DECIDE BEFORE YOU RIDE

Ride Safe Ride Smart scan everything to stay alive on the mean streets when riding your motorcycle or driving your car. You should be especially aware at intersections because there are many things to scan constantly to make it to your destination. Warning signs like cross traffic, traffic lights, merging traffic, surface hazards, directional signs, oncoming traffic, your rear-view mirror, or even people in crosswalks. We all have choices to make on the mean streets and in life. We need a plan of action.

Just last month I knew someone who lost their life in a motorcycle accident at no fault of their own. Someone pulled out in front of him. A terrible time for family friends and all who knew him. He was a part of our motorcycle community. When I talked to his family, I asked did they call Attorney Fran Haasch to help them with this tragic accident. His older brother told me “no we googled a personal injury attorney and called 800 Joe Attorney who was a random type of Attorney”. I told him I’m so sorry for your loss, but I said to myself, wow, again someone’s family member didn’t know to call Attorney Fran Haasch - the attorney who has over 20 year’s experience with motorcycle accidents; is an advocate for helping bikers navigate the law, healthcare issues, insurance claims and the repair or replacement of a motorcycle. Fran cares and fights for bikers’ rights every day and also supports the biker community by giving back to charity and community events all year long. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this. I’ve heard this same comment before when a family or friend didn’t know that their loved one would want them to call Fran. Attorney Fran Haasch cares about all of us. She makes sure we publish Ride Safe Ride Smart from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation every month here in Born to Ride Magazine. She wants us to be Safe and Smart and stay alive.

I created the concept, Decide Before You Ride. I would like to launch this promotion because Attorney Fran Haasch isn’t just my Attorney, she is your Attorney too. Stop by any LawFran booth/tent set up at most biker events and ask for 5 business cards. Give these cards to your loved ones and explain why they should call Fran if you were ever put in a situation where you couldn’t call yourself.

I am doing this on my own because I care about our riding community and all my friends like you reading this who Ride and drive. You can even stop by Frans office in Palm Harbor to pick up a few business cards. Help me help our biker community Decide Before You Ride and ask for 5. Get 5 Fran Haasch business cards and give them to your loved ones who will know to make the call for you if anything happens. Let them know before you go. Get your 5 today. Call : 866-LAW-FRAN or call me 813-661-9402 if you would like to help me. Thank you very much

– Ron Galletti rg@borntoride.com

Twenty-five years! A quarter of a century! That’s 300 months or 1,303 weeks or 13,140,000 minutes… well, I’m sure you get the idea. Twenty-five years is a super long time to be planning one of the most popular motorcycle events in Sarasota county, Florida. Of course, I’m talking about Thunder By The Bay!

Who is the person who has acted as a bright spotlight to pull this event together for the past twenty-five years? No one other than Lucy Nicandri, who tells us, “My goal this year was to continue to grow the event and keep it fresh by including some new attractions while continuing to raise the bar on our fundraising efforts.”

Speaking of fundraising, “I came up with an idea to hold a ‘25 for 25’ Giving Campaign,” Lucy tells us. “I reached out to several local community and private foundations. Just before Christmas, I received a phone call from the James M. Doss Charitable Foundation confirming a generous donor match, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000! They love the event and they know the history. I was overjoyed!” You can donate to this campaign via the Festival website or scan the QR code seen here. Bidding is also open online for the Festival’s silent auction until 5 pm on February 21! Be prepared for several new additions to Thunder by the Bay this year! Adrenaline HarleyDavidson will have a very large tent display selling retail and a large inventory of new and used motorcycles. Kory Souza, bike builder extraordinaire, will be set up inside Robarts Arena with a “Builder’s Row” staged for your