes against everything I believe in as a motorcyclist and a person with common sense.
 
ABATE started off in the RIGHT direction, but have since gone in a wrong direction in my opinion.
To get "Sport Bike" riders involved they need to drop some of their militant hard line NO HELMET thinking.
That is my opinion.
YOU asked for it.:poke:


I agree with that. There's definitely a difference in how cruiser riders and sportbike riders feel about safety gear (generally speaking), and those differences of opinion have been known to become heated and spill over into other topics.
 
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i had read one of their reasons for non helmets, was that it restricted oxygen.........


do you really want in an org. w/ that train of thought.
 
Just to clear up a little.
I myself am very ANTI Helmet laws. So with that I agree with ABATE. But that does not mean you should not wear one, I just don't want Big Brother telling me I have to wear one. That is where ABATE and I disagree. They are to militant about not wearing a helmet. I feel it is a personal choice (Calm down Dino). Just like other personal choices we have in this country or HAD.
Now not to get off topic or to start a fight here on the board. I am just airing my opinion. Take abortion for example (yes a whole different game but). I personally do not agree with abortion in MOST cases. But in the same token I do not feel that is the governments place to control a womans body.
I hope this makes sense and does not start a fight. All I am saying is we need to be able to make our own choices without the government dictating personal choices that for the MOST part only affect us.
 
Just to clear up a little.
I myself am very ANTI Helmet laws. So with that I agree with ABATE. But that does not mean you should not wear one, I just don't want Big Brother telling me I have to wear one.

Unfortunately people that decide not to wear helmets cost other people money in insurance premiums and paying for their hospital bills; so it's not a "personal" decision as it ultimately affects others.
 
again, respect others thoughts and just post your own opinion... not a debate but an open airing of "Why" ABATE has issues with our particular crowd... (biting my own tongue here)... :)
 
again, respect others thoughts and just post your own opinion... not a debate but an open airing of "Why" ABATE has issues with our particular crowd... (biting my own tongue here)... :)

Sorry... the "helmet" debate is hard to resist... *zips it*
 
With the vast differences between cruiser and sportbike riders and our riding communities, why do the want us anyway? I can think of my own reasons, but did he actually mention any?
 
Harley and true biker crowds have issues with abate too. My opinion is they actually hide there own political agenda behind bikers rights and use profits for other things. It's not the grass roots abate organizers or their followers. it's the Abate organization heirarchy and what type of lobbyist they employ.
Myself, i belong to several grass roots CMO's that only fight for the rights of all motorcyclist. Not just helmet laws, but things like Left on Red. Severe Penalties for deaths of Bikers in traffic accidents, bike emmisions, and would you believe there is even a law pending to pull all older bikes off the road? As if single handidly we tore a hole in the ozone layer...
Anyway...i'm not an ABATE guy.
 
With the vast differences between cruiser and sportbike riders and our riding communities, why do the want us anyway? I can think of my own reasons, but did he actually mention any?

the same reason any organization wants members. Like AARP or NRA..to foster their own political agenda. They can say..hey we represent XXXX number of voters. The more voters, the stronger their lobbyists can be. Politics politics politics...

Why me, for one...stays out of it!
Y'all be nice in here....bye bye:thumbsup:
 
the same reason any organization wants members. Like AARP or NRA..to foster their own political agenda. They can say..hey we represent XXXX number of voters. The more voters, the stronger their lobbyists can be. Politics politics politics...

Why me, for one...stays out of it!
Y'all be nice in here....bye bye:thumbsup:


That was my assumption, but I was hoping that this guy gave Randy some other reasons. It seems like our disagreements with current members (and their agenda) might end up being more trouble than it's worth to have us.
 
the same reason any organization wants members. Like AARP or NRA..to foster their own political agenda. They can say..hey we represent XXXX number of voters. The more voters, the stronger their lobbyists can be. Politics politics politics...

Why me, for one...stays out of it!
Y'all be nice in here....bye bye:thumbsup:

I buy this myself, but if the organization is going to ask for those members, it will have to reflect those members views to stay.. Honestly I think this is all pie in the sky but rather than sit around and complain how things are or how they are doing things, I feel it is worth a couple hours of my time to rattle some cages and see what is going on from he other side..... futile? probably..
 
Unfortunately people that decide not to wear helmets cost other people money in insurance premiums and paying for their hospital bills; so it's not a "personal" decision as it ultimately affects others.


The answer to this then is to handle the situation through the insurance company formally. If you want lower premiums then start a movement to get insurance company 'A' to refuse payment on riders not wearing a helmet. Then you can dump insurance company 'B' that has no helmet rule and pay a lower premium through 'A'. The choice is the private insurance companies decision. The gov't isnt designed to look out for the good of insurance payers to keep prices down. I would rather the gov't work on getting more cops on the street to prevent crime and figuring out our poverty issues in this great nation than spending time worrying about some guy on a bike. If you want to ride that way, it should be your choice (though I choose a helmet).

In my opinion, its similar to seat belt laws which require passengers to buckle up. No doubt that it is safer to have a passenger buckled and not potential flying debris but if you, the owner of the vehicle can't control the people in your car then maybe you shouldnt be driving. If you arent a smart enough driver to know you are in danger when unbuckled then darwin may have an answer for you. Does the gov't really need to tell us everything? But because we are on a gov't funded road they believe it is their right. I disagree.
 
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again, respect others thoughts and just post your own opinion... not a debate but an open airing of "Why" ABATE has issues with our particular crowd... (biting my own tongue here)... :)


and then I read this............ :whistle: sorry- no opinion on ABATE, i had never heard of them before now.... just like the fella above.. the helmet debate IS hard to resist.
 
My sport bike club doesnt support them....we see them make bad decisions every bike night by sponsoring a drinking contest with the bikers. (Lets tell everyone its ok not to wear a helmet...oh oh! I got it, lets help them get drunk too!!!) Stupid
 
Abate speak with forked tongue.. No use for them. They want your money to further their views not yours. :moon:
 
appreciate the restraint you guys! All very valid points and I see the same things and I think some of it is very valid and other stuff is left to the actual members of the organization... I will most certainly update you all on the replies to each of these points..

It would seem however that the sport bike community is alive and well with a lot of regard for image and safety... :)
 
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