History of ABATE of South Carolina, Inc.
A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments
South Carolina's current helmet law:
SECTION
56-5-3660. Helmets shall be worn by operators and
passengers under age twenty-one; helmet design; list of approved
helmets.
It shall be unlawful for any person under the
age of twenty-one to operate or ride upon a two-wheeled motorized
vehicle unless he wears a protective helmet of a type approved
by the department. Such a helmet must be equipped with either
a neck or chin strap and be reflectorized on both sides thereof.
The department is hereby authorized to adopt and amend regulations
covering the types of helmets and the specifications therefor
and to establish and maintain a list of approved helmets which
meet the specifications as established hereunder.
ABATE of South Carolina changed above
helmet law in 1980 to allow adult freedom of choice! If you
ride join ABATE of South
Carolina today to preserve your biker rights!
Brief history of Motorcycle rights in South
Carolina:
1967 - South Carolina's Helmet Law Enacted
1968 - Enforcement of South Carolina's Helmet Laws begins
1973 - Light on law enacted July 1
1974 - A.B.A.T.E. of South Carolina is started
by Jesse D McDugald.
"When I moved back to South Carolina in
1974 I was a member of the original ABATE started by Lou Kinzey
and the folks at Easyriders having joined in Maryland in 1972.
When I came back home I found there was not one biker rights
organization even though we had our helmet law for 7 years
by then. I looked for interested bikers but found few with
any interest in starting an ABATE organization. So I called
Lou at Easyriders and asked if I could start an ABATE here
in SC, ABATE of South Carolina was born." ~ Jesse McDugald
A.B.A.T.E. was started on the national level
by Easyriders magazine: History
of A.B.A.T.E.
1975 - Classified License Law for Motorcyclists
Implemented
1976 - M.R.A. is started by "Easy" David Briggs
Easy invited a few friends over to discuss the
start-up of a "Motorcycle Rights Association" (M.R.A.).
M.R.A. was started with Easy as director. M.R.A. put out newsletters
and had a constitution adopted on February 29, 1976. (Easy
and Beaver) still have a copy of M.R.A.'s
constitution). The constitution of M.R.A. It states that
"the general purpose of the MRA is to form a united association
for improving and protecting the rights and well being of
motorcycle riders and improving relations with the non-motorcycle
driving public." Easy rode throughout the state on weekends
rallying bikers to our cause; he visited bike shops and "watering
holes" getting the riders interested in the M.R.A. and
motorcycle rights.
Neither Easy nor Jesse knew the other at this
time. One day Jesse was riding his bike down Rivers Avenue
by the Port Drive-in and saw a bunch of motorcycles parked
there - he pulled in and discovered it was a M.R.A. meeting
- he introduced himself and A.B.A.T.E. and this is when he
met Easy.
1977/1978 M.R.A. and A.B.A.T.E. joined forces.
1980 - South Carolina's Helmet Law amended June
16 to apply to only those under 21. ABATE of South Carolina
had only approximately 200 members when this victory was achieved!
The History of ABATE of South Carolina, Inc.
A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian
Enactments
compiled and written by FastFred
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