Lawsuit Saga Continues

As many of you know, I am being sued by Ray Sasseville, Joan Hansen and Sturgis North.
They claim, my reporting of the doings of their CEO Ray Sasseville is defamatory, libellous and preventing them from earning a living in the motorcycle community.

Visit my defense fund page for all the information on everything I have ever written on them including the evidence I am allowed to share publicly.

According to my attorney, Ray wants to drop the suit as it pertains to the City of Sicamous, the Mayor of Sicamous and the Sicamous Chamber of Commerce.  So we shall see how that ends up.

The hearing to move the case to Salmon Arm happens on the 31st of March.

My research assistant and I have continued to investigate Sturgis North and all of it's various names and owners including the newly trademarked Sturgis Canada.  The trademark went through on February 28th of 2014.

Apparently because Sturgis SD never registered their trademark internationally (meaning here in Canada), Mr. Sasseville has all the right to use the name Sturgis and now that he's trademarked, there can be no question.

I came across interesting news from Jonathon Sasseville, one of Ray's three sons, on Plenty of Fish, a dating site. He claims to be the head of security and part owner of Sturgis Canada.

I wonder what his investment in the company is.

Before the lawsuit I was still investigating the doings of the people involved with Sturgis North now Sturgis Canada and I intend to continue following them to see if the little people from year's one and two of this event will ever get paid off.

It will be interesting to see if we ever learn who the new investors are in Sturgis Canada and what kind of bands they line up, they say there will be a big announcement on the 19th of March.

Writing about them is a double edged sword for me as I am giving them airtime I would rather not, but I still have a defense fund that needs help and letting you all know that I am not giving up in my pursuit of the truth is important to me.

I need to sell 224 more tee shirts to pay my lawyer this month and will need to raise the same for next month, then I should have a lull until we get to court.

My lawyer asked me about a countersuit but from what I have seen in the court documents, even when you win a case with these people, it appears that collecting is rather, difficult.  The lawsuit launched by Ray's wife Edith as the Power of Attorney for Marjorie Sasseville (Ray's Mother from what I am told), has gone nowhere and it's for $140,000.

Michael Smith's lawsuit was won but from what I am lead to understand he has not been able to collect as of yet, that one is for $70K and there has been no movement on the Vernon Motoplex suit which is for somewhere around $450K.

And so, the Lawsuit Saga Continues....

My head is spinning with all of this.

I never started this fight but I will tell you that I want my day in court and to have a judge tell me I have done my job properly. I want to see the people who are owed money paid.  I want to see wrongs righted.

So folks, if you were in my boots, what would you do?

Waste more money to countersue and hope you can collect?  

The other thing my lawyer asked is if they offer to drop the suit against me would I be prepared to absorb the costs and walk away?

You know, I have no idea how to answer that question.

If I thought I had this community behind me and willing to help me fight, I'd continue on because I want my good name cleared by a judge and I want the people involved exposed - I have more knowledge that what I can share publicly and none of it is good, and if I don't get to court, that evidence will remain forever buried.  

I am looking for ideas and advice.  

My little business has always been run like a non profit and has always paid things forward into the riding community where I make my living.  I don't have a reserve to fight this kind of stuff.  I am $1,600 away from being able to pay this latest bill. 

What do I do if I can't raise that money?

Represent myself I guess....

If anyone has any ideas, I am more than willing to hear them...

If you are fortunate enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

The Discrimination Begins - Power of the People Pt. 2

The 2014 riding season has not gotten underway in many regions on Canada yet, but our lifestyle and machines are already under attack.

Saskatoon is moving for a motorcycle noise bylaw with a 92 decibel level and they will be using the controversial J2825 SAE Test to measure the noise from your motorcycle.

The 92 decibel J2825 Motorcycle Only Noise Test created by the Society of Automotive Engineers for the MIC and MMIC is slowly spreading across the country.

Watch the video to see how its conducted:

Something YOU NEED to know about the J2825 and your motorcycle's insurance:

If the officer/s conducting the test damages your bike, your insurance WILL NOT cover the damage and your only recourse is to sue the officer/s, not the police service but the officer/s. 

DOCUMENT YOUR STOP with video and get the officers names and badge numbers on paper.

In Atlantic Canada, we have the City of Bathurst that does not want motorcycles or our ilk in their community. They passed the discriminatory motorcycle only noise bylaw in 2011, the same bylaw has been passed in Edmonton and many other communities across the country. Riders in Atlantic Canada have formed the Atlantic Motorcycle Coalition to stop the spread of this discriminatory practise brought down on the community by the manufacturers. In Edmonton there is MODEL to help you fight your noise tickets, but they can also provide information to you or a rights group you belong to that can help you no matter which province or territory you live in. For you riders in Saskatchewan, you can contact RAGE if you need help. Canadian Riders are not alone in being singled out for special attention either. In the state of Illinois motorcycle poker runs are now required to pay a $400.00 fee to hold a poker run and each stop must buy a special license worth $150.00 We all know about the bikie crack down in Australia and how innocent riders are being detained and harassed all in the name of getting rid of the 1 percenters. I will say it again, as the discrimination begins - The Power of the People can affect change, but not unless you join an association or group and provide them with documentation on the situation you face.  (Read my blog post from yesterday to get the links and information on the various riders rights organizations in Canada.) Unless you make your voice heard by people who can actually do something it's just whining & snivelling. And we know that whining and snivelling is NOT going to get us anywhere,

Here are a few ideas on what you can do this riding season to protect our way of life: #1 - Self Policing - not always a popular option, but turning your back on the show offs who ruin it for the rest of us is one thing we as a community can do easily.  Don't give the attention seeker the attention they are looking for. IGNORE THEM, SHAKE YOUR HEAD and TURN YOUR BACK ON THEM.  Laughing, encouraging or cheering for them only feeds their ego and eggs them on and that is ALL bad for the rest of us. #2 - Respect - remember we have to share our cities and communities, we need to be good neighbours and that means being respectful in hospital zones, residential areas and in business sectors where people are eating on patios and conducting business in their offices. Because other drivers often make more noise than we do, we need to lead by example by being respectful.  While we all know that in urban riding situations cracking the throttle can and often will wake the driver up who is drifting into your lane, cracking your throttle to show off only causes us to loose a tool in our self defense tool kit. Use your pipes only when needed in urban riding situations. Being well trained in emergency stopping and manoeuvres, being highly aware of your surroundings and decent riding gear for physical protection are still the best protection you can have out there. #3 - Be a Part of the Solution - Join a riders rights association in your region and for Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories where there is no association other than MODEL Edmonton (Motorcyclists Opposed to Discriminatory Exhaust Legislation), document your stop and make sure you have a good lawyer. #4 - Film & Photograph - Using a helmet cam or a bike mounted camera can often times provide the evidence you need regarding stops and crashes, so consider making that investment. Historical information is hugely valuable for lobbying groups. We are collecting information to have at the ready just incase we ever get a national riders rights association off the ground in this country. If you wish to share your information on a stop you think was uncalled for or you experienced any kind of profiling, discrimination or harassment, you can fill out the Police Harassment Report on our site.

We have two choices, either work to protect our lifestyle or be prepared to be harassed and discriminated against and learn to like it.

That's the way I see things - what are your thoughts?

Have a great Tuesday everyone and if you are one of those lucky beggars who is riding today - I don't want to hear about it, I have PMS so bad, I might just snap! Seriously, ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

The Power of the People

As we see in the conflicts that are brewing around this world of ours, the power of the people to affect change is powerful.

A small group of committed individuals can accomplish much.

They can topple governments or back them up against a wall.

The on highway motorcycle community in Canada is rapidly approaching 1 million registered motorcycles.

Every weekend you will see thousands of us gathered at various events across our respective provinces and territories, always riding and working for charities that mean something to us, that hit home for us.

Very seldom however, do you see this community rally around itself and its own issues outside of riders we love/care about needing help.

As we get prepared for the 2014 riding season, we as riders are going to face a variety of issues. Some will affect all of us, other issues will only affect certain riders.

Insurance is an issue that affects us all as are the condition of the highways in this country. So is distracted driving.

As a rider who has ridden across this great land of ours, I can tell you road maintenance is also an issue in the majority of regions.

Some of us will experience police harassment, others will ride uninterrupted.

Some of us will experience headaches in communities with Motorcycle Only Noise Bylaws, others will never be detained or bothered.

Some of us will have great experiences at dealerships and others not so much.

Some of us will experience discrimination and be turned away from establishments because of how we dress and what we ride, others will experience none of that.

This summer, when you experience issues, do something about it.
Remember the POWER OF THE PEOPLE!

Document it.  Photos, videos and written accounts of the situations you encounter.

Then if you live in a province/territory with a Riders Rights Organization like BCCOM, ABATE, BRO, Coalition of Manitoba Motorcycle Groups, RAGE or the newly formed Atlantic Motorcycle Coalition, get that information into them so that they have something concrete to work with.

They can't help you or anyone else unless YOU give them something to work with.

If you are in a province where there is no collective to represent your voice, like in Alberta, NWT, YT - the only three regions without a provincial/territorial lobbying voice, then you'll really want to document things well especially if it involves court and lawyers. If it is about roadways and other concerns, you can at least present your MLA with the information.

Every rider who experiences something of a discomforting nature should stand up and say something, do something, so that the others who come after you, might not have to experience the same thing.

If you aren't a member of your local riders rights coalition, consider becoming one.

Our voice counts be it as an individual taxpayer or in a collective with many voices united, but they only count when the person/s we are discussing our situation with can actually do something about it.

Whining and not taking the right actions do nothing to alleviate problems - so this summer, get a camera for your motorcycle or helmet, have a note pad and a pen in a tool pouch or jacket pocket and remember, the information you take down and share with the right people, will do some good, if not today, somewhere down the road.

That's what's on my mind today, what are your thoughts on the topic of the Power of the People?

Have a great day and if you are one of the lucky ones who is riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider