4 Canadian Riders have died

4 Canadian Riders have died in crashes in Florida in the last two days.

The first two riders were from Quebec and died when a spool of electrical wire came off of a truck and struck their motorcycle.

According to the article from the Orlando Sentinel: 
The motorcycle was southbound on State Road 415 near Sanford about 11:25 a.m. when the spool fell from the cargo area of a large northbound truck as it passed, troopers said.

Andre Grenier, 58, and Helene Bouchard, 54, of Quebec were ejected from the motorcycle, which caught fire. They died on the scene. End Quote

The newest crash took place when 2 riders from New Brunswick, on a trike struck a median attempting to enter the interstate.

According to the article from Bay News:
The driver, Gilles Michaud, and his passenger, Mona Dube, both of New Brunswick, Canada, were riding north on the frontage road on a 2009 Harley-Davidson three-wheel motorcycle when they tried to enter U.S. 19.

The motorcycle struck the raised median that separates the frontage road from U.S. 19.

Michaud and Dube were both taken to Bayfront Hospital St. Petersburg, where they were pronounced dead. End Quote

My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of these riders.

In Business & Industry News: Vietnam is planning to ban motorcycles from many urban centres in stages. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh and other major centres would see the limiting of motorcycles to ease congestion and improve air quality.

The government is also looking to reduce the numbers of motorcycles a household can own.

The government wants to reduce the number of registered motorcycles in Vietnam from 37 million to 36 million in a bid to ease traffic congestion, improve air quality and reduce fatalities.

On average there are 26 traffic fatalities per day in Vietnam with the bulk of them coming from the motorcycling population.

Japanese Motorcycle Manufacturers are concerned that these restrictions will deal a heavy blow to the industry as they sell 80% of the 3 million new units that are purchased in Vietnam yearly.




Personally, I don't think I would want to challenge the traffic in Hanoi. It looks absolutely crazy.  What say you?

Have a good Friday everyone, and please, if you are lucky enough to be riding today, ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Texting and driving, he kills a rider and our justice system let's him go free.

I am in shock, I feel sick to my stomach - what the HE double Hockey Sticks is wrong with our justice system?

One man dead, 3 others severely injured and the perpetrator? Texting while driving and not guilty of  dangerous driving causing death or the three counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm he faced.
All four motorcyclists were/are members of the Barrie Chapter of the Southern Cruisers Riding Club.

What is the point of putting a law in the books if it has no teeth?

We have distracted driving laws that have NO TEETH.

If people can get off scott free AFTER they have admitted to texting an driving - then what is the point to the law?

Begin Quote: 
The officer who worked on the case, OPP Const. Trina Gosse, she she was also disappointed with the verdict.

“It is troubling when you see so many people injured,” Gosse said. “The deceased’s daughter was crying pretty hard.”

She noted that even Rogers admitted he had been using his cellphone while driving that day, however the judge could not find beyond reasonable doubt that he was using it at the time of the crash.

Gosse said this was her first case involving an alleged texting while driving causing death.

“But sadly, it is not all that uncommon," she said. End Quote

It is my firm hope that there will be an appeal.

The OCC - Ontario Confederation of Clubs does not appear to be on the rampage about this verdict, but from my personal experience with them -they appear to focus more on 1% issues than ALL rider's rights issues.

Regardless I would have thought that they would be outraged and sitting on the steps of their provincial legislature asking for the judge's decision to be reviewed or for a retrial.
I would have thought we'd see a statement or a press release, but nothing anywhere that I could find.

We NEED a national riders rights organization - a watch dog - someone to protect our rights as citizens and human beings.

Just because this happened in Ontario does not mean riders from other provinces can't have an impact.

The more we flood the Attorney General's office with letters of outrage - the more likely a review of the case will take place.  PLEASE - take 5 minutes and DO SOMETHING....

So - how can we, Joe Q Citizen have any impact on this particular injustice?

Write to the Attorney General of Ontario:

The Honourable John Gerretsen, Attorney General:

E-mail at attorneygeneral@ontario.ca

Mailing address:
Ministry of the Attorney General
McMurtry-Scott Building
720 Bay Street, 11th Floor
Toronto, ON
M7A 2S9

You could also flood the Crown Council's Telephone Lines in Barrie asking for an appeal:
Barrie Crown Attorney’s Office - (705) 739-6188

UPDATE - here is my letter to the Attorney General:

Dear Honourable John Gerretsen, Attorney General of Ontario,

The Justice system failed motorcyclists and all victims of distracted driving yesterday with the ruling by Justice Cory Gilmore in the case of Michael Rogers, a 24 year old who was, by his own admission texting and driving, crossed the centre line and killed one rider and injured 3 others.

According to the article in the Barrie Examiner today:
Crown attorney Dave Russell argued that Rogers was looking at a text message on his cellphone as he swerved out of his lane into the path of the riders.

Defence lawyer Lydia Riva argued Rogers committed no crime, but rather the tragic incident was a “moment of inattention,” and not an act of dangerous driving as defined by the Criminal Code. End Quote

Distracted driving is an offence and according to a Ministry of Transport statement on their website: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/distracted-driving/index.shtml
There is a ban on hand held cellular device use while driving in Ontario.

Would you please explain how using a hand held cellular device to read a text is not distracted driving, which is also dangerous driving?
Why was it is not considered Dangerous Driving causing death and causing bodily harm in this case?
If the person had been drinking it would be, would it not?
If the person had been stoned it would be would it not?

Why is this case any different?

What can be done to force an appeal?

I am a moto journalist who travels by motorcycle in Ontario usually once per year. I will be sharing your response with the riding community of Canada. Thank you

There is a lot going on in the news today - please check it out at www.beltdrivebetty.com where our work is keeping You informed!

I leave you with a few funnies shared with me by friends on Facebook and via Email - after the crap in the news - I need a laugh:

Have a great weekend everyone

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Riders suing Clark County in the state of Nevada

In the news today is a story out of Las Vegas regarding a class action law suit over Nevada's helmet law.

The law suit was filed against the county and 5 of its cities.
The suit alleges that the agents (police) have an on going pattern of issuing helmet tickets that are not supported by probable cause and that the tickets violate the civil rights of those who are suing because they are issued as a pretext for invading liberties and civil rights.

It is estimated that the suit could represent as many as 40,000 riders. The Nevada state helmet law has been in effect since 1972.

We here in Canada also have similar cases where the police services stop people for supposed violations only to be questioned extensively about their tattoos, patches and stickers.

I have been calling for riders here in this country to become united and now would be the time.

We have some unsettling things happening like true 1% MC's now sporting one piece patches. Why are they doing that? Well - an educated guess would be that they are tired of being targeted over their three piece patches. It goes entirely against patch protocol and ethics, however with so many LEMC's sporting three piece patches with no prospecting period and muddying the waters of who is who, I guess they feel justified in breaking with tradition.

The sad truth is though, that by wearing one piece patches, the true 1% MC's are going to make it so that  EVERYONE who wears a one piece patch will probably start getting pulled over and questioned...NICE huh - NOT.

I would love your feedback on what you think about this turn of events. If all 1% MC's went to a one piece patch what would happen to our community and how it is percieved? Join the discussion on Facebook, in our forums on www.beltdrivebetty.com or right here in my blog...

In other news:

In Ottawa the police there raided a suspected Hells Angels clubhouse.

Some good news out of BC...Frank Mazzei who was involved in a crash in Saskatchewan about a month ago is out of coma. The well known and loved Nanaimo Philanthropist is walking, talking a small amount and even able to write some!

ON TV - "MythBusters" puts motorcycles "Green" effect to the test.

There are many other news items that might affect your day, I hope you will check them out at www.beltdrivebetty.com  we sift through the news so you don't have to!

I hope you are enjoying your provincial news letters and your national newspaper today and that you will take our Riders Survey!

Have a fabulous Thursday...ride safe and with respect please.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

What is it going to take to get riders to support each other in Alberta - In Canada?

For years I have been calling for riders to get on board with forming a Coalition here in Alberta.

BC has the BC Coalition of Motorcyclists, Saskatchewan has a coalition (No web site yet), so does Manitoba and Ontario and even Quebec has a group that is organized to protect riders rights. But here in Alberta we can't seem to organize ourselves, to work together for the common good.

Instead there are these small pockets of people - very small pockets, who dig in and do what needs to get done and it appears that everyone else either has no empathy or no desire or no time to get involved.

There is an article out of Wetaskiwin Alberta where in riders protested the Edmonton Motorcycle Only Noise Bylaw by supporting the Wetaskiwin Toy Run. OK, I guess that using a charity to get your point across may have some impact but does the EPS really care why noisy bikes stay out of their city?
Not a chance. You have helped them to achieve their goal. The EPS doesn't care that a charity is being hurt - they are doing their job and that is all they care about.

What I want to know is, where were these riders when Liane Langlois was working like a fiend to get this bylaw repealed? When the plea was put out there to raise funds to help with the fight - where were they? When the plea for volunteers was put out to gather signatures for a petition, where were they?

I know that life is busy, that it is hard to make time for lobbying, supporting each other but folks, if WE don't do it who is going to?

The city of Edmonton might care about the impact of their bylaw if someone actually did a study that proves the economic benefit that Edmonton derives from motorcycle based charity events, motorcycle tourism and the motorcycle industry and the jobs it sustains that will and are going by the way side.

You see if we had a Coalition - that is something that could have been prepared and presented to Edmonton City Council.  Dollars and sense, statistics - that's what bureaucrats are looking for.

Years ago, BCCOM - the BC Coalition of Motorcyclists tried unsuccessfully to start ACOM here - the Alberta Coalition of Motorcyclists. It failed miserably. Why? Not enough riders would commit to getting involved.

I am wondering if finally, the time has come that the Alberta Riding Community is under enough pressure from Law Enforcement and municipalities that they will actually decide to start working together.

Our wonderful highways and the unsafe road repairs in this province and the dangers they hold for everyone who rides, the road snakes, the tire debris, HOV Lane use, the disgusting way many event coordinators are treated with regards to getting their liquor licenses for motorcycle events, the oppressive treatment by police officers of our Veteran's MC's - all of these things could be being fought for, protected if only we had some people paid to do the job - because one thing is for certain, volunteers aren't going to get the job done - not here in Alberta. Too many are burnt out raising money for their local and heartfelt charities, living their lives, raising kids and working.

We need to start a non profit BUSINESS -The Alberta Alliance of Motorcyclists and we need to pay people to work for our rights and freedoms.

We need to find a way for this non profit business to be able to sustain itself.
We would need a full time office admin, a grant writer, a membership manager, a web designer, a media specialist, a lobbyist, a couple of different kinds of lawyers on retainer and a fund raising specialist.

Their jobs would be to lobby for the protection of our Charter rights for free speech, freedom of association and expression and to fight for our rights to expect equal treatment under the law.
They would keep the community informed through the coalition meetings and through the various medias. The alliance would bring the concerns and needs to the office and the office would then create and execute the plan to address those concerns and needs.

In order to be taken seriously at all, we need to unite. We are some 80K strong here in Alberta. If we raised our voices together - we could make an impact on the quality of our lives as riders.

So, how do we go about finding the right people to fill the positions of lobbyist, activist, rider support services, education and liasoning with the province and police? Well first, we need to get everyone we can to the table.  We need to find a way to raise money to get started.

We then put out a call for people in the community who have the background and skill to do the jobs and we find out what it would cost to have them work for us.  Once we hired at least one staff, then we would need a fundraiser - one person whose job it would be to attract sponsors, host events, and find a way for the non profit to sustain itself.  This person would work hand in hand with the grant writer to identify grants to accomplish certain jobs.

You see there are grants like the ones that we just got conditional approval for here in Grande Prairie.
We are going to be launching a test project for High Collision Intersections.

We could have a professional whose job it would be to write grant proposals for all sorts of things that address needs within our community.

We could have many things being done in a coordinated and effective manner if we treated this like a business. We could be impacting our cities and communities in a very effective way.

Think about seriously folks. We have an Alliance that directs people in an office to meet the needs and objectives of our community.   And then we could have a National Alliance to assist with the exact same issues - sharing of information - assisting with needs on the Federal level....

Am I a dreamer or what?

Like every day I welcome your feedback and input. I love it when you talk to me and share with me - it helps me to grow and I feel that it helps many others to grow as well.

There is a ton of news today on top of your National Newspaper...it's Thursday so your weekly Busted Knuckle Chronicles should have been delivered with your provincial newsletter. I hope you enjoy the read and consider getting involved.

The Busted Knuckle Chronicles is here to serve every province and every community so if your community or province doesn't have great representation, why not send us in your articles and share what's happening in your community?  An informed community can become a strong and healthy community.

In other news:

A group of riders in Nova Scotia completed an Iron Butt ride

In Ontario, a rider is left paralyzed after a crash and the OPP is looking for a rogue rider

Barrie is considering a noise bylaw aimed at guess who...

Hamilton is excited to be getting it's own major bike show

In BC, 100 mile house is getting ready for it's toy run
In Whistler a guy riding his bike in an unsafe manner crashed injuring himself and his passenger

In Alberta, Airdire has given approval for the CAV to put up crosses to honor the fallen of that community


Yes folks, on top of your provincial newsletter and your National Newspaper, the news feeds from the main stream medias and the riding clubs who submitted stuff too late for the above mentioned publication, are full again today!

So come one, get informed. There is no reason for you to not know what is going on in your neck of the woods just because you don't belong to a riding club or get your local newspaper...you can find it all over at www.beltdrivebetty.com

Riding clubs - the more you share - the better chance you have of growing your events and membership and businesses - when you share whats going on you too have a chance to grow.

So come on folks, spread the word, get involved, talk to each other...let's unite and work together. Our Community is worth Celebrating and PROTECTING - Whining and snivelling isn't going to get us anywhere but a little elbow grease and a whole lot of communication will...

If you are riding today, PLEASE ride like everyone around is blind and can not see you.

If you are injured in a crash and need help, remember the Rider Friendly Business Association has 2 motorcycle lawyers who can help you.  Darryl Brown in BC and Braithwaite Boyle that serves Alberta, BC, the Yukon and NWT (Braithwaite Boyle has many offices to serve you)

Until tomorrow...

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Today's news - more tragedy

We get word today that two riders are still in hospital after a crash - another left hand turning crash - in Cumberland on Vancouver Island and another ride in Calgary is down after speeding and crashing.

Folks - we need to keep our wits about us out there...

And yet more news to dismay - a CTV news anchor is charged with impaired after a crash in Regina where he hit a biker who was stopped.

There are other news stories you might want to check out at www.beltdrivebetty.com

Our web site was down yesterday after our web host attempted to fix our loading speed issue - it is up again but still slow - I apologize for the headache this causes but our host is working on resolving the issue.

I am on my way to Penticton and Slack Alice's Show n Shine - hope to see a ton of you out there!

Leaving Hinton shortly, staying in Kelowna with friends tonight...

Have a great long weekend every one and PLEASE ride safely.

Ride Like everyone around you is blind and can not see you and please USE respect with that right hand and remember - if you get stopped to document everything you can, photos, videos etc and send them to me through our web site.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider
www.beltdrivebetty.com
www.bustedknucklechronicles.com

A wild start to the new year and not all of it good.

2011 has come in like a Lion, and what a mixed bag.
The news starts out with a lot of horror and tragedy.

A young rider in Scarborough  has lost his foot in a crash, if I am reading all of the articles that have appeared on his crash properly, he turned left in front of a vehicle.

And also in Ontario, 4 people were injured when a New Year's Eve Party at a motorcycle club house in Kingston turned ugly.

At a club house in Chicago 2 people are dead and five injured after a New Year's Eve
Party and in New York another New Year's Eve Party turned ugly and resulted in 3 men being hospitalized for gunshot wounds.


Did no one tell these people that New Year's Eve was a time to celebrate and leave old ways behind?

The economy takes down yet another motorcycle magazine, Road Racer X will be ceasing publication in the near future once it honors its subscriptions.

Now on to some more cheerful things that have transpired so far this year....

The Uno has transformed itself into an incredible machine.

My hats off to young master Gulak for snagging the deal with the Dragon's that has allowed him to fulfill his dream. I am sure that incredible brain of his has more treats in store for the world as well...


In other wild and wonderful technology news, Popular Mechanics has a flying motorcycle as it's feature story.

Canada has snagged 5 of the top 11 road trips according to National Geographic's web site and a CTV news report.  But we Canucks already knew we had fabulous scenery and great riding roads!

Yes,  it's been a wild and woolly start to the new year and I truly hope the first motorcycle accident in Canada of 2011 is not a sign of things to come this riding season.

If you haven't yet entered your motorcycle picture into our 2011 Beat the PMS Blues On Line Show 'n' Shine, you should think about doing it sooner than later. Last year the influx of last minute entries saw our server go down for an hour preventing a few people from getting in on the action. We do not want a repeat of that this year - do we!

We have fabulous prizes up for grabs too. A Doran 360M Tire Monitoring System, A Drift HD170 Video Camera, Event tickets, Hotel Stays, Tattoos, Leather Goods, Books, Jewelry and a whole lot more. It is free to enter your ride - you have to be a member of our web site to enter - but membership and all of it's benefits are free!

Join in on the conversation on the topics of the day here in this blog, on Facebook on Belt Drive Betty's personal page or Belt Drive Betty  & The Busted Knuckle's Fan Page or in our forums on www.beltdrivebetty.com - I love it when you talk to me!

If your riding club or organization has not already done so - get your 2011 meetings, rides, rallies and other motorcycle related events into our Canadian Motorcycle Events calendars - they are sharable to over 80 social networks, 5 styles of calendars and of course on Facebook, Twitter and by email. You can get a lot of promotion for free by entering your information!

The countdown is on to the Calgary Motorcycle Show, I leave here on Thursday morning and have a whack of stuff to accomplish before then, so for now, I will sign off wishing you all a Safe, Happy and prosperous New Year and may the best of 2010 be the worst of 2011.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider
www.beltdrivebetty.com
www.bustedknucklechronicles.com

Riding Boots...

The news feeds are once again very quiet and so today I am going back to the topic of gear and am asking you about riding boots.

During the January and February bike shows I will be looking for new gear to replace my tired stuff.

So - I wear braces on both feet. The mechanical ankle makes it super tough for me to wear very many kinds of boots.

My requirements are zippers, preferably outside of the boot not inside. Lace ups are a must to adjust the tension. They must be ankle height minimum.

My one season old Harley boots have just about got a hole worn in the back of the left heel from the heel toe shifter. While I only use that shifter rarely, it holds my foot in place and helps take the strain off of my weakest knee...the left one.

If any of you have suggestions as to what boot I should consider trying I'd appreciate it.
Out of all of the riding gear I have to choose this winter - this is the one investment that for me - it's one of the MOST important...

I'd also be curious about the footwear you have invested in and why - because by your sharing, some rider who reads this blog and the comments might find some solutions to their footwear decisions.


There is one thing of interest in the news for Albertan's. If you live here and you enjoy road racing your future may not be too bright.  Stratotech has announced that it is up for sale. So that will mean NO road racing in Calgary or Edmonton...what a freaking shame that would be.

The track in Edmonton - if I remember right from the article is worth like 7 million dollars (that might be what it had cost to build)  Anyway - whatever the price tag is - I think it would be phenomenal to see this track be bought - I think all of those high powered machines out there that need a place to play, that is safe and free from outside factors as much as possible. A place where people can test their limits and that of their machines...

So everyone, let's pray that the Stratotech park gets purchased by someone who really loves motorsports.

And this one is for ALL Canadian Riders...Cycle Source Magazine is running a survery on their site and our very own Mark Mazerolle of the BMHS Bike Klub in Moncton is up for the man of the year award.

I would take it as a personal favor if you would consider taking the time to fill out the survey and vote for Mazz - the work this man does with the kids of the Bike Klub is inspiring. http://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=57dada25-661e-431e-9cce-9f250d20353a

That's it for me today - final proofing and layout of our 2011 phone book - the next 5 days - that's all I do...

Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor

The Busted Knuckle Chronicles
www.bustedknucklenews.com
www.beltdrivebetty.com

Rider Support, Rider Rights and Rider Training, Education & Awareness

The title of today's blog post says it all.

These are the reasons that Herman "Poet" Aalbers and I decided to see if we could start a group to help our community. The group was F.I.R.R.E.

Now because I chose to speak about my personal experiences, people are leaving F.I.R.R.E. instead of working to change it and grow it.

"When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, 'Try it one more time.' "

~ Unknown

All groups go through growing pains. All groups have fights, disagreements and differences of opinions - no two people see things, read things or hear things the same way.
I have said - right from the beginning of this horrid situation that I find myself in that I BELIEVE in F.I.R.R.E. what the mission and purpose is... and that I will find my own unique way to contribute to that cause. I have said I will continue to sponsor the group and support their efforts.

All I can tell you - is that if you believe in the cause & the mission - if you read the news every day - and you can see the need that is out there...then folks - GET INVOLVED.

Remember this: The injured rider sitting in the hospital who needs their husband or wife by their bed side...who needs money to pay for food, gas, electricity, rent or mortgage - they do not care about the petty politics - they do not care about how they got the help - they care that they get help from somewhere.

When you have been in need, in crisis - and someone has thrown you a life line  - remember how good that felt...that is what F.I.R.R.E. was meant to do - be a life line, be a haven of relief.

When we loose all of our freedoms and rights because there was no national organized group working to protect them...

F.I.R.R.E. is supposed to be about empathy, caring, strength and solidarity in short - COMMUNITY - FAMILY.

Like any organization it will only be as strong and as effective as it's leadership and the members.

F.I.R.R.E. itself is just a name - the rest - the vision, the spirit, the urgency, the compassion, the integrity MUST come from the people who make up F.I.R.R.E. 
The desire to help one's fellow rider and to protect the rights of the community needs to become so strong that nothing can shake it.


Now here are a few reasons why a group with the mission and purpose of F.I.R.R.E. is needed:

In BC - a 43 year old Fruitvale man is dead after a collision

In Maple Ridge BC a rider was injured in a crash.

In Moose jaw SK a rider survived a crash

In Ontario 5 riders have been charged with stunting and dangerous riding.

In Caledon ON - a noise bylaw that is as discriminatory as the Edmonton Bylaw has been passed

I leave you with this thought:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

~ Margaret Mead

As with everything I write - I appreciate your feed back and input.

Belt Drive Betty 

Rider & Editor
www.bustedknucklenews.com

www.beltdrivebetty.com

A MAX Award winning web site!

www.canadianriders.ca

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www.bikerfriendly.ca

www.greatcanadiandayrides.com

Road Rage and Rider inattention kills two on Vancouver Island

So remember my questions yesterday about road rage...
Well folks - now you can read all about the devastating consequences yourselves.
This is heart breaking and tragic but timely. I am so sorry the man who felt the rage and decided trying to send a message to an inattentive motorist died for his efforts but the motorcyclist was in the wrong - like it or not that my friends and enemies is the sad but honest truth.

I am so sad that the 51 year old rider's passenger died because the rider was trying to send a message - please do not think me callous because I say this rider was at fault. ANYTIME I loose a member of my family - regardless whether they were my FAVORITE Family member, MY LEAST FAVORITE FAMILY MEMBER or one I BARELY KNEW or DID NOT KNOW - loosing them - no matter the reason still hurts. I can only imagine how their families feel right now.

Had this man been riding his motorcycle instead of multi-tasking and taking his eyes away from the road - he'd probably still be alive and so would his passenger.

Now - I think that everyone who rides who has had a near miss has probably ridden up beside a vehicle and given the driver the what for. I know I have.

But until this sad story appeared in the news I don't think even I had considered the full of the potential consequences of that particular reaction - they are tragic and devastating and in order for these two people's lives - who ever they may be - not be a waste by being snuffed out too soon we all need to take a HUGE lesson from this (IMHO)

Distracted driving kills.  

Road Rage KILLS. 

WE need to get that.

EXCESSIVE SPEED KILLS - look at the number of rear end collisions where the rider is at fault.

Drinking and riding kills, drugging and riding kills and sooner or later fate will deal you a hand that everyone who loves you gets to pay for if you aren't prepared to get that message.

WE - this community - needs to get it before I loose anymore people - before you loose any more people. My God in heaven - this puts the death toll amongst riders at some 140 or damned ably close this year.

I am crushed people - and SO FLAMING ANGRY.
This is so senseless and tragic and we need to find a way to make this stop.
We need to focus on prevention and education.
We need to focus on riding.

I get accused a lot of being to opinionated, too mouthy and too "Over zealous"

Well yah know what - I am PROUD to be the Mouthy, Cantankerous, Hard Nosed, Independent SOB that I am. I am proud to stand up for what I believe in and that I am a BIKER, through and through.

Liane Langlois is the same on many levels and she is working so hard with in our community to get a discriminatory law repealed to protect us, our charter and our rights.
I hope you will honor this woman's hard work on this community's behalf by getting out and voting EDMONTON.

Liane has been working at getting information on where every candidate stand on the issues and will be doing a special report for the Busted Knuckle on who the candidates are and where they stand on the issues - we shall see who responds and who takes this community seriously.

Now that the major news of the day is out of the way I have some news of a personal nature to share.

As of last night, I am no longer the Marketing VP for the 

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education.  

It appears that those who attended the AGM decided that having me, one of the two FOUNDING members be a part of the Board of Directors AND be a Major National Sponsor wasn't a good thing. Too many people apparently were thinking that because Belt Drive Betty & The Busted Knuckle Chronicles had put all of her personal resources behind FIRRE and did so on both the sponsorship level and the volunteer level that there was a conflict of interest because of my out spoken ways as the Editor of the Busted Knuckle.

So - since I am no longer chained down to the responsibility of marketing a cause that I so DEEPLY believe in that it was taking up all of my time - I am officially announcing today that I am going to concentrate on the BDB Club - The Rider Friendly Business Association & the Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association which is a registered Non Profit.

I need to support my community with MY resources and MY hard work and MY efforts in a way that makes sense to me and use my business resources in a way that makes sense. In a way that feels right to me and this feels right.

Once my lawyer and I have discussed the various ideas that are rolling around in my head and we figure out the BEST way to proceed - then we will make some official announcements.

I BELIEVE IN FIRRE

I wish the Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education well. I will continue to support them as a sponsor with free web site hosting and a host of other self promotional tools the way I do every other non profit that asks for support and I will stay on as a member.

I believe in the cause, I believe in the mission.

I want always to be a good servant to my community and family and even though my family and I sometimes disagree the way that families are wont to do - I will always remain true to who I am and I will always give to my community and walk the biker way - I do not know how to be anyone else.

All that ANY Community group that needs exposure and assistance in marketing has to do is ASK - call me, email me....

I AM HERE to be a communication channel - I DO NOT HAVE to like you to support you.
I only need to believe in the cause you are working for or to see that the cause or group has value to the community where they live.

We are NOT always going to like each other or AGREE with each other but we do NEED to SUPPORT EACH OTHER and just for the record I am NOT a CONVENTIONAL Business Person - when it comes to serving my community with my resources - resources that were built with the SOLE purpose of benefiting the BIKER COMMUNITY - EVERYTHING IS PERSONAL because this isn't just my business - ITS MY LIFESTYLE, MY LIFE AND MY MISSION - Love me or hate me - it is who I am for I am a TRUE BIKER.

I will help anyone -  at least once -  who needs it if - it is within my power.

So next years Awareness Conga is going to Cape Breton Nova Scotia for the Cape Breton Bike Fest - details to be hammered out soon! AND get ready cause next year Belt Drive Betty's Awareness Conga is planning to go to the Northern reaches of BC, the Yukon & NWT and then all to the way to Cape Breton NS!
The ENTIRE MONTH OF JULY will be nothing but day after day of riding and meeting the riders of this country! We are not sure what it is all going to look like yet but we are planning to include as much of this magnificent country of ours as possible!

We'll let you know when WE get it all figured out.
As always I appreciate your feedback and comments and look forward to the dialogue this day will hold.

Belt Drive Betty
Rider & Editor
www.bustedknucklenews.com

www.beltdrivebetty.com

A MAX Award winning web site!

www.canadianriders.ca

www.riderfriendly.ca

www.bikerfriendly.ca

www.greatcanadiandayrides.com

The Persecution of the Biker/Rider/Enthusiast Lifestyle...

I hope you have a cup of Biker Coffee Company Coffee in your hand and have tinkled - cause you are gonna be here a while - because I have a LOT to say today.

Remember - I don't generally blog on the weekend so you know I am STEAMED!

Folks, here in the province of Alberta and in this magnificent country called Canada it is time for a whole bunch of people who ride motorcycles to take a thoughtful, measured and tactical approach to changing the political landscape of our communities.

We have a trend happening, a nasty trend and if anyone thinks I am pushing a panic button or being a chicken little - I am hoping that you will have a change of heart when you watch the videos I have here and read what I have to say - I hope you will at least consider the fact that I COULD be right...

We have had, for a long time, a small number of bad apples that have put us where we are.
We now have noise bylaws springing up everywhere that are targeted at motorcycles ONLY and not holding the other automotive communities to the same standard.
We have a mind set of discrimination and harassment in our political houses and our law enforcement agencies.

If you look south of the border you will see that our brothers and sisters are fighting, on many fronts, the same fights we are. There are communities and places that DO NOT want us or our lifestyle anywhere near them and their lifestyle.  WHY? Because like in every other community - the BAD Apples are ruining it for the rest of us. They have been for a long time and because we got away from policing ourselves and have become so mainstream that we are scared to police ourselves - well - guess what folks - here we are with our lifestyle under siege AGAIN.

Why am I on this rampage today? Well it appears that although the Grande Prairie Toys for Tots group had a parade permit (the guy organizing has been doing it for a long time now and is decent about the details - some say anal) we were not allowed - after 31 years, to run our parade like a parade in spite of having that permit. 

Everyone had to obey all traffic lights and stop signs. No blockers were allowed and hence there was no safety for our parade participants and the general motoring public. In fact I have the part about leaving the park and going in to the ANAVET's parking lot on video (I was not riding so I got nothing on tape about the other intersections the riders encountered but I can show you the near misses and the head ache that happened at the park and I can show you how broken up the parade was by the time it got to the end point.



Last year the police also hassled everyone who had anything to do with the run.
The year before - a passenger had been killed about 4 hours AFTER our toy run - the police charged her common law husband with impaired - from what I understand that charge never went anywhere. But that isn't the point. The point is our parade was long over and we were at the hall having dinner when the accident happened - but ever since then we have been targeted during the toy run. A WHOLE community and it's charitable work has been the target of unfair, persecutory and discriminatory practises ever since.

Here is what I observed at our toy run - the police claimed to not have the man power to assist with traffic control for the parade - YET - there were two female officers on foot patrol in Muskoseepi Park before the parade left and the entire time the parade was leaving the park. There was a Ford Police truck WATCHING everyone leave the park (See the white truck in the picture at the beginning of the video and then toward the end of the video)

There were 4 cars/suburbans stopping ALL traffic to jack everyone for papers - the message to the general public (If those dirty bikers weren't holding a parade, we wouldn't be harassing you MS or MR car driver)

Our SANTA even got jacked for his papers.

Then at the end of the parade - at the ANAVET's club there was a suburban parked at the intersection across from the drive way to the club and a squad car just up the street - in the second video you can see them right at the end. But they had NO Officers to assist with the safety and protection of parade participants and the general motoring public when a valid parade license was granted...




We NEED to organize - to unite - to ALL be spreading the exact same message. From Coast to Coast to Coast - we NEED to be conducting ourselves responsibly and we need to respectfully put forth a solid argument that they can not shoot holes in or twist.

I hear a lot of riders say I am 100% legit, they can stop me all they want so it doesn't affect me - well guess what folks - HISTORY repeats itself time and time again and why? Because of that very attitude - it doesn't affect me TODAY, so why should I fight - well think on this...

This quotation was written  a LONG time ago and it is MORE true today than it was when it was written...

They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

The man who wrote the quotation?  Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group. (From Wikipedia)

If you are not a member of the Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights and Education - WE NEED YOU TO BE, if you are not writing letters to the Solicitor General & Justice Ministers in Alberta over the fine Terry Kunto's killer got - WE NEED YOU TO BE.

If you are just "whining" or paying the topic lip service and not doing ANYTHING - will anything change? Hell NO.

If you think for one second that none of this affects you - think again.
When the establishment is done with us - who will be next?

Time after time we riders are singled out - either because the police services or the politicians don't want us. The loud minority in the political arenas rule the roost because the silent majority is too quiet and too complacent and too self involved to get off their asses to affect change. At least that has been, until now, my experience.

If you do nothing else - GET OFF YOUR ASSES and VOTE at least. If you don't vote you have no right to whine. If you don't write letters or talk to your local politicians - if you don't lend a hand and support this life style we all love so much then when it is gone - we will join the ranks of so many cultures in history that no longer exist due to discrimination and persecution or have had hundreds and thousands of years of discrimination and persecution as their lot...neither is right.

So what is persecution?
Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. The most common forms are religious persecution, ethnic persecution, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. (From Wikipedia)

Mayans - The Spaniards feared the Mayans
Jewish/Hebrew - we know what Hitler did
Chinese - look how they were treated right here in Canada
Japanese
Gypsy (Romany)
Druids
Blacks
Natives
Egyptian
Christians - at one time the most persecuted people on the earth

We HAVE to start acting like bikers and have each others backs. We can go back to disliking each other as family members are want to do later, right now - we need each other and we need to look out for each other.

Join F.I.R.R.E. - The Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education...

Write to your local politicians, your ministers of justice etc - the masses may think we are NOISY but folks it is time to become LOUD in a way that it counts with united voices and ONE MESSAGE - PERSECUTION is WRONG - judge the INDIVIDUAL not the WHOLE.

Fair and equitable treament  - that is what we want - that is what we deserve - that is what we are aksing for.

PLEASE - PLEASE - join the movement to fair and equitable treatment - we have to be FOR something not against it...

I Believe in Fair and Equitable treatment for all people - how about you?

Like the Aaron Tippen song says....If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything.

If you are riding in a toy run today - PLEASE ride safe - if you are considering boycotting one because of the noise laws in your area - please mail in a donation - DO NOT let the kids suffer - they are our hope and our future...

AS ALWAYS - Your feedback and input on this topic or any other are ALWAYS appreciated. 

Belt Drive Betty