Laws in other Countries...some make sense....others not so much

Today there were two articles in the news feeds that caught my attention.

One from the Phillipines -

In this article they discuss the fact that it is now illegal for kids 10 and under to be a passenger on a motorcycle without a helmet and spells out clear parameters as to when a child is old enough to ride as a passenger:

Begin Quote: Under House Bill (HB) No. 5626 or the Motorcycle Safety for Children Act of 2011, it seeks to ensure the safety of children aboard motorcycles by regulating the operation of motorcyclesalong highways and roads.

The protective helmet must comply under Republic Act (RA) No. 10054 otherwise known as “The Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009.”

RA 10054 provides that a child can be transported if his or her feet can comfortably reach thefootrests of the motorcycle and the arms of the child can reach around and grasp the waist of the motorcycle driver. End Quote

This law seems pretty straight forward, late in coming perhaps, but clear and simple to understand.

The one below - not so much...

In Nigeria, Okada Riders - (Motorcycle Riders) are being banned from riding from 6am to 6pm on January 1st.  The article goes off on this wild tangent about the police not having enough technology but what I was able to glean after reading and re reading was - that there had been an attack on a Church just before Christmas - by someone on motorcycles - (this is an assumption on my part), and this attack caused the ban.

Now, from my understanding, in Nigeria - a good number of people who ride motorcycles operate like taxi's and there are some gangs in that mix. Hence, everyone who rides a motorcycle there, tends to be treated like a criminal - and if I am also interpreting/reading this article right, the police feel they must act in this way as they have no technologies to assist them and they are over worked.

Glad I don't ride there!

So - reading about the different approaches to the laws and enforcement of different jurisdictions of the world over the past few days, I got to wondering....

How come it is not mandatory to wear proper foot wear and clothing on a bike?

I mean if safety and reducing health care costs are really as important as government officials would lead you to believe - then why is that aspect of safety gear always overlooked by law makers?

Anyone have any ideas or suggestions as to why that might be?

I would love to hear your thoughts and I would love links to articles on really strange laws regarding motorcycles - I love seeing how truly bent politicians can be...

And that, my friends is a perfect segue to present you this link....http://www.squidoo.com/strangelaws

on Strange and Dumb Laws from some US states - I thought that they might give you a few giggles but more importantly drive that age old lesson home: BE AFRAID OF LARGE NUMBERS OF STUPID PEOPLE!!!!  (Congress, Parliament Hill - no country it appears, is immune from them)

There are many other articles in the news feeds that may be of interest to you today - check them out at www.beltdrivebetty.com 

I leave you with a few funnies that have been shared by friends on Facebook and through email - laughter lights up the world...

Happy New Year everyone, please don't drink and drive....see you all in 2012!

Belt Drive Betty 

Editor & Rider

2012...

2012 is coming faster than I would like...I still have so many things to do to get ready for the motorcycle shows - so many things that I am waiting on others to do before I can do my thing...it get's discouraging and frustrating some times - but, it's life right.

I have a couple of questions for you all...

What is the MUST DO event on your riding season list?

What is the MUST DO road on your riding season list?

What is your one gear acquisition you are determined to make in 2012?

My must do event this year is the Great Canadian Bike Rally in Merritt BC, My must do road is the Top of the World Highway in the Yukon/Alaska..

My gear acquisition is a new set of Froggs Toggs....I lent my old ones to someone and haven't gotten them back so...

There are a few items in the news feeds today that may be of interest or value to you - it's of course been pretty quiet but that will all change in a bout a week's time as everyone starts going back to work so I am taking advantage of the reprieve by getting as much of my stuff done before I leave home next Wednesday morning when it will be destination CALGARY and lots of HUGS!!!!

I leave you with a few giggles, shared with me by friends either through email or Facebook...hope they put a smile on your face...

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

A Motorcycle Safety Campaign that appears to really WORK!!!!

Around The Corner - an award winning motorcycle safety campaign that appears to really work!

I am not sure when exactly it was that Scotland and it's police services became so wise  - but I am here to tell you that I personally feel this is THE SMARTEST POLICING Campaign to promote safe riding that I have ever seen!

The Around the Corner Campaign combines tourism, riding skills advancement and policing in a way I have dreamed of for years but never knew the right people to implement it here and in my humble opinion I think every country in the world should be adopting this strategy.

I can truly see why this campaign has won not one but two prestigious awards.

Police officers, armed with special gifts (Not necessarily tickets either), patrolling the highways and rider haunts - sharing ROAD TIPS, BIKER FRIENDLY ESTABLISHMENT TIPS - SAFETY TIPS & other valuable information like road maps, construction reports etc all combined into a campaign that includes a tidy web site with one clear message - come, ride, enjoy and be safe while doing it.

This police supported project encourages tourism and riding in a way that can and should be embraced everywhere - instead of the police being heavy handed and suspecting everyone of being asses or bad guys, they treat you like a fellow rider and encourage you to explore - help you to enjoy your riding - THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITY POLICING IS ALL ABOUT!

I am SUPER IMPRESSED!!!! Congratulations Scotland - land of my Great Grandfather's birth...you deserve the accolades - you deserve the flattery that imitation bestows because truly - every country in the world should be imitating/mirroring you in your efforts..

Bet you never thought you'd hear me applauding the police - did you!!!!

Make sure you check this site out (http://www.aroundthecorner.org.uk/index.asp) and then encourage your local police department to consider getting involved in something like this - it may be the answer to the sand box fight we always find ourselves in - riders VS police....it just might be that attitude changing development that we need so badly!

There are lots of interesting articles in the news feeds today and I hope you will take some time to explore the latest news over at www.beltdrivebetty.com to see if anything there might affect your day/life.

I leave you with a few funnies shared with me by my friends on Facebook and through emails...
Laughter - IS the medicine our souls really need!

Have a fabulous Hump Day!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

A wonderful holiday...

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday and that you enjoyed the true meaning of Christmas, the sharing of love...

I was fortunate enough this year to have my daughter prepare Christmas dinner - her first big "Family" meal - she cooked for 9 of us!  Yes mom helped out, but what a treat to have someone else worry about the menu and all of the details!  I was so proud to watch her, the love and care she put into everything she did made my heart swell.

As I watched her I couldn't help but remember myself at her age, and it was heartwarming to remember all of the time I spent in the kitchen teaching her and to see that the lessons really were learned, it was surreal watching her and remembering myself doing the exact same things...it was a wonderful dinner - the menu was perfect and there was enough food left over to feed a small army!  I love left overs!

I finally got to meet my daughter's finance's family. It was a great experience, one I am glad to have had!

It was so warm here, I really wanted to take my bike out, but with all of the heavy grit and ice, I decided it wasn't worth the risk, but oh my heart needs a ride so bad!  Good thing the bike shows start soon, at least, for a little while, I will be able to take care of the PMS (Parked Motorcycle Syndrome) and I will get in some great hugs as the Hug O Meter fills up in each city to see who gives the MOST hugs - not the best hugs - because seriously - there is no such thing as a bad hug!

We are hosting our 5th Annual Beat the PMS Blues Online Show 'n' Shine - entries begin on January 1st so I hope you have dug up your favourite photo of your bike.  We will be giving away, among other things a Drift Camera, a group camp out in Haida Gwaii BC for 12, Shuzi Bracelets, Detailing kits and more - so if like me - you suffer from PMS, join us for our FREE Show 'n' Shine - not only do you have a shot at some great prizes but you also have the chance to put the PMS to rest for a few minutes at a time  -  but take note: you will probably need something handy to wipe the spittle off you chin from drooling over everyone's photos - just sayin!

Over the last few days of the holidays the news feeds have been pretty quiet, however there are some very interesting stories from other countries, including the US on various laws dealing with riders...

From the feeds today:

In New Hampshire, since the courts decided a municipality can not set a lower Db rate than the state's, people there are being urged to support a new state law to reduce the Db limit on motorcycles. Read about their lobbying efforts - I wonder what the riders next move is?

In Massachusetts a cop there is touting stats as a reason why helmet laws need to stay...

In Nigeria, Okada riders are put under what they call - EXTREME restrictions and the Lagos Okada (Motorcycle) Riders are expressing their frustrations. These motorcyclists operate taxi like services and are frustrated that they are only supposed to carry one passenger at a time and that passengers MUST wear head gear...it's a different world there for sure!

And in India - riders prove once again that there are certain things that just go hand in hand with motorcycling, NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE - a good coffee (in this case tea shop) and lots of great conversation. What they describe in this article is appears to be not unlike what you will find at any Timmy's here in Canada - not even the time of day seems to be different for ride nights- 5 - 10 pm


In other news:

A 105 year old Indian from the DuPont collection is taken out of hiding.

A rare bike is up for sale in  Michigan Thumb - 1976 Bicentennial Edition Electra Glide motorcycle - to benefit the Caseville Community Christmas Fund

I am going to have the new Pat Savage Wind & Fire CD available for sale at my booth - Pat and I teamed up to reduce the costs that shipping adds to ordering a CD on line - come visit my booth in Calgary - #832, in Edmonton - #546 and in Vancouver - #809 to get your copy!

http://www.savageroads.com/

There are other articles that may be of interest to you over at www.beltdrivebetty.com  hope to see you there!

I leave you today with a few funnies and thoughts from that crazy zany bunch I call friends and family - they share some of the craziest, funniest and most inspirational of stuff with me..

I love my friends and thank them for the joy and good health they spread by the stuff they share, cause laughter really is GOOD Medicine!

Have a fabulous Tuesday everyone!

Belt Drive betty
Editor & Rider

So this is Christmas....

As we get ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, it is my fondest hope for all, that the true spirit of the season fills your heart and that somehow you manage to hold on to that feeling for more than a day or a few hours.

No matter your religious views or lack there of, I wish for you to experience, love, joy, acceptance and peace - not from the world around you, but from the world INSIDE YOU.

Love yourself, accept yourself, find joy in being you, find peace by destroying the old tapes of negativity that run through your brain and discover the real YOU.

I wish you the health to enjoy the journey, the wealth to do the things you are meant to do and the spiritual love and balance that will make you appreciate this beautiful gift called life.

I look forward to talking to you all on Monday, hearing about your presents, your time with friends and family until then, have a Merry Christmas and remember, you are the best gift you can share with anyone.

There are a number of articles in the news feeds today that may be of interest to you.

Please check them out at www.beltdrivebetty.com

I leave you with a few funnies shared with me by my friends on Facebook, Twitter and by email...Laughter is another great gift you can give yourself and others...

Have a Fabulous Friday and a Joyous Christmas

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

I wonder what it would take?

I have just spent the last hour and a half or so on FB, on my own web site, responding to comments, e-mails, wishing people Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas and connecting with my Cyber Family and I wonder...

Almost everyone is posting the most positive, joyful and caring things from videos on random acts of kindness and the meaning of Toys for Tots to inspirations about God, the Universe, and Christmas.

I wonder what it would take for this spirit of love, tenderness and kindness to continue on, all year long...

I am feeling rather emotional today and these things that people are posting mean so much on days like this.  They lift you up...

Why am I emotional? Christmas, this time of year that is supposed to be about hope, joy, potential, love -is also a time of sadness, longing...there are so many people who have gone to meet their make that I miss at this time of year and while I know that they are out of pain and in a better place, in a place of abundance and love, I can't help feeling a wee bit blue, because I miss their love, the arguments, the laughter, the hugs, the kisses, the giggles and whispers, the encouragement and even the chastisements...yes they live on in my heart, but man, a hug would sure feel good too - yah know what I mean?

I know that many, many of you share this same experience, the bitter sweet mixture of joy and sadness.

There have been so many tragedies around the world, both man made and Mother Nature driven. Thousands of lives lost, millions of lives altered.

It is my fondest wish that the sharing and caring I am seeing amongst my friends on Facebook, Twitter, in emails and other places on the web and in neighbourhoods everywhere, would continue all year long and that everyone who feels strangely alone even in a crowd of people can feel connected to something beautiful and special - themselves.

I wish you all the gifts of connectivity, peacefulness and wholeness - and that you always know that when you are in that emotional place of love and light, and I am in that place - we are together.

I wish you love and with much gratitude, say THANK YOU, for caring and sharing and being who you are. Though we may be miles apart, lives apart, you are in my heart - always.

There are a few items in the news feeds today that you might find of interest...check them out at www.beltdrivebetty.com

I leave you on this glorious Thursday with a few giggles to help it stay a Glorious Thursday...(Thank you to all my friends whose funnies I am sharing...you know who you are!)

Happy Thursday

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

I AM SOOOO In love! (And I think any true gear head will be too!)

An odd title for a blog post done by a crusty, rough around the edges old broad who loves motorcycles?
NOT AT ALL!

In another lifetime, many, many years ago, I wanted to be a jet engine tech. I had completed my medical, my physical and my exams for entrance to the Canadian Armed Forces when I was 19 and I waited.
In the meantime - between working as a waitress, modelling and working in a service station (I was working on my gas engine apprenticeship), I could be found down at the Old Edmonton International (Northern Lights) Race Track in the west end - powder puff racing. That's where I met my ex husband, Doug Rose of the Green Mamba Jet Car fame. The day I was boarding a plane to a new life in California to apprentice on jet engines, I got my call for boot camp.

I chose California...

At 21 years old, I got the opportunity to attend Bonneville and like many a gear head I fell in love with the pure raw speed and power of it all, the smells, the excitement, the fear, the disappointments and frustrations and laughter - I LOVED IT ALL.

Over the 5 years that I travelled the Jet Car Circuit first as a crew member and then as a crew chief, I had the opportunity to meet men like Ky Michaelson - the Rocket Man and Craig Breedlove of Spirit of America fame and men like Slam'n Sammy Miller.

While I enjoyed learning on internal combustion gas engines, I loved JET POWER and Rocket Power. PROPULSION-THRUST - the stuff fascinated me, still does. 

Working with exotic metals like titanium and inconel... the plumbing of lines to feed hydraulics, fuel and air, the blending and balancing of stator blades and the tuning of ignitor boxes, the hammering and bashing to create afterburners and bishop's cones...yes, many of these are probably antiquated terms by today's standards, but in my day - this was the way to my heart....this was the talk of speed.

I remember being fascinated by the propulsion and the volatility of rocket fuel and weighing the pros and cons of jet cars over rocket cars and the wild discussions that took place in the Propulsion Enterprises Race Car Shop in Tarzana CA over things like frame designs and down force.

Watching, learning, doing - taking in every little bit of knowledge that I could glean from others. 

I remember the hours, night after day after night - working side by side in the race car shop with men like Jerry Segal, George Hedebeck - the names Arfons, Sibley, Motz, Shockley, Sample, Eierdam, Hendricks,  Knuth, Ivo - some of the greatest of the greats in Jet Car Racing - these names, names I idolized, these became the names of friends & rivals.

Yes - I am in love this morning with a motorcycle that captivated my imagination and brought forth things, memories - experiences that I had not thought of in years. I can't describe how fast all of these old well loved memories came to the surface for me the minute I laid eyes on this beautiful beast.

Jet Reaction - a helicopter powered motorcycle built and designed specifically for the Bonneville Salt Flats. Richard Brown hopes to set the Land Speed record at 720 KPH.

Jet Reaction a helicopter engine powered motorcycle

Man 2013 is going to be a year to be at the Salt Flats - history is no doubt going to be made one way or the other...seriously, this is THE YEAR to go to Bonneville and take it all in, as on top of this magnificent jet motorcycle going for a record so too will Craig Breedlove go for yet another streamliner world record as well in 2013!

2013 - Bonneville - I may just have to be there!

There are lots of interesting articles in the news feeds this morning - check them out at www.beltdrivebetty.com where we sift through the news so you don't have to!

We are offering, for the next two weeks, the opportunity to get a 2012 Calendar - the Kidz, the Ladies or the Man's - we have had comments from some who wanted calendars but missed the first deadline and have been hoping we'd bring them back so we have.

This is slated to be another very busy day so I had best bust a move and quit daydreaming about Bonneville!

I leave you with a few funnies shared with me by friends either in emails or on Facebook...laughter is the music of the soul!

Have a fabulous, incredible HUMP DAY...

Belt Drive Betty 

Editor & Rider

Life a constant learning of Lessons

The Busted Knuckle Chronicles started out as a hobby. It was something I started to keep me feeling like a productive citizen after a car/canoe crash altered my world.

When I started it, I had a dream and vision of helping my community have a place to celebrate it's triumphs, discuss and share important issues and information. For me, the newspaper has never really been about me - even though it is my baby...I have always wanted it to belong to the motorcycle community here in Canada - to be about the motorcycle community here in Canada.

Well, I have realized that dream and along the way I have had a lot of life lessons thrown at me.
Some I got, some I have had to repeat, some are new - I have come to view life as a perpetual classroom.

Not only am I learning how to become a bona fide business person, but I am learning how to teach people what I know, what I do, as I build a team. I am learning how to use new technologies, to become a better and more effective communicator.  I am learning on so many fronts, tripping and falling, dusting myself off and trying again. I did not know one could trip and fall and get back up that many times!

I feel like I am in Hyper drive...learning to find some sense of balance - being able to shut the business off, the chatter off in my head - that is my single biggest challenge and the life lesson I feel I need to learn the most. Every time the business grows it is the same challenge, finding that balance - learning how to manage things.

When I get out of balance, I become over sensitive, sharp and insensitive, I forget important things and struggle with things that should come naturally. A lot of it comes from the constant dialogue that runs through my head - I have been learning meditation as a way to shut that constant chatter off, and it seems to be helping.

For me, riding my bike has always been a way for me to get my priorities straight and during the winter when I am deprived of being on my bike, I tend to struggle with balance worse than in the spring, summer and fall.

It is my fondest hope that others who ride that are in business will share some of their techniques for staying balanced, focused and calm. When you can't be on your bike, when you can't get that therapy session in, how do you cope?

Other things I want to learn more on are time management, prioritizing, effective leadership, communications - there are so many things I need and want to learn and so many courses out there by so many teachers.
Finding the one whose method of teaching hits home for me has proven very tedious and expensive. Buying books, CD's, spending time only to find - I didn't come away with the things I needed to learn.

I appreciate and value your ideas, experiences and suggestions - so please, feel free to help a girl out and share the tools you have used to take charge of your life and to be the best person you are capable of being.

In the news today:

There was a false story leaked out on a blog that Jon Bon Jovi was dead - rest assured that it was a hoax.

There are some workers at Harley-Davidson that have tough choices ahead

A company in India reached an out of court settlement with Harley-Davidson over a trademark infringement.

In Ontario a judge overturned an acquittal of a cop. Const. Dean Rudge is to be retried for leaking police documents to the Hells Angels

There are other articles in the news feeds that may be of interest to you, check them out at www.beltdrivebetty.com


I will leave you with some funnies that have been shared with me by email and on Facebook...hope they brighten your day!

Have a FABULOUS Tuesday!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

A Moving week...

In Alberta and PEI there are many people saying prayers and shedding tears. One young lady is having surgery today and three of her friends are going to be buried soon. The tragic shootings on an Alberta highway by a jealous former boyfriend have devastated so many people just before Christmas. My own family has been affected as my niece Casey went to school with two of the three young people from PEI who were killed.

As we get ready to celebrate Christmas my prayers go out to those who are hurting, lonely, sad and scared. I hope that they find the strength and love they need to get through the days and weeks ahead.

It has been an interesting time around www.beltdrivebetty.com

While the rest of the world is winding down for Christmas Holidays, Ali and I are busier than ever.

We moved web hosts last week and while we are far from done with the revamping of the web site into it's new template, things are coming together nicely. With every new module and component that Ali is installing to get all of our content displaying right she is testing and tweaking and testing some more. It's an arduous task moving some 500K pages of content but she's doing a fabulous job!

Being on a web host that offers cloud servers is fantastic too - the speed of the site makes me SOOOO happy.  Yes it will be a little inconvenient for another week or two - some of the navigation isn't in, some of our tools aren't loaded yet, but when it's all done I think we will have one of the best sites around...at least that's the goal!

I decided to make the 2012 Calendars - the Ladies, the Kidz and the Men's available for one more week.
I just got the reprint of the Kidz calendars in and am so happy with it - I will be sending them out to all who ordered - free of charge - later today. I am also sending out a reprint of the Men's and the Ladies calendar free of charge - they should be here today. I - along with everyone who got them first time around was disappointed - it is my hope that the new calendars will make everyone happy.

They are costing me more but, you got to do what's right - RIGHT? I want people happy!

So - if you wanted a calendar but didn't get one - now's your chance - http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/home/buy-2012-calendars-limited-time-offer

The Biker's United in Remembrance Patches are selling well, I can't wait to tally up the donations we are going to be making to the Military Families Fund and Camp Maple Leaf...I think it is absolutely impressive that the Canadian Veteran Freedom Riders has already ordered another 100 patches - they will be making a nice tidy donation too!

Speaking of patches - we finally have a new logo for the newspaper, and yes we are getting patches made! I hope you like it..


I will know the cost and delivery times later today - we will have them in time for the Bike Shows I hope!!!!


Speaking of bike shows - I want to thank everyone who has volunteered to help us in our booths in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver - we are fully staffed!!!!

It's been an incredibly busy week and I don't see that slowing down any time soon!

In other news:

In Mumbai - Blue Tooth head sets for motorcyclists are giving the cops a head ache...

In Quebec they are trying to make a case for higher motorcycle insurance - AGAIN!

In Ontario there are two petitions that really need your signatures!
The first is on handle bars  and the second is on HOV Lane use


I leave you with a few funnies from around the internet, from my emails and my Facebook friends...Laugh - it's good for the soul....it's necessary to your sanity to laugh!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Europe is one step closer to anti tampering laws

How would you feel if you were told that you are not allow to beef up your cam or put large bore pistons in? What if you were told you couldn't change sprockets to change your torque range or how about increasing airflow by having your heads ported and polished...

If the European Parliamentary committee on anti tampering laws has anything to say about the situation that is exactly what will happen in Europe.

The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee wants to ensure that if you do modify your bike for power improvements that you have to submit your bike for testing before being allowed to use it.

Other measures they are calling for are stricter emissions control and mandatory ABS.

The British Motorcyclists Federation says there will be a battle royal over these tough new restrictions.

MCN Magazine interviewed Malcolm Harbour Malcolm Harbour, Chair of European Parliament’s lead committee on anti-tampering proposals not only could the man not say who or what the new anti tampering laws would apply to but he tried to side step his lack of knowledge by saying he had lots of dossiers to follow, one of which is tractors.

Pretty hard for the lay person to understand what's going on when the head of the committee doesn't appear to know. And this man headed up the voting!

I hear it time after time - I don't get harassed for my pipes or being on a motorcycle, so I feel no need to get involved in protecting my rights - I don't feel violated or restricted. 

But what if these proposed anti tampering laws come to North America? 

Would that be enough to get you involved? Nah, I didn't think so. I am not sure there is anything that government could do to us to make motorcyclists unite in this country. ( And if there is a topic that could convince people to unite and work together I WOULD DEARLY love to know)

In the US there are gated communities that ban the use of motorcycles, they won't even let you ride your motorcycle to your home, you must park outside of the community, now, imagine, entire cities that restrict the use of motorcycles and in fact ban them on many highways in their areas.

From Wikitravel: For example, motorcycles are banned from downtown Guangzhou, Dongguan, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Hangzhou, and there are restrictions in Beijing and Shanghai. Riding a motorcycle into these prohibited areas can lead to fines and possible confiscation of the bike. There can also be licensing complications; for example in some cities (such as Beijing,) only cities registered within the metropolitan area can be legally ridden." End Quote

China has an estimated 200 cities and regions that ban/restrict motorcycle use with the rationale that motorcycles are prone to accidents and motorcycles are used largely for robberies.

In China there is a call for the government there to loosen the restrictions in municipalities regarding motorcycle use on highways and inside cities. 

Li Bin, secretary general for the The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers - Motorcycle Division, at a recent industry summit quoted European studies which showed that if 10 percent of automobile drivers in any given city rode motorcycles, said city's traffic congestion could decrease by 40 percent.

Begin Quote: "China is the only country in the world to restrict motorcycles," he said, adding that it was municipal authorities, not the central or provincial governments, who have authorized the restrictions. End Quote

Mr. Li discussed the fact that safety is about the operator not the type of vehicle, and he points to Taiwan where almost every person owns a motorcycle save for the very young and the elderly and that that you would be hard pressed to find a rider who does not wear a helmet. He says education is the key.

He also denounces the whole motorcycles are used largely for conducting robberies rationale as ludicrous.

Begin Quote: According to Mr. Li, the CAAM is currently in discussion with several government bodies regarding the topic. The CAAM is providing the authorities with foreign research on motorcycle usage with the aim of loosening restrictions on the Chinese motorcycle market. "We hope to see the market for motorcycles open up [and develop], allowing motorcycles and automobiles to share the road equally." End Quote

I am positive that every motorcycle manufacturer in the world has their eyes trained on this topic because the demand for motorcycles in China could go up in dramatic fashion if these restrictions get lifted.

But I again wonder - what would it take in this country to become PRO ACTIVE and work towards never seeing these types of restrictions come to Canada or the US?

There are a lot of other items of interest in the news feeds today like the article on the member of the Relic Riders in Newfoundland that was killed when he feel from a float

Visit www.beltdrivebetty.com to read more about what's happening in motorcycling across the country and around the world...we sift through the news so you don't have to!

Our web site move has been completed but Ali still has modules to turn on, components to check for issues when the data was moved over etc. It will be a few more days before everything returns to a state of normalcy but I know one thing I am super impressed with the speed of the site now! 

I am excited about this move, not only will the new template allow us to make our site easier to navigate, but it is also state of the art for mobile use so that should improve your experience when using your smart phone to view the site.

Bare with us for a few more days as we get everything tweaked and if in your travels through the site you find anything out of whack - be sure to let Ali know (ali4evr@gmail.com)  Your telling her what you encounter will help us make sure that the web site is better and easier to use than ever!

I am going to leave you with a couple of funnies from my friends on Facebook and from emails I have gotten because I truly think a good giggle makes the day go better!

Have a fabulous Tuesday everyone...

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider

It's definitely a Monday!

I will have news feeds and jokes and other goodies for you later today as although everything has been moved over to the new web host, not everything is turned on.

Ali figures two hard days and she'll have most everything back up and running properly - she is asking that as you navigate the site if you come across anything that appears to not be working right to please let her know (ali4evr@gmail.com)

By mid week we should be back to our old comfortable routine - until then...what else can one say except it's MONDAY!

Have a great one - and as I said I will get the news done ASAP.


Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

And Murphy strikes again....

My fiasco with calendars continues...I got an email from someone who ordered a kids calendar - at first I did not understand the email - so I went and looked at my only copy of the calendar and sure enough the printer never put in the calendar pages - rendering this calendar completely - totally useless - I shake my head - I guess in the excitement to get them out I never really looked at them - I just wanted to get them in the mail - so I did the only thing I could do - I refunded $10 of the money paid by these people.

The Calendars were $20 with $10 going to charity - since the charity - The Little Warriors had been paid already - I refunded the calendar cost - so in all - I would have been farther ahead to have just donated to the charity without all of the work it took do the calendars and have to fix someone else's mistake - live and learn right...somedays you are the windshield - some the bug!

I am keeping today short and sweet since I am already three hours behind on the day - check out the news feeds at www.beltdrivebetty.com to see what might affect your world...

I leave with with a few giggles from around Facebook etc...cause I NEED TO LAUGH RIGHT NOW!

Have a fabulous Friday and a great weekend...

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

The erosion of our freedoms - "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

Apathy is, in my humble opinion, the single most destructive force of the human race these days.

It is not a small town issue, or a big city issue, nor is it a national issue. Apathy is not restricted to volunteerism or politics, to corporations or individuals - it is a global situation - it is the enemy of every living being.

According to the Mirriam-Webster Dictionary Apathy means:
1 : lack of feeling or emotion : impassiveness
2: lack of interest or concern : indifference

The syndrome, no matter the topic, no matter the community,  affects everyone.

There are many famous quotes on the topic of Apathy - quotes that have been around for hundreds and thousands of years - Apathy is nothing new.

“First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—
and there was no one left to speak out for me.”
― Martin Niemöller

"I think we risk becoming the best informed society that has ever died of ignorance.
 Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna

"...So long as the people
do not care to exercise their freedom,
those who wish to tyrannize will do so;
for tyrants are active and ardent,
and will devote themselves in the name
of any number of gods, religious and otherwise,
to put shackles upon sleeping men." Voltaire - François Marie Arouet (1694-1778)

"When liberty is taken away by force it can be restored by force.
When it is relinquished voluntarily by default it can never be recovered." 

Dorothy Thompson(1894-1961)

There is, in my humble opinion a root cause to Apathy and that is the lack of Empathy which is defined by the Mirriam-Webster Disctionary as:

1 : the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it
2: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicitmanner; also : the capacity for this

It appears to me that because so many seem incapable of putting themselves in someone else's shoes, they have no way to identify with the fears, concerns or situations of others.

Until we are directly impacted ourselves we simply do not get involved.

We all lead busy lives, we all have concerns of our own, but when we forget our fellow man, when we turn a blind eye or expect someone else to deal with the problem or situation at hand, we become an advocate for the enemy not the suppressed or the oppressed.

Is there an answer? I have no idea. All I know, is that in my little corner of the world - in my little circle of influence - I will keep advocating for communication, discussion and action until I die, because for me - to do nothing would be as good as dying.

What say you? Join the discussion because I really would love to know what you think...

I leave you with a couple of funnies from friends on Facebook and via email because laughter is as important to life as breathing....

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider