Rod Pender introduced Ken Kintner along with Craig and Tanya White, representatives of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA). They titled their presentation: “Share the Road” the thrust of which was alerting motorists to be aware of motorcyclists traveling the same highways and byways as they do.
GWRRA, founded in 1977 with 80,000 members and 820 chapters in the US and 52 chapters worldwide, is the world's largest, non-profit, single-marque social organization for owners and riders of Honda Gold Wing/Valkyrie motorcycles dedicated to their motto, Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge. There are various levels, they explained, within the organization with 4 being the highest requiring riders to have a minimum 25,000 road miles and training in CPR and the use an electronic defibrillator.
In 1955, they said, there were only 450,000 motorcycles registered in the United States. Today there are over 10 million! They spoke on a number of topics: why it is so important that motorists should become more familiar with riders and their vehicles, motorcycle characteristics, who rides them, possible hazards, and why typically motorists collide with motorcycles.
Accidents with motorcyclists often occur with motorist who don’t see them in their blind spots or they may be traveling faster that one might think they are, they said. Research has shown that 75% of accidents involve another vehicle while 40% of accidents occur at an intersection. Motorist must remember that motorcycles are not as stable as automobiles since there have generally only two wheels and they are harder to identify in traffic, their speed is difficult to calculate, they can brake quicker than cars so the incidence of “rear end collisions” is greater, etc.
The different types of motorcycles, they mentioned, include 3-wheelers (classic trike – 2 wheels in the back, one in the front), a new design with 2 wheels in the front and one in the back (Spider), crotch rockets, ones with side cars, and motorcycles with training wheels which go down when they stop and retract when they move forward. Some cycles can be as small as mopeds.
The most common accidents motorists have include: turning across on-coming traffic, making left turns in an intersection, ignoring blind spots, following too close at unsafe distances behind a motorcycle. Some sage advice the speakers gave us were to look both ways when at a stop sign or light and then look both ways again. Another tip – be on the lookout for motorcycles and not just other cars.
May 8-11 – District 6400 Conference – Mackinac Island and the Grand Hotel
May 17 – Trip to Battlecreek Food Bank with members from the AM Club. The bus will leave at around 7:30am and return to Adrian between 2 and 3pm. Anyone wishing to go should contact Mary Murray.
June 11 – Annual Super Market Sweep at Country Market in Adrian the proceeds of which will benefit the Damascus Road in memory of founder Bob Fultz who passed away recently. Volunteers are currently being sought! Must have a metal shopping cart with round wheels.
June 15 – Race at MIS – Rhonda announced that she will need 6 drivers this year all day Sunday unless we are able to get enough volunteers and then they would only have to drive a half day. Proceeds go to support LISD. Training for drivers will be on the evening of May 20th from 6pm-9pm and a lunch will be served. If you have not done this before and a bit of fear is setting in about doing this, simply keep in mind that Kathye (a.k.a. Hairspin Herrera) learned on the job by making just a few mistakes along the way. Thanks to Kathye, an older gentleman will be returning but arriving this year on a gurney!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Kathye Herrera stepped in for President Theresa who is on Mackinac Island attending this year’s District Conference.
Get Well Soon Card – was passed around for everyone to sign for Frank Dick who is still recuperating from broken fibs suffered in a fall. Get well soon, friend!
Grant Approved– Mary Murray wanted everyone to know that the grant application that we are partnering with the Morning Club on has been approved! All systems go! Next step is the trip to the Food Bank in Battle Creek. This is planned for Saturday, May 17th. We will leave Adrian at approximately 7:30 am and return between 2-3 pm. We will volunteer at the food bank for a bit and also tour the facility! All are welcome to join! She will have more info next week; now I am off to the District Conference! Make it a great week!
Onion Sale – Thanks to all who got out and sold! Proceeds will benefit the Special Olympics. Kathye extended a friendly reminder to those who have not yet turned in their money. Kathye said that the harvesters have been contending with wet fields but heard that they will be bagging and shipping them here next Monday or Tuesday. Thanks to Dan Buron for offering the use of Goodwill’s forklift and loading dock from which to stage the onions when they hit town!
Rotary Foundation – Those who pledged 2 weeks ago are reminded to be sure and get your check to Mike Olsaver. Checks should be made out to “The Adrian Foundation”.
Golf Outing – Mitch Blonde plugged the golf outing scheduled for June 20th. If interested in playing Mitch can give you all the details.
“In Chase of a Cause” – The latest book (memoir of his international humanitarian travels) of brother Bill’s was recently published. All of the proceeds will benefit his dental Clinic in Brazil on the Amazon River. Order your copy now from the website listed below the summary.
GUESTS
Former longtime Adrian Rotarian, Bob Fraile and his wife, Anne.
Rod Pender introduced Ken Kintner along with Craig and Tanya White, representatives of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA). They titled their presentation: “Share the Road” the thrust of which was alerting motorists to be aware of motorcyclists traveling the same highways and byways as they do.
