The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce additional resources for the "Think. Ride." public service announcement campaign. The audio, print and web messages supplement the responsible-riding and driver-awareness videos announced in October 2009 in cooperation with actor and AMA Board of Directors member Perry King.
The new assets include full- and half-page print advertisements that promote responsible off-highway recreation, quieting excessively loud motorcycle exhausts, and avoiding drinking and riding. Four 15- to 20-second radio spots deliver the same messages, as well as encourage automobile and truck drivers to avoid distracted driving and keep an eye out for motorcycles on the road.
"One of the first steps in preserving our motorcycling rights is practicing safe and responsible riding ourselves," said AMA Vice President for Government Relations Ed Moreland. "Second, we need to let other road users know that we have a right to be on America's roadways, and to be alert to our presence. These print, radio and video messages shine a light on the values of AMA members and also encourage riders to think before they ride."
Like the print and audio PSAs, the series of King-narrated videos that kicked off the "Think. Ride." campaign last year encourage proper riding gear and safe, responsible riding practices, and discourage impaired riding and excessive exhaust sound. Another video alerts car and truck drivers to watch out for motorcyclists on the road.
King, an avid off-highway and street rider, also recorded the radio spots for the campaign. Well known for playing the character Cody Allen in the 1980s television series Riptide, King has also appeared on stage and in movies, including "Slaughterhouse Five," "The Lords of Flatbush" with Sylvester Stallone and Henry Winkler, and "The Choirboys."
"The fact of the matter is if we want non-riders to respect our rights, we must earn that respect," King said. "We need to be responsible for how we ride. When we accept that responsibility, we make it easier for our rights to be recognized and considered in legislative bodies and in the court of public opinion."