Anger over Sikh Helmet Exemption in Alberta

I have heard nothing but anger and in some cases outright ignorance over the helmet exemption in Alberta. (http://driving.ca/auto-news/news/sikh-motorcyclists-get-helmet-exemption-in-alberta)

The problem with the riding community here in Canada is we are comprised largely off people who are too busy to do anything meaningful to affect change so we whine instead and let our resentment and anger grow.

No one is passionate about the rights of motorcyclists it seems, at least not in Alberta, BC or Manitoba.

OH, People bitch and make stupid racist statements like "them damned Muslims"...only problem Sikhs are not Muslims. Let's face it, if you like riding lidless, if you are not Sikh, you are jealous and pissed off right now. BE HONEST.

But you aren't looking at this situation in a thoughtful way, you are looking at it through the lens of emotion; hurt, frustrated, feeling discriminated against emotions.

Right?

So here are some things to consider:

1) If we had any real riders rights groups in Manitoba, BC & Alberta, any group that had some teeth and drive, this would open the door for helmet exemptions for all, since no requirements for additional medical insurance exist, it would be a fairly straight forward argument.

2) Riders in BC, Alberta and Manitoba need someone in each province to stand up a credible rights organizations and lobby the government hard.

Are you willing to stand up to do the work that needs to happen? Do you have the money to fund this push? If not are you willing to help raise the money?

3) Battles like what needs to happen to repeal a law are expensive and time consuming, the wheels move slowly, but it can be done.

What are you willing to do? Provide money or put in some grunt time?

4) If having choice is really important to you and going through the legal fight isn't worth it to you, then form a religion. It's expensive to do, it's time consuming, but it can be done.

Either way it's time riders start learning to work together.
If we don't learn how to protect our rights, we won't have any.

We are after all citizens and taxpayers, we have a right to a vote, to a voice and to lobby...we can also do what we have done for years, sit back, bitch, whine and snivel and get on with the new normal.

The choice is yours.

In other news, Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community Contest has begun it's hunt to find the most rifer friendly community from last riding season.

Over 140 communities to vote for...

Who will win?  We find out May 31st...

www.riderfriendlycontest.ca

And visit our sponsors pages please - they make this contest happen!!!!

#RiderFriendlyContest

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Interesting news out of the US as the AMA appears to be embracing MC's

This in from NCOM:

U.S. Defenders Press Release with regards to the AMA - Jan 27, 2015 - U.S.A. - By U.S. Defenders National; www.USDefender.net - More than 50 years ago the American Motorcycle Association is credited with releasing a statement arguing that 99% of all motorcyclists are law-abiding citizens, implying that 1% of motorcyclists are not. It is argued that the AMA released this statement to combat rumors that rabble-rousers were disrupting AMA events.  Being the rebellious postwar sort, many individuals that found common brotherhood in motorcycle clubs began to call themselves 1%'ers.

This statement, and its history, has been widely debated and discussed.  But what is certain is that this statement & history have been skewed and manipulated by law enforcement from coast-to-coast to validate unsubstantiated stereotypes about motorcycle clubs, particularly those self-identified as 1%'ers, This has reinforced a separation in the motorcycle rights movement in America between independent motorcyclists and clubs. This statement, and the false separation of our movement, has outlived its usefulness. It is now time to break down the barriers to true unification of the entire motorcycling community.
 

There is no clearer of an indication than recent public statements by representatives of the AMA that the opportunity, willingness, and possibility of true unification is within our reach. The AMA has tangibly reached out to the the club community dedicated to advancing motorcycle rights and fighting motorcycle discrimination. In fact, the AMA has publicly and openly endorsed the movement to end motorcycle profiling and discrimination and has unapologetically separated itself from the 50 year-old statements used to divide hundreds of thousands of AMA members from grassroots efforts being driven by motorcycle clubs nationwide.

In October 2014, the motorcycle club and independent community in California held a Motorcycle Unification Rally on the steps of the Capitol in Sacramento. The theme of the rally was to unify all of the different elements of the motorcycle rights movement in California and extinguish the false separation fueled by law enforcement's mythologically driven stereotypes. In front of an estimated 3,000 motorcyclists on the steps of the Capitol, Nick Haris, AMA western states representative, publicly endorsed groundbreaking legislation combating motorcycle profiling passed in Washington State in 2011. Nick strongly encouraged the unification of the entire motorcycling community in California in order to replicate Washington's success. This is the first time that I am aware of that the AMA has so strongly endorsed legislation combating discrimination against motorcyclists being driven by motorcycle clubs at the grassroots level.

Nick's public statements in California are not an anomaly. On January 26, 2015 Sean Hutson, an AMA lobbyist from Washington D.C., travelled to Texas to attend and speak at the bi-annual motorcycle rights rally on the steps of the Capitol in Austin. Significantly, this event is organized and hosted by the Confederation of Clubs and US Defenders in Texas. These organizations are primarily comprised of motorcycle clubs fighting for the advancement of motorcycle rights at the grassroots level.

In front of thousands of club members, Sean spoke very directly and separated the AMA from statements attributed to the organization over a half century ago. He also directly endorsed the movement to end motorcycle discrimination and profiling arguing that motorcyclists of all walks of life have more in common than differences. We all love to ride.  In fact, Sean helped draft federal legislation to end motorcycle-only checkpoints because they are misplaced and discriminatory. Importantly, he correctly observed that if the over 10 million motorcyclists in America unified we could stop the practice of profiling and implement a pro-motorcycle rights agenda across the board. Imagine what a powerful movement motorcyclists would be.

The time to unify all of the elements of the motorcycle rights movement in the United States is now. When a massive and well entrenched organization like the AMA extends an olive branch the world is truly changing, signaling that the advancement of the motorcycle rights movement has no ceiling. It is time to solidify the rights base of motorcyclists nationwide so future generations will enjoy the freedoms and privileges that so many have fought, bled, and died for.

   - - -

Respects, Mike  

NCOM Brothers Behind Bars Newsletter Editor

www.onabike.com/brothers-behind-bars/about.htm

So - what are your thoughts on this development?

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

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Ride








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The Power of the People

As we see in the conflicts that are brewing around this world of ours, the power of the people to affect change is powerful.

A small group of committed individuals can accomplish much.

They can topple governments or back them up against a wall.

The on highway motorcycle community in Canada is rapidly approaching 1 million registered motorcycles.

Every weekend you will see thousands of us gathered at various events across our respective provinces and territories, always riding and working for charities that mean something to us, that hit home for us.

Very seldom however, do you see this community rally around itself and its own issues outside of riders we love/care about needing help.

As we get prepared for the 2014 riding season, we as riders are going to face a variety of issues. Some will affect all of us, other issues will only affect certain riders.

Insurance is an issue that affects us all as are the condition of the highways in this country. So is distracted driving.

As a rider who has ridden across this great land of ours, I can tell you road maintenance is also an issue in the majority of regions.

Some of us will experience police harassment, others will ride uninterrupted.

Some of us will experience headaches in communities with Motorcycle Only Noise Bylaws, others will never be detained or bothered.

Some of us will have great experiences at dealerships and others not so much.

Some of us will experience discrimination and be turned away from establishments because of how we dress and what we ride, others will experience none of that.

This summer, when you experience issues, do something about it.
Remember the POWER OF THE PEOPLE!

Document it.  Photos, videos and written accounts of the situations you encounter.

Then if you live in a province/territory with a Riders Rights Organization like BCCOM, ABATE, BRO, Coalition of Manitoba Motorcycle Groups, RAGE or the newly formed Atlantic Motorcycle Coalition, get that information into them so that they have something concrete to work with.

They can't help you or anyone else unless YOU give them something to work with.

If you are in a province where there is no collective to represent your voice, like in Alberta, NWT, YT - the only three regions without a provincial/territorial lobbying voice, then you'll really want to document things well especially if it involves court and lawyers. If it is about roadways and other concerns, you can at least present your MLA with the information.

Every rider who experiences something of a discomforting nature should stand up and say something, do something, so that the others who come after you, might not have to experience the same thing.

If you aren't a member of your local riders rights coalition, consider becoming one.

Our voice counts be it as an individual taxpayer or in a collective with many voices united, but they only count when the person/s we are discussing our situation with can actually do something about it.

Whining and not taking the right actions do nothing to alleviate problems - so this summer, get a camera for your motorcycle or helmet, have a note pad and a pen in a tool pouch or jacket pocket and remember, the information you take down and share with the right people, will do some good, if not today, somewhere down the road.

That's what's on my mind today, what are your thoughts on the topic of the Power of the People?

Have a great day and if you are one of the lucky ones who is riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Rights - what rights?

The chair I sit in at work everyday is an interesting one.
It provides me a vantage point on what's going on in the world of motorcycles that few have.

I get to see it all from road racing, motocross and drag racing news to the politics of being a cruiser/touring rider.

Off road riders are constantly fighting to keep places to ride, street bikes are always subject to extra police services scrutiny and if you ride with a club anything that happens with 1% clubs has the potential to disrupt your riding life....

Like most people who ride a motorcycle I just want to ride.

I really don't care about what the supposed good guys and bad guys get up to....but and there is always a but....if you do keep an eye on what's going on, if you keep yourself educated and informed you can prevent yourself a world of frustration.

In the US right now the Mongols MC - a 1% MC, is under siege in a way that has a potential to affect the rights of others....what do I mean?

Well....a judge in the US has decided to grant Federal Prosecutors the rights to the "gang's" name and all associated imagery.

Intellectual Property is now under attack.

And I quote:
“U.S. District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper on Wednesday granted an injunction that prohibits gang members, their family members and associates from wearing, licensing, selling or distributing the logo, which typically depicts the profile of a Mongolian warrior wearing sunglasses. ……That way, federal authorities say, they could outlaw the gang in part by preventing them from using the name and imagery, and by seizing property and assets that carry it, including clubhouses, motorcycles and even gang members' clothing. This would allow any police officer "who sees a Mongol wearing this patch ... to stop that gang member and literally take the jacket right off his back," U.S. Attorney Thomas O'Brien told Reuters."

I guess that means that if these guys wear their logo as a tattoo that the authorities can either peel the hide off of them or confiscate the person wearing the tattoo....

Now you ask; how does this order affect the ordinary rider….

And I further quote:
"The judge initially issued an injunction Tuesday, but that order was limited to barring the sale or distribution of the logo. New language was added, saying the gang members and their affiliates "shall surrender for seizure all products, clothing, vehicles, motorcycles ... or other materials bearing the Mongols trademark, upon presentation of a copy of this order."

You can be sure that Canadian authorities are going to watch closely what happens with this newest twist in the "fight against crime" south of the border and will be looking for ways that they can implement the same strategy here.

When that strategy is implemented here in Canada - not if it is implemented but WHEN - if you have certain paraphernalia/intellectual property on you or your machine, on your tool box or the wall of your home or garage - the government may actually lay claim to it...because they would own the trademarks and the intellectual properties.

Think of the sweeping ramifications - books, pictures, posters, stickers, tee shirts, jewellery, tattoos and art work- all of these items are covered under intellectual property.

Here's a scene that has played out in my head, you tell me if you can see it happening:

You have a "Support XYZ MC" Sticker on your bike- you bought it because you either thought it was cool or you support freedom of expression. You have been at an event where a 1% MC has attended. (Remember - These gents are always followed to events by their ever faithful watchdogs, undercover officers - who photograph and catalogue everything including license plates.)

You are stopped by an officer who doesn't particularly care for you, he sees the sticker, he confiscates your bike and a case is built against you that you are a "Known Associate/Affiliate" because you, your bike and plate were photographed at an event with 1% ers present.....it costs you a filthy fortune to prove your bike is yours courtesy of hard work - Extreme? Perhaps - but is it possible? YUP as long as police officers are human - it’s possible...

Everything 1% clubs do affects the rest of us who wear black leather BECAUSE of the Police Services and governments of all levels - in my humble opinion, who don't exercise much in the way of common sense at times and their knee jerk reactions to situations often gives us laws that frankly are ridiculous and some are down right scary.

If you look at Myrtle Beach SC and the fact that they as a municipality have decided to super cede State law by introducing their own helmet law....

Look at my own bike show in Olds AB - the police services used the 1% clubs potential for attendance at the event to create fear in the municipal government and to extract $10K out of me for enhanced policing and they put so many restrictions on the event that I almost ended up in jail and lost $100K.

To educate yourself as to the latest in the saga I recommend you read:

http://www.newsone.ca/ottawarecorder/stories1/index.php?action=fullnews&id=42919

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/GAM.20081023.INGRAM23/TPStory/TPComment

If you are lucky enough to still be riding - please ride like they are out to get you....

Belt Drive Betty

Heavy Hearts

This has been a really tough week at our house.

One of my husband's friends went head to head with a semi and is now in critical and unstable condition in the Kamloops hospital. Another is undergoing cancer treatments on the other side of the country.

Needless to say my poor husband is feeling pretty powerless and helpless right now.

I am asking for your help.

We all know the power of prayer, so if you can spare a second, please say a prayer for these two men.

Thanks and stay safe out there...

BDB