A mother of a killed biker wrote to me.
“Saw your article on Bike Week, this is what I do 24/7 –God Bless. Since the death of my son Gene in May of 2005, I have become a Mother on a Mission for Motorcycle Awareness in Florida. I have turned a negative situation into one that will benefit others. I try to help educate the public that motorcycles deserve the same respect as other vehicles. To share the roads safely and to remember to LOOK TWICE-SAVE A LIFE MOTORCYCLES ARE EVERYWHERE.“
I have 15 Yellow Cabs riding around with the Look Twice-Save a Life message. 14 Bus Benches located in Pinellas, Pasco, and Hillsborough Counties have the purple/white message. 3 Billboards donated by Clear Channel and CBS have been up alerting motorist to LOOK TWICE. 1340AM Tan Talk Radio Station airs my Public Safety Message to LOOK TWICE-SAVE A LIFE throughout their daily programs.
A Public Safety Commercial that was produced for me and is shown 400 times a week by Knology Cable TV, can be viewed on my web site. 14 Bus Shelters have been donated by Clear Channel and have the LOOK TWICE-SAVE A LIFE message in Pinellas County for the next 4 years on a rotation basis. Hartline Bus Company has donated 10 Buses with the bumper sticker message 30in high x 80in long side of their buses. To be kept on indefinitely.
I give bumper stickers away free and with the help of local DMV and Tax Collector’s Offices in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties. Full Throttle magazine also distributes them state wide as they deliver their magazines. As of date 33,000 have been distributed. In less than a year I have started the Gene Pearson Motorcycle Awareness Foundation, where you can view most of my donated awareness items. The website is www.genepearson.org. All of the above items are up and running at this time.
I am constantly looking for ways to keep motorists aware of motorcycles as they travel our roads, if you can help me in any way, I would welcome your assistance.
Thank you for your time’. Respectfully, Diane/Mother on a Mission. 202 Timberview Drive. Safety Harbor, Florida 34695
God bless you.
Thank you so much! peace
Here is an odd little awareness test.
http://www.dothetest.co.uk/
Diane,
Your effort is greatly appreciated.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
You have great courage to take on this challenge in Gene’s memory.
I’m sure he would be very proud.
And for the rest of us, thank you so much.
-nicker-
Having lost a son also, Diane, I understand your grief and agree that your efforts are both greatly appreciated and that you son would be proud of you and your lifesaving efforts. Keep his memory alive by keeping on with your mission.
Diane
Thank You for all you are doing.
I wish the state of Florida motorcycle organizations, the department of motor vehivles and our elected officials follow what you have done.
I will certainally forward you information to other media sources.
ROGUE
Diane:
Please contact me and I will post your message at my website and include your message in my monthly VTwin Newsleter. You can send me your contact info thru my website, http://www.BikerDATA.com
Keep up this good work……
Dianne,
I’m certain you are saving lives.
In 1996 and ’97 I rode in 9 biker funerals. Of those downed brothers, 6 were “I didn’t see him” funerals. “I didn’t see him” should not an excuse for pulling out in front of an approaching motorcycle.
Thank you!
Thank You Dianne !
Thank you for your efforts, Diane. I’ve heard that, ” He just came out of nowhere.” statement myself, only I was lucky. We don’t just come out of nowhere, people just don’t pay any attention. I’m sorry your son had to die because someone just wasn’t paying attention. If your efforts save one life then it will be worth all your hard work.
G will forever be in our hearts =)
Thanks for all you do for the motorcycle community.
Love you, Mom!
There are billboards up on many roads in Florida and particularly along interstate entrances to the state, also, radio ads along with bus ads that were done by ABATE Of Florida Inc.. We have to pay for this she gets it free. It seems not right to me that she gets all this free press and nothing has been said about what ABATE has done or has been doing for years.
It also kind of bothers me that she seems to be getting credit for the “look twice” saying when ABATE has been using this for sometime now. Nevertheless, the main thing is the word is getting out there and that is what is important to me.
Ride Free Ride Safe Ride United
Diane,
verry sorry for the loss of your son,
Admiring your courage bringing the message on the street.
In my job, I saw to much “no-seen-victims”
I’ m sure your action will make some people
“look further than their nose-lenght” (as they say over here).
Just one more thing,
RE : “we have to pay for this, she gets it free”
It’s a private action , and paying or not,
it has to be encouraged…..
RE : “the main thing is the word is getting out there”
That’s what mathers ….
Gustian
Cyril,
I am so grateful to you in having my Mother on a Mission placed on your blog for so long. The comments were very encouraging. I should have made myself clearer when I said to view donated items. I pay for every vinyl that is made. 14 bus benches $1400.00, 15 Cabs $550.00 the billboard was $679.00 14 bus shelters $1125.00, 10 buses $300.00 so free is not what I get, I get the space donated, which is still a great deal, but to keep things up and running, I have to pay yearly for new vinyl’s. The bumper stickers which I buy from the lady in Georgia, cost me $300.00-400.00 a month and I give them away free, but it cost me money. So free is not the right terminology, every penny I receive through my foundation goes to purchasing all the vinyl’s I can for all out door advertising and bumper stickers. I am but 1 person who does this, the guy from ABATE has to realize his organization is state wide and has thousands of members and also receives a yearly hefty grant from the government to do their advertising and buying of all their motorcycle safety giveaways. I operate on the generous hearts of everyday people who donate, 10/20/30 dollars of their hard earned money to help me. Full Throttle Magazine/and the Hillsborough Chapter of ABATE (which I am a member) had a benefit for me because they believed in what I was doing, and knew I pay for everything myself. So just to set the record straight with anyone else, I will revise my letter the next time I send it out not to be misunderstood. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart for the exposure. I don’t do this because I want to, I do this because I have to.
GodBless and Ride Safe
Diane/Mother on a Mission
gatordon put her to work for abate and just maybe she can get something done the guys running it now can’t
Diane,
Hang in there. You have suffered a great loss. Please keep up the great work.
GatorDon, you are a whining weasel. Please grant us a moment of your silence until your paid lobbyist/president tells you to speak. It would seem that things have been clarified by a fellow ABATE member. If you do not like what I have to say here, GatorDon, maybe your “Doc” can prescribe a treatment or course of action for you to take.
Thank you, Diane for all the work, time and effort that you have expended.
Mike Greenwald
Gatordon, ABATE of Florida has been getting free press for years for doing little more than talk.
Have they put up a few signs, yes. Have they aired a few radio spots on low market stations, yes. Have they abandoned their original name and mission in order to access tax dollars to accomplish a small percentage of what one women with guts and determination has been able to accomplish, no.
Ms. Pierson has received nothing for “free”. It has been paid for with blood, sweat, tears and personal sacrifice. She is a one woman MRO and by her work has proved the impotence of your own organizations leadership. The body of your post negated the last sentence of your post.
rc
Jerseypine Cruisers of Des Plaines, IL will be using the bumper stickers. My message to all riders ‘ WEAR YOUR HELMETS! WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING! If it’s too hot to wear armor than it is too hot to ride!
great job of promoting safety and awareness.
Your personal message is flawed Carole. Stick with the originaql message of this campaign which is directed at the drivers of other vehicles and not perverted to become a safety nanny campaign about your message of mandatory helmet and armor usage.
The helmeted and unhelneted riders die at the same rate.
I guess freedom of choice is wonderful as long as the others follow your choice.