When it comes to bikers rights and how we are treated here in North America, I have heard many people say we are lucky, we have it better than anywhere else in the world - we should be thankful instead of fighting. They want to take away our right to choose helmets or not...no biggie. They want to take away our pipes and make all our machines as quiet as e-bikes...no problem. We don't put up much of a fight - hell for a bunch of freedom lovers we too often wait for someone else to fight what we deem tyranny. We are a complacent lot for the most part these days, we pay a lot of lip service to the notion of fighting for our rights, but that is all it is for the most part, lip service. I wonder what our fore fathers would think of what we have become...
I want you all to consider something...Imagine owning a motorcycle repair shop or a parts shop and being told that you have to move it because your shop is an eyesore to our down town core and your patrons are hooligans that we don't want down town. They are reckless and endanger people's lives - get out, move to the suburbs and while you are moving your business, we are going to also fine you.
That is the lot of a number of motorcycle repair shops in Abu Dhabi Saudi Arabia.
Reportedly they, the public officials, want to prevent the city from looking like a "maintenance garage".
Motorcyclists are also going to be restricted to using the right hand lanes - "The use of these designated lanes will allow motorcyclists to ensure their own safety as well as those of other motorists, Al Mazroui said."
Now comparing a regime like Saudi Arabia to Canada or the US might seem ludicrous to some but I want you to look at the mind set of the officials there and here...
With more and more restrictions on us here in North America - with more and more people complaining about noise, about reckless riders, the officials in our countries are attempting to curb our freedoms and privileges because of the actions of some. The same is happening in places like Saudi Arabia, Manila, China, Korea, India - we riders are being painted into corners because of the actions of a few.
How many people are there that would like to see motorcycles legislated right out of existence? There was an article in a Florida newspaper where in the writer wanted to see motorcycles banned as unsafe...folks - this is not a joke any more. This is serious stuff here and I am not sure we can live with our heads in the sand too much longer cause when we do finally lift them it will be to discover a very different world of riding. The point of my little diatribe this morning is that we need to know what is coming down the pipes and we learn that by reading what is going on around the world - to be forewarned is to be forearmed.
Knowledge used well is power. The key is we HAVE TO DO SOMETHING with the knowledge we have about the police and the municipal officials and their mind set. If we look at the mind set of police officials around the world you will see one common thread...the few ruin things for the many and we ALL get tarred.
Knowing that - what can WE DO?
I want you to consider something...what if we riders started to push back? What if we started reporting every driver we saw who has a cell phone to their ear while driving?
What if we started reporting the cars with boom boxes so loud the windows in your house rattle or the trucks and cars with no or after market mufflers that are way too loud?
What if we started shunning the stunters and the persons who show off doing burn outs at stop signs and street lights and reporting them? What if we wrestled the keys from an impaired rider instead of shaking our heads in the parking lot as we see them fumbling around? What if we reported the guy with the straight pipes who purposely is setting of car alarms for blocks instead of encouraging them? (We know that you can ride a loud motorcycle with respect so that it is not obnoxious and don't upset the neighbors and business people).
It is long past time where we realize that the actions of one person can tar the rest of us.
And it is time we quit encouraging the few and start shunning them as UN COOL.
The single biggest need for those who like to stunt on the roadways is for attention and they don't care if it is negative or positive attention - but if we gave them none - turned our back on them, refuse to talk to them, could we change the tides? What if we reported them when we saw them? I don't know, but nothing else seems to be working - so my questions is what do we have to loose by trying?
Appealing to them one at a time - trying to change their minds, pointing out that they are selfish and ruining it for the rest of us doesn't seem to work in any broad way. I have had some positive results by talking to people but...
What is the answer to protecting our community and the privilege of riding?
I really don't know - but I think we need to find an answer that works more often than not...we can't prevent or stop all of the selfish or thoughtless people but we can take a stand within our own communities - we can make sure that we are not fueling their need for attention.
If we riders in Canada and the US united our voices we would be almost 12 Million strong.
I know that the likelihood of 12 million people who are for the most part independent thinkers; "A" type personalities uniting their voices is a stretch, but imagine if you will 12 million people acting in a similar fashion...what would the chances be that we could POSITIVELY Impact the behaviors and mindsets of the thoughtless and selfish?
I welcome your thoughts on this topic - like everyday - I invite you to jump into the conversation...who knows what ideas will come from the sharing and discussions...
Join us in the forums on www.beltdrivebetty.com, on my personal Face Book Page: Belt Drive Betty or our fan page: Belt Drive Betty & The Busted Knuckle Chronicles or here in this blog.
In other news:
In Arizona 7 alleged members of the Vagos are indited on felony counts of aggravated assault and one count each of riot and assisting in a criminal street gang.
In Santa Clara California a police officer has been charged with providing a member of the Hells Angels with DMV information on people.
In France a clothing designer who happens to ride set out on a mission after a spill on his motorcycle. He wanted to find a fibre that could beat Kevlar, (Kevlar has some major flaws when it comes to apparel. It doesn't 'breathe', in the woven form it is uncomfortable to wear and starts to disintegrate when it's exposed to the ultraviolet in sunlight.) Pierre-Henry, after extensive research, lit upon a fibre known as 'ultra high molecular weight polyethylene' (UHMWPE). It is a form of polyethylene, the world's most common plastic, but the fibres are twice as strong as Kevlar, and 10-100 times stronger than steel.
In the UK, the Hairy Bikers are helping launch a special charity cookbook.
Porsche becomes the newest company with a tribute motorcycle.
There are a number of sports articles for you motor sports fans and a few others on different gadgets for your bike. Visit www.beltdrivebetty.com to read up on the happenings in Canada and around the world.
Have a day filled with thoughts of motorcycles and freedom, open roads and twisties and positively impacting others who ride in a not so positive way to protect our privileges.
Please if you are attending parties, plan your way home in advance!
If you are driving home from Christmas feasts and visits please take care on the roads and cherish those you love the way you cherish your motorcycle.
Belt Drive Betty
I want you all to consider something...Imagine owning a motorcycle repair shop or a parts shop and being told that you have to move it because your shop is an eyesore to our down town core and your patrons are hooligans that we don't want down town. They are reckless and endanger people's lives - get out, move to the suburbs and while you are moving your business, we are going to also fine you.
That is the lot of a number of motorcycle repair shops in Abu Dhabi Saudi Arabia.
Reportedly they, the public officials, want to prevent the city from looking like a "maintenance garage".
Motorcyclists are also going to be restricted to using the right hand lanes - "The use of these designated lanes will allow motorcyclists to ensure their own safety as well as those of other motorists, Al Mazroui said."
Now comparing a regime like Saudi Arabia to Canada or the US might seem ludicrous to some but I want you to look at the mind set of the officials there and here...
With more and more restrictions on us here in North America - with more and more people complaining about noise, about reckless riders, the officials in our countries are attempting to curb our freedoms and privileges because of the actions of some. The same is happening in places like Saudi Arabia, Manila, China, Korea, India - we riders are being painted into corners because of the actions of a few.
How many people are there that would like to see motorcycles legislated right out of existence? There was an article in a Florida newspaper where in the writer wanted to see motorcycles banned as unsafe...folks - this is not a joke any more. This is serious stuff here and I am not sure we can live with our heads in the sand too much longer cause when we do finally lift them it will be to discover a very different world of riding. The point of my little diatribe this morning is that we need to know what is coming down the pipes and we learn that by reading what is going on around the world - to be forewarned is to be forearmed.
Knowledge used well is power. The key is we HAVE TO DO SOMETHING with the knowledge we have about the police and the municipal officials and their mind set. If we look at the mind set of police officials around the world you will see one common thread...the few ruin things for the many and we ALL get tarred.
Knowing that - what can WE DO?
I want you to consider something...what if we riders started to push back? What if we started reporting every driver we saw who has a cell phone to their ear while driving?
What if we started reporting the cars with boom boxes so loud the windows in your house rattle or the trucks and cars with no or after market mufflers that are way too loud?
What if we started shunning the stunters and the persons who show off doing burn outs at stop signs and street lights and reporting them? What if we wrestled the keys from an impaired rider instead of shaking our heads in the parking lot as we see them fumbling around? What if we reported the guy with the straight pipes who purposely is setting of car alarms for blocks instead of encouraging them? (We know that you can ride a loud motorcycle with respect so that it is not obnoxious and don't upset the neighbors and business people).
It is long past time where we realize that the actions of one person can tar the rest of us.
And it is time we quit encouraging the few and start shunning them as UN COOL.
The single biggest need for those who like to stunt on the roadways is for attention and they don't care if it is negative or positive attention - but if we gave them none - turned our back on them, refuse to talk to them, could we change the tides? What if we reported them when we saw them? I don't know, but nothing else seems to be working - so my questions is what do we have to loose by trying?
Appealing to them one at a time - trying to change their minds, pointing out that they are selfish and ruining it for the rest of us doesn't seem to work in any broad way. I have had some positive results by talking to people but...
What is the answer to protecting our community and the privilege of riding?
I really don't know - but I think we need to find an answer that works more often than not...we can't prevent or stop all of the selfish or thoughtless people but we can take a stand within our own communities - we can make sure that we are not fueling their need for attention.
If we riders in Canada and the US united our voices we would be almost 12 Million strong.
I know that the likelihood of 12 million people who are for the most part independent thinkers; "A" type personalities uniting their voices is a stretch, but imagine if you will 12 million people acting in a similar fashion...what would the chances be that we could POSITIVELY Impact the behaviors and mindsets of the thoughtless and selfish?
I welcome your thoughts on this topic - like everyday - I invite you to jump into the conversation...who knows what ideas will come from the sharing and discussions...
Join us in the forums on www.beltdrivebetty.com, on my personal Face Book Page: Belt Drive Betty or our fan page: Belt Drive Betty & The Busted Knuckle Chronicles or here in this blog.
In other news:
In Arizona 7 alleged members of the Vagos are indited on felony counts of aggravated assault and one count each of riot and assisting in a criminal street gang.
In Santa Clara California a police officer has been charged with providing a member of the Hells Angels with DMV information on people.
In France a clothing designer who happens to ride set out on a mission after a spill on his motorcycle. He wanted to find a fibre that could beat Kevlar, (Kevlar has some major flaws when it comes to apparel. It doesn't 'breathe', in the woven form it is uncomfortable to wear and starts to disintegrate when it's exposed to the ultraviolet in sunlight.) Pierre-Henry, after extensive research, lit upon a fibre known as 'ultra high molecular weight polyethylene' (UHMWPE). It is a form of polyethylene, the world's most common plastic, but the fibres are twice as strong as Kevlar, and 10-100 times stronger than steel.
In the UK, the Hairy Bikers are helping launch a special charity cookbook.
Porsche becomes the newest company with a tribute motorcycle.
There are a number of sports articles for you motor sports fans and a few others on different gadgets for your bike. Visit www.beltdrivebetty.com to read up on the happenings in Canada and around the world.
Have a day filled with thoughts of motorcycles and freedom, open roads and twisties and positively impacting others who ride in a not so positive way to protect our privileges.
Please if you are attending parties, plan your way home in advance!
If you are driving home from Christmas feasts and visits please take care on the roads and cherish those you love the way you cherish your motorcycle.
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