Motorcycle Toy Run Hits Red Lights
Motorcycle in the ahe 28th Annual Toy run must stop at all the red lights because they didn't get the permit to ride through.
Photos
The 28th Annual motorcycle Toy Run hit a snag this morning because the organizers did not receive the permits to allow the hundreds of motorcycles to roll through all the traffic lights from Lower Macungie to Allentown.
The Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education (A.B.A.T.E.) has organized the run for the last 28 years. It raises money and collects toys for Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley and Volunteers of America Children's Center.
Normally the run travels in a long train of bikes, but this year it will take a little longer as groups of bikers are cut off from each other at red lights.
"The state police say we have to obey all traffic laws and will give us tickets if we don't stop at red lights," said Al Simmons, a toy run participant.
The motorcycles left the Wal-Mart in Trexlertown right at noon, on schedule, and ends at the Volunteers of America Children's Center on Union Boulevard in Allentown.
Tony Centrella
12:46 am on Sunday, November 20, 2011
We never have this problem in NH. The State Police provide escort and road guards block each cross street after the state troopers stop the traffic. They then proceed up to the front with their lights on an get ready for the next cross road. Our toy run has had as many as 4000 bikes and takes an hour to pass one point.
Jim Tyson
8:48 pm on Sunday, November 20, 2011
The issue wasn't the state police, the issue was PADOT, they didn't issue the permit for whatever reason to allow the police to do this.
I hope PADOT gets all kinds of "fan" mail over this fiasco. Its one time a year, to help underprivileged kids. Traffic can wait to help the kids. People look forward to this and line the streets to see the parade. It had to have been disappointing to them to not see the parade of shining chrome delivering good cheer to kids.
Bev Caruso
9:44 am on Monday, November 21, 2011
We attended the A.B.A.T.E toy run as we do every year. Hats off to all the folks who worked so hard to make this run happen; it truly does benefit the children. However, as an avid rider who supports these runs we can't walk away from this toy run without saying "SHAME, SHAME ON LOWER MACUNGIE " who would not grant A.B.A.T.E. the necessary permits for an escorted run which would have blocked traffic. Not only was it shameful it also put both the bikers and motorizes in harm’s way. Hats off to the Allentown Police and workers who made sure that every light was green for us and shared the same values as we did. This Toy run was about "THE CHILDREN AND NOT ABOUT LOWER MACUNGIE POLITICS"! Happy Holidays Lower Macungie hope you get a ton of COAL in your stockings this year, you deserve it!" (signed The Bears)
Missy Moyer-Schneck
1:04 pm on Monday, November 21, 2011
It is a shame to see that Lower Macungie did not step up! Lately, Lower Macungie is about what they want, not what benefits the community.....