SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. (WJAC) — Robert Herwig of Somerset County has been riding motorcycles all his life.
"When I was young, you didn't think anything of jumping on your bike and going places. Now that I'm getting older, and everybody has a motorcycle, cars don't notice us like they used to. It's a lot more dangerous today than it was 20 years ago," Herwig told 6 News.
He has been coming to the 'Biker Blessing' at Somerset Alliance Church for the last 15 years.
It's a tradition that started over 20 years ago, offering a service, blessing, ride, and meal to kick off riding season.
May is also Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
I need all the luck I can get when I'm riding, because there's so many people on the road that just don't pay attention. A little bit of help from heaven -- with my bike blessed every year -- I feel it's well worth the trip," Herwig said.According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 5,000 motorcyclists died in 2019 alone.
That's why Kevin Ansell, a member of the church's Riders of Faith Committee, says they're using their ministry to promote motorcycle safety.
Obviously motorcycling is a dangerous sport, because if you go down, many times you're not going to get back up again. We invite them in, pray over them, and ask for God's safety and protection upon them for the riding season," Ansell told 6 News.Encouraged to 'come as you are' with leather and all, organizers say the blessing also creates a biker community.
"They can come just as they are, dressed in their leather. They don't need to feel like they're going to be outcasts. They're welcome here," Ansell said.
Drivers: don't tailgate or cut in and out. Bikers: don't drive too fast and be alcohol free.
Safety tips for those who live on the edge.
"Whether you're a rider or driving a car, look out for everybody else, and make it a lot safer," Herwig told 6 News.
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