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Ask Our Lawyer
by Rod Taylor
Question: Your ads say you are
the ABATE Legal Services. What in the world do you guys do, anyway
– besides personal injury and accident cases?
Answer: Many people ask that
question. ABATE Legal Services does a number of things, all working
for you. Primary, we are available 24/7 to answer questions and
provide basic legal consulting to ABATE members. We can direct you
to resources that can help you address problems, and we can help
you address some of those problems.
Additionally, ABATE Legal Services
can provide services for you chapter or Region. Each year, ABATE
Legal Services presents a session at the State meetings. In those
sessions, we talk about everything from road safety to fundraising
to party planning. In addition, ABATE Legal Services staff members
have been at the State meetings, providing attendees with information
on ABATE Legal Services and providing materials to take back to
their chapters and regions. Also, ABATE Legal Staff members are
ready to do wills for ABATE members. In fact, in 2002 we have produced
over 100 new wills at no charge to ABATE members.
As always, the main focus of the ABATE
Legal Services program has been to emphasize safe riding practices.
For example, we explained this year that the most recent statistics
show that a large number of motorcycling accidents occur when a
car turns left in front of a motorcyclist or when a car hits a bike
from behind. If we strive to eliminate left turn incidents and getting
run over from behind, we have gone a long way in making our roadways
safer.
Our new Road Hazard website (www.roadhazard.org
<http://www.roadhazard.org> ) is designed to provide fast
and efficient notice to the governmental entities charged with the
duty to repair those road hazards. The site allows riders to report
defective roadway conditions or other problems that cause concern
for riders. Our experience has been is that the road commissioners
and highway officials are more than eager to have us help them identify
those hazards to that they can be corrected quickly.
The potholes are coming! The potholes
are coming!
REMEMBER: It will soon be spring
time in the land of freeze and thaw. Roads that may be passable
for four-wheelers can be downright dangerous to us two-wheelers.
As a reminder, potholes, sand, rocks, tree limbs, downed signs,
uneven pavement, cracks, crevices and you name it are lying in wait
for us all. Please report it and perhaps save a life or prevent
an injury, or at the very least, make riding in the mid-west a little
bit better.
All of these programs are in place to assist you, the rider. Why?
Because we ride, too.
If you have any questions you would like to ask the lawyer, please
submit them to: ASK OUR LAWYER, P.O. Box 2850, Indianapolis, Indiana
46206-2850.
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