Motorcycle Safety Crusade Pays Off

By Jeff Pikulsky
VALLEY INDEPENDENT

Charleroi PA - Cindy Hartley's work as a motorcycle safety crusader has paid off.

The 54-year-old Charleroi resident recently received an award for her work to inform non-riders about how to understand motorcycle riders and their capabilities and limitations on the road.

Hartley received an Award of Appreciation for 2007 from the state Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education, a nonprofit organization that promotes motorcycle safety and awareness.

Hartley, a part-time skin care technician, has spent most of her free time in the last four years spreading the word about the organization's "Operation Save-a-Life."

The program is designed to help people who don't ride motorcycles understand bikers' tendencies and methods of navigating roadways.

"We don't try to turn anybody into bikers," she said. "We don't try to have you sign papers to join ABATE or anything."

Receiving the award has become an incentive for Hartley to complete her mission to make presentations at all Mid-Mon Valley schools.

A former president of the ABATE Washington County branch, Hartley is now the Operation Save-a-Life Director for ABATE's District 3, which comprises the Valley and surrounding communities.

Hartley has tried to tell young drivers how to avoid accidents with motorcycles.

She has given free, one-hour talks to a few Valley student bodies but admits that she is far from her goal.

"I've called every school," she said. "I just think they should have a chance with this program and there are a lot of schools that aren't doing this and the government highly recommends this for all the schools."

Her mission has been an exercise in patience and persistence.

"I have it down to a fine science right now," Hartley said. "I get up and I annoy people with my calls and tomorrow, if I don't hear from them, I call them again."

Hartley, who has ridden on motorcycles since she was 13, said she set out to dissolve the stigma that bikers are trouble.

"That's the first thing that I go into," she said of her talks.

"I go in and I'm dressed professionally. I'll say some people have the reactions that all motorcyclists wear leather, have long hair and have beards and tattoos.

"You can't judge people for what they ride and you can't just think that it's a toy.

"To respect that person is like respecting another four-wheeled vehicle."

Hartley said she uses humor to break the ice when she addresses younger crowds.

Her husband, Mike, and 17-year-old son, Sebastian, have helped her talk to students.

Hartley said it has been effective to have her son speak to his age group about safety.

Hartley and her crew take a motorcycle into the schools to demonstrate such things as biker hand signals.

She also stresses that young drivers pay close attention to motorcyclists and refrain from using cell phones while driving so they can pay more attention to the road.

Hartley said she will make a presentation to any community organization.

While she represents Valley communities, Hartley said her services are not limited only to that locale.

"I cover any county that wants me," she said. "I will go across the state if they want me to."

Hartley said her talks have been well received at about 10 schools she has visited.

She is puzzled as to why others aren't as willing to listen.

"The schools are hard," she said.

"I can't understand why they don't want someone coming in there for a free presentation to their students. I'm not going to give up."

For more information about Hartley's non-rider motorcycle safety demonstrations, call her at (724) 483-2124.