Published: March 30, 2009 09:12 am      

Protesters picket law

MORRISON, Ill. — Jim Rathburn is on a mission.

As a member of the Big River Chapter of ABATE (A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education) Rathburn, of Fulton, Ill., is hoping to block a bill in the Illinois General Assembly that would make motorcycle helmet use mandatory in the state of Illinois.

Bikers from throughout northwestern Illinois — including Freeport, Rock Falls and Savanna — and Clinton joined other local motorcyclists at a rally at noon Saturday at the Whiteside County Courthouse before heading to the Carroll County Courthouse in Mount Carroll, Ill.

With a bright yellow banner posted behind them reading “Start Seeing Motorcycles,” Rathburn led the bikers in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and urged those attending to contact their legislators to protect their freedom to choose whether to wear a helmet.

Bob Ward, of Avon, Ill., a legislative coordinator for ABATE of Illinois, rallied the crowd by exclaiming “God Bless Motorcycles.”

He maintains that the percentage of brain injures that occur on the roadways are not due to motorcyclists who were not wearing helmets.

He said most of those victims actually are those injured in car accidents or as pedestrians.

He said the state's focus should be on safety training and that motorists need to be on the lookout for motorcycles.

He also urged people to call their legislators.

“The more times you call down there the more they’ll hear you,” he said.

Ward said the bill, making its way through the state Senate is to get its third reading this week. It has not yet been introduced in the House of Representatives, he said.

Laws requiring all motorcyclists to wear a helmet are in place in 20 states and the District of Columbia, while laws requiring only some motorcyclists to wear a helmet are in place in 27 states.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there is no motorcycle helmet use law in three states — Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire.