Challenging government and STUPID LAWS!

From Motorbiker.org this morning comes news that French Bikers are well and truly fed up with their government and it's ridiculous new and proposed laws and regulations.

They have launched a massive ad campaign aimed at the government and its over the top regulations, proposed regulations and spending called "Motorcycle Security/Safety: Let's think differently". ..

Some of the measures that the FFMC (French Federation of Motorcyclists) is protesting:

• The inter-ministerial committee on the 11th of May 2011 decided to increase the size of motorcycle license plates to fight against regular excessive speeding, while they only represent 1% of excessive speeds. 

• The inter-ministerial committee on the 11th of May 2011 decided to make the wearing of a yellow reflective vest mandatory for all bikers riding a motorcycle over 124cc

• The price tag of 1000 new Pedagogic Radar Units: $40 million Euro's (These new radars, mostly installed in villages and low speed, single lane areas, will show you your speed, and if you were speeding, how much your fine would have been, and how many points you would have lost if this has been a real radar.)

There are many more asinine laws and regulations that the FFMC is protesting through their ads which are very creative, eye catching and thought provoking.

Here in Canada we need our very own version of the FFMC (French Federation of Motorcyclists), that much is becoming very evident...

After my editorial last week on the Veterans Canada MC in BC being singled out for preferential treatment another Veterans Outlaw MC has come under attack, this time in Alberta.

Watch this video and tell me if you aren't disgusted:

Belt Drive Betty

I will again reiterate that the authorities need to get patch savvy.

Just because a Motorcycle CLUB wants a PROSPECTING period to ensure that their members are engaged and active and a good fit for the CLUB - does NOT make them a 1% Club. 

An outlaw club and a 1% club are two very different organizations founded on a single - similar principle - the principle of prospecting. Not buying a patch but EARNING IT.

I spoke with Mackem, VP of the Falcons MC in Medicine Hat after I was sent the link to the above video and the things he told me would curl your hair. The police were actually going to arrest members of the Blue Knights - a police club, members of the UMCI and HOG just because they attended this poker run.

In all 25 officers were on hand to shut down the poker run.

The Falcons are going to need some financial assistance to mount a lawsuit against the police services for violating their Charter Rights of peaceful assembly, the right of association and their rights to freedom of expression. When I have more information on HOW MUCH and HOW- I will let you know how to get involved.

Because the RCMP and other police services use of profiling tactics - EVERY BIKER/RIDER who has ever been at an event where a 1% club is present is considered an associate, this is how the police services justify their words and actions. Watch the video - the asking of permission to wear a three piece patch from the dominant club where in you MUST prove you are not territorial, and what your intentions as a club are is enough "proof" for the police services that there must be more behind the "Association" than what there is.

Think about that people. You may think that the issues of three piece patch clubs doesn't affect you but you would be so VERY WRONG.

Right across this country the police services are giving conditional approvals to motorcycle related events to have their liquor licenses - what do I mean by that? Well - look at Orangeville Royal Canadian Legion's motorcycle show 'n' shine this past summer. They were given their liquor license conditional on them banning "Illegal Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Patches" from their event, consequently members of the CAV and other veterans groups were asked to leave. Why? Volunteers who are not a part of the motorcycle community - an many who are,  don't know what the police services mean - who is who and how to tell and the police will not provide that information. So people with one piece patches and Social Club patches were being asked to leave a motorcycle event. Veterans pitted against veterans...

The police will tell you the Liquor control board is in charge of that decision, the commission will turn the tables on the police and no one gets held accountable for the discrimination.

I know of many events that have been told that they are to ban patches if they want a liquor license. 

The Liquor Board takes their direction on the approval of licenses from the police services it really is a collaborative affair.

The misconceptions about patches and what they mean has been brought about thanks to police services who purposely misuse the terminology of our community, perpetuated by main stream media's use of those terms - who don't do their research and the tons of newbies out there who think it is cool to sport a three piece patch but haven't got a clue about patch protocol. Then there is the whole LEMC issue and how that further muddies the waters.

A THREE PIECE PATCH HAS TO BE EARNED not bought. 

If your club does not have a prospecting period then you should NOT be sporting the three piece patch - PERIOD.

There are many police services motorcycle clubs that violate this fundamental principal. Why?

I believe it is so they can further muddy the waters to justify their jobs and their budgets. 

I know of tons of LEMC's (Law Enforcement Motorcycle Clubs) that have a prospecting period, wear a three piece patch and then call themselves 99%ers. WRONG - you can't have it both ways boys - you are an outlaw club. If you want to be viewed as a 99% club then you should not have a prospecting period and you should be wearing the one piece MC patch.

I know of many LEMC's who have ZERO prospecting phase and yet sport a three piece patch - WRONG protocol again folks - YOU should be wearing the one piece MC patch.

If people followed the simple protocols of patch etiquette we would not be having 50% of the issues we do.

If the police services were not being allowed to profile us, we would have even less issues BUT by virtue of the fact that the police services photograph everyone and their motorcycle and plate who attends an event where a 1% club is present, we have all been labelled supporters/sympathisers of criminals. 

It is long since time that we in Alberta have a rights organization - a coalition of clubs to deal with political and policing issues along with road maintenance, road use and safety issues. I have been flogging this topic for years now but...

It is time that we stop this erosion of our rights and freedoms and it is also long past the time where we should be protecting our right to enjoy our lifestyle.

On the federal level we have two associations that are supposed to be looking after our rights. 

The CMA and the MCC.

The CMA in Canada is virtually non existent outside of the realm of motor sports and the MCC, well - it is a manufacturers driven Coalition that has given us the J2825 Motorcycle Noise Standard from the SAE that has created so much controversy in our community. Both of these organizations are centred in Ontario and appear to do little outside of their home province to reach out to the touring rider from outside of Ontario.

There maybe 160K + touring riders in Ontario, but what about the other 500K + or so of us?

Folks - it is time to get on the bandwagon to protect our freedoms and rights as provided by our Charter.

If you are not getting involved because your club, group, association has never been targeted for special/preferential treatment - then hold on to your saddles folks because there will come a time - very soon that a dominant 1% club is going to move into your town or a non dominant or dominant Traditional Outlaw MC will start up and once that happens your riding club, your events and your lifestyle WILL Be threatened and by then it will be too late - we need people to get organized NOW - to start a defence fund NOW - we need to be proactive and united.

Your complacency towards something you claim to love will be the end of our community and our lifestyle - think I exaggerate? Look at the Edmonton Motorcycle Only Noise BS - or that in Bathurst, Nanaimo, all over Ontario... 

In Washington state motorcyclists are a recognized visible minority -  WHY? Because people are active and engaged in the riding community in Washington...they aren't here in Canada, not in any meaningful or collective way which is why the authorities are so successful in doing exactly as they please.

Look at Germany, Rwanda, Croatia, Bosnia and any other oppressed country in the world - HISTORY folks has proven that governments can and do lie to their people because they are afraid that the people will rise up in protest so they hide their agendas and lie to us continually.

If you ride a motorcycle and attend show 'n' shines, poker runs, rallies or fund raisers that require a liquor license or police escorts - then guess what folks - like it or not, know it or not YOU have been profiled and YOUR rights have been or will be stepped on, it's simply a matter of time. Don't believe me - talk to the event coordinators...educate yourselves. 

Just because your local police services escort or block traffic or your event has gotten it's liquor license doesn't mean that privately - quietly - that the coordinator hasn't been told NO "Illegal Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Patches"...that statement right there is so erroneous as to make me puke, but over and over again the police services spout that disgustingly wrong statement. The clothing of the "Gangs" are not illegal. 

And NOT ALL 3 piece patch wearing CLUBS are 1%.

• “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” Joseph Goebbels

Think about it - think hard.

Do you really love to ride a touring/cruising motorcycle - if your answer is yes, then regardless of whether or not you wear a patch or what patch you might wear - your lifestyle is under siege and only your action and involvement can turn the tides.

It happened in Washington state - the tides turned and bikers are considered a visible minority and it CAN happen here - BUT ONLY IF YOU GET INVOLVED.

There is so very much more I could be saying on this topic - I am hoping these condensed versions of what is really going on out there finally get some of you motivated to see real change happen.

There is a whack of news in the mainstream feeds today - to find out what else might affect your day, your lifestyle and your community check it out at www.beltdrivebetty.com

Until tomorrow...

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider