This New Year has started with a flurry of motorcycle-related activity. The retiring of the Director of the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program (GMSP) left a void that ABATE is monitoring closely to make sure the motorcyclists of Georgia are not short-changed as in the past.

We are pleased to announce that we now have a closer working relationship with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). This year more sites are available for the GMSP classes and more are in the works to help with the back log of people waiting for motorcycle driver training.

This year ABATE, under the Safety First Foundation, will be able to utilize GMSP Instructors along with trained ABATE members in giving the “Share the Highway” Program. This program teaches non-motorcycling highway users to better “Share the Highway” with motorcycle riders to avoid accidents. Please look for more information regarding this program as this year unfolds.

On another note, ABATE began getting calls just before Christmas from motorcyclists that were being denied tags and titles for their custom bikes, even though some of these bikes have been tagged and titled for years. On January 2nd Randy Snyder of Full Throttle Magazine had a group of involved people meet to discuss this problem and how to address it. Anyone who is experiencing this problem, please contact me at 770-881-7438 or e-mail us at info@abatega.org.

Folks, wake up! ABATE told you in the year 2000 that this could happen. Few people responded. In the year 2006 we told you it had happened and would take effect in the year 2008. Few responded. It is now 2008 and to quote our Legislative Director, Ed “Yankee” Andross, it is “EPA-DAY”. People are being denied tags and titles. Some have had their titles shredded or torn up in front of them. A lot of people are voicing their concern about this issue but to date few have taken action. ABATE is actively involved in finding a resolution to this problem with the proper authorities.

Fred Rau mentioned in his article “Left Out” in the November Issue of Motorcycle Consumer News, (and reprinted in ABATE’s November Newsletter) that an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is being developed worldwide in a effort to design and implement a system of highways that would greatly reduce accidents and improve traffic flow. Fred sums up his article saying that these highways are being designed with no thought given to a technological interface that is compatible with motorcycles. In a few years you may see the sign on highway ramps “NO MOTORCYCLES ALLOWED”.

Get active or don’t complain as your ride is taken from you. Please join ABATE as we fight for your freedom and right to continue to ride your motorcycle.

Ride safe, Ride Free, and Ride Often in this God Blessed U. S. of A. !