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The fight is on in Myrtle Beach South Carolina.At issue are 2 motorcycle rallies, The 68 year old Harley Rally
( http://www.chdda.com/events/mbrally.html ) and the 25 year old Black Bike Week.

The good citizens of Myrtle Beach are fed up with the noise, the lewd behaviour (reportedly worse during the Black Bike Week) and the tons of trash produced and public resources that are used. NAACP - I am sure that this group has a lot to do with this whole scenario to begin with!

If you haven't been following this fight and you ride a motorcycle I urge you to get yourself up to speed. Myrtle Beach On Line has a lot of information about the battle. More can be found in the special section called Bikers at the Beach

Here is the link to the Proposed new laws in Myrtle Beach that will affect riders 12 months out of the year: http://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/PDF%20Forms/Rally%20Options%20--%20DRAFT.pdf

If these people are allowed to have their way in Myrtle Beach there will be NO show 'n' shines allowed at motorcycle businesses!

Horry County is thinking seriously of banning wet tee shirt contests and the like.

Even residents in Sturgis are getting sick of noise and what they deem disrespect - read the comments on Topix.

Canadian riders - it time to take a hint.

When I was hosting the Canadian Championships in Olds AB - the RCMP and the town forced me to prepare for 25,000 people a day (Which meant an $11K port o pottie bill and all of the other additional requirements preparing for that unrealistic crowd number creates), pay out $10K upfront for enhanced policing costs and all because of the potential for the Hell's Angels MC to show up en mass. The Town of Olds was terrified of the bike show because of the statements of the RCMP and took their recommendations more seriously than any evidence that I produced to the contrary. Because of the excessive and unrealistic demands that were placed on me and the low attendance compared to what I was forced to pay for - NO more bike show.

With population densities on the rise in this country noise pollution becomes an ever bigger issue. Noise is only going to add to the financial costs for event hosts and will cause more and more events to be closed - costs will kill them.

It is up to us and no one else to prevent the negative thinking about our community. How? By learning to be respectful with your throttle hand and to not be one of the attention seeking morons that ruins it for everyone else.

Being a show off, revving your engine unnecessarily, cranking on the throttle real hard, doing burn outs at stop signs and lights, riding too fast through town, riding on one wheel - these things reflect negatively on everyone in our community because there are a hell of a lot more NON riders out there than there are riders.

When you ride like a jerk you do so because you think it is your right - well guess what, your thinking is misguided. The constitution of the USA and the Charter of Freedoms and Rights in Canada are written in such a way to express that:
Your rights and freedoms stop when you step on the rights and freedoms of others.
Freedoms & Rights come with HUGE responsibility.

If you want to keep the right to ride a customized bike - then you need to exercise that right with discretion and respect.

It is up to us as we are the ones who ride. The more we encourage or laugh at people who do dumb assed things that hurt our rights the more our rights go down the toilet as laws are enacted to curb the bad behaviour.

So what can you, the respectful enthusiast do to help protect our right to ride? Apply some peer pressure, educate errant riders, don't give them the attention they seek.

You are not a cool person when you show off in public places that are not sanctioned to host and event - so just because you see 30 bikes at Tim Horton's as you go by does not mean you have the right to do a wheelie to entertain us or see how loud you can make your pipes bark so the riders in the parking lot notice you. That behaviour is not only unsafe and unwise - it's disrespectful and makes non riders think all riders are disrespectful and all of the good things we do in our communities get forgotten.

Read, educate yourself and then educate others, The world is changing and if we want to have a motorcycle community in this country we need to change with it. These communities that are becoming anti bike don't care that they will loose the money you spend - they want some order, some respect - and they deserve it. They have some very valid and legitimate beefs.

The ONLY PEOPLE who can change the tidal wave of negative opinions towards the motorcycle community is the members of this community.

And that is my two bits worth on this topic today!
As always, your thoughts and opinion on this subject are welcomed and appreciated.

Ride safe no matter what Toy Run or event you are attending this weekend.

Belt Drive Betty

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