Riders and the Controversy Over Noise

As you are all well aware, many jurisdictions across North America have an issue with motorcyclists whose bikes are excessively loud or ridden in a manner that makes them excessively loud.

The sad fact is that all of us get labelled as obnoxious, loud, rude.

Take a look at the latest thing happening in Kaslo, BC in the Kootenay's one of the most beautiful riding regions in Canada.  4,300 signatures on a petition!

"The petition asks Anton and the RCMP to crack down on excessive motorcycle noise.

Kaslo's Art Mason, one of the people behind the petition effort, said the bikers are a real problem.

"It's just one after the other, after the other, just all summer long," he said. "They may think they go by and they're the only one. They don't realize that two minutes after them, there's another group … it goes right into their houses, the noise." CBC News
The petition is asking the police to do their job, not implement new laws, but none the less, the selfish few are ruining it for the quieter, more respectful majority.

Noise is a huge issue folks and one of the only ways we as a community are ever going quit being targeted and discriminated against by law enforcement and citizens as noise offenders, is if we riders are all respectful of the fact that we SHARE this world.

Shift workers, really tired moms who have been up with sick babies, people trying to host meetings, have functions out of doors, these are just a few of the people that riding in an obnoxious manner can disturb and turn against us.

Riding with respect for all, that is the key.  

Another way to make people think about motorcyclists in a more positive light, is to educate people in a polite and informative way that #MotorcyclistsLivesMatter.

WE matter because we are moms, dads, siblings, grand kids and grand parents.

WE matter because we are Politicians, CEO's & Celebrities too.

We matter because we are taxpayers who contribute a lot.

We matter because we are charity and community minded, we matter because we spend money, we matter because we are a visible minority.

We are vulnerable on the road to all sorts of hazards (texting etc.), we are often subjected to discrimination, we are often tarred with a brush we didn't earn as a whole.

Yes our community has some in it that do bad things, rude things, selfish things and then there is the rest of us who work hard at being decent people.

#MotorcyclistLivesMatter BECAUSE WE ARE PEOPLE!

PLEASE Share the Infographic, the information on them will help educate the non rider.

Have you voted for Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community?

If not, there's still time to support a community you love to ride to or are a part of!


Well, that's all for me today folks...

If you are blessed to be riding, PLEASE remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you, consider dressing for the slide, not the ride and please be respectful with your throttle hand.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

I DESPISE thieves and more....

Today this is not so much an article as it is a rant.

Yesterday I went to visit one of our new advertisers, Prospector Central here in Grande Prairie.

They have some of the coolest stuff in their shop or should I say they had.  About 30% of his stock was taken in a robbery last week.

FOR the second time since October and now, they are seriously considering closing their doors or selling.

Richard, the owner invested his life savings into starting a prospectors supply business and things were going along nicely. He had an employee and was contributing to the local economy in a number of ways, through rent, taxes and services used.

Now, come the end of March, we will potentially have one less business in town, one more employee out of work and one business owner who has lost everything.

The economy is tough, I get it, but since when is stealing from a hard working person right?

Yes he had insurance and a good portion of the theft will be covered, but not all of it.  Yes he had security cameras, but guess what, on both occasions, the cameras had technical difficulties and no video was recorded.

And now, everything he thought he knew about business and people he is questioning. I can't blame him, it's awfully demoralizing.

I really despise thieves, they destroy so much.  They destroy businesses, lives, families, confidence, faith...Richard is so discouraged and has thrown in the towel emotionally and can you blame him?

Richard needs a miracle; he needs his faith in humanity restored.

Then there are our friends at Edge Harley-Davidson in Lloydminster - here is the post from Clint and his team regarding the recent robbery at their store:

Thieves are possibly one of the most demoralizing groups of people. The feeling of being violated is huge - if you know anything, if you saw anything at these businesses - give the RCMP a call.

In other news:

The brand new BDB Community at www.beltdrivebetty.com has launched.

Our app is available in the Apple App store and the Google Play store.

It's been a long road to get here and I am pretty pleased with the app. There are features and functionality that we are hoping to have added, but that will come with time!

So if you are tried of the busy - ness of Facebook and you are a Canadian motorcyclist or someone planning to ride in Canada, come and join our community.  Register at www.beltdrivebetty.com and then download our app!

You might also like our Rider Friendly Phone Books App! It is also available in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store!


Have a great day and if you are blessed enough to live where you can ride, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you!


Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider