Belt Drive Betty's Blog

What a GREAT DAY!

Belt Drive 0 Community, Hotel/Motel Reviews 7:17 AM

As many of you know I was serving coffee at Loving Hands Family Restaurant yesterday. 
I had a ball, never spilled anything on anyone and ate some of the best grub I have had in a restaurant in a while. Really, really good food. 
 
Neal and Andrea are great people, and I enjoyed my time with them. 
 
Neal even let me ride his Ultra and we went for a blast to Luseland. Brent Hoeneker, one of our show 'n' shine participants rode with us. Yes it was a great day. 
 
Now off to Toon town... 
 
Ride like everyone around you is blind...stay safe. 
Belt Drive Betty

What a GREAT DAY!

Belt Drive 0 Community, Hotel/Motel Reviews 7:17 AM

As many of you know I was serving coffee at Loving Hands Family Restaurant yesterday. I had a ball, never spilled anything on anyone and ate some of the best grub I have had in a restaurant in a while. Really, really good food. Neal and Andrea are gr… Read more »

18Apr2009

Getting ready for a day of waitressing

Belt Drive 0 Community 8:36 AM

Getting ready for a day of waitressing

Belt Drive 0 Community 8:36 AM

I made it here to Kerrobert SK and getting myself ready to go pour coffee. Hoping to meet a few of the local riders. Then tonight I head for Toon town and Cyclemania.... Have a great day and ride like everyone around you is blind! Belt Drive Betty … Read more »

17Apr2009

Some respect could save you HUGE Money...

Belt Drive 1 Community, Law & Politics 5:54 AM

For those of you who think I preach at you like a nagging mother - get ready for some more. 
 
I want all of you who read this blog or use my <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">web site</a> to understand a few things... 
 
If you get caught riding your machine like a cowboy/girl and you have loud pipes you are in for a starting fine of $300. 
 
Noise pollution is a huge problem, there are numerous studies on it's affects on people. Hypertension, anxiety, headaches are just a few. 
 
Noise - it's everywhere there are people and the more densely populated our cities get, the more noise is generated, the bigger the problem becomes. 
 
Cars with loud stereos that go by your house rattling the windows because of the base, 4 x 4's with chipped engines and loud exhaust, truckers who use their Jacobs brakes in town and motorcyclists who ride their machines with the "Look at me I ride a bike" syndrome - be prepared - you are in the radar of the police services. 
 
What do all of the above have in common? They are show offs. They have a need for people to notice them - you could even call them ego maniacs. 
 
I am not talking about the people who drive or ride with respect here. 
 
There are many car owners who have loud "competition" stereos who do not feel the need to cruise through your neighborhood with their stereos pounding. 
 
There are many truck drivers who do not drive through towns and cities using their Jacobs brakes - I'd call these "professional truck drivers". 
 
There are many riders who have loud pipes on their bikes who are respectful and mindful that not everyone is enamored of the sound and therefore use their right hand with care. 
 
For those of you who haven't figured it out yet - LOUD PIPES - used in a show off manor are going to net you a stunting ticket - being a show off is going to hurt you in the pocket book and I say good on you. 
 
Not only do you infringe on the rights of others with your disrespectful ways - you give the entire motorcycle community a black eye. 
 
It's time to wake up. 
 
I know that we are going to hear a whole bunch of whining from those who get tickets this season - it happens every year. There will be some who get unfairly ticketed - but instead of blaming the police services - look at the people you ride with. 
 
Look at your fellow riders - if they have loud pipes on their bike and a huge amount of testosterone, you might want to reconsider going for that putt with them as you may also find your wallet a little lighter. 
 
It all comes down to this - respect and personal choice... 
Think about the bling you could buy for your bike with $300, think about a nice hotel room with a jacuzzi tub and a fabulous dinner with drinks that you could get with $300...THINK - that's all I am saying... 
 
Stay safe and ride like everyone around you is blind. 
 
Belt Drive Betty

Some respect could save you HUGE Money...

Belt Drive 1 Community, Law & Politics 5:54 AM

For those of you who think I preach at you like a nagging mother - get ready for some more. I want all of you who read this blog or use my web site to understand a few things... If you get caught riding your machine like a cowboy/girl and you have lo… Read more »

16Apr2009

Loud pipes save lives...

Belt Drive 6 Canadian Riders, riding community 8:50 AM

Now we riders all know that in certain urban riding situations loud pipes can save your life. The motorist who starts drifting into your lane can be made aware of you beside them and this can and has saved many a life and prevented many an injury. You and I who ride get that. And truly - that is the MAJOR time when loud pipes save lives. 
 
What we who ride NEED to get - is this: 
 
Rapping your pipes to show off and attract attention takes away from the life saving value of loud pipes. YOU HURT the cause when you use them for the wrong purposes. 
 
Well tuned pipes that have the appropriate back pressure for the engine you are running are often - not always - but often loud - especially if you have had performance work done to your bike. 
 Now I love the rumble of the Harley engine. I love loud pipes - I am a rider and I really understand the love of that sound BUT - there is a time and a place. The open highway... The need to feed the ego is the wrong reason to rap your pipes. Period, end of story, you being a show off on the street, you being thoughtless of the needs of others is HURTING our community more than it helps us!<u3:p> </u3:p><o:p></o:p> 
There are people working night shift who sleep during the day, there are people in hospitals, old folks homes that need quiet. Mothers with new babies who are sick and finally sleeping… There people who just plain do not appreciate or get the love of the sound and while you have rights - SO DO THEY! Remember every "Right "has a cost and that cost is responsibility. If you want to keep the privileged of having loud pipes - if you want that self defense tool when you are riding, then THINK BEFORE YOU TWIST THAT THROTTLE HARD IN TOWN! I don't care what car drivers and their boom boxes are doing, or 4 x 4's that have mufflers on them worse that truckers using their Jacob's brakes in town do. I care about US, motorcyclists - OUR Community and it's right to have that self defense mechanism at our disposal and the thoughtless jerks that put that tool in jeopardy every day and all because they need to feel the thunder, they need to have people notice them...make me angry. 
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If you want to stunt, race or otherwise grab attention. If you want people to notice you and cheer you on there is a place for you - it's called the race track - that goes to everyone who drives a motorized vehicle - not just motorcyclists, but as I said this article isn't just about rude, selfish arrogant behaviour on the part of motorists in general - its about that behaviour when you are on your motorcycle and how your actions jeopardize my safety by contributing to the fight against loud pipes. 
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Loud pipes do save lives but if we don't police the situation ourselves it will be done for us- if we feed the egos of others by condoning the actions of show offs, then we will loose a valuable tool in the prevention of accident and injury for motorcyclists- think about it...<o:p></o:p> 
Noise pollution - are you a part of the solution or part of the problem?<o:p></o:p> 
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Accident and injury prevention - one day you might find yourself needing those loud pipes and oh yah, you are riding a bike with factory pipes that are whisper quiet because loud pipes were outlawed. Now, I wonder how that happened.</div>
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Just my two bits worth.... 
 
 
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Ride like everyone around you is blind...stay safe. 
 
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Belt Drive Betty<u3:p></u3:p><o:p></o:p> 
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Loud pipes save lives...

Belt Drive 6 Canadian Riders, riding community 8:50 AM

Now we riders all know that in certain urban riding situations loud pipes can save your life. The motorist who starts drifting into your lane can be made aware of you beside them and this can and has saved many a life and prevented many an injury. Yo… Read more »

14Apr2009

Causing controversy....

Belt Drive 0 Community, Motorcycle Community 7:20 AM

I have been accused of being a wee bit of a pot stirrer at times. 
Sometimes I do it intentionally to provoke dialogue and thought and other times all I have to do is open my mouth or put pen to paper and it happens - without intention. 
 
So it goes this week. 
I unintentionally caused a bit of controversy over at the Moose Jaw Times Herald on line in my blog there. 
 
I had posted the poem "Just a Biker" and I had used many of the pictures that came with the poem and tried to lay it out as it had been sent to me. 
 
A rider in Moose Jaw was offended that I had included the picture of the Bandidos funeral. 
 
Now, to me that poem is about two things - social prejudice and unsafe driving. 
 
I was surprised that a fellow rider would object to that picture being included in the post. 
But it got me thinking...the social prejudice that every day, ordinary riders face as a result of the 1/2 of one percent of our community that call themselves 1%ers is obviously still pretty high. If you are at all interested in what I have to say to this reader of <a href="http://www.mjtimes.sk.ca/index.cfm?cid=1054&sc=156">my blog on the Times Herald site</a>, here is the link to my blog on the Times Herald site 
 
To add to the thoughts from the article "An apology and explanation" in my blog on the Times Herald site, I would have to say that regardless as to whether you wear a patch - be you riding club, independent or motorcycle club member - regardless of how good or bad you may be as a person - everyone has family that will miss you when you are gone. 
 
Prejudice comes from fear, you overcome fear through education... 
Please people, don't judge a book by its cover, but rather by its content. 
 
Stay safe - ride like everyone around you is blind and can't see you. 
Belt Drive Betty

Causing controversy....

Belt Drive 0 Community, Motorcycle Community 7:20 AM

I have been accused of being a wee bit of a pot stirrer at times. Sometimes I do it intentionally to provoke dialogue and thought and other times all I have to do is open my mouth or put pen to paper and it happens - without intention. So it goes thi… Read more »

14Apr2009

It's Monday!

Belt Drive 0 Community, Great Canadian Day Rides, In the News 6:38 AM

I have a busy couple of days ahead as I get ready to head to Cyclemania in Saskatoon. 
 
I will be at Loving Hands Family Restaurant in Kerrobert on Friday pouring coffee from 10 am to 5pm and then working in a booth at Cyclemania on Saturday and Sunday. 
 
I am looking forward to meeting some of my brothers and sisters of the wind and seeing old friends... 
 
This week's newspaper is done and it is a thing of beauty - stories from across Canada...everything I ever hoped it to be - now if I can attract more advertisers to support provincial sections I will be truly feeling like I am accomplishing what I set out to. 
 
I intend to get out on my bike over the next couple of days - I have to get my fix in since I will be in my car for the trip to Saskatchewan. 
 
I hope more of you have entries for our Great Canadian Day Rides contest and the McCool's Street Bar & Grill Logo Contest and don't forget Slack Alice's contest.... 
 
Have a great day everyone and please - ride like everyone around you is blind... 
 
Belt Drive Betty

It's Monday!

Belt Drive 0 Community, Great Canadian Day Rides, In the News 6:38 AM

I have a busy couple of days ahead as I get ready to head to Cyclemania in Saskatoon. I will be at Loving Hands Family Restaurant in Kerrobert on Friday pouring coffee from 10 am to 5pm and then working in a booth at Cyclemania on Saturday and Sunday… Read more »

13Apr2009

What a great afternoon of hookie!

Belt Drive 1 Community 8:04 AM

Yesterday I went for a blast on Blackie, stopped at Timmy's and had a gab with a few other riders - about 30... 
 
After another tour around the city, I wen home and did some work in my flower bed, cleaned it up in preparation for this season's flowers...I have not lost my florists "roots" so to speak, I still love mother nature's most perfect creations and for me, that's flowers... 
 
Then at about 4:30 my husband's bike was delivered home from Time Machine in Edmonton. 
Mark's son brought it home for him, Johnny Black had set the timing and twinked a few things, so of course hubby and I had to go for a ride to check out how the "Rain King" would perform. 
His old war horse is running beautifully so far...so yes, I had a great day of hookie and am looking forward to taking a bit of time off today to sneak in a putt. 
 
The sun is up, the sky is clear and the call of the road is strong... 
Happy Easter! 
 
Stay safe, ride like they are blind and can't see you... 
 
Belt Drive Betty

What a great afternoon of hookie!