 
 Another Screw You
By Dave Chubby Charlebois 
Probably everyone reading this has met or raised
someone in their lifetime that, no matter how
simple a job may be to do, they'll always:
A) find a way to get out of doing it, or B) drag
it out until you give up on them ever getting it
done. My stepson could write a book on getting out
of doing work. The other day I told him that when
I give him a job to do I expect it done completely
without me having to check on him regularly. I
call it responsibility. Our household is very busy,
and everybody has to do their part. I also
explained that, when he chooses not to do a job
because he "doesn't feel like
it," but tells me he got it done, it's
the same as telling me "screw you."
Now, either I have to finish the job myself, or I
take the time to supervise him every step of the
way, leaving no time for other things I may have
planned to do. Before you look elsewhere for an
article on motorcycle rights, let me tell you how
this all-too-often occurrence with my step-son
relates to the many problems we face as bikers
every day in regards to the relationship we have
with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
In February we gathered over five hundred bikers
from around the state at the Capitol to lobby our
legislators for support of what we saw as a fair
ABATE of Wisconsin legislative agenda. We
presented every legislator a fact sheet that
showed what we do for motorcyclists in Wisconsin
as an organization, the problems we are facing,
and solutions that are both fair and cost
effective. There were four main action items: 1)
Find out why WI DOT does not support the
motorcycle safety program with the amount of funds
that were promised in 2001 and find out why they
can't produce effective results with the
money they do spend. 2) Make $100,000 available
for motorcycle awareness billboards in Wisconsin
during Harley-Davidson's 110th anniversary
event. 3) Utilize digital signboards that are
already in place to promote motorcycle awareness
during the riding season or at the very least in
spring. 4) Have DOT develop a motorcycle specific
trauma module for EMS training and require it for
certification.
We had tremendous support from legislators during
our lobby day and a minimal amount of since, and,
as of the time I'm writing this, it seems
that none of our requests will be acted on without
a little push from our members. I don't feel
our legislators are saying "screw you"
yet, and at this point we have had several
meetings and phone conversations but no action.
It may be time to call your legislator and ask if
they've had time to review our requests and
ask for some action.
While we are communicating well with legislators,
the same can't be said about our current
relationship with the DOT. It seems they feel that
the fact sheets at our lobby day weren't
fair to them, but quite honestly I don't
understand how I could have produced many facts
that made them look like they were doing their job
well, because they're not.
The DOT controls digital signage in the Milwaukee
and Madison area that is used for traffic
information, ozone action alerts, water usage
alerts, and amber alerts, according to the DOT and
members who have viewed the signs. Since the DOT
doesn't really have an awareness campaign
that reaches roadway users effectively, we have
been trying to get them to use their signs to
promote motorcycle awareness. The Secretary of
Transportation feels this would be an improper use
of the signs as other groups might want to also
utilize them (like who?) and refers to studies
that concluded that the more messages you put on
them, the less the motorist notices them. Wow,
somebody should tell Lamar Advertising that their
business plan is all wrong because the last time I
checked they get a pretty good dollar to advertise
on digital signage that they own next to the same
roadways. At least nineteen other states -- that we
have verified -- use their DOT message boards for
awareness with effective results. Could they be
getting it all wrong too? I don't think so.
I think the WI DOT is saying "screw
you."
In our lobby day handout fact sheet we highlighted
the fact that, although the DOT budgets for
awareness material, they are obviously ineffective
at the distribution of it because no one that I
know has ever seen any. Yes, I know they have
trifolds for drivers' education classes, but
how do they promote awareness to the general
public? Every time I have brought this up to the
director of the motorcycle safety program
I'm told the funds just aren't there.
Well, the funds are there. There are just not
enough of them, and they're not used wisely.
Again, they are just saying "screw
you."
All motorcyclists should expect that, if they
receive treatment by emergency medical personnel
at the scene of an accident, those personnel
will have training that meets their specific needs
as a roadway user. Although many EMS providers
have taken motorcycle trauma training voluntarily,
it is still not a required part of their
certification, and, because of that, many are not
familiar with motorcyclist specific trauma. This
could be fixed if the DOT required it as part of
EMS certification and developed the proper module
in their curriculum, but at this point it
doesn't seem that it's even being
considered. In fact, at this point it
doesn't seem like the DOT is willing to
consider it a problem. I think not meeting with us
about our concerns over this issue should be
considered the same as saying "screw
you."
And finally, I became aware of the biggest
"screw you" of all just as I was
sitting down to write this article. Several years
ago, federal grant funds were available for
motorcyclist training and awareness, and our DOT
used those funds solely to have a transportable
high-end rider education facility (the REF) built.
Since that time, it has been shown to be fairly
ineffective at getting unendorsed riders to seek
training or inspiring the curious to consider trying
motorcycling as another means of transportation, which are both the reasons it was purchased for.
ABATE of WI has been against this project since
its inception because of the incredible cost of
the trailer (roughly $500,000) and the costs of
operation ($300,000 per year) versus the limited
results it has produced as seen as recently as
last year when we had unendorsed riders making up
almost half of the fatalities in the State. We
have all but begged the DOT to consider taking a
more multifaceted approach at reducing fatalities
instead of putting so much funding into projects
like this that only aim fatality reducing efforts
at the motorcyclist, never addressing awareness.
Instead of listening to what motorcyclists of the
State have to say, they have done the unthinkable.
The WI DOT is building another REF. If that
isn't a "screw you," what is?
In the next few months a lot of new information
will be available in regards to some of the points
that I've just mentioned. If you
haven't signed up for legislative alerts on
our website make sure you do so. Make sure you use
the tools that are put before you to assure that
the motorcyclists of Wisconsin receive the
attention they deserve regarding their safety. Now
is not the time to become complacent. Don't
allow the DOT to say "screw you" and
drag their feet while we continue to die needlessly
on our roadways. Ask your legislators for help. Be
vigilant and vocal. We deserve to be safe and free
on our roads. Until next month ... Ride Free
Charlebois, Dave Chubby. "Another Screw You." ABATE of Wisconsin Newsletter May. 2013.
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