Belt Drive Betty's Blog

Scared right off the road, why riders need to unite.

Out of Australia there is a story on just how bad the <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/357-contacts-sp-214/30814-anti-bikie-laws-a-spoke-in-wheels-of-motorcycle-sector"><span style="color: red;">Anti-Bikie laws there are hurting the motorcycle industry</span></a> in their country.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Travis Windsor</td></tr>
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According to the article and the gentleman interviewed in it,<span style="color: red;"> (</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BusinessBikers" style="color: red;">Australian Motorcycle Business Chamber </a>founder Travis Windsor) in 18 months the estimate of lost revenue is some 50 Million Dollars!<br />
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Why?  Well, people are fearful of the police there. Since the introduction of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicious_Lawless_Association_Disestablishment_Act_2013"><span style="color: red;">VLAD laws</span></a>, numerous people have experienced roadside detentions, exhausting grilling by the police and some have been unlawfully jailed and so the riding community of Australia has virtually stopped riding as a result.  Motorcycle sales in that country are down 70% according to the article.<br />
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With the ever encroaching laws that are being implemented in this country to curb the 1%er population of our community, we all need to be on guard for the infringement on our rights and be at the ready to protect them.<br />
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What do I mean?<br />
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Well, in Australia, they have started a Chamber of Commerce geared towards the motorcycle industry and it is holding events to educate and unite the businesses to protest the laws and challenge the laws.<br />
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They are also organizing to mount a lawsuit for compensation for those wrongfully arrested or harassed.<br />
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They held a meeting in Queensland that was attended by only 50 people, many who wanted to attend were fearful to do so. <br />
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According to the <a href="http://motorbikewriter.com/"><span style="color: red;">Motorbike Writer</span></a>'s article - <b><i>BEGIN QUOTE:</i></b><br />
The former head of the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Commission and now state parliamentary leader of the Palmer United Party told an anti-VLAD meeting tonight in Brisbane that he believed the government would lose the High Court challenge to the laws.<br /><br />“I have been reliably informed that the State Government has been advised that the High Court challenge will probably succeed and it will put the state in for a massive compensation claim,” he said. He later estimated that the compensation bill would be in the order of $50-$100m and that he wouldn’t put it past the government to try to revise legislation to avoid paying the costs. “The government is terrified and is in serious trouble.”<br /><br />Alex was one of several guest speakers at the meeting which only drew about 50 interested members. However, several people said they had friends and associates who wanted to attend but were too scared that they would breach the draconian legislation. Even some of the guest speakers did not attend for fear of breaching the laws and sent friends to read out prepared statements. <b><i>END QUOTE</i></b><div>
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There is a website called <a href="http://www.bikeme.tv/index.php/dont-fill-form/"><span style="color: red;">BikeME.TV </span></a>that is warning Australians to NOT fill out the form that the police service there calls the <a href="http://www.police.qld.gov.au/Resources/Internet/services/documents/Dec-of-Disassociation.pdf"><span style="color: red;">"Declaration of Disassociation"</span> </a> they also offer up the police services page on<a href="http://www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/disassociateFromCMG.htm"> <span style="color: red;">HOW to Disassociate</span></a> yourself.</div>
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According to the article there are MANY, MANY reasons why you shouldn't fill out the form, among them...</div>
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<b><i>BEGIN QUOTE:</i></b><br />The laws will still apply to you, in their entirety, despite you telling the Queensland Police that you have ‘disassociated’.<br /><br />You may still be subject to arrest for having a beer with your mates if you fill out the form.<br /><br />You may still receive 15 or 25 years in jail for a petty offence if you fill out the form.<br /><br />You may still have bail refused, if you fill out the form.<br /><br />You may still lose your right to work in your chosen trade or profession if you fill out the form.<br /><br />The legislation which provides the authority for your arrest, detainment and loss of your rights, does not mention anywhere that if you ‘disassociate’ the laws do not apply to you.<br /><br />In fact, the laws state just the opposite. If you are, or ever have been, a member or associate of any of the declared organizations, <b>including attending any event in the past that was organized by a one-percent club, the laws apply to you. The definitions of ‘participant’ are very clear about this. “We went to a bike show and now we’re going to jail!”</b>    <b><i>END QUOTE</i></b><div>
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I encourage you to read all of the articles I link to in this post - educate yourself.  </div>
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What is happening there in Australia, can and will come to a country near you, in many ways, just done more stealthily, we already have pockets and places in this nation of ours that have made it so association is illegal - MANITOBA would be a great example. They have used Peace Bonds to prevent people with no<span style="color: red;"> <a href="http://www.winnipegsun.com/2012/04/27/flatlined-bikers-fighting-peace-bonds"><span style="color: red;">criminal charges pending, from communicating with "associates"</span></a></span>.  Manitoba is also the first jurisdiction in <a href="http://www.beltdrivebetty.com/manitoba-news/29967-manitoba-the-first-in-north-america-to-declare-hells-angels-a-criminal-organization"><span style="color: red;">North America to declare the Hells Angels as a criminal organization</span></a>.</div>
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While we non 1% riders still have the right to meet and organize in this country without fear or reprisal, it might be a good time to do just that. Otherwise, we could see ourselves in a similar situation as Australia is going through.<br />
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The 64 million dollar question is, do Canadian riders give a damned enough about the freedoms they espouse to actually unite and start protecting them?<br />
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I highly doubt it, but I will continue to dream of a day when we have a true National Riders Rights Organization that is committed to protecting and educating the riding community from the over zealous use of laws meant to discourage 1% clubs.<br />
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What say you?<br />
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Have a great day and remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and please consider wearing good riding gear - someone who loves you depends on it...<br />
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Belt Drive Betty<br />
Editor & Rider<br />
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