Belt Drive Betty's Blog

Feeling the winter time blues...

Belt Drive 0 Community, Grande Prairie 7:35 AM

The first attempt at winter this year has hit Grande Prairie AB - that dreaded white crap - snow hit mid day yesterday - not much, but enough to remind me that my life line to sanity is about to be cut off for a few months. 
 
I have struggled every year for the past 35+ years to find a way to deal with Parked Motorcycle Syndrome. The very thought of not having my ride at my disposal when my soul needs some clearing, when I need to find my joy and bliss - well - it hurts. It's a physical, mental and soul wrenching hurt. 
 
What do you do to overcome that empty feeling? 
 
I would love some suggestions - I get PMS so bad that I will sit on my war pony - shades on, feet on the highway pegs, leaning back - reliving the season, it helps, but it just misses the mark in making me feel that rapturous pleasure that riding brings. 
 
How do you cope with winter and the separation from your ride that it brings ? 
 
For those of you who are members of our web site, <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a> today is newspaper day. 
 
I hope you enjoy the stories from the riding community on Remembrance Day and I hope you will join the rest of the world as we pause tomorrow to give thanks and Remembrance to those who have paid for our freedoms. 11-11-11 - no matter where you are, what you are doing - please, stop for 1 minute and REMEMBER. 
 
Until Monday 
Please - stay safe out there and Remember to Remember 
 
Belt Drive Betty 
Editor & Rider

Feeling the winter time blues...

The first attempt at winter this year has hit Grande Prairie AB - that dreaded white crap - snow hit mid day yesterday - not much, but enou...

Motorcycle Training & Mentoring Program saves lives

Belt Drive 0 Community, Motorcycle Training 7:04 AM

<a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/index.php/latest-lifestyle/444-rider-training-and-safety/13834-aetc-surpasses-2-years-without-motorcycle-fatality">Randolph Air Force Base in Texas has reached a mile stone of safety</a> when it comes to their troops who ride. 
 
The base has gone 769 days with out a motorcycle fatality. 
 
Begin Quote: "Teamwork made this happen," said Colonel Creig Rice, AETC Safety director, "Commanders set the tone, our safety offices provided training and education, our motorcycle mentorship clubs aided our inexperienced riders, and our motorcyclists exercised sound risk management. As long as leaders stay involved and individuals continue to use sound risk management, we can continue this positive trend." End Quote 
 
In the past, the Air Force has sadly had a lot of crashes where their riders/service members have died and a push was made to increase the training and it has paid off. According to the Colonel, mentoring is a big part of the safety training. 
 
Begin Quote: "Mentorship is a great way to ensure this streak continues," Bailey said. "Riders should talk to other riders about the importance of making good decisions and the consequences of using bad judgment. We have a great wealth of experience out there; we need to take advantage of it."End Quote 
 
I am not sure about the rest of you, but this is something I have spoken of in the past, there are some people who are open to learning and others who are not and in the civilian world - we have a lot of riders who take unnecessary risks. We can choose to be proactive and talk to our fellow riders, talk to them about the risks they take and how it affects the others around them. And for those who are not open to hearing those suggestions we can walk away asking them to never ride with us again or shunning them in some other way - not giving them the attention they seek. 
 
Look at what took place in <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/index.php/lastest-international/286-news-international-/13838-alcohol-inexperience-play-role-in-toy-run-accidents-police-seek-changes-">Wichita Kansas on the weekend where there were several crashes at their toy run </a>- some caused by alcohol and a lot caused by inexperience. Some 3,000 riders participated in the Toy Run and police are calling for changes after everything that took place. 
 
Begin Quote: 
The event attracts a large number of inexperienced riders, Schroeder said, who have not learned the safe way to ride in a procession. The result is gaps opening up, which leads to the “accordion effect” which sets the stage for accidents. 
 
“Riders participating in any kind of group run need to be trained in how to keep proper spacing,” Schroeder said. “Inexperience leads to a lot of accidents.” 
 
Alcohol consumption prior to the ride is also a major concern, he said, so measures to report and withdraw violators should be created or strengthened. 
 
“Consumption of alcohol has no place in that event,” Schroeder said. “They put themselves in danger, and put people around them in danger.” End Quote 
 
I personally feel that motorcycle training should be mandatory, not so much to protect the rider from himself but to protect other riders. I am not generally an advocate for the government sticking their noses in our lives but at the end of the day, I feel that if riders were trained properly from the beginning, there would be far less crashes and far fewer innocent people would be affected. 
 
There are enough other challenges that face the rider when it comes to safety - every rider knows that however, the crashes that are caused by we riders either through inexperience, unwise choices and or a show off mentality could be greatly reduced by proper training. 
 
There will always be selfish people, people who think they have the right to do wheelies going down the street or highway and making other unsafe and unwise manoeuvres, but if we increased the number of people who were adequately trained, we could see a big reduction in crashes. 
 
I also feel that driver education should be mandatory. People in cages need to be trained to watch for bicycles and motorcycles, to stay off their phones and leave other distractions out of the equation. 
 
One thing I think needs to happen when it comes to driver training...every driver should be taken out in a big chunk of asphalt with obstacles, given a phone and told to text through the obstacle course - maybe if they saw how bad their driving became - how many people and other obstacles they killed/hit etc - they would learn to put the damned things away... 
 
What say you? 
 
There is a TON of news in the feeds today over at <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a> where we sift through the news so you don't have to, hope you'll take a moment or two to check it out and see what might affect you in your world. 
 
Here are a couple of funnies from around the net that I would like to share with you - cause we all need a giggle to start the day with: 
 
 
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Have a safe and happy HUMP day. 
 
Belt Drive Betty 
Editor & Rider

Motorcycle Training & Mentoring Program saves lives

Randolph Air Force Base in Texas has reached a mile stone of safety when it comes to their troops who ride. The base has gone 769 days wi...

Harley-Davidson wants you to tell them how to advertise

Belt Drive 1 Community 6:35 AM

Harley has decided to <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/index.php/latest-business/304-businessindustry-news-american/13815-harley-davidson-leads-next-generation-of-consumer-led-marketing">enlist the help of it's fans to grow it's business</a>. They call it crowd sourcing - 
 
Begin Quote: Fan Machine allows Harley-Davidson's Facebook community to review an advertising brief, submit ideas and vote on ideas from other community members. After selecting and rewarding the winners, Harley-Davidson will work with existing marketing partners to bring the best creative ideas to life. Harley-Davidson has crowdsourced ideas like this for a year, but not with the massive scale of Facebook. End Quote 
 
How do you feel about that folks? Having a major company use you to direct their advertising and make millions doing it? 
 
Do you feel used? Do you feel empowered - how does H-D using you for their marketing ideas make you feel? Is it a good thing? A Bad thing...I'd love to know. 
 
Thought I would share a few of my favourite funny's from the Internet with you today - everyone needs a good giggle to get the day going! 
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Check out all of the day's news at <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a> where we sift through the news so you don't have to. 
 
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Have a FANTASTIC Tuesday everyone 
 
Belt Drive Betty 
Editor & Rider</div>

Harley-Davidson wants you to tell them how to advertise

Harley has decided to enlist the help of it's fans to grow it's business . They call it crowd sourcing - Begin Quote : Fan Machine...

Supporting Our Troops Means Supporting our Veterans

Belt Drive 0 Community, In the News 6:07 AM

There is a tragic article in the news feeds this morning regarding the plight of many of our modern era veterans. <a href="http://ca.news.yahoo.com/faceless-forlorn-homeless-vet-problem-set-explode-102511738.html">Homelessness, usually brought about by alcohol and drug addiction has attacked many veterans.</a> 
 
There has been a ground swell of veterans supporting veterans like the <a href="http://vetscanada.org/">Veterans Emergency Transition Services Network in Halifax</a> 
 
York University's Stephen Gaetz, director of the Canadian Homelessness Research Network says that "It's absolutely wonderful that the vets are looking after their own. But at the end of the day, we need a different way of dealing with homelessness that would ensure that the second you touch the sector, all of a sudden you're plugged in to the services and supports you need in a seamless way," 
 
Michael Blais of the Canadian Veterans Advocacy speaks out on the cuts to Veterans Affairs Canada's budget: 
 
<a href="http://ca.news.yahoo.com/video/canews-22424922/veterans-protest-cutbacks-27170646.html">http://ca.news.yahoo.com/video/canews-22424922/veterans-protest-cutbacks-27170646.html</a> 
 
He explains the cuts to veterans pensions and what the fall out is and will be. 
 
 
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In a <a href="http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/canada-in-afghanistan/Legion+takes+more+forceful+role+veterans+advocate/5664540/story.html">Montreal Gazette article on this topic</a>, the Legion has decided to take on a more forceful role as a veteran's advocacy group. 
 
The article explains that the Legion had decided to support the New Veteran's Charter which has had the effect of modern veterans looking at the Legion as an ally of the government instead of being and advocate for their issues. 
 
Being Quote: 
In theory, at least, the Legion — Canada’s largest veterans’ organization — has the muscle to have an impact. With more than 340,000 members, “you have a bit of a voice,” White acknowledges. “And we want to use that voice to better the veterans.” 
 
The problem is many modern veterans don’t consider the Legion an effective advocate, says Mike Blais, founder and president of Canadian Veterans Advocacy, which organized Saturday’s protests by veterans on Parliament Hill and across the country. The goal of the year-old group is to improve the quality of life of Canadian veterans.</div>
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“There’s a perception out there that the Legion’s not for the modern veteran, that it traditionally focused on World War Two and Korea,” says Blais. 
 
Much of the disillusionment stems from Legion’s qualified support for the New Veterans Charter, implemented in 2006 by Paul Martin’s Liberals. 
 
The charter is deeply unpopular with many modern veterans, who rail against its shift to lump-sum payments for injuries instead of the tax-free disability pensions older veterans receive. 
 
“There’s no debate on whether the <a href="http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/AnnualStatutes/2011_12/page-1.html">New Veterans Charter </a>is better than the Pension Act, because it’s not,” Blais says firmly. 
 
The Legion was one of a number of stakeholders that advised the government before the New Veterans Charter was adopted. And since then, it has served on an advisory group. For some, that makes it an ally of government, not an advocate. 
 
White says the Legion knew the charter was imperfect, but gave it qualified approval because the government promised it would be a “living charter,” with ongoing updates. Instead, there were no changes until this past spring, when Parliament finally made a few improvements. “It was like it was cast in concrete,” White complains. 
End Quote</div>
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As the debates back and forth continue, our modern veterans are returning home, many will be reduced to a lump sum payment for their injuries instead of a pension that will assist them as they advance in years. 
 
This Remembrance Day we need to remember that ALL veterans deserve our support, our thanks and our HELP. Not just lip service - we need to make their plight a NATIONAL issue and we the Canadian Taxpayers need to get behind our troops who will be the next vets affected by this New Veterans Charter. 
 
These people left their homes, their families and put their lives on hold for this country with many of them putting their lives on the line. As Canadian citizens who enjoy a relative freedom and peace it behooves us to get behind our troops and our veterans now - otherwise, when the next conflict arises we may not have very many men and women signing up for the role of protector. Our country and it's freedoms could be put at risk. If we are willing to ask them to fight for us in conflicts around the world, then shouldn't we be fighting to protect our freedoms and rights here? Should we not be advocating for our veterans to receive a decent pension? 
 
In an era where the Harper government wants to get tough on crime by building new prisons etc, should we not be demanding that before we build more prisons - we need to be building safety nets for our vets, not reducing the Veteran's Affair Budget? 
 
Perhaps our politicians should be asked to give up their life long pensions - no ask isn't the right word - we the Canadian Tax Payer should be demanding that the monies needed to secure a future for our veterans come out of the pockets of the politicians. While many a politician sees what they do as being of service to our country, I feel that what they are doing in many cases is lining their own pockets, their own futures on the back of every Canadian and more importantly on the back of every veteran. Why do I say that? Well - <a href="http://www.discoveryfinance.com/how-much-pensions-do-unelected-members-of-parliament-receive-annually.html">according to Discovery Finance from May 7, 2011</a>- we taxpayers are on the hook for 4.9 million dollars in pension payments and 4.3 million dollars in severance for the 113 MP's who were defeated or didn't run in the last election. And yet the VAC budget is being cut by $226 million dollars. 
 
Where does any of this make sense? 
 
<a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/985843--defeated-mps-turn-to-gold-plated-pensions">According to an article in the Star dated May 4, 2011</a>, Begin Quote: MPs qualify for a pension if they keep their seat for six years. They are also entitled to a lump-sum severance payment equivalent to 50 per cent of annual salary if they leave office before hitting age 55. Even those who don’t last six years in office are still eligible for the severance payment. 
 
Forty-three Bloc MPs were shown the door Monday by Quebec voters, but they will get a good chunk of change to blunt the blow to their political egos. For those who have not been around for six years and do not qualify for a pension, they will get $78,866 just for showing up. 
 
In the end, Bloc MPs who qualified for lifetime pensions will cost Canadian taxpayers roughly $38 million. End Quote</div>
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You serve six years in parliament, eat well, are treated well and you get a life time pension - you serve in Afghanistan, put your ass on the line every day, are injured and disabled and you get a lump sum pay out that will average $140K? 
 
In my humble opinion, while it is wonderful to see many Canadians get out and support the repatriation services to say thanks, to support causes like Red Friday and others of a similar vein- we need to protect these people's pensions. If they are physically injured, if they come home with PTSD, they deserve to be looked after. Period - end of story... 
 
This Remembrance day I want you to look around the cenotaph, I want you to see the men and women of this, the modern era, who have served this country in a different light - imagine Canada without them - what kind of country, what kind of world would we have if it weren't for them? Look at them and ask yourself - are they not worthy of being taken care of? After all, they took care of us. 
 
I welcome your comments and opinions on this topic - talk to me - on Facebook, Twitter, here in this blog or in our forums - let's have some honest dialogue about our veterans and what their service to this country means. 
 
There are many other stories in the news feeds today that may be of interest to you as a rider, take a few minutes to visit <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/">www.beltdrivebetty.com</a> where we sift through the news so you don't have to. 
 
Have a fantastic Monday, 
 
Belt Drive Betty, 
Editor & Rider 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Supporting Our Troops Means Supporting our Veterans

There is a tragic article in the news feeds this morning regarding the plight of many of our modern era veterans. Homelessness, usually bro...