DIXIE ABATE STATE MEETING NOTES: 4/18/26 Big D’s Game Changer, Gadsden, AL
SIGNED-IN ATTENDEES:
Matt Schroeder
Kris Cook
Shane Coker
Tim Smith
Michael Moon
Sabrina Moon
Autumn Moon
Erica Jones
Matt Deerman
Ben Childers
Cheryl Childers
Caleb McVeay
Blythe Joslin
The meeting was called to order by Shane at 2 PM in the dining patio at Big D’s Game Changer restaurant.
The meeting notes from 2/21/26 are accepted; likewise, the Treasurer’s report.
Everyone introduced themselves.
Shane Coker reminded everyone about the 2026 mileage challenge. Shane is funding the rewards, but now Freddy Wheeler has doubled the rewards! So, the rider with the most mileage gets $250.00 and the rider with the second most mileage gets $150.00. This contest is open to paid-up members. You must make a donation to Dixie ABATE to enter. You’ll need to get a picture of your odometer, that you can text to Shane or Kris, or you can post it up on Dixie ABATE’s Facebook page. On December 1, we’ll need a picture of your ending odometer, which will tell us how many miles everyone has ridden over the course of the year. Good luck to all who enter!
Blythe Joslin provided us a snapshot of our website traffic at https://dixieabate.org to wit:
Last year the website had approximately 1700 visits.
52% of viewers typed in that URL specifically
13% came from an internet search
2% came from a social link
30% came from referrals (clicking a hyperlink on a different domain that leads to our site)
Average time spent on the website was 16 seconds. We have information on education, mission statements, and other links on the site as well as merchandise for sale. Buy a shirt for a friend to spread the word!
We discussed making a QR code that points directly to the website (Tim will handle this). We also discussed adding the QR codes for ABATE Facebook and Instagram to the website to help cross-traffic.
Tim will add those QR codes in the Facebook group so everyone can help distribute them any way you know how.
Tim is going to get a quote on having the flyers that Kris made a mock-up of made to pass out at bike nights, as well as leave with area motorcycle dealerships or shops to try to get some more interest / traffic.
Legislation updates:
Shane reported that Tesla is scaling back their term “autopilot” on their technology including large delivery or cargo vehicles.
He also reported that the Senate “Autocycle” Bill (SB238) was postponed for the time-being, so that’s at least a short-term win.
The Alabama Senate passed SB 222 on February 24, 2026, which prohibits vehicles with oversized loads from operating using automated driving systems (ADS) on state highways, requiring a human driver instead. Sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen and requested by ALDOT, the bill ensures driverless 18-wheelers cannot transport specialized loads, effective October 1, 2026.
We need to remain aware and informed on national legislation related to defining motorcycles foe legislative purposes.
Proposed Legislative Changes (H.R. 3385 – 119th Congress):
Pending legislation aims to refine the definition of a motorcycle to exclude vehicles that possess car-like features. The new definition proposed in H.R. 3385 requires:
• A seat or saddle requiring the rider to sit astride.
• Steering by handlebars.
• Control by handlebar and foot controls.
The MRF Report:
This link will take you the MRF’s Legislative Priorities online document for 2026. Many of these directly line up with Dixie ABATE priorities.
The next few months will kick off the election cycle in Alabama, now is the time to make friends with your legislator! Send them a link to our site(s) and make our voices heard.
Erica reminded the group of our priorities for the upcoming year:
• Hands free device use by drivers being a “Primary Offense”
• Reforming Alabama motorcycle licensure or improving access to training
• Definitions of a motorcycle in legislation
• Safe on Red initiative
We discussed the need for billboards with the ABATE message, especially in high-fatality counties such as Baldwin. Kris shared that LAMAR the billboard ad company gives us $2000 off on a billboard. (She posted some examples on the ABATE FB to vote on) This was proposed, and seconded.
We also discussed the possibility of getting DOT to add motorcycle awareness to their digital message boards on the interstate during Motorcycle awareness month (May)
We also discussed the possibility of adding a lane filtering legalization bill to our list of priorities. This has been legal in California for decades, and has been adopted by 5 other states (Utah, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, and Minnesota) within recent years. That means there is precedent, and experience with this type of bills, and Colorado is scheduled to have a study published on their implementation / stats in 2027.
Miscellaneous notes:
Erica and Matt are going to set up at Hooligan Harley-Davidson in Oxford at the Rumble on the Loop this year, everyone show up who can attend!
We had a random rider stop into our meeting and chat for a few minutes and he commented “This is the nicest bunch of bikers I’ve met”. We (as a group) didn’t pull him in and get him to sit down with us. Possible opportunity lost? (I know I’m guilty of being an introvert!)
New board members need to provide Kris and Blythe with bios for ourselves.
Matt is working on updating membership email / distro lists.
We talked about the need to get into driver’s ed classes. Kinsley is taking one this summer in Cullman County, Tim is going to reach out to the instructor and ask about how we can do that.
We will try to setup a booth at RPM Motorsports bike night on May 21st (Dodge City, AL)
Dixie ABATE’s next meeting is at 2 PM on Saturday, June 20, 2026, in the meeting room at the Canton House Chinese Buffet located at 609 14th Street SE, Decatur, AL 35601. The phone number there is 256-350-8868. Come at noon and eat with us before the meeting starts! The only way we got the room free is if we are going to eat there.
