STATE COORDINATOR'S REPORT | |
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State Coordinator Report June 2024
Spring Opener the end of this month. Hope to see everyone there. Should be a great time. There are a number of people working hard to put on a great event. We are still looking for some volunteers for security, state products, and a few other positions. Please clean up after yourselves. There will be a large dumpster on the way out of the venue. Please pack your trash out. Thank you.
We are in need of an Eastside Ambassador. If you are from the Eastside and are interested in that position, please get in touch with me to learn more.
Thank you to Scott Robinson for stepping up to a number of things behind the scenes. Scott has handled a number of tasks for ABATE and continues to be a go to person when things need to get done. Thank you, Scott.
There are a number of people who do a great deal for ABATE with no pay and no personal benefit. Greg Hansen Membership, Joe Cain, communication and web page, Chad Holtquist, west side ambassador, Shari Carlsberg, newsletter. All of these people do a great deal behind the scenes that keeps ABATE running, and without them, ABATE would not be successful. Thank you for your service.
Personally, I would like to thank Chris McAfee for her help and efforts with the SWAP meet and all the things she did to help me. Thank you, Chris, you are a rock star.
See you all at Spring Opener,
Andy McAfee
State Coordinator
ABATE of Washington
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June 27-30
Holy cow! By the time you read this, we will be 26 days away from our 46th Annual Spring Opener!
It’s going to be a great time! I’m extremely thankful for our committee and all the hard work that has been put into making this event a great success. Thank you all very much!!! Many volunteers will help make this volunteer organization a success!!
A couple of reminders:
Volunteers are needed for State Products Booth, Security, & an array of odd jobs. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact me, Phil Snow, Carrie Saagim, or any state officer.
Member & Non-member gate tickets are out & available for purchase. Get yours today! $40 Member, $55 Non-member. Admission prices are $5 more at the gate on the day of entry.
Also, a presentation of your current ABATE of Washington membership card will be requested upon entry at the gate. If you forget your card or don’t have it in person, you will be required to pay the non-member gate pricing. Even if you purchased the Member ticket prior to arrival, you will need to pay the difference of $15.
We have a lot of great events being sponsored by a variety of chapters: Poker Run, dunk tank, motorcycle show, vibrator races, corn hole, best decorated camp site, burn out contest, bike games, & so much more!!
Live music all three nights! Seattle Cossacks will be performing on Saturday evening!!
Motorcycle raffle drawing takes place Saturday, June 29th @ 9:00 PM.
Get your tickets now! Can’t wait to see you all there!!
Billi Bowen
Spring Opener Committee Chair
Click here for the Raffle Ticket rules
Spring Opener Flyer
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Motorcycle Raffle
Greetings!
We sill have raffle tickets left to sell. If you are interested in getting some, prior to Spring Opener, please let me know.
If you have money to turn in for tickets that have sold, please let me know also or bring them to ECOM on June 9th, 2024.
The bikes are pretty awesome and who doesn’t want to win a HD for $10! It could be you and all it takes is one ticket.
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We are in need of a new State Products Coordinator. If interested, don't hesitate to get in touch with Bubba Bowen at srdeputy.abateofwashington@gmail.com. A special thank you to Cheryl Holtquist for all her hard work. | | | |
“Texas” Larry Walker is an nationally certified Rider Coach for novice, intermediate, and advanced training. He is the Senior Instructor for Navy Region Northwest, a long time motorcyclist rights advocate, with over 45 years of riding experience. | |
It’s Campaign Season
Election filings have closed out, and the primary field is set. Now is the time to begin to reach out to the candidates in your area and sort them out, and not just on motorcycling issues. Not only should you size them up for how open they are to our motorcycle issues, but it is advisable to assess how well they will be able to work within the system and play nicely with others. A candidate who is 100% behind our issues but massively irritates every member of the chamber is not really a good value.
Here is where you can find out who is running in your area.
Click here to read more.
“Texas” Larry Walker
Legislative Affairs Officer, ABATE of WA
360-271-9285
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It’s Learn To Ride Your Motorcycle Month
All right, most people push to have their local governments declare May to be Motorcycle Awareness Month, and many folks edit it to be Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, but I am not a big fan of said push. Don’t get me wrong; I absolutely do yearn for the drivers of passenger vehicles to add motorcycles near the top of their list of things which they scan for in traffic. I will still need to scan and track potential incursions, but that will give me much less to respond to while riding. I just see too many riders placing way too much emphasis on drivers looking out for bike as a primary survival tool.
Click here to read more.
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“Texas” Larry Walker is an nationally certified Rider Coach for novice, intermediate, and advanced training. He is the Senior Instructor for Navy Region Northwest, a long time motorcyclist rights advocate, with over 45 years of riding experience. | | | |
MOTORCYCLE RIDERS FOUNDATION | |
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NHTS DIGS DEEPER ON TESLA CRASHES
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has demanded more information from Tesla regarding a recent Autopilot software recall, with a July 1st deadline or face fines up to $135 million. This follows an NHTSA report linking Tesla Autopilot to 467 crashes and 14 deaths since 2018. Motorcyclist safety, highlighted by a recent fatal crash involving a Tesla, will be a key topic at the 2024 Bikers Inside the Beltway event in Washington, D.C.
Read the full story here.
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RF ROADSHOW STOPS: TALES IN TEXAS
The MRF Roadshow went to Round Rock, Texas on May 4th for the Texas A.B.A.T.E. Legislative Education Seminar (TALES). The event started with a nice lunch provided by Texas A.B.A.T.E. at the American Legion. The main event was followed by presentations from 6 different speakers who addressed the crowd on a variety of topics related to freedom of the road.
Read the full story here.
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MRF ROADSHOWSTOPS: NCOM CONFERENCE 2024 KANSAS CITY, MO
Another excellent seminar was a well-researched history of Autonomous Technology in automobiles, presented by NCOM Board Member Ed Schetter. There were also breakout sessions for councils, clubs and for individual regions to discuss the issues faced by each. This year's event was well attended and educational for all involved.
Read the full story here.
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END OF ROADSHOW TRAIL OREGON
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation's (MRF) “Roadshow” tour visited 27 states this year to engage with bikers and shape their agenda. The tour ended in Oregon with a ceremony and legislative updates.
With Bikers Inside the Beltway approaching, MRF will now advocate on Capitol Hill, informed by Roadshow insights. Planning for the 2025 Roadshow is already underway.
Thank you for your hospitality. Ride Safe and Ride Free!
Read the full story here.
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American Income Life - FREE Accidental Life & Dismemberment | |
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Dear Members of A.B.A.T.E of WA:
You may recall receiving letters from American Income Life Insurance Company (AIL) over the years. As a member of ABATE of WA, you automatically receive a $4,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance benefit at no cost to you or ABATE of WA.
ABATE of WA has partnered with AIL for several years to offer these benefits. Each letter included a reply card, which you must complete to receive your certificate of coverage. An AIL representative will contact you to designate a beneficiary. If you do not name a beneficiary, the $4,000.00 will be paid to your estate and may be taxable.
ABATE of WA does not provide AIL with your name or contact information. The only way they have access to your information is when you send the reply card back or CLICK HERE to request your benefits. AIL offers several supplemental programs, which will be discussed when an AIL representative calls.
If you have any questions, please contact AIL at 1-800-495-1213 or Fran Christie, AIL Public Relations at 778-231-0226.
Over numerous years, AIL has helped ABATE of WA families by paying multiple claims. ABATE of WA has no financial interest in AIL in any way.
To request your benefits, click below:
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Thanks to all of you who have submitted articles, chapter reports, and photographs for our Freedom Newsletter.
I will send an email confirmation of each submission I receive. If you do not receive written confirmation from me, the submission did not arrive as planned. Please reach out to me so that I can ensure your submission is included in the next month's newsletter. I will respond with an email confirmation. As always, thank you for sending your submissions by the 15th of each month.
With respect and gratitude,
Shari Carlsberg
ABATE Freedom Newsletter Editor
newsletter.abateofwashington@gmail.com
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Run for the Hills
June 1, 2024
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Spring Opener
Mark your Calendars!
June 27 - June 30, 2024
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Demolition Derby and Fireworks
July 4, 2024
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RIDER REIMBURSEMENT
Complete a State-Approved Rider Safety Course to receive $50 reimbursement & more!
CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FLYER
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CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW T-SHIRT ORDER FORM | | |
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FOOTHILLS
Foothills is prepping for the Spring Opener and enjoying great turnouts at Thursday socials. Welcome new members Joe and Annette! Join our next social at City Hall Saloon and check our social page for upcoming events.
The Riders Remembered Memorial Park is moving to Birdsview Brewing. Our Foothills Fallen Ride and Pig Roast is on 8/10/2024. Sadly, we add Rob "Zilla" Spivey and Jeff Benchly to the list of the fallen. Stay safe and see you on the road!
READ MORE
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KEY PENINSULA
Greetings from Key Pen!
Hope everyone is well and enjoying their rides. The weather has been great and looks promising.
Join us for Throttle Therapy, especially on Saturday, June 8th, for our "Spring Ride" (details in the flyer) to thank the businesses that supported ABATE, especially during the pandemic.
Keep the shiny side up, and see you soon!
READ MORE
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PACIFIC COUNTY
Our Pigout Charity Run on May 11 had great weather and a fantastic turnout. Congrats to "Mileage Champ" Dan Barker.
Thanks to our hosts: The Roadhouse, Workers Tavern, Tom & Jerry’s, and The Duck Inn. We ended at Hunter’s Inn for great food.
Join us for our 26th annual 101 Run on June 8, from Charlies Sports Bar to the Roadhouse.
Stay sharp and ride safe,
READ MORE
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SKCC
Hello from South King County Chapter!
The sun is here—let's ride! Thanks to everyone who made "Outta Control Night" a success.
This summer, we'll have a table at Jet City Harley Davidson to recruit new members. Stop by and say "hi."
Spring Opener is coming soon, and we'll host the Corn Hole tournament again. Games are Thursday and Friday—sign up with us.
Ride safe and see you on the road!
READ MORE
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SPANAWAY
Here comes the SUN!!!
Now that Mr Sunshine has started showing his beautiful face more riders are out on the roads.
Spanaway is getting ready for 2024 Spring Opener Poker Run. We look forward to y’all participating and kicking Spring Opener off to a fantastic start! We have a limited number for poker run shirts available to purchase. If you would like one prior to Spring Opener, reach out to Carrie Saagim, she will get you set up.
READ MORE
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STAR LAKE
Greetings everyone from the Star Lake Chapter!
We had our Chapter meeting May 5th, 2024. The chapter discussed the benefit ride event for CCS (Catholic Community Services) Kinship Support group, which is on the ABATE calendar for June 1st, 2024. The chapter is preparing the swag and silent auction items for the ride event by the end of the week on May 30th. The Road Captain, Coordinator and a few other members went on a pre-ride to finalize the route and the stops to ensure everything is ready and in place
READ MORE
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Need to reach a specific Chapter?
Get their contact information here:
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Who We Are
We’ve been helping people for almost 30 years. We’re smart, efficient, and sophisticated. We measure success by the results achieved for our clients. Most of our cases involve a motorcycle, bicycle, and auto collisions. We work on a contingent fee basis. We only get paid if there’s a recovery. Not only do we do all the work, we also advance all the costs necessary to prepare the case for trial. Clients don’t have to pay any money upfront.
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The Value of Human Life: May 1st, 2024 | |
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How much is a human life worth?
It’s a question that’s asked in every wrongful death case.
It’s also a question that’s asked when proposed regulations are evaluated. The government weighs the cost of implementing the proposed regulation and the value of the lives it will save.
For a long time, the government focused on how much people earned and equated their income to the value of their lives.
View the original newsletter here! We want to work on issues that are important to you. What kind of help can we provide to your club?
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Pinewood Derby
When you get past the surface, no one is an average or run-of-the-mill person.
That begs the question: Does it make sense to go beyond the surface? In a case with $8,000 of chiropractic treatment it probably doesn’t move the needle. And it’s probably not necessary when someone has lost limbs or been rendered quadriplegic... Click here to read more.
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The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword
Not many First Amendment cases get filed. The vast majority—maybe 99 percent—get dismissed.
But ours didn’t. Last week we tried an important First Amendment case in the federal courthouse in Richland.
Click here to read more.
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Thirty Years in the Saddle
And just like that it’s been 30 years since I started practicing law.
My first job was at a law firm. But I didn’t like being told what to do. So three years (and three firms) later I started Myers & Company. My first business card read: Comprehensive Legal Services.
I didn’t want to miss an opportunity. Ever since then I’ve been narrowing my practice. At this point I just represent people who have been hurt—physically or financially—by someone else.
Click here to read more.
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Small Things Make a Big Difference
Most stories have a theme:
Fate v. Free Will
Good v. Evil
Man v. Nature
So do personal injury cases. Themes help tie together evidence and remind juries why what they’re hearing is important.
One of the big struggles is figuring out what theme really fits the facts of the case. A theme that isn’t quite right... Click here to read more.
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Filling in the Blanks
Most people have a pretty clear memory of how they got hurt. Frequently their memories are punctuated with very specific details. “That son of a bitch looked me right in the eye before turning left.” “The front door mat was a bright pastel color.” “The impact made a sound just like an M-80 going off.” But when you go through something traumatic, like a motorcycle wreck, the brain isn’t focused on making memories—it’s focused on survival. The same mechanisms that keep the brain sharp enough to escape immediate danger may also make it harder to accurately recall the event.
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He Passed Me Going 90 MPH
In just about every motorcycle case we have there are allegations that our client was speeding. There are a couple of important things to know about the issue of motorcycle speed. The first relates to the reliability of witness observations. The second deals with the way courts deal with favored drivers exceeding the speed limit.
Witnesses are almost always wrong about motorcycle speed. It may be based on the relatively small size of motorcycles compared to other vehicles. Or it may be based on witness bias.
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What the Jury Doesn't Hear
The evidence rules have a big impact on what the jury gets to hear (and what it doesn’t get to hear). Evidence can seem a lot like an iceberg: 10 percent visible, 90 percent below the surface.
A lot of the evidence rules are counter-intuitive. Here’s what the jury doesn’t get to hear in a personal injury case.
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