ABATE representative Angela Mercer addresses the Randall Town Board while Rob DeDecker displays the sign that will be installed along town roads.
The Randall Town Board has agreed to post motorcycle awareness signs on two town roads — perhaps the first municipality in the state to do so.
The signs will be supplied by the local chapter of ABATE, a motorcycle advocacy group.
Representatives of the local chapter made their pitch at last week’s Randall Town Board meeting. ABATE will pay for the signs and install them at town-designated locations.
Supervisor Mike Halvorson, member of the town Public Works Committee, said the signs would be best along 93rd Street and along Legion Drive. The town only has jurisdiction to place the signs along town roads, not county highways.
ABATE representative Angela Mercer said the idea of the signs is to increase awareness of motorcycles among car and truck drivers.
“We’d like them in every municipality in Kenosha County and on county and state roads,” Mercer said.
Placing the signs on the two specified town roads and recommending further placements along county highways was approved unanimously by the board.
Halvorson was wearing a shirt with an ABATE logo at the meeting.
Maybe they should also put up signs for motorcycles to be aware of cars and trucks as well. I almost hit a motorcycle that turned in front of me on Highway 50 this morning. Apparently, my very large truck was undetectable. In which case I’m sure I would have looked like the bad guy because he is on a defensless motorcycle. I think motorcyclists should pay closer attention to their surroundings as well.
How about signs that say, “Don’t drive your motorcycle like a maniac and some accidents will be avoided!”
I am tired of seeing young people on motorcycles gunning past me and doing wheelies, but then I am the one being told to watch out for their safety!
Matt & John – you both have a good point and I have seen riders drive like idiots too. Most of us don’t and are VERY aware of our surroundings. I voluntarily teach Share the Road – a Motorcycle Awareness class – to teens that are just starting to drive and I stress that ALL of us need to be aware of each other as well as bicyclists and pedestrians. By the way those wheelie riders are referred to as “organ donors” – unfortunate but sadly true.
I know that woman in the picture who is speaking at the board meeting. And her name is Angie. Not Susan. Where they get ‘Susan’ from ‘Angie’ is beyond me.
Yes I goofed in the caption. Corrected now. Thanks for pointing it out. — DH
Congrats to the Town of Randall board members for being proactive about safety on their roads. People need to be better, more attentive driver’s no matter what they drive. People need to STOP driving distracted!!!
Yes, there are attentive drivers all over who are in cars, trucks, motorcycles, snowmobiles, or any other means of transportation. However, when the majority of motorcycle/vehicle accidents are right of way violations committed by the driver of the vehicle the need for signs to draw attention to drivers to be on the look-out for motorcycles are a necessity.
There have been workers out on the roads who may have stepped out in front of a vehicle and got hit but do you make smart remarks about the signs telling drivers to look out for construction workers on the highways? I’ll bet not!
As for the sport bikes and the riders who try stunts on the roads, yes, that is another issue that ABATE deals with. As much as ABATE promotes motorcycle awareness we also promote rider safety courses. Many ABATE members are also instructors of motorcycle riding and motorcycle safety classes.