Please be sure when membership applications are submitted, they have a full address, including ZIP code, phone number AND Chapter name. Rhonda will be grateful if she doesn't have to pretend to be a mind reader ;-)

Meets last Sunday at different sponsors each month at 1:57 p.m.
Contact Fred Ermel (803) 606-1099 or Jeff Pound (803) 622-7689 for more information.

* Dave "Yank" Horta replaces Jeff Coleman as High Country Area Coordinator

* Manny Moyer is the MRF SC State Representative

Please thank these fine folks for their work for you, the members of ABATE of SC!

You can reach any of the Board of Directors or Officers on our Contact page.

Please be sure to welcome Sheila "Tekgyrl" Hudson to the State Secretary position! She was appointed to the position at the last BOD meeting and has already gone to work for you, the members of ABATE of SC. And be sure to thank Lori Sellers for her work as Secretary.

Sheila "Tekgyrl" Hudson

OK, if you would like to ride or at least have the option of riding helmet-free in North Carolina, this is for you. H. B. 109 has been introduced in the NC House. Please respectfully contact NC legislators to voice your opinion of this.

See this post on Buncombe County CBA - the bill info is in red after the first paragraph. At the end is contact information for NC legislators.

http://www.buncombecba.com/legislative-updates.html

A full copy of the bill is attached as a PDF.

Attachments:

H109v0.pdf

[Download PDF]

19 Kb

H3231 Equal Access Bill is up for hearing this Tuesday @ 3:00 Blatt Building Room 433 Contact members of the committee and ask for their support or try to be at the meeting.

This gives bikers equal access to all roads and transportation facilities paid at least in part by taxpayer funds. Like parking garages ;-)

Here is a link to the full text of the bill H.3231

Here is an excerpt:

A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 57-1-90, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHALL NOT
 DISCRIMINATE AGAINST MOTORCYCLES, MOTORCYCLE OPERATORS, OR MOTORCYCLE
 PASSENGERS.

Don’t Forget our Board of Directors and State Legislative meeting location has changed. Everyone is welcome as this is your organization!

Here are the dates and times:

January 12th at 1:00 p.m.
February 2nd at 1:30 p.m.
March 9th at 1:00 p.m.
April 6th at 1:30 p.m.
May 11th at 1:00 p.m.
June 1st at 1:30 p.m.
July 13th at 1:00 p.m.
August 3rd at 1:30 p.m.
September 14th at 1:00 p.m.
October 5th at 1:30 p.m.
November 9th at 1:00 p.m.
December 7th at 1:30 p.m.

Here is the address

South Carolina National Safety Council
121 Ministry Drive
Irmo, SC 29063

If you have any questions feel free to call me at (803) 556-2354 or e-mail me here:

http://abatesc.com/web/contact/36-contacts/12-ralph-bell

Let's all thank Gary King for volunteering to take over as the Newsletter Editor!

You can continue to send articles to newsletter@abatesc.com as before, and they will be forwarded to Gary.

And be sure to thank Keith "Tripod" Dyer for continuing to handle the newsletter, long after he wished, while we lined up his replacement!

Matt Danielson from Tom McGrath's Motorcycle Law Group reports a helmet law victory in Cherokee NC on Monday Dec. 4th. They represented a client wearing a helmet without a DOT label, and won their case against the State, with the court ruling that the State needs to articulate how the helmet does not comply with the standard. They also report they have two more cases pending in Carthage NC Superior Court.

If you are riding in NC and get a helmet ticket, first of all, don't volunteer to hand them your helmet, that is consenting to a search. Instead, state that you do not consent to a search.  Consult your lawyer for specific advice, or contact Matt, as he teaches seminars on your rights about this issue.

Elizabeth Sorrell is handling these helmet cases pro bono.

Contact Matt or Liz here:

McGrath & Danielson
Tom McGrath's Motorcycle Law Group
1-800-321-8968
Motorcyclelawgroup.com

Be sure to welcome Tom and thank outgoing Chapter Coordinator T-Bone for his many years of service. The Lake Murray Chapter has also changed their meeting location.

Chapter meeting location and contact information are here.