This Thursday is BLACK THURSDAY with ABATE!
You've heard of Black Friday... but have you heard about Black Thursday?

Black Thursday is an annual event where motorcycle enthusiasts across Washington State ride to Olympia to meet with our senators and legislators to discuss motorcycle riding issues. This Thursday, January 23rd will mark ABATE of Washington’s 35th year representing the individual motorcyclists of Washington. We know motorcycle laws are very important to riders in our community, whether they’re helmet laws, lane splitting laws, or even traffic light regulations.

Black Thursday is one of the most important days of the year for all Washington motorcyclists, and ABATE needs you to participate in the legislative activities designed to protect our civil liberties and freedoms. If you feel your state representative doesn’t listen to your complaints now, you bet they will when a thousand or more bikers ascend upon the Capitol! ABATE can’t do this alone – they need your help.

All bikers are welcome! The evening prior to the event, ABATE will host a meet and greet at the Governor Hotel from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. There will be free motorcycle parking along the north diagonal. The event will start Thursday at 8:00 a.m., but feel free to come by whenever you can. You can pick up information packets at the general administrative building beginning at 8:00 a.m. There will be a legislator meet and greet at the Governor Hotel from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Click here to find your state legislators.

The Washington riding community has proposed bills to provide legal remedy when riders are stuck at red lights that do not detect their presence. The riding community has been trying to pass this bill since 2002, and this year marks the best chance yet for it to pass. This letter, written by an ABATE representative, outlines the riding community’s call to action. Feel free to distribute it to your family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances. It is very important for everyone to voice their concerns to our legislators. This call to action is meant for our state representatives, as the Senate has already has passed the bill. Please feel free to call you legislator’s office and voice your concerns.

About ABATE
ABATE stands for “A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments” and is a non-profit organization dedicated to the Freedom of the Road. Ensure your freedom by fighting anti-bike legislation and promoting fair motorcycle legislation. Membership is open to anyone interested in promoting freedom of the roads, whether you ride a motorcycle or not. ABATE’s goals and purposes are:

1. Keeping bikers and members informed through our monthly newsletter and the media.
2. To encourage motorcycle enthusiasts to register and vote.
3. To promote safe riding habits.
4. To encourage favorable legislation for bikers.
5. To provide monthly meetings, events, runs, contests, and community action projects

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