Switching sides... things that make you go HMMM

There is an article out of Australia regarding a police officer who has quit the force and has taken a position with a law firm that assists "Bikies". Apparently, there are many Australian police officers who have done the same.

This officer, Nick Crawford, was one of the officers involved in the first application to the government of Australia to see the Gold Coast Finks be charged as a criminal organization.

I wonder what it is that makes a co take such a drastic turn in his career? According to the article, Mr. Crawford is not the first police officer to do this in Australia.

I find this rather curious - is it just about money? Or is there some moral conviction that sees this officer switch teams?

Here in Canada, we are finally going to see some reform of the RCMP. No, don't laugh, according to the article from RCMP Watch - Who is holding them Accountable Blog, we are going to see major reforms to the RCMP's culture.  The article likens the conduct of the RCMP and their moving "bad apple" cops around to different detachments to be similar to that of the Roman Catholic Church and their habit of sending "misbehaving priests" to other diocese.  Hmmm, well I for one hope that this turns out to be a step in the right direction and not just more political rhetoric!

Speaking of "rotten apple cops"  have you had a bad experience with the police in your area of Canada?  If so, we are collecting information on police harassment, profiling and abuse.

Our goal is to collect enough evidence of what really happens to bikers to challenge the Charter and see riders become recognized as a visible minority...check out the form and keep it in your memory banks should you ever need it.

The news feeds are full today and sadly much of the news is not good - more deaths and injuries of Canadian riders being reported...

Check out the feeds at www.beltdrivebetty.com where our work is keeping YOU informed.

I will probably not make the Horse Thief Hide Out event this weekend - it's been a rough few days around here and I have to get the book keeping done before I can leave...so, if I get done in time - I'll be there - if not - have fun!

I leave you with some funnies shared with me by friends on Facebook and through emails...


Have a fabulous hump day!


Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

The Canada Day Holiday weekend has been hard on the motorcycle community

There have been at least 7 fatalities in our community here in Canada this past weekend.

My heart always gets heavy when I hear the news of a rider dying because I think of their family.  So to the families of the 7 riders we know about, my heart goes out to you and I am lifting prayers that you have the strength you need to get through this painful time.

Canada Day was reasonably quiet here, I have been attempting to get caught up from being on the road so much and so my blog posts have been non existent for the last week.

I plan to be leaving Grande Prairie again on either Friday or Saturday for Invermere and Horse Thief Hideout - I have 2 months of books and invoicing to do thanks to having to fire the new book keeper...I also have a newspaper to get out and phone books to ship out before I can leave!  The good news is - the reward for working like a dog is that I get to ride!

Our Dirty Girl Contest is well under way with 11 bikes vying to win their riders the tickets to the Eric Church Concert at the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis - these VIP tickets are sponsored by Russ Brown!  You do not need to be a member of our site to vote and you can vote once per HOUR!

I have started a new photo gallery on www.beltdrivebetty.com for all of the crazy, wonderful photo jokes that get shared with me. A few months ago I started keeping them in folders and recently decided that I needed to share that medicine with you all!
I hope you enjoy my new Mental Health Corner!

Our new classifieds component has been installed and I am excited to see people start using it! Classified ads are free to post on our site, you need to be a member - but membership is also free!  If you have something to sell or trade - check it out and put our network of some 70,000 people to work for you today!

Yes - slowly but surely the transformation of our web site is getting there! I am grateful to see it happening!

Our new Busted Knuckle Chronicles section is almost completed - this is where you will find the majority of the Canadian Motorcycle Community Stories!

I have a ton of video yet to complete from my trip to Yellowknife - the HHR and the rider training class I took in Edmonton last week - the work never ends but I am grateful to have it to do!!!!

I am keeping this update short and sweet as I have a meeting shortly with the City of Grande Prairie works department as we get ready to start making and installing High Collision Intersection Signs for Motorcycles and bicycles - it's a project I have been working on for over a year that looks like it might finally come to fruition! Once we get the new signs approved by the DOT in Alberta, we should start seeing them go up!

There is a TON of news in the feeds today - lots of news that may affect your life as a rider!

Check it all out at www.beltdrivebetty.com where our work is keeping YOU informed!

Have a happy Tuesday everyone!

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

Improving and honing one's skills

Yesterday afternoon I arrived at the Alberta Safety Council's rider training facility on the south side of Edmonton.

I was excited and nervous - I was about to embark on an advanced rider course.

Now I don't know about you but I have a tendency to become very self conscious when around other riders - especially those who are very seasoned and experienced riders. I also choke on exams.  I put so much pressure on myself that sometimes I just can't breath or relax.

I was in a class of 5 riders who would be taught by 2 instructors - after orientation and signing paperwork in the classroom, we headed out to the bikes.  All of us came from different backgrounds and varied experiences as riders.

Day one was challenging and interesting...and VERY informative, the instructors made it fun and I can't wait until tonight for part 2.

I will be doing a write up on the course and what I learned and will share that information with you in an upcoming issue of the Busted Knuckle Chronicles!

In the news today is an update on the BC rider who was killed in Oregon.

There is also news of another crash, this time in Ottawa.

Apparently the Mongols are not terribly happy about how heavy handed the police were for their run to Boulder City Nevada and say the reason so many businesses did not benefit from monetary gain was the fact that many opted to stay at their hotel instead of being harassed.

There are other articles in the news feeds that may be of interest to you as a rider, check them 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 through emails...

Have a fabulous Tuesday everyone and please, if you are riding - ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you!

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider

A busy week....

Last week was a busy week so I have been off the grid for a while.

I took in the Midnight Sun Run in Yellowknife NWT and what a hoot that was - however, you are going to have to wait until Thursday's Busted Knuckle Chronicles to find out all about how much fun we had!  I left on Tuesday, rode to High Level and on Wednesday made it in to Yellowknife a couple of hours before the run. I took in Aboriginal day on Thursday and rode home - 725 miles/1167 KM - straight through making it home early Saturday morning!

The photo below shows you what 1450 miles/2300+ KM's worth of bugs looks like. Poor Black Betty never got a bath the whole time I was gone as I was too busy!

My friend Mayzel, who has been helping me out part time had to spend about 4 hours giving her a bath!

Today I am getting Black Betty packed up to head to Edmonton and the Advanced Rider Training course offered by the Alberta Safety Council. George Billings is going to put myself and other students through the paces and I am excited and nervous.

I will be video taping my blunders and what I learn along with doing a write up for the Busted Knuckle. I know that as a rider I am an OK one but I want to be a good one and so you will get the chance to laugh at the mistakes I make on that learning curve!

The course runs tonight and tomorrow night:
Alberta Safety Council
4831 - 93 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T6B 3A2

Facility: ASC Main Site Boardroom
Run Dates: 25-Jun-2012 to 26-Jun-2012
Mon 6:00pm 9:30pm
Tue 6:00pm 9:30pm

In other news, a BC rider is dead after a crash in Oregon.  

There were also crashes this weekend that killed riders in  Mississauga, Toronto and Uxbridge. It's been a rough weekend on our community and I hope you will take a moment to lift up some prayers for all who are affected by these wrecks.

Over the weekend we saw a ton of events go off including the Bob Probert Memorial which had over 1,000 bikes attend.

In Manufacturer news, Triumph is getting into the Touring class of bikes with it's all new Trophy.

In Law & Politics, a former member of the Rock Machine is in jail for 6 years after a sting operation

In the US, Boulder city businesses say the Mongols made for bad business as sales were less than a normal weekend, apparently many decided to stay home or go out of town at the thought of the potential for violence/chaos.

There are many other articles in the news that may affect your day and life as a rider, 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 through emails.

Have a great Monday,

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider

Ride to Work Day

It's Ride to Work day folks and I have a dilemma - I work at home and it's pouring outside...so, do I:

1) Roll Black Betty - my motorcycle, outside of her nice dry perch IN my office and Ride back in again?

Black Betty all nice and dry in her special place...what to do?

2) Roll Black Betty outside of her nice dry perch IN my office and go for a rip around town in the pouring rain and then come back to work?

3) Say to heck with it and fire her up IN the office so I don't have to spend 10 minutes putting on rain gear?

Help me decide folks!

There are some interesting tid bits in the news feeds this morning but I am going to let you explore them on your own today...I have a dilemma to sort out and no major thinking can be done until I do!

I leave you with a few funnies shared with me by friends on Facebook and Via Emails...

Have a fantastic Ride to Work Day folks...

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

The RCMP have more cops on trial than....

It appears from the news articles on the RCMP Watch web site that there are more police officers on trial than there are 1% ers.

The number of cases is astonishing.

Mounties are in the news in a bigger way than ever before and not in a good way.

Right here in Grande Prairie one officer is on paid leave after a domestic violence situation. There are cases of officers involved in mischief and violence. 

But even more astonishing than the fact that these people who took an oath to "Serve & Protect" are on trial is the fact that there are officers getting off on charges because they are taking too long to get to court.

OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM IS BROKEN.

One officer from Surrey has had his charges stayed on not one but THREE charges - Const. Imran Saeed. Why? Because the RCMP took too long investigating.

I shake my head people - what is it going to take to have a complete overhaul of the RCMP and the judicial system?

How do we teach young people to have any respect when the very people who are supposed to be upholding the law are committing heinous acts and getting away with them AND being paid while awaiting court?

Maybe I am just getting old and feeble...I would love your thoughts on this topic:

Is there any way to overhaul our system?

In other news one rider from Edmonton and one rider in New Brunswick are dead after crashes.

Also in Edmonton, the man who was charged in the death of motorcyclist Graham Miller will be heading to provincial court after a paperwork mess up.

I am planning on heading to Yellowknife on Tuesday to take part in the Midnight Sun Run on the 20th and then I head to Edmonton to take the advanced rider training course held by the Alberta Safety Council.  It's going to be a few busy weeks for this old gal!  I plan on video tapping my attendance in the course - we shall see just how little I really know!

There are other articles in the news today that may be of interest to you as a rider, check them out at www.beltdrivebetty.com where our job is keeping YOU informed!

I leave you with a few funnies shared with me by my wonderful, crazy friends on Facebook and from emails!

No matter where you are riding this weekend, no matter what event you might be attending, PLEASE - ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you!

Belt Drive Betty

Editor &am Rider

Apartments designed for bikers....

Imagine being an urban dweller who can not afford to buy your own home or buying a home just isn't high on the priority list...no safe place to park your baby, until now.

An Australian company is building apartments for riders!  How cool is that... check out some of the features of these bad boys:

According to the article...Begin Quote "each unit’s double front doors opening wide enough to accomodate even the most porcine of Harleys. The bottom floor of each apartment serves as a garage/laundry room and also provides access to the upper floors without having to go outside again. The complex’s gracefully curved central courtyard is large enough for most bikes to turn around, simplifying arrival and departure.

The design offers what every biker needs — a safe place to store the ride and a community that doesn’t care how loud you rev the engine." End Quote

The truck driver involved in the deaths of a group of Arizona bikers last March (2011) is back on trial. His attorney contends that the driver's brakes failed and other mitigating circumstances caused his odd behaviour.

There are ton of articles in the news today that might affect your life as a rider, check them out at www.beltdrivebetty.com where our job is keeping YOU informed!

I have a couple of really hard days ahead of me, so I will sign off by leaving you with a few funnies shared with me by my wacky friends on Facebook and through emails!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider