‘Check Twice’ sticker creator to be honored

LACONIA – Ever wonder where all those yellow "Check Twice – Save a Life, MOTORCYCLES are EVERYWHERE" bumper stickers and signs came from?

Area motorcyclists will be honoring and recognizing Moultonborough resident Bob Doiron, Tuesday night June 17 during Laconia Bike Week as the "Check Twice" phase's creator, at Hector's Fine Food & Spirits in downtown Laconia, 6–9 p.m.

Over 2.5 million of the "Check Twice" stickers have been printed since Doiron first came up with the phase in 1982, while listening to the then Massachusetts Registrar of Motor Vehicles on the radio asking motorists to 'watch out' for bicycles.

"I thought," said Doiron who was one of the founders of the Modified Motorcycle Association of Massachusetts, "what about watching out for us motorcyclists? Drivers should "check twice" for motorcycles and share the roads."

That moment became a life's quest for Doiron, who retired (from his day job) in 2001 and moved from Somerville, Massachusetts to Moultonborough, aimed at reducing motorcycle accidents, injuries and deaths.

Since 1982, Doiron offered free stickers to those who sent him a self-addressed stamped return envelope, and offered 'customized' stickers for businesses and groups to market their names.

In 2002, after Doiron moved to Moultonborough, Paul W. Cote of Amesbury, MA, while volunteering as the motorcycle associating director of Government Relations, met with the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, who wanted to 'adopt' the "Check Twice" awareness message as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Motorcycle safety slogan.

"We called Bob in Moultonborough from the Registrar's office," Cote claimed, "who thought we were kidding him. I put the Registrar on the phone, they talked, and I was handed the phone. Bob told me, 'it took 20 years and me to retire to get done what you just got done,' and I could tell he was teary eyed."

Since then, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles and its Motorcycle Rider Education Program have produced tens of thousands bumper stickers at cost and free to those supporting motorcycle safety and awareness. During Laconia Bike Week, electronic "Check Twice" signs will be on its highway message boards, aimed at reducing accidents with riders coming in and out of New Hampshire.

"What Bob started in 1982 has contributed to saving lives, and it is high time we recognized and honored him," claimed Cote.

In 2006, Cote with Doiron's consent, started producing yard signs and big 2' x 8' signs with the "Check Twice" message. In 2007 and 2008, a regional insurance company gave the association $29,000 for signs with their web site on the bottoms that were distributed freely to over 200 cities and towns and motorcyclists.

In 2010, Doiron was ready to retire from producing the bumper stickers, and transferred his ownership to Cote, who produces the signs, customized bumper stickers, and as Doiron started, continues offering free stickers to those sending the self-addressed return envelopes to him.

With the assistance of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association's executive director Charlie St. Clair, who serves with Cote as the two New England Road Riding delegates to the American Motorcyclists Association (AMA) Congress, Rally Patron Hector's Fine Foods & Spirits downtown Laconia location was chosen as the host site to honor and recognize Doiron for his life's work at reducing motorcycle accidents.

Cote added, "All Bob's area friends are invited to help us recognize Bob and his life's work reducing motorcycle accidents and injuries.''