Belt Drive Betty's Blog

So, what is the "Biker" way?

Throughout the years that I have been part of the motorcycle community, I have heard motorcyclists spout off about brotherhood, family, being solid, having your back. 
 
But really, what does that mean? 
 
I was recently criticized for fundraising for my defence fund in the Sturgis North Lawsuit. 
I was compared to the Aging Rebel: "Say what you want to about Aging Rebel, but I could never see him begging money from his readers to pay for legal fees arising from his own stupidity.. But then again, We Americans are different from "We Canadians"... Call the IO, maybe they can help you out" 
 
It's not the first criticism I have received but it was the straw that broke the camel's back. 
 
For the last 12.75 years I have done my best to create a new life for myself as the editor of "<a href="http://www.bustedknucklechronicles.com/" target="_blank">The Busted Knuckle Chronicles</a>", Canada's Rider Powered Newspaper. 
 
My life has been wildly interesting and filled with big love, big loss, big betrayal, big reward and big challenges so far, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. 
 
For those of you who don't know me or my history - here's a brief overview: 
 
<ul>
<li>Born in Fort Churchill Manitoba to a French Canadian mother and a Scots/Polish father.</li>
<li>Oldest of 4</li>
<li>Lived all over Canada </li>
<li>Have travelled all of Canada</li>
<li>Married an American jet car driver</li>
<li>Had one child - a girl now 30</li>
<li>Travelled all of the United States</li>
<li>Worked 2 and 3 jobs for a lot of years</li>
<li>Owned my own flower shop for 7 years</li>
<li>Had a bad automobile accident - a 17" Canoe came off a vehicle travelling the opposite direction and landed in front of my car at 100KPH (60MPH)</li>
<li>I struggle with PTSD and Depression</li>
<li>Care gave to my father while he died of cancer. He was paralyzed from the chest down.</li>
<li>He sexually abused me from the age of 12 to 18</li>
<li>Cut my alcoholic mother out of my life, physically and verbally abusive are some of her more desirable traits</li>
<li>Started my newspaper for riders originally as a hobby to give me something to do after the car crash.</li>
<li>Lost my kid brother to cancer, he was 18 months younger than I, married with an 18 yr old young son who held him as he bled out. During a coughing fit his carotid artery  burst</li>
<li>I am now a great aunty - three times over.</li>
<li>My husband, a wonderful man, was diagnosed with MS about 11 years ago - it's been an interesting road for both of us</li>
<li>In the last 4 months I have said goodbye to 6 friends - three of them very close</li>
<li>I have been blessed to be able to raise 3/4 of the funds needed to fight this lawsuit so far.</li>
</ul>
 
Like every living human being - life has happened to me. 
 
The lawsuit with Sturgis North is a thorn in my side, a drain on the joy of life. 
It is time consuming, tedious and outrageously expensive and not just monetarily. 
 
I researched the hell out of the articles I wrote on the event, the event coordinators. 
The information I dug up was already in public domain, I just brought it all together in one place where people could educate themselves.  My goal always has been to provide people with the information they need to make informed choices. 
 
There are other 6 people who were sued in this shotgun lawsuit that did nothing wrong either. 
 
All through my life, I have done my best to be generous of my time and my money. 
My home has always been open to riders in need, to friends and family in need. 
 
You see my own family didn't know how to love or show it, but the bikers I hung with did. 
 
I do my best everyday to be the best possible person I am capable of being. 
I have sold tee shirts, auctioned off all kinds of items and done everything I know of to keep the wheels on the bus. I have employees who rely on me and customers who don't pay their bills - just like every small business owner out there. 
 
Is this the new way in the biker community? 
Is asking for help something shameful? 
 
Every weekend this community supports thousands of causes with millions of dollars. 
Helping those who can't help themselves is something this community has always done. 
 
It is what I was taught to do...pay it forward into the community... 
 
Since I started the newspaper, I have donated an average of $300,000 in free advertising to the riding clubs and the charities they support.  I didn't give the help and support thinking I'd get anything in return, but I didn't expect to be kicked in the teeth for asking for some help either. 
 
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCruHcXavc4gFmfR_tf4jviH1hNLM4sGe6WlZZDA9YZhlkEYM0n0gnGFxJb7jH-niHUCoPkYD9xt5wTUIkyj6XAXaj65Ee4_AJeb4sNsQ3pTVO838nzkIrtMR4g8z7ZdCeYBH/s1600/Doc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCruHcXavc4gFmfR_tf4jviH1hNLM4sGe6WlZZDA9YZhlkEYM0n0gnGFxJb7jH-niHUCoPkYD9xt5wTUIkyj6XAXaj65Ee4_AJeb4sNsQ3pTVO838nzkIrtMR4g8z7ZdCeYBH/s1600/Doc.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doc has just under 10,000 Miles on him</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Asking for help was a very hard enough for me to do. 
 
My lawyers bill is caught up on for the time being. 
 
I am attempting to sell my Ultra Classic (Doc on the left) to pay the next bill I know is coming. 
 
In the meantime, the lawyer for Sturgis North, Gerhard Pyper is being reinstated by the BC Law Society so perhaps, just perhaps the other 4 cases that were supposed to be dropped will now finally process through the courts and I can get on with defending myself, fighting for my freedom as a reporter and a citizen. 
 
So I ask you - what is the biker way? 
 
I put myself out there to help educate the community about an event/event coordinator with what appears to be a toxic record. 
 
Now I am being sued. 
 
Do I just suck it up and let the bully win because I don't have the resources to fight him? 
 
OR do I ask for help and support? 
 
I hope you have a good Monday and if you are blessed enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you. 
 
Belt Drive Betty 
Editor  Rider