If you've seen one American flag biker patch you seen them all, right? Wrong. We carry patches depicting the traditional red, white, and blue image of the stars and stripes. We also have American flag biker patches with the thin blue line representing police officers. We even have this one: the Yellow-Black American Flag patch.
Do a quick online search on the meaning of this patch and you will find all sorts of crazy explanations about the supposed meaning of the color yellow. But stop and think about it. All the American flag variations you find on biker patches are meant to honor a particular group of people. Blue honors law enforcement. Red honors firefighters.
It turns out the yellow color is a reference to the yellow line on a road that separates the driving lane from the shoulder. As such, the yellow and black American flag honors tow truck operators and roadside assistance workers who risk their lives helping stranded motorists. In some circles, the patches also honor police, ambulance, and tow truck dispatchers.
We know that police work and firefighting are both dangerous. But so is responding to a motorist stranded on the side of a busy freeway. Every year, dozens of tow truck drivers are killed while helping stranded drivers. Hundreds more are injured. Whenever a tow operator stops to help a stranded motorist, they are taking a potentially deadly risk.
If you want to show respect for the men and women who patrol the roads in search of stranded motorists, sew this American flag patch to a piece of your biker clothing. Put it in a prominent place – like over your breast pocket or just underneath your back patch. Make sure it can be seen. America's tow operators deserve nothing less.
