Nearly 500 Bikers Visit State Capitol, Madison, Wisconsin

Posted 3/7/2008

March 4, 2008, was this year’s annual lobby day for ABATE of Wisconsin. With the recent recommendation for universal helmet laws put forth by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), ABATE decided to invite as many members as possible to speak to their elected representatives.


Southeastern Wisconsin Bikers Leave One Of Two Busses Sponsored By Hupy
and Abraham, S.C.

Charter buses were used to transport bikers from every corner of Wisconsin. Hupy and Abraham, S.C. originally sponsored a bus to transport bikers from southeastern Wisconsin to the state capitol. When the District Director of ABATE told the law firm that the bus had reached its seating capacity, Attorney Michael Hupy told him he would sponsor a second bus, because “we need to get as many people to Madison as we can.”


Hundreds of Bikers Attend ABATE Lobby Day

Nearly 500 bikers answered the call to service and every state assembly person and senator was contacted. The logistical achievement of getting constituents to the right office was a tribute to the hard work and dedication of ABATE’s regional officers and legislative committee members. The halls of the capitol building were a sea of black leather and blue jeans. At least 13 motorcycle clubs sent delegates also, in support of ABATE’s legislative agenda and to offer some insight into what the clubs considered important issues to them.


Members Of The Road Runners MC And Saints MC Meet In Representative Leah
Vukmir's Office

For those bikers not riding the buses, the CC Riders motorcycle club, based in Madison, offered their clubhouse parking lot as a place to park for free and they had members shuttle bikers to the capitol to lobby and picked them up on a regular schedule. The whole experience was professionally administered.


Tony "Pan" Sanfelipo Meets Sen. Dave Zien And Region 8B Representative
Matt Wyatt At The CC Riders Clubhouse

The most important issues on ABATE’s agenda were the discriminatory practices of insurance companies in refusing health care benefits to anyone injured in a motorcycle accident, and the application of increased penalties for right of way violators who injure a motorcyclist. The fact that the helmet issue is a state’s rights issue and should not be championed by a federal agency was stressed in every legislator’s office. We found no support for any type of helmet legislation in Wisconsin among our elected officials.

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