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BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — ABATE of North Dakota has been around since 1975, and fights for motorcyclist rights within the North Dakota region and in the U.S.
“We strongly advocate for bikers’ rights, said the organization’s Executive Director, Lonnie Bertsch, “and we get the attention out to people to watch out for us on motorcycles.”
ABATE stands for American Bikers Aimed Toward Education. The organization not only advocates for biker rights but teaches the importance of motorcycle safety to riders.
“The education program is a North Dakota Safety Program,” she stated, “and we have been teaching classes since early May. We normally start the first week of May, but we had to delay it this year because of the snow.”
While North Dakota law does not require motorcyclists to wear a helmet, Bertsch says one of the most important lessons covered is to wear the proper gear before riding a motorcycle.
“We ask the riders to wear all the gear all the time. It’s not just wear a helmet. It’s all the gear. The helmet, the glasses, the long sleeves, the full-fingered glove, the pants, and boots. You may think you’re safe driving down the road with a helmet on, but the shorts and short sleeves and flip flops is not going to protect you at all in case of a fall, or even bugs,” Bertsch added.
Bertsch says it’s vital for all motorists to respect each other on the road.
“A motorcyclist needs to follow and respect the traffic laws. Not excess speeding or things like that. But we all share the same space, and we need to respect each other’s right to be on the road,” Bertsch said.
