Riding Season is ALMOST HERE in the north of Alberta, but many places are already riding again.
I can not say this ENOUGH.
You NEED to ride like EVERYONE AROUND YOU is BLIND and CAN NOT SEE YOU.
YOU WILL encounter MANY Drivers LIKE THIS....
WILL YOU BE READY TO REACT THE RIGHT WAY?
You MIGHT encounter a driver like this....
What will you do?
There will be occasions when you come up against this....
WHAT will you do?
THERE ARE PROBABLY times you might come across this...
WHAT WILL YOU DO?
Some of the things you should AVOID - NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING IT MIGHT BE....
Riding smart, staying alert, being extra careful in heavy traffic, taking a refresher safety course, these are the things that will help you survive to ride another day.
WATCH THIS VIDEO - TO ENSURE YOUR SKILLS ARE SHARPENED - PLEASE...
Being Belt Drive Betty means I get to know, ride with and care for a lot of people.
It also means that often times when tragedy strikes, I have to say goodbye to someone I loved and cared about.
Today I, along with my brothers and sisters from CAV mourn the passing of Darren "Willy" Williams.
He and 7 of his brothers were riding in Picton County Ontario when a Mazda Miata crossed the centre line and centre punched three of the 8 bikes, 2 riders were killed instantly and one is in critical condition.
Darren was one of the riders who was killed, the other rider who died, his name has not yet been released and neither has the name of the person in ICU. Next of kin need to be notified.
Tracey, Darren's wife and Alisha and Michael, his children are in shock needless to say.
Darren had just become a grandpa for his first time and he so loved his little man Aiden.
He only got enjoy being a grandpa for about 11 months.
At the 74th Crusaders Club House
Darren was the kind of friend you could call out of the blue and he always made time for you. I had first met him at the Wharf Rat Rally in Digby Nova Scotia in 2011.
I was blessed to spend some quality time with Darren in Greenwood NS and rode with him to Yarmouth in the driving down rain in 2013 on my Military Support Conga.
We had stopped into the 74th Crusaders clubhouse to say hi just as the rain started. When we made it to Yarmouth, Willy and I shared some time with a couple of the young folks who helped fundraise for the Yarmouth Memorial.
Trying some Tomato wine at the Yarmouth Farmers Market
The next morning, Joe and Willy took me to the memorial and then Joe and his wife Jo, Willy and I went the the farmer's market in Yarmouth - it was so foggy that Willy couldn't head back to Greenwood until mid afternoon. It was a wonderful time, one that I will forever carry in my heart.
He had given me some very special veteran's vest extenders, they were special before his life ended, but now they are just that much more special. I will always wear them with pride and remembrance.
A special gift made even more special
My heart breaks for my CAV family and the families of those affected by this horrible crash.
Please lift a prayer for willy's family and friends....
As soon as we have information on the other rider who passed and the rider in ICU, I will let you know.
It's father's day today. Look at that grumpy old man you call dad and hug him with all your might and remember to say I love you, with meaning and do it often because you never know when it will be your time to leave this world.
Darren, Jo and Joe at the Yarmouth Farmers Market
Jo, Joe and Willy at the Stanley Lobster Company
I miss you dad - Happy Father's Day
My dad, Jim McColeman at 8 Wing Trenton
Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider
Disclaimer: All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.
Rhonda was lodged under the car, miraculously
she suffered minor injuries and is already home and resting
Photo: Neil Hein, VP R.A.G.E.
The woman who has been working tirelessly as the president of the Riders Against Government Exploitation had a guardian angel on her shoulder last night as she experienced one of the most horrifying things every rider faces - being rear ended.
From eyewitness accounts, Rhonda Cwynar and a friend were riding when this incident took place, not stationary!
Rhonda was impacted by the drivers side bumper, pushed almost up to her riding companion's position and then the SUV climbed over the bike. Rhonda was trapped underneath the SUV, still on her bike.
Allegedly the driver of the SUV was IMPAIRED AND TEXTING at the time.
Allegedly she never looked up and never hit the brakes.
Rhonda is lucky to be alive and as unscathed as she is.
Rhonda is one of many volunteers working hard to keep Saskatchewan's riders as safe as is possible and protecting their pocket books at the same time. R.A.G.E. is all about holding government accountable and "lobbying" for equitable treatment of riders.
Photo shared from Facebook
Their government insurance, SGI, needs to address bad drivers and the fines, demerits and penalties.
It is something the entire R.A.G.E. team and their strategist Don Fuller have been working hard at.
Rhonda Cwynar, she is a wonderful woman who is deeply passionate about working for fair treatment of the riding community.
There will be some sliver linings that come out of this crash - I always look to find the silver lining...
(You have to otherwise you'd go nuts.)
Because this crash happened to a person who sits on the Motorcycle Review Board at the SGI round tables, Rhonda is going to be able to chronicle everything that happens as you move throughout the system and call them on stuff that you or the rider down the road would never get to.
She is going to be able to lobby to change the bad driver laws in an even more powerful way than before. (Saskatchewan's fines for chronic bad drivers are a joke). Nothing like first hand experience to give you that"edge".
She is going to be able to lobby to really change the texting and driving laws and driver awareness and education.
Photo shared on Facebook
I am deeply thankful that this single mom is able to continue being a mom...
I am deeply thankful that this woman is still alive to be able to do this work.
She truly had a guardian angel on her shoulder.
And, if the riders from Saskatchewan get behind R.A.G.E and start lobbying for change in their own communities, start really lifting their voices together, you in Sasktechewan are the best hope for the rest of the country - to see massive change in DRIVER education and awareness happen.
In other news, Liane Langlois of M.O.D.E.L reports that the Edmonton Noise Bylaw is being challenged. Join the Edmonton Motorcycle Club Facebook page to find out more on what to do if you have a ticket.
Please visit the M.O.D.E.L. blog for information on the bylaw and how to contact M.O.D.E.L.
Have a great day everyone, I'll update you more on Rhonda's condition and the information on her crash as more info becomes available.
UPDATE: From CJME The 40-year-old woman allegedly driving the SUV, Tanja Hinks, is being charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm and driving while exceeding 0.08.
Update from Rhonda herself:
I have a broken ankle, broken collar bone and tissue trauma but I am in one piece thanks to wearing good gear in part and a guardian angel who had other plans for me.
I want to thank all my well wishers, it means so much to see the support and comments. You have no idea how much.
I'll keep you up to date through our VP Neil Hein and Belt Drive Betty. Thanks again folks, I am one grateful woman today, sore but grateful.
PLEASE ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you, and please consider wearing good gear.
When you are on a big touring bike, gravel is not something you really want to be riding on.
Unfortunately this past weekend on the Freedom of the Press Defense Fund Poker Run and Rally, out by Mulhurst Bay, our ride captain missed his turn and we all ended up on a gravel road and the gravel was very loose.
I got caught in some loose stuff and went down, and that would have been bad enough on its own, but then another rider hit me from behind.
The damage to the FXR(Corrected from DYNA) he was riding was pretty severe as he bent the front forks, the handle bars and damaged the tank. He ended up with a severely swollen hand as well.
My bike didn't fare too well either. The front fender was damaged and the crash bar took four guys to pull it back so that the floor board could be pulled down and the fairing separated and is pretty scared up. The bike could have been ridden if it hadn't been rear ended.
He hit me hard enough that the back fender was driven into the tire and could not be pulled away from the tire enough for the wheel to turn without binding. It took 5 guys to load the bike on a trailer because that back tire just kept skidding.
I have ridden gravel roads before, they are not my favourite thing at all, but hard packed gravel I don't mind near so much, like the Top of the World highway, although very challenging and nerve wracking on a touring bike, I rode it very successfully.
I had another occasion, riding with the Regina CAV, where we ended up on a loose gravel road and I caught a ridge and the front end of the bike started swinging violently, but by talking to myself to keep my hands soft, elbows down and rolling on the throttle gently, I was able to pull myself out of it.
I did not get so lucky this time, it happened too fast.
Loose stuff like we were on is treacherous and as you can see from the footage below it happens so fast.
This road had tons of washboard on it and the gravel was not packed down yet from vehicle travel. No one was very happy to be on it, that was for sure and our ride captain felt like crap about it.
I am going to say it again folks, crashes happen and they can happen to anyone and they happen fast.
Because we were wearing proper riding gear, we seem to have come through relatively unscathed.
My Draggin' Jeans prevented road rash and although I did end up with a nice bruise on my thigh, the jeans don't have a mark on them!
My new Viking Cycle Jacket from Motorcycle House did its job and again, it's hardly any worse for the wear.
My chest is sore where I took the right hand grip of my handle bar in the chest and I am stiff from head to toe today, but I am alive and will ride again and that's what matters.
The other rider is also going to be OK, while he suffered a very swollen left hand, and is stiff and sore, he too will ride another day.
The Freedom of the Press Poker Run and Rally was a huge success for something that was organized and promoted in such a short space of time. It was a bit disorganized, and frantic, but successful.
The Poker Run generated $1300.00.
Orland from the CAV won first place and donated his $300 back to the cause and Yvonne Walsh donated half of her second place $200 to the cause. I don't off the top of my head remember who won 3rd place's $150 and not because he didn't donate anything back, but because I simply can't remember and haven't had time to go through the paperwork.
The poker run generated $1150.00 towards the cause.
We made $90 selling 50/50 tickets and another $160 from burger sales.
I was also given $570.00 in straight donations.
The silent auction generated another $915.00 for a total of $2,885 raised!
We were so late getting back in that some of my volunteers had to leave and we didn't sell much for 50/50 tickets.
By the time I paid for fuel to have the electric bed that was donated by Mark LaFountain delivered to Doug Jenson, the DJ, printing and a few other small expenses to put the run on and paid for fuel, in a borrowed truck to get me and my ride home, the total netted was $2150.00
We also sold some $700 in tee shirts but that money is going straight to the tee shirt guy!
The silent auction for Doug Jenson generated $430 and I delivered the money to the man personally along with a few gifts.
He has asked that I thank everyone who cared enough to contribute - he deeply appreciated the helping hand.
All in all it was a very successful run in spite of the crash.
The showing of support by so many people over the course of the day blew me away.
I want to thank Justin King for putting on a stunt show for us, everyone loved the show!
Clarence and the gang from Blackjack's Roadhouse in Nisku - what a great job everyone!
Thank you to all of the staff who looked after we riders so well.
Blair Weber, our ride captain, in spite of the missed turn, he did a great job.
To my brothers and sisters form the CAV who manned three of the poker run stops, THANK YOU!
Tracy Nessler who helped me out at the event in the morning selling 50/50 tickets - thank you!
I want to say a special thank you to Cori from Steel Horses Photography and her cousins, the Dinning's, who lent me a truck and trailer to get home with. You guys went above and beyond!
I love this community and your support means far more than words will ever be able to express.
I will be doing a proper write up for the Busted Knuckle to acknowledge our sponsors and all of the supporters that I can remember. The day was such a blur!
To see photos from the day visit Steel Horse Photography's Facebook Page!
I need to sign off now as I have to go the hospital to get checked out and the RCMP station to file my written report.
I will let you all know what the fate of my bike is and whether or not I will be riding the rest of the season or not. Although I have collision coverage, the bike is 7 years old and all I will be getting is fair market value if it is a write off and I will never be able to replace the glide if that's the case.
I will also follow up with the other rider to see how he fared.
It was a crappy thing to have happen but it could have been far worse!
Have a great Monday everyone and watch this coming week's Busted Knuckle Chronicles for the article on the Freedom of the Press Poker Run & Rally.
If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and please consider wearing good riding gear, you just never know when it will be your turn to slide instead of ride...
Riding season is slowly starting across this country and most of the USA.
And, as an editor, I can sure tell too.
The news feeds are filled with crash articles, many of them resulting in death.
Yes, most are from the US where the population is far greater and they have been riding a little longer that us here in Canada. The spike in the reports of crashes, injuries and fatalities started about a week ago and now instead of one or two crashes, the feeds are two and three pages of crashes.
Reading a lot of the reports on early riding season crashes I have learned something.
WE ARE OUR OWN worst enemy.
Our skills are rusty, the roads are gritty and we have more distracted drivers on the road than ever to contend with.
In crash after crash we are hearing about riders rear ending other vehicles, loosing control in curves (probably as a result of gravel and sand in the curves - or potholes) and excessive speed crashes.
On the weekend in Calgary a young man died when he was out test riding his buddy's new bike. Reportedly speed was a factor.
And sadly his family and loved ones have a funeral to prepare for.
I posted this video to my Facebook page, a lot of the crashes in this video are from other countries like Russia, but nonetheless, it emphasizes quite clearly the need for people to slow down and be HYPER aware of their surroundings.
Now I know I am not going to be popular among some of the riding community for what I am about to say, but it's the elephant in the room and it needs to be addressed.
WHAT IN THE HE Double Hockey Sticks are these riders thinking?
We have motorcycle only noise bylaws, the clubbers and their relationship with the police that tar the rest of us and we have inconsiderate boobs like those in Dallas seeing how many people they can piss off.
It makes me wonder what these riders are thinking, or if they think at all.
TAKE IT TO THE TRACK you selfish boobs.
When you see an unsafe rider - what do you do?
Do you shake your head and think;"Natural Selection"?
Do you ignore the rider and go about your business?
Do you call the authorities?
When you are on a Poker Run, or at a rally and a guy/gal has too much to drink and tries to get on their scoot, what do you do?
Ignore them?
Try to take their keys away?
Try to change their mind?
If you have a rider on a run who is riding erratically, what do you do?
WE need to police ourselves.
We need to watch our throttles, be respectful in town and be hyper aware of our surroundings.
As a rider, an individual, its up to you to decide what risk level you are comfortable with and that includes the people you ride with. I have, on more than one occasion left a group to ride on my own because I did not like the way things are going...how about you?
I love to ride, I love this community and I mourn every time a rider goes down, their fault or not.
I don't love attending funerals and I don't love an elevated police presence that we face so often because of the adrenaline junky or the attention seeker.
Everyday during this riding season I want to ask you to please, be that rider, the one who cares about their loved ones, their friends...be that rider who is considerate of others around you, and when you encounter someone who is not a safe rider, do SOMETHING.
Either talk to that rider if they are approachable, or if the offence is serious enough, I hate to say this - REPORT THEM.
We need to be proactive instead of always being reactive. Our lives, our families and friends, our lifestyle depend on it.
Please people, live to ride another day...to celebrate the birthdays and accomplishments of family and loved ones.
If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and remember to dress for the slide, not the ride.
And remember, the slide is probably going to happen when you are just out for a putt around town...
A fail to yield charge has been levied against a driver who turned in front of a motorcycle in Essex County on Sunday. The rider has non life threatening injuries. According to the article, the OPP said that 1/3 of motorcycle crashes happen in intersections. They are warning drivers to signal properly for turns and lane changes and to look in their mirrors and around their vehicle before turning or changing lanes to ensure there are no other vehicles around them. The article also warns that motorcycles are hard to judge so to give more time and room.
The rider has not been identified.
With riding season almost here in most places across this great land, I cannot express enough that we need to ride like everyone around us is blind and cannot see us.
Let's do our best this season to arrive at our destinations safely each and every time we ride by taking no chances with our own safety.
Be hyper aware of your surroundings, go practise those rusty skills before you head out and please consider wearing good gear especially in urban situations where the majority of crashes take place, remember that 1/3 of crashes involving motorcycles happen at intersections and shorts, sandals and tank tops are not going to protect you in a crash.
The Noise Bylaw debate is heating up in Saskatoon as R.A.G.E. members there are vocal about the inequitable treatment of riders compared to other road users.
In Australia, Newman Campbell and Jarrod Bleijie are being sued by a lawyer over comments made that accuses lawyers who defend bikes as being part of a "criminal gang machine" and would do anything to defend their clients.
There are lots of new model reviews, and interesting articles in the news feeds over at www.beltdrivebetty.com where our work is keeping you informed.
Have a great day and if you are blessed enough to be riding, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.
