Belt Drive Betty's Blog

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National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

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Monday, June 21, 2010

A tragic weekend on Canadian Road ways

I had had a fabulous weekend and arrived home around supper time last night and was feeling on top of the world, that is until I started doing the news updates.
The news feeds are filled with accident/collision news.

One rider in Coquitlam BC lost it on the person who cut him off - apparently the reporter feels that anger management needs to be part of driver education...

A man from Grand Forks is dead after he hit a deer.

Speed was a factor in a crash involving a Prince George rider who got up in the gravel and went down - he suffered serious injuries and in another accident a rider suffered injuries when a car driver ran a red light in Prince George.

Tons of accidents/collisions in Saskatchewan - Saskatoon reporting two with motorcycles

An accident near Radium BC claimed the life of a Calgary woman, she was the passenger, reportedly the riders involved in the accident were both Calgarians from the Calgary Cruising Club

In Ontario: One motorcyclist is dead after a crash on Dundas and a rider is dead and his passenger in critical condition...in another collision - In Toronto paramedics responded to a number of collisions including one where a 19 year old rider suffered life threatening injuries.

There is news about the motorcycle noise testing in Edmonton, a few articles on motorcycle fund raisers on the home page at www.beltdrivebetty.com

After the great weekend I had, reading all of the tragedy that has struck our community this weekend has taken some of the wind out of my sails...I think I am going to go work out and get rid of some of the sadness and anger I feel...

I will have a full report on New Norway and the Ride & Auction for the Military Families Fund in the Busted Knuckle NEXT week!

IF you are fortunate enough to be riding today - PLEASE - ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you - IS out to get you and please ride proud not loud - save those pipes for the time they count - when someone is beside you and drifts into your lane.

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Friday, June 18, 2010

What a FABULOUS Ride

Last night I was blessed to ride out to Miette Hot Springs with a group of riders from Jasper.
There were bikes from pretty much every major brand from Honda, Kawasaki, Triumph, H-D Yamaha - it was a thing of beauty - no brand bashing - oh the odd good natured jab but wow - what a great group of people.We met at Jasper Motorcycle Tours retail store on Patricia St at 6:30 pm (Great shop filled with all kinds of great biker gear, gifts and equipment) - it was nice to see 11 bikes out for the regular Thursday night foray!

We had a wonderful ride up to the Hot Springs - one of the riders with us was Jill - the manager of the Hot Springs - she rides a wonderful bronze coloured crotch rocket and you can tell that this lady is hard core - she is a total adrenaline junky.

We had some great laughs and I was filled in on what these riders feel is their favourite day ride - I will be sharing all of that with you soon!

These local riders are used to riding this Miette Hot Springs Road - I am not, so I stuck to the speed limit and was rewarded by the beauty of the view - my lord there are some gorgeous day rides in the Jasper area.

Now I know that many are feeling rotten over this noise bylaw garbage - for the most part I don't think any of us has a problem with the bylaws - the Transportation and Safety Act has had them in place for years - I guess we are just tired of being singled out and held to different standard from the rest of the motoring community.

I think all of us riders wished the police services of this country would just have enforced what was already on the books - had they been doing that all along - then the people who have been being rude and disrespectful no matter the vehicle they drive wouldn't have ruined things for the rest of us...

Have you listened in to Biker Radio Magazine to listed to what Ken Venus had to say as he wades in on the topic...

There are so many accidents and so much other news that I hope you will check in at www.beltdrivebetty.com - the home page - the What's hot page has the current news feeds about middle of the page.

I have a ton of paperwork to finish this morning and then I am off to Hinton, Edson and Leduc - tomorrow for my 50th Birthday I will be riding with otherswho will be paying tribute to our soldiers.

See you in New Norway...
For the rest of you - no matter where you live, what events you are planning on attending this weekend, PLEASE, Please ride like everyone around you is blind and out to get you, and ride proud not loud...

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Don't shoot the messenger....I only tell you what's going on...

In the past I have had people tell me I was a fear monger because I brought to light information the I found in the news feeds over loud pipes and the trend towards motorcycle bashing in this country and the USA. I was called pig headed, rude and obnoxious - now I very well may be those things but had people been willing to listen, had they taken heed of the trend two years ago, we wouldn't be in the boat we are in.

I am no mind reader, no great visionary - but the trend has been there in the US for a while and when I pointed that out - man did I get called down - that's the US, nothing to do with Canada...yup - that's what happened. So now, this is where we are - be as pissed at me as you want but understand one thing folks - I am only the bearer of the news - not the creator. ( And I mean that in more than one way as I ride a stock machine!)

Some riders in Manitoba were fined for loud pipes - interestingly they were ticketed under the Highway Traffic Act...and the Winnipeg Police Services is already using the hand held decibel meters.

In Calgary the council is swaying things towards clarifying their noise bylaw...Ald. John Mar, who is spearheading the amendment, says the existing bylaw is vague by not putting a number to "objectionable noise."

In Ottawa - noise from motorcycles is high on the agenda again after two years.

Wetaskiwin is wading in on the issue.

Can anyone say - UNITE?

Tomorrow Ken Venus of Biker Radio Magazine is going to be weighing in on this issue...it might be worth having a listen to see what he's found out.

In other news:
Port Dover is getting Geared up for their only Friday the 13th date this year.

Ride for Dad in Whitby gets underway on Saturday.

The OPP ticketed a rider for doing 130 - he lost his motorcycle for stunting.

Another rider has lost his life in Ontario. The 18 year old driver of the other vehicle involved may be facing charges.

Our very own Amanda Lynn Mayhew the Fytness Fanatik is in the news with her ride for Progeria.

That's it for me today folks - I got riding, photography and filming to do!

Have a safe and fabulous day and PLEASE - ride proud - not loud.

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The news is filled with madness today!

There are some CRAZY things happening in the news today - in Germany some dude decided for reasons unknown to throw a puppy at a group of the Hells Angels in Germany - he then stole a bulldozer to flee with leaving it on the freeway causing an enormous traffic jam...weird stuff!

The madness really gets underway as Red Deer joins in to the noise bylaw fray along with a ton of cities and towns across Canada - here is a link to an informative site that will help you to fight that ticket: http://fightyourtickets.ca/noise-by-law-motorcycles-edmonton/ but please note we are working on a unified legal battle on this issue so if you do get a ticket we need to know about it so we can use it in a class action law suit - which is our goal.

Tons of people who are tired of noise are writing in - we need the silent majority to wade in here cause guess what folks - the squeaky wheel gets the grease - join us - F.I.R.R.E. - www.firre.ca as we work at forming a large NATIONAL group to work for our rights as riders, to assist our fellow riding community members in the event of an accident and to educate not only our fellow rider on safe riding and other issues but as we educate the driving masses and the main stream public as to who we really are and why they need to share the road with us.

The time is now folks - United we ride - divided we walk...

In Ontario a group of riders that want to use trails are being denied access...

We have three more riders who have passed as a result of their injuries - please see the latest news on www.beltdrivebetty.com for all of the information we have on these accidents and riders.

And don't forget - The Belt Drive Betty Blend is now available in the sampler packs of the Biker Coffee Company! MOVE OVER TIMMY"S!!!!!

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE my coffee and although I have been approached before because of my unique road handle to endorse products - this is the first one I have endorsed. I promise you folks that if you like REALLY - REALLY good coffee - the Biker Coffee Company can hook you up. Be it Disc Brake Decaf, Ignition Coil Irish Cream or Hydraulic Hazelnut they have a blend to suit your tastes! If enough people like the Belt Drive Betty Blend - Rich and a Little Sassy - they will move it to the 1 lb bags so I am told...so come on folks give all of their blends a try and make sure when you order their sampler pack to tell them you want the Belt Drive Betty Blend as part of yours!

As they say over at the Biker Coffee Company - enjoy your ride!

Be sure to tune in to Biker Radio Magazine this Friday - Ken Venus wades in on the noise bylaw in Edmonton and a whole lot more!!!

I am in Jasper filming and then off to celebrate my birthday with the men and women who have served our country at the New Norway Soldiers Ride on Saturday - be there or be square...seriously no matter which of the events you choose to support this weekend - PLEASE - ride like everyone around you is blind and CAN NOT SEE YOU --- IS OUT TO GET YOU and please, ride porud not loud - save those pipes for when they really mean something like when someone drifts in to your lane.

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

What an amazing community we are all apart of!

Between my web site and my Face Book pages I have a network of somewhere around 7,000 riders. When my web mistress told me that on top of the daily news feeds and this blog that I had to get involved on Face book I did so grudgingly, kicking and screaming really.

I takes me a full 2 hours every morning to get my news feeds updated, the writing and social networking done and yes some days I groan at the thought but then...something happens like Gator having an accident and I put it out there that we need some help and support for him and Ali and through F.I.R.R.E. and Vancouver Island AIM - voila a ton of people who seldom post or talk come out of the wood work to help out.

The Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education may be pretty new but we are already making an impact. Between the corporate sponsors who have been coming on board with donations and the private individuals who have been helping out we have raised over $1500 so far to support 4 riders in our Face Book Group Auctions and that number is going to keep climbing as we have more donations coming in and a poker run and weekend party planned as fundraisers.

Cindy from the Southern AB Chapter along with her membership are hosting a Poker Run in July to support Yvonne Perry - John Coutts passenger - John sadly passed as a result o f their accident. Yvonne is a single mom of a 12 year old boy and she has CF.

Our Rider Friendly Business Association (RFBA) Rider Appreciation & F.I.R.R.E. Rider Memorial Event being held in Thorsby on August 7th & 8th is a Free event - riders only pay for their steaks and or breakfasts - rodeo games, scavenger hunt, poker run comedian and DJ round out the entertainment and along with a Farmers Market type vending experience, FREE camping and a ton of ride prizes to give away - well it should be a stellar weekend! 50/50 draws, silent auction and memberships will be the fund raising that is done and all funds will assist injured riders, riders rights and educational activities of F.I.R.R.E.
Money from the steaks will go to support the The gymnasium of the Thorsby school!

We are looking forward to that event as our fledgling group of 140 riders works at lighting a F.I.R.R.E. in the soul of every rider and grows its membership across Canada - I leave on our big promotional ride across Canada to promote the idea that riders are valuable human beings who do a variety of work, have incredible lives that deserve celebrating and that cagers need to share the road with us. I meet with the Mother Daughter Ride in Thunder Bay - the Ride for Dad in Kenora, the Bikers Church in Ottawa, The Bike Klub & Bean're in Moncton and a whole host of other incredible riders along the way as we spread the word and light the F.I.R.R.E. all the way to Charlottetown PEI in time for the Red Island Rally where I will simply be a spectator and then in to Digby NS for the Wharf Rat Rally where I will have a booth and partake in the Nova Scotia experience!

Yes - this community that I am a small part of is phenomenal, from Flo and her gang of pink clad ladies who have raised over $4,000 in their on line auctions for Breast Cancer on the Canadian side of their Conga to the MRFD and all of the fantastic good they do to the Ride for Sight and the countless other charitable causes we riders support I am so deeply and profoundly proud to be a part of this vibrant community.

I truly hope that every rider will look at the discrimination with which the city of Edmonton and the other jurisdictions are treating our community and consider signing our petitions - one for those who live in Edmonton - spearheaded by Liane Langlois of the Edmonton Motorcycle Club and the one for tourists and commuters.

Both Liane and myself have identified that there are those in our community who are thoughtless and self absorbed and deserve to be ticketed but we feel the laws that are being enacted need to reflect all offenders be they in trucks, commercial vehicles or cars...not just for motorcyclists and not with fines that are more than those for distracted drivers who can be the cause of injury and death for many riders.

As always - I welcome your comments and feed back!

In other news:

Man dies in county collision HIGWAY 62

Nanaimo man dies in motorcycle crash

Pro skateboarder Josh Evin feared dead after crash near Nelson

English rider sweeps Isle of Man trophy races

There are many other news items to read at www.beltdrivebetty.com hope to see you join us and take advantage of our membership/savings card that is good for special services and savings at over 200 locations and soon to be 250 - we are just waiting for all of the Pacrim Hospitaly locations from Coast to Coast that have signed up to be part of our Rider Friendly Business Association!

I am also deeply and profoundly grateful to announce an alliance between myself and the Biker Coffee Company in Ottawa as we announce the Belt Drive Betty Blend!
It goes on sale tomorrow on their web site and is available in their variety sampler packs.

If you have not tried their Organic Fair Trade Coffee and are still drinking Timmy's then you have NOOOO idea what you are missing. The Biker Coffee Company has developed their blends carefully and I am proud to endorse their products as Rider Friendly!!!!

For all of you who really love good coffee...the Biker Coffee Company has a blend just for you no matter your taste!

I am off to Jasper for some photography and filming for a special project with some of our RFBA partners and this weekend I will be in New Norway for the Soldiers Ride for my birthday!

Ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you - IS out to get you and please remember to ride proud - not loud, save those pipes for when a distracted driver who will only pay a $175 fine drifts in to you! The $250 fine for loud pipes in Edmonton won't hurt so bad if you aren't in the hospital as a result of the distracted driver.

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Monday, June 14, 2010

Rider Down - really close to home

Well gang - I am sad to report that one of our own has gone down - although I am happy to report that he will be OK. Our web mistress Ali's hubby Gator had an accident yesterday. He will be OK although he does have to see an orthopedic surgeon to see about removing bone chips/fragments from his severely broken shoulder. His bike - toast.

Gator is retired and on a pension, paying any kind of deductible is gonna be rough of that I am sure. Since they are members of F.I.R.R.E. I will be asking our fund raising committee to see if there is anything we can do to assist them and in the mean time I ask everyone to say a few prayers...he's alright but could sure use some divine intervention!

We have some on line auctions on our Facebook Page happening to raise funds to help injured riders...it is my hope that you will consider jumping in and bidding on a few things not to mention joining F.I.R.R.E. - we need members and chapters right across Canada to ensure that we have a network willing to assist in times of need.

Since I blogged yesterday and need to finish this weeks paper before I head to Jasper tomorrow to do filming and photography for a special project - I am signing off but please people...if you are riding today, PLEASE, ride like everyone around you is blind and OUT TO GET YOU and please ride proud not loud - save those pipes for the times they are truly needed - like when someone drifts into your lane.

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education