OFF THE WIRE
Superior, WI (Northland's NewsCenter) -- May is Motorcycle Awareness Month in Wisconsin and earlier in the week, we talked about safety gear a biker can wear to minimize injury in a crash.
A lot of crashes, though, could be avoided if car drivers kept a better eye out for bikes.
Dave Anderson visited a motorcycle rally today geared towards spreading that message.
Sunday's cold weather made this Triumph chopper just a little hard to start.
That didn't stop bikers from making the scene at a rally in Superior, though.
"It's pretty cold out but we fist fight through it all to be on the road and everything."
The road these bikers are on is Tower Avenue in Superior.
Instead of revving motors and rapping pipes, they're waving signs to remind car drivers to watch for cycles.
"We want to make sure people driving cars are aware that bikes are back out on the road and take a second look."
That's the gist of the chilly rally; look twice and check your car's blind spot in case a motorcyclist is obscured there.
Attendees included motorcycle clubs, riding associations and members of ABATE, a biker's advocate group.
The various groups' message is spread through more than just some symbolic sign waving.
"There's also a share the road program where there are different instructors going into schools talking to kids taking driver training classes and that kind of thing."
Terry Rhodes, who loves riding his V–Star, feels both angles will get car drivers more attentive to the other vehicles that share the road.
"People will see us out here and people will know to look twice to save a life and look for the bikes and keep an eye out to see you coming and everything."
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation states that crashes have annually killed about 100 motorcyclists and injured another 2,500.
The D.O.T. thinks most of the deaths and injuries could be prevented if all motorists share the road.
Video:
http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/local/Preventing-Crashes-May-is-Motorcylce-Awareness-Month-121064669.html
