Getting Involved - your community needs you!

I have been asking for input and help on the community web site www.beltdrivebetty.com in the forum under "Brainstorming and Ideas) No one appears to have any feedback....

So am I to assume that I am doing what my community wants and I don't need to fix anything or do I assume that I am heading in the wrong direction and no one knows how to tell me?

Both Ali and I want to keep improving things. We want to see the site and all of its sub sites be a valuable resource for the community, by the community. How in the heck do we accomplish that task?

I know we are all busy people BUT I can't read minds.

How do I get people to get involved? What am I missing? What I am I doing that could be improved? I know I am not alone in my quest for participation and feedback. I am a member of the Board of Directors for the Peace Country AIM-Can Chapter - getting people to attend meetings and have input and getting volunteers and assistance for our events can be sooo very tough.

I am not alone - I hear the exact same complaints from the other charities, the riding clubs, the event coordinators, here is a small sample of some of the things I hear:

• "I gave out 80 tee shirts to volunteers and 13 actually did the job they signed up to do, the rest either never showed up again or they spent the weekend getting drunk."
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• "We put out a call for help with a fundraiser and got 3 people, we have 60 plus members!"
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• "I am so tired of hearing what a great job I do, I'd gladly share in the praise if I could just get some help."
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• "I am so tired of hearing complaints about the different aspects of our riding club rally - everyone says they want one, but no one gets involved with the planning. How can I give them what they want if all I ever hear is what they don't want?"

Yes - everyone is busy.
Yes - we all have different focus and priorities.
I know that volunteers burn out.
It is tough to balance community against family, work and some R & R time. I know, I live it every day.

The bottom line for everyone folks is USE IT OR LOOSE IT and that statement does not just apply to the newspaper "The Busted Knuckle" or www.beltdrivebetty.com ...NO, that goes for the little Leather Shop in your community, the rider owned coffee shop and the rides, poker runs, rallies and other events that are hosted. It also applies to our freedoms as citizens.

If WE don't get involved, if we don't care enough about the causes and needs in our respective communities to pitch in and help out then who will?

I truly feel that if we all work together, share our stories, our dreams and support each other we can make our community a strong, united family from Coast to Coast.

If you have ANY Feedback - we really would love to hear it. If you have stories, we want to publish them. If you know of a rider who needs help, a business that deserves supporting - we want to spread the word. If it's about motorcycles, the motorcycle community and its many disciplines - we want to promote it, so - Help us to help our communities - right across Canada...use the Members Only Menu to submit your stuff - It's fast and easy.....

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Have a great day....and PLEASE - stay safe out there.

Belt Drive Betty

Have we lost our minds?

Have any of you come across a site called Bad Cop News? www.badcopnews.com

After reading some of the articles, my stomach was queasy.

I started on the pursuit of draconian laws and bad behaviour after a post I read in a forum.
One of the members it appears is a wee bit fed up with the new racing law in Ontario and the impact to our Charter - police taking away your license and your vehicle at the road side - effectively, they are judge and jury on the roadside.

We do appear to be heading down a slope that will see our freedoms - those of the 95% of the population who try to be decent citizens - become eroded.

I looked at tons of sites about laws, and justice in Canada and have come to the conclusion that this country's politicians and a lot of its citizens have gone nuts.

The Mayor of Toronto and Ontario Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty want to ban handguns - the Mayor of Toronto wants to ban gun ranges and gun clubs.

After the bizarre beheading of a Greyhound Bus Line passenger earlier this week, one reporter asked the minister of Public Safety- Stockwell Day- about banning knives. The minister said it wasn't feasible - my question is who is the idiot who asked the question in the first place?

BC has a new law that's really just a knee jerk reaction and not well thought out at all.

Grant's law requires drivers in BC to pay for fuel before they fill up.

"The law was named for gas attendant Grant De Patie who was run over and killed in March 2005 trying to chase a driver who hadn't paid." http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/03/06/Pre-pay_gas_law_affecting_drivers_credit/UPI-46811204817860/

If you read the article there you will see what the gas companies are doing to people, never mind the impact to the station owner in lost confectionery sales! It's nuts! And the gas companies and what they are doing to your credit cards is disgusting - not to mention the credit card fraud potential - yes this law fits in the stupid category.

Why was Grant not taught to take down a plate number and call the police? Why was he not taught that you always give a robber what they want and get as much information as you can to give to the police? Why is education ignored and punishment the first reaction?

I don't know how many gas station attendants there are in the province of BC, but would it not be easier to put in place mandatory training for attendants than putting the motoring public, the small station owner and credit card holders in this unbearable predicament?

Don't we have enough laws? Is there no common sense left?

Here are some of the other sites I visited in an attempt to educate myself about the laws in our country and the people who write them, implement them and attempt to uphold them:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070912.wstab0912/BNStory/National/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20070912.wstab0912

http://www.dumblaws.com/laws/international/canada

http://gizmodo.com/389255/canadian-cops-tase-knife+wielding-82+year+old-patient-in-his-hospital-bed

http://www.canadacops.com/blog/

http://www.orwelltoday.com/

http://www.libertarianrock.com/topics/letters/cops_in_canada_abuse.html

The four editorials here bring some interesting arguments against some dumb laws....

http://www.cfdp.ca/citizen.html

I do not know what the answer is but I do hope I have given you something to think about.
Educating ourselves in a busy and demanding world is tough. I decided to take a couple of hours and read - my eyes were opened and it really makes me wonder where we are heading.

If you are lucky enough to be at a bike event this weekend or off camping/sightseeing - enjoy every second you can and know I'll be green with envy as I sit chained to my computer and the work I have to do.

Ride safe...

Belt Drive Betty

What a way to start the day

I got an email this morning from the gal who works as my admin assistant. It appears that she won't be coming back to work.

Her medical condition and the job are not working out, the pressure of working with such a large community and the hustle and bustle don't agree with her.

I know that she needs to look after her health and I wish her nothing but the best. I am however very sad for me. I was enjoying having her in the office. Having some one to talk to, the help - and she was becoming such a huge help.

So, I am back at square one, working alone and unsure of where to go from here.

I will have to review my August riding schedule and probably have to cancel many of the events I had planned on attending. The paperwork this community generates is going to keep me here at my computer for a while until I can find someone else.

I am grateful to have had as much help as I did. At least I got a real vacation!

Ride Safe - BDB

What are your plans?

I am planning on attending the Alberta HOG Rally - it will be my first actual HOG Rally, I am also planning on hitting at least one day of the Central AB Toy Run, then of course the IDEEK Bike Rally and if time allows (Same weekend) the BFA Season wind up in Andrew.....so, any thoughts from you?

What events are you planning on attending?

Once the season is over we will be holding a contests for the Best Event of the 2008 riding season so I hope you kept notes on which one you have enjoyed the most!

No matter where you are riding to...ride like they are out to get you!
Stay safe out there, 

BDB

Rider Powered News

This coming paper is going to have a good whack of stories! They have been coming in while I was away on vacation. Man it's wonderful to be getting so many unique and interesting articles!

Have you entered our contests? If you haven't please consider doing so!

Come and register at www.beltdrivebetty.com for a free membership to take advantage of all of the tools and information we provide.....

Hope to see you there!

Ride safe - please!
BDB

Back home at last!

I have had the most wonderful of times!

5 years without a vacation made me appreciate every second. No phones, no computers, no work...mmmmm. I think I will have to make this a yearly ritual - it was awesome being just a rider again.

Watch the Knuckle for pictures and the low down - Next Thursday the 31st....
Talk to you soon.

Ride safe out there.... 

BDB

Campbell River

Well gang the vacation has been wonderful and strange....a friend who was riding with my hubby got sunburned so bad his eyes swelled shut so we were down for 2 days, then we headed for the coast. Got to spend a day with friends in Cloverdale then over to the island and a night with Ali and Gator. We went to Tofino and now we are in Campbell River with friends. Thursday we will be taking the inside passage ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert....I'll drop in again after we hit Smithers - I'm enjoying the crap out of having a real vacation - I'll tell yah!

No matter where you are riding to - I hope the weather gods smile on you and that you stay safe out there....

BDB