Today's news feed are filled with such a variety of news and for once there appears to be no accidents or deaths to read about.
OCC founder Paul Teutul Sr. is unveiling a chopper in Toronto today...I wonder how these charity chopper billboards get financed? Do the charities actually fork out the cash or are they sponsored? Is this the best way for a charity to spend money all in the name of creating awareness? Maybe - I am after all writing about it...what are your thoughts on the subject?
The Teutul's are also in the news for the Mobil 1 Bagger giveaway in Daytona...
If you had a sport bike stolen you might be pleased to know that a Motorcycle Theft ring has been shut down in Edmonton. The dumbass that spearheaded the ring was passing stolen motorcycles of as American bikes - but in many cases forgot the bilingual factory stickers on them...
In other news, we have attracted some new business partners to the BDB Club. (Log in to access the Rider Friendly directory)
Your savings card is currently good at approximately 160 locations and growing! (Log in to download your card in the Business Section - BDB Club)
If you haven't downloaded your card and printed it off, what are you waiting for?
I hope that if you are riding today you will take a walk around that machine of yours, you'll stay hydrated, you'll ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you and that you will use respect with that right hand.
Hope your day is FABULOUS!
Belt Drive Betty
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Working hard....
We are in full swing with our 2010 phone book for riders.
If you own a business and you ride or are rider friendly, we'd love to have you as part of our Bikers Doing Business Association.
We are also looking for an IT person to work with us on our new GPS downloads - must be a graduate student who is unemployed or under employed. We have qualified for a grant to allow us to work with someone of top caliber!
Shares in Belt Drive Betty Media are now officially on sale!
Preferred shares are $5,000K and Voting shares are $500
We are restricted to 14 shareholders!
If you are interesting in working with Belt Drive Betty to create really good communication tools for the riding community, we'd love to hear from you.
If you are riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you, stay hydrated, check that ride of yours out - tires, belts etc and use respect with the old right hand.
Belt Drive Betty
National VP
AIM-Can
Alliance for Injured Motorcyclists
If you own a business and you ride or are rider friendly, we'd love to have you as part of our Bikers Doing Business Association.
We are also looking for an IT person to work with us on our new GPS downloads - must be a graduate student who is unemployed or under employed. We have qualified for a grant to allow us to work with someone of top caliber!
Shares in Belt Drive Betty Media are now officially on sale!
Preferred shares are $5,000K and Voting shares are $500
We are restricted to 14 shareholders!
If you are interesting in working with Belt Drive Betty to create really good communication tools for the riding community, we'd love to hear from you.
If you are riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you, stay hydrated, check that ride of yours out - tires, belts etc and use respect with the old right hand.
Belt Drive Betty
National VP
AIM-Can
Alliance for Injured Motorcyclists
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
A National treasure - LOST - this is just shocking in my humble opinion.
I have one word for the thieves who stole from Randy Young....and the Friends of Veteran's Honor Ride...SCUMBAGS
The dirtbags broke into the Friend's of Veterans van, stole his computer, camera and his briefcase in Regina on Sunday night. Over $3,000 worth of gear was stolen but what is far, far worse - interviews with 17 veterans are now gone as well.
The lack of respect is astonishing to me.
My cousin Cederic is serving his third tour in Afghanistan, my mom and dad were military - both my kid brother and I were born on bases, he in Downsview ON and I in Ft Churchill MB.
I am a supporter member of the CAV and on behalf of the veteran's whose stories were stolen, on behalf of Randy Young whose hard work in memorializing the stories of those vets has been stolen -I am saddened and disappointed - I hope the thieves gain a conscious and return the memory cards at least.
If you are riding today - PLEASE, stay safe, ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you, stay hydrated, ensure your iron steed is in good repair and PLEASE, use respect with that throttle hand.
Belt Drive Betty
The dirtbags broke into the Friend's of Veterans van, stole his computer, camera and his briefcase in Regina on Sunday night. Over $3,000 worth of gear was stolen but what is far, far worse - interviews with 17 veterans are now gone as well.
The lack of respect is astonishing to me.
My cousin Cederic is serving his third tour in Afghanistan, my mom and dad were military - both my kid brother and I were born on bases, he in Downsview ON and I in Ft Churchill MB.
I am a supporter member of the CAV and on behalf of the veteran's whose stories were stolen, on behalf of Randy Young whose hard work in memorializing the stories of those vets has been stolen -I am saddened and disappointed - I hope the thieves gain a conscious and return the memory cards at least.
If you are riding today - PLEASE, stay safe, ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you, stay hydrated, ensure your iron steed is in good repair and PLEASE, use respect with that throttle hand.
Belt Drive Betty
Monday, August 31, 2009
50 ways to stay alive
Danni Stockley of the Ontario Chrome Divas sent me this list from the guys at Lone Wolf Clubhouse
There is some very sound and sage advice in this list....
1. Assume you're invisible.
To a lot of drivers, you are. Never make a move based on the assumption that another driver sees you, even if you've made eye contact. Bikes don't register to the four-wheel mind.
2. Be considerate.
The consequences of strafing the jerk du jour or cutting him off, start out bad and get worse. Pretend it was your grandma and smile.
3. Dress for the crash, not the pool or the pub.
Sure, McDonald's is a 5-minute trip, but nobody plans to eat pavement. Modern mesh gear means 100-degree heat and is no excuse for a T-shirt and board shorts.
4. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
Assume that car across the intersection will turn across your bow when the light goes green, with or without a turn signal.
5. Leave your ego at home.
The only people who really care if you were faster on the freeway will be the officer and the judge.
6. Pay attention.
Yes, there is a half-naked girl on the billboard. That shock does feels squishy. Meanwhile, you could be drifting toward Big Trouble. Focus.
7. Mirrors only show you part of the picture.
Never change direction without turning your head to make sure the coast really is clear.
8. Be patient.
Always take another second or three before you pull out to pass, ride away from a curb or into freeway traffic from an on-ramp. It's what you don't see that gets you. That extra look could save your butt.
9. Watch your closing speed.
Passing cars at twice their speed or changing lanes to shoot past a row of stopped cars is just asking for trouble.
10. Beware the verge and the merge.
A lot of nasty surprises end up on the sides of the road: empty McDonald's bags, nails, TV antennas, ladders, you name it. Watch for troublesome debris on both sides of the road.
11. Left-turning cars remain a leading killer of motorcyclists.
Don't assume someone will wait for you to dart through the intersection. They're trying to beat the light, too.
12. Beware of cars running traffic lights.
The first few seconds after a signal light changes are the most perilous. Look both ways before barging into an intersection.
13. Check your mirrors.
Do it every time you change lanes, slow down or stop. Be ready to move if another vehicle is about to occupy the space you'd planned to use.
14. Mind the gap.
Remember Drivers Ed? One seconds worth of distance per 10 mph is the old rule of thumb. Better still, scan the next 12 seconds ahead for potential trouble.
15 Beware of boy racers.
They're quick and their drivers tend to be aggressive. Don't assume you've beaten one away from a light or outpaced it in traffic and change lanes without looking. You could end up as a civic hood ornament.
16. Excessive entrance speed hurts.
Its the leading cause of single-bike accidents on twisty roads and racetracks. In Slow, Out Fast is the old adage, and it still works. Dialing up corner speed is safer than scrubbing it off.
17. Don't trust that deer whistle.
Ungulates and other feral beasts prowl at dawn and dusk, so heed those big yellow signs. If you're riding in a target-rich environment, slow down and watch the shoulders.
18. Learn to use both brakes.
The front does most of your stopping, but a little rear brake on corner entry can calm a nervous chassis.
19. Keep the front brake covered always.
Save a single second of reaction time at 60 mph and you can stop 88 feet shorter. Think about that.
20. Look where you want to go.
Use the miracle of target fixation to your advantage. The motorcycle goes where you look, so focus on the solution instead of the problem.
21. Keep your eyes moving.
Traffic is always shifting, so keep scanning for potential trouble. Don't lock your eyes on any one thing for too long unless you're actually dealing with trouble.
22. Think before you act.
Careful whipping around that mica going 7 kph in a 30-kph zone or you could end up with your head in the drivers side door when he turns into the driveway right in front of you.
23. Raise your gaze.
Its too late to do anything about the 20 feet immediately in front of your fender, so scan the road far enough ahead to see trouble and change trajectory.
24. Get your mind right in the driveway.
Most accidents happen during the first 15 minutes of a ride, below 40 mph, near an intersection or driveway. Yes, that could be your driveway.
25. Come to a full stop at that next stop sign.
Put a foot down. Look again. Anything less forces a snap decision with no time to spot potential trouble.
26. Never dive into a gap in stalled traffic.
Cars may have stopped for a reason, and you may not be able to see why until its too late to do anything about it.
27 Don't saddle up more than you can handle.
If you weigh 95 pounds, avoid that 795-pound cruiser. If you're 5-foot-5, forget those towering adventure-tourers.
28. Watch for car doors opening in traffic.
And smacking a car that's swerving around some goofballs open door is just as painful.
29. Don't get in an intersection rut.
Watch for a two-way stop after a string of four-way intersections. If you expect cross-traffic to stop, there could be a painful surprise when it doesn't.
30. Stay in your comfort zone when you're with a group.
Riding over your head is a good way to end up in the ditch. Any bunch worth riding with will have a rendezvous point where you'll be able to link up again.
31. Give your eyes some time to adjust.
A minute or two of low light heading from a well-lighted garage onto dark streets is a good thing. Otherwise, you're essentially flying blind for the first mile or so
32. Master the slow U-turn.
Practice. Park your butt on the outside edge of the seat and lean the bike into the turn, using your body as a counterweight as you pivot around the rear wheel.
33. Who put a stop sign at the top of this hill?
Don't panic. Use the rear brake to keep from rolling back down. Use Mr. Throttle and Mr. Clutch normally and smoothly to pull away.
34. If it looks slippery, assume it is.
A patch of suspicious pavement could be just about anything. Butter Flavor Crisco? Gravel? Mobil 1? Or maybe its nothing. Better to slow down for nothing than go on your head.
35. Bang! A blowout! Now what?
No sudden moves. The motorcycle isn't happy, so be prepared to apply a little calming muscle to maintain course Ease back the throttle, brake gingerly with the good wheel and pull over very smoothly to the shoulder. Big sigh.
36. Drops on the face shield?
Its raining. Lightly misted pavement can be slipperier than when its been rinsed by a downpour, and you never know how much grip there is. Apply maximum-level concentration, caution and smoothness.
37. Emotions in check?
To paraphrase Mr. Ice Cube, chickity-check yourself before you wreck yourself. Emotions are as powerful as any drug, so take inventory every time you saddle up. If you're mad, sad, exhausted or anxious, stay put.
38. Wear good gear.
Wear stuff that fits you and the weather If you're too hot or too cold or fighting with a jacket that binds across the shoulders, you're dangerous. Its that simple.
39. Leave the iPod at home.
You wont hear that cement truck in time with Spinal Tap cranked to 11, but they might like your headphones in intensive care.
40. Learn to swerve.
Be able to do two tight turns in quick succession. Flick left around the bag of briquettes, then right back to your original trajectory. The bike will follow your eyes, so look at the way around, not the briquettes. Now practice till its a reflex.
41. Be smooth at low speeds.
Take some angst out, especially of slow-speed maneuvers, with a bit of rear brake. It adds a welcome bit of stability by minimizing unwelcome weight transfer and potentially bothersome drive line lash.
42. Flashing is good for you.
Turn signals get your attention by flashing, right? So a few easy taps on the pedal or lever before stopping makes your brake light more eye-catching to trailing traffic.
43. Intersections are scary, so hedge your bets.
Put another vehicle between your bike and the possibility of someone running the stop sign/red light on your right and you cut your chances of getting nailed in half.
44. Tune your peripheral vision.
Pick a point near the center of that wall over there. Now scan as far as you can by moving your attention, not your gaze. The more you can see without turning your head, the sooner you can react to trouble.
45. All alone at a light that wont turn green?
Put as much motorcycle as possible directly above the sensor wire usually buried in the pavement beneath you and located by a round or square pattern behind the limit line. If the light still wont change, try putting your kickstand down, right on the wire. You should be on your way in seconds.
46. Every-thing is harder to see after dark.
Even You. Adjust your headlights, Carry a clear face shield and have your game all the way on after dark, especially during commuter hours.
47. Don't troll next to or right behind Mr. Peterbilt.
If one of those 18 retreads blows up which they do with some regularity it de-treads, and that can be ugly. Unless you like dodging huge chunks of flying rubber, keep your distance.
48. Take the panic out of panic stops.
Develop an intimate relationship with your front brake. Seek out some safe, open pavement. Starting slowly, find that fine line between maximum braking and a locked wheel, and then do it again, and again.
49. Make your tires right.
None of this stuff matters unless your skins are right. Don't take em for granted Make sure pressure is spot-on every time you ride. Check for cuts, nails and other junk they might have picked up, as well as general wear.
50. Take a deep breath.
Count to 10. Smile at the idiot. Forgetting some clowns 80-mph indiscretion beats running the risk of ruining your life, or ending it.
Heed these words and your potential for survival just went up - exponentially!
Belt Drive Betty
National Vice President
Alliance for Injured Motorcyclists of Canada
There is some very sound and sage advice in this list....
1. Assume you're invisible.
To a lot of drivers, you are. Never make a move based on the assumption that another driver sees you, even if you've made eye contact. Bikes don't register to the four-wheel mind.
2. Be considerate.
The consequences of strafing the jerk du jour or cutting him off, start out bad and get worse. Pretend it was your grandma and smile.
3. Dress for the crash, not the pool or the pub.
Sure, McDonald's is a 5-minute trip, but nobody plans to eat pavement. Modern mesh gear means 100-degree heat and is no excuse for a T-shirt and board shorts.
4. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
Assume that car across the intersection will turn across your bow when the light goes green, with or without a turn signal.
5. Leave your ego at home.
The only people who really care if you were faster on the freeway will be the officer and the judge.
6. Pay attention.
Yes, there is a half-naked girl on the billboard. That shock does feels squishy. Meanwhile, you could be drifting toward Big Trouble. Focus.
7. Mirrors only show you part of the picture.
Never change direction without turning your head to make sure the coast really is clear.
8. Be patient.
Always take another second or three before you pull out to pass, ride away from a curb or into freeway traffic from an on-ramp. It's what you don't see that gets you. That extra look could save your butt.
9. Watch your closing speed.
Passing cars at twice their speed or changing lanes to shoot past a row of stopped cars is just asking for trouble.
10. Beware the verge and the merge.
A lot of nasty surprises end up on the sides of the road: empty McDonald's bags, nails, TV antennas, ladders, you name it. Watch for troublesome debris on both sides of the road.
11. Left-turning cars remain a leading killer of motorcyclists.
Don't assume someone will wait for you to dart through the intersection. They're trying to beat the light, too.
12. Beware of cars running traffic lights.
The first few seconds after a signal light changes are the most perilous. Look both ways before barging into an intersection.
13. Check your mirrors.
Do it every time you change lanes, slow down or stop. Be ready to move if another vehicle is about to occupy the space you'd planned to use.
14. Mind the gap.
Remember Drivers Ed? One seconds worth of distance per 10 mph is the old rule of thumb. Better still, scan the next 12 seconds ahead for potential trouble.
15 Beware of boy racers.
They're quick and their drivers tend to be aggressive. Don't assume you've beaten one away from a light or outpaced it in traffic and change lanes without looking. You could end up as a civic hood ornament.
16. Excessive entrance speed hurts.
Its the leading cause of single-bike accidents on twisty roads and racetracks. In Slow, Out Fast is the old adage, and it still works. Dialing up corner speed is safer than scrubbing it off.
17. Don't trust that deer whistle.
Ungulates and other feral beasts prowl at dawn and dusk, so heed those big yellow signs. If you're riding in a target-rich environment, slow down and watch the shoulders.
18. Learn to use both brakes.
The front does most of your stopping, but a little rear brake on corner entry can calm a nervous chassis.
19. Keep the front brake covered always.
Save a single second of reaction time at 60 mph and you can stop 88 feet shorter. Think about that.
20. Look where you want to go.
Use the miracle of target fixation to your advantage. The motorcycle goes where you look, so focus on the solution instead of the problem.
21. Keep your eyes moving.
Traffic is always shifting, so keep scanning for potential trouble. Don't lock your eyes on any one thing for too long unless you're actually dealing with trouble.
22. Think before you act.
Careful whipping around that mica going 7 kph in a 30-kph zone or you could end up with your head in the drivers side door when he turns into the driveway right in front of you.
23. Raise your gaze.
Its too late to do anything about the 20 feet immediately in front of your fender, so scan the road far enough ahead to see trouble and change trajectory.
24. Get your mind right in the driveway.
Most accidents happen during the first 15 minutes of a ride, below 40 mph, near an intersection or driveway. Yes, that could be your driveway.
25. Come to a full stop at that next stop sign.
Put a foot down. Look again. Anything less forces a snap decision with no time to spot potential trouble.
26. Never dive into a gap in stalled traffic.
Cars may have stopped for a reason, and you may not be able to see why until its too late to do anything about it.
27 Don't saddle up more than you can handle.
If you weigh 95 pounds, avoid that 795-pound cruiser. If you're 5-foot-5, forget those towering adventure-tourers.
28. Watch for car doors opening in traffic.
And smacking a car that's swerving around some goofballs open door is just as painful.
29. Don't get in an intersection rut.
Watch for a two-way stop after a string of four-way intersections. If you expect cross-traffic to stop, there could be a painful surprise when it doesn't.
30. Stay in your comfort zone when you're with a group.
Riding over your head is a good way to end up in the ditch. Any bunch worth riding with will have a rendezvous point where you'll be able to link up again.
31. Give your eyes some time to adjust.
A minute or two of low light heading from a well-lighted garage onto dark streets is a good thing. Otherwise, you're essentially flying blind for the first mile or so
32. Master the slow U-turn.
Practice. Park your butt on the outside edge of the seat and lean the bike into the turn, using your body as a counterweight as you pivot around the rear wheel.
33. Who put a stop sign at the top of this hill?
Don't panic. Use the rear brake to keep from rolling back down. Use Mr. Throttle and Mr. Clutch normally and smoothly to pull away.
34. If it looks slippery, assume it is.
A patch of suspicious pavement could be just about anything. Butter Flavor Crisco? Gravel? Mobil 1? Or maybe its nothing. Better to slow down for nothing than go on your head.
35. Bang! A blowout! Now what?
No sudden moves. The motorcycle isn't happy, so be prepared to apply a little calming muscle to maintain course Ease back the throttle, brake gingerly with the good wheel and pull over very smoothly to the shoulder. Big sigh.
36. Drops on the face shield?
Its raining. Lightly misted pavement can be slipperier than when its been rinsed by a downpour, and you never know how much grip there is. Apply maximum-level concentration, caution and smoothness.
37. Emotions in check?
To paraphrase Mr. Ice Cube, chickity-check yourself before you wreck yourself. Emotions are as powerful as any drug, so take inventory every time you saddle up. If you're mad, sad, exhausted or anxious, stay put.
38. Wear good gear.
Wear stuff that fits you and the weather If you're too hot or too cold or fighting with a jacket that binds across the shoulders, you're dangerous. Its that simple.
39. Leave the iPod at home.
You wont hear that cement truck in time with Spinal Tap cranked to 11, but they might like your headphones in intensive care.
40. Learn to swerve.
Be able to do two tight turns in quick succession. Flick left around the bag of briquettes, then right back to your original trajectory. The bike will follow your eyes, so look at the way around, not the briquettes. Now practice till its a reflex.
41. Be smooth at low speeds.
Take some angst out, especially of slow-speed maneuvers, with a bit of rear brake. It adds a welcome bit of stability by minimizing unwelcome weight transfer and potentially bothersome drive line lash.
42. Flashing is good for you.
Turn signals get your attention by flashing, right? So a few easy taps on the pedal or lever before stopping makes your brake light more eye-catching to trailing traffic.
43. Intersections are scary, so hedge your bets.
Put another vehicle between your bike and the possibility of someone running the stop sign/red light on your right and you cut your chances of getting nailed in half.
44. Tune your peripheral vision.
Pick a point near the center of that wall over there. Now scan as far as you can by moving your attention, not your gaze. The more you can see without turning your head, the sooner you can react to trouble.
45. All alone at a light that wont turn green?
Put as much motorcycle as possible directly above the sensor wire usually buried in the pavement beneath you and located by a round or square pattern behind the limit line. If the light still wont change, try putting your kickstand down, right on the wire. You should be on your way in seconds.
46. Every-thing is harder to see after dark.
Even You. Adjust your headlights, Carry a clear face shield and have your game all the way on after dark, especially during commuter hours.
47. Don't troll next to or right behind Mr. Peterbilt.
If one of those 18 retreads blows up which they do with some regularity it de-treads, and that can be ugly. Unless you like dodging huge chunks of flying rubber, keep your distance.
48. Take the panic out of panic stops.
Develop an intimate relationship with your front brake. Seek out some safe, open pavement. Starting slowly, find that fine line between maximum braking and a locked wheel, and then do it again, and again.
49. Make your tires right.
None of this stuff matters unless your skins are right. Don't take em for granted Make sure pressure is spot-on every time you ride. Check for cuts, nails and other junk they might have picked up, as well as general wear.
50. Take a deep breath.
Count to 10. Smile at the idiot. Forgetting some clowns 80-mph indiscretion beats running the risk of ruining your life, or ending it.
Heed these words and your potential for survival just went up - exponentially!
Belt Drive Betty
National Vice President
Alliance for Injured Motorcyclists of Canada
Sunday, August 30, 2009
In the aftermath of an accident...
Death is but one aspect of a motorcycle accident.
What happens when you survive the crash?
No matter what caused the accident, no matter where it happens...an accident alters your life.
You now have new limitations, a healing period. You have to learn how to cope, how to get around...
Imagine yourself in the situation that two young fathers from Southern Alberta find themselves in.
One is coming to grips with the fact that he will never walk again and the other with the fact that he'll need a prosthetic to walk.
Both are still in hospital - one is from Medicine Hat and one is from High River.
The Alliance for Injured Motorcyclists of Canada was founded in 1996 as the National governing body for the Association for Injured Motorcyclists which was founded in 1983.
The primary purpose of AIM and AIM-Can is to provide emotional, practical and financial supports to riders and their families in the event of a motorcycle accident.
We are actively looking to form chapters right across Canada in an effort to better support and serve our brothers and sisters during their time of need.
If you would like more information on forming a chapter and providing those practical supports to a fellow rider during their time of need please contact Cliff Hammond National President of AIM-Can at (shotgunn00@hotmail.com)
You can make a difference. And remember - "There but for the grace of God go I"
It could be you that needs the support after an accident...
PLEASE - Ride like everyone around you is blind and can't see you, make sure your motorcycle is in good repair, stay hydrated and please use your head for something besides carrying your helmet.
Belt Drive Betty
National Vice President
Alliance for Injured Motorcyclists of Canada
What happens when you survive the crash?
No matter what caused the accident, no matter where it happens...an accident alters your life.
You now have new limitations, a healing period. You have to learn how to cope, how to get around...
Imagine yourself in the situation that two young fathers from Southern Alberta find themselves in.
One is coming to grips with the fact that he will never walk again and the other with the fact that he'll need a prosthetic to walk.
Both are still in hospital - one is from Medicine Hat and one is from High River.
The Alliance for Injured Motorcyclists of Canada was founded in 1996 as the National governing body for the Association for Injured Motorcyclists which was founded in 1983.
The primary purpose of AIM and AIM-Can is to provide emotional, practical and financial supports to riders and their families in the event of a motorcycle accident.
We are actively looking to form chapters right across Canada in an effort to better support and serve our brothers and sisters during their time of need.
If you would like more information on forming a chapter and providing those practical supports to a fellow rider during their time of need please contact Cliff Hammond National President of AIM-Can at (shotgunn00@hotmail.com)
You can make a difference. And remember - "There but for the grace of God go I"
It could be you that needs the support after an accident...
PLEASE - Ride like everyone around you is blind and can't see you, make sure your motorcycle is in good repair, stay hydrated and please use your head for something besides carrying your helmet.
Belt Drive Betty
National Vice President
Alliance for Injured Motorcyclists of Canada