Lawful Police Harassment Or Why we need to remove people like John Hagarty from positions of authority

In the news today, there are a couple of articles from Australia that have my blood boiling and have driven home for me the reason that we here in Canada need to remove people like Police Chief John Hagarty from positions of authority.

Australia, thanks to the new Anti Bikie legislation, has become a place where Lawful Police Harassment has become acceptable under the law.

It has become a place where people who ride motorcycles have no rights, no protection and few options.

In article number one from Motorbikewriter, a group of everyday, ordinary riders going to a funeral were stopped, searched and filmed.

After the implementation of the New Anti Bikie Legislation, ordinary riders were being pulled over and harassed in large numbers. After enough complaints the police and riders sat down to work out a way to allow riders to ride peacefully - the idea that was settled upon is that large groups would call in to central and let them know their intentions and who they would be riding with (Riding Club or independents) and their ride details.

SO....according to the article;

These riders notified the central office of the police that there would be 14 riders escorting a hearse from the funeral home to the cemetery. They would be leaving from the one person's motorcycle shop which has a Rebels clubhouse as a neighbour, about 500 metres away. No affiliations or relationships are held between the shop or the Rebels.

The lady who had passed was the wife of a longtime shop customer.

Unfortunately the funeral was taking place during a 72 hour anti bikie blitz and so the riders were pulled over, and after producing papers and answering questions, they were allowed to go, just making it to the funeral home in time.

The riders did everything they were asked to do and still got harassed.

In the other article, also from Motorbikewriter, charity riders are being refuse drink service for wearing charity and ride patches on their jackets.

Because independent business owners are not being trained as to what constitutes illegal colours, riders who wear any kind of patch are being refused service by fearful bar owners who can loose their licenses or face huge fines if they serve 1%ers.

Here in many places in Canada, like here in Grande Prairie where I live, there are bylaws forbidding 1% colours on city property and bar owners have signs that say no Illegal, Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Club Colours.

We have had similar cases of riders being filmed because a 1%er showed up to an event and I have had my fair share of discrimination levelled at me when I was hosting motorcycle shows.

And, because of lack of training, we have had bar owners refuse people service for wearing Harley-Davidson or Sons of Anarchy shirts.

The mentality of people like John Hagarty, the Police Chief who has publicly discriminated against bikers based solely on attire, is a dangerous one.

It is the kind of mentality that says my opinions count more than your opinions, you are discounted, treated as if you don't matter or count because I don't like you. It is the kind of mentality that punishes everyone for the sins of a few.

Anytime a person in a position of authority is allowed to discriminate publicly, with no repercussions, no civil anger, our rights and freedoms become eroded to the point that we too will become a place of Lawful Police Harassment. We are already over half way there.

Think about it.

The rest of society doesn't see in harm in the discrimination or harassment of motorcyclists because they themselves aren't being singled out for special attention or discrimination and they have bought into the police and medias rhetoric. As long as they are not being inconvenienced there is no motivation to step in or speak out.  Then there is the fear factor - if I stay quiet, they won't notice me and they will leave me alone.

No one is going to protect our rights and freedoms unless we do.

So, that leaves a bunch of A type personalities to figure out a way to unite and defend the freedoms and rights we still have in a united and cohesive way and that my friends will not be easy.

But if we do not make an example of John Hagarty, who has publicly discriminated against our community, and send a clear message to the rest of the Canadian Police Forces, it will  not be long before we have the same problems in Canada that Queensland Australia has.

Like I said, look at the laws in our country - we are already over half way there....

We cannot stand by and watch what we love to do die, can we?

Where would you be without your motorcycle, the motorcycle community, your lifestyle?

I know where I would be.
Sitting in a psychiatrists office trying to make sense of a world I don't understand anymore.
At least on my motorcycle, I can feel alive, free and have an uncluttered mind and a bit of peace for a while.

If I lost that, it would wound me deeply and my quality of life would suffer desperately.

If we do not protect our rights and freedoms, who will?

Please consider what I say, read all the information you can and educate yourself and then if you see any wisdom or value in my words, please sign our petition - both first and last name please and help us send a clear and concise message to those in positions of authority:

We are bikers, motorcyclists, riders, citizens and taxpayers and we have rights and freedoms that have been guaranteed to us under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and we will defend those rights and freedoms.

Here's some reading material for you to consider when making your decision to sign or not, each article has links to outside sources of information:

A Police Chief crosses the line and publicly discriminates

Kawartha Lakes Police Chief John Hagarty - Bikers don't belong marching in Remembrance Day Parades wearing biker attire.

Who has the moral right to tell people who ride they are being disrespectful of our troops...

If we do not protect our rights and freedoms, then every soldier who ever fought to defend those rights and freedoms - their service and sacrifice means nothing, and that would be the worst travesty of all.

I leave you with a link to a WONDERFUL AND JOYFUL VIDEO  - Police Chief Hagarty would probably be foaming at the mouth if he saw it, but I think all of you will appreciate what this video stands for.

MEDRIC AND SERVICE DOG THAI 

MARCH IN THE HALIFAX REMEMBRANCE DAY PARADE

Petition by iPetitions

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

A Police Chief crosses the line and publicly discriminates

There is a police chief in a place called Kawartha Lakes Ontario, that needs to be removed from his position for his blatant abuse of his position and authority or at the very least, forced to apologize for his comments and conduct.

Police Chief John Hagarty has used his personal feelings twice now, to put the squeeze on the Sir Sam Hughes Branch 67 of the Royal Canadian Legion when it comes to people who wear motorcycle gear marching in Remembrance Day Parades, something he thinks is disrespectful.

Here is a video from Last year on the topic:

The chief's words are: The Remembrance Day parade is a very respectful, sacred, in my opinion, parade, honouring those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and it is just inappropriate to water that down to a level where you are wearing black leather chaps and motorcycle insignia, walking down the main street of any town in Canada.

That was last year....

The video from this year:
http://Toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1040911&playlistId=1.1536560&binId=1.815892&playlistPageNum=1

According to the CTV piece above,  the police chief stands by his comments of last year and has nothing further to add.

Now on the Legion side of this issue, I personally, would have told the chief he could take his ultimatum of "Them or Me" and walked right out the door.
But because this man is so highly thought of in their community the Legion is afraid of the reprisal from the non riding community of Kawartha Lakes.

And I can understand their position

This chief is: 

Highly decorated:
http://kawarthalakesmums.blogspot.ca/2013/05/congratulations-chief-hagarty.html

Well thought of:
https://www.facebook.com/OACPOfficial/posts/202974846478124

He is vocal and socially connected on twitter, Facebook etc:
City and Police Chief nominated for PeterTweeter Awards — City of ...

When this man says something people listen

But he's obviously also something else - he's either an egotist who is hung up on his own reputation and OR he's human and has biases.

The difference between you and I, Joe Q Citizen and this Police Chief - he chose to take an oath to serve and protect and to live by a code of conduct that holds him to a higher standard than the average citizen.  

He is not allowed to use his uniform or his position to influence the decisions of others in this way.

He is entitled to his personal feelings but he cannot let those feelings dictate how he is to conduct himself when representing the police force in a public parade.  He should suck it up, and keep his mouth shut and march right alongside whomever else is there to show support.

His personal feelings on attire have no place here whatsoever.

He is NOT THE FASHION POLICE nor is he THE MORAL AUTHORITY.

Remember...The chief's words are: The Remembrance Day parade is a very respectful, sacred, in my opinion, parade, honouring those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and it is just inappropriate to water that down to a level where you are wearing black leather chaps and motorcycle insignia, walking down the main street of any town in Canada.

If this situation is TRULY about clothing and physical appearance, then this chief has crossed a boundary that he may well live to regret. It shows his true bias.

If this is truly about his PERSONAL opinion then he should be removed from his position or at the very least be forced to man up, own up and apologize to all involved.

According to his comments on twitter today, the 4 members of the Kawartha Charity Riders who are  Veterans themselves were told they could march. (https://twitter.com/jhagarty)



From all accounts that I have been made privy to no one from the Kawartha Charity Riders was told they could march in the parade.  But, even if what the chief claims is 100% the truth, something still doesn't ring true.

In the CTV interview from this year - the part with the Legion President, he said he felt stuck in the middle - so - something doesn't jive here.  And the discussions I had with all of the players last year, Mayor McGee, City Councillor and Chair of the Police Services Board, Mr. James, the past president of the Legion and Rick Gibson, everyone save Chief Hagarty who refused my interview request, support the original comments made by the chief in his own words in the first video.

The words he says he stands by in the 2013 CTV video.

He never denied issuing the ultimatum to the Legion. The Legion was fine with the participation of the Kawartha Charity Riders until the Chief issued his ultimatum - so really...I have a hard time believing that what the chief says in the above twitter discussion is 100% on the level.

What he said in 2012:
The Remembrance Day parade is a very respectful, sacred, in my opinion, parade honouring those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and it is just inappropriate to water that down to a level where you are wearing a black leather chaps and a motorcycle insignia, walking down the main street of any town in Canada.

To Now:
Not true, every Charity Rider Veteran was welcome to march, they knew that regardless of what was said to the media.

You decide which version of what he has to say is the truth.
Or how much truth lay in both statements.

I'll be sending Rick Gibson a message to see if I can verify the claims that the chief makes, but I still ask this question....

I am a member of CAV. I am a Veteran Supporter Member - I am a PM Q brat, my parents served.
Does his statement mean that because I am not a veteran, I cannot participate in a March with my unit on Remembrance Day because I wear biker garb and am only a civilian?

If this situation is about something other than clothing then this Police Chief needs to come clean about it.

If this is about "you served or you didn't serve", again that comes down to his personal opinion.
The Legion is widely comprised of supporters not just veterans or serving members so his argument holds no water there either.

If it's really about clothing and his personal opinion then he needs to apologize or resign or be reprimanded or something.  The police have a term they use for people who use their membership in something to persuade you to make the right decision...what is it....Intimidation?

Well, it is intimidating for an organization called the Legion to have their police chief, a man who is highly regarded, threaten to pull his support of a Remembrance Day Parade because he doesn't like the way bikers dress.  He didn't say the force wouldn't attend just that he wouldn't attend.

That in and of itself speaks of how personal this issue is to this man and that he let his emotions cloud his judgement.

As far as the Royal Canadian Legion goes, I sent Dominion Command an Email about the newly formed riding club, the Canadian Legion Riders and asked the question, does the Legion not have to stand for its own? If the Police Chief refused to march because members of the RCL are bikers, what would the Legion be expected to do.

At the end of the day a lot of people here have made mis-steps in handling this situation, but Chief Hagarty over stepped his bounds and put people in the position to make a mistake in the first place.

If he had done his civic duty properly, he would have never put the Legion in the position of choosing - once he did, the Legion should have told the Chief, we'll miss you.

In the meantime I have lodged a formal complaint against the chief.
I have written letters to the Mayor and all of the major players in this sad affair.
AND
I have started a petition to force the mayor and the council of the City of Kawartha Lakes to deal with this issue.

I am doing all I know to effect change. I need your voice added to mine - there is strength in numbers and I ask that if you feel this chief has crossed a line, then please sign my petition.

So let's recap...

If the participation of the Kawartha Charity Riders in the Parade of 2011 was OK and was in fact welcomed from all accounts by the Legion, and it was not until after the Chief threatened to pull his personal support, that their participation was no longer welcomed, then the Chief clearly intimidated the Legion, made them feel to be put in the middle and concerned for their organizations reputation in the eyes of the rest of the Kawartha Lakes community; by using his position and standing in the community for leverage to gain the decision he sought from the Legion.

What he said in 2012:
The Remembrance Day parade is a very respectful, sacred, in my opinion, parade honouring those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and it is just inappropriate to water that down to a level where you are wearing a black leather chaps and a motorcycle insignia, walking down the main street of any town in Canada. 

Bottom line, end of story he crossed a line.

If there are other facts that surface later that change things then I'll be happy to re-evaluate my stance, but until that happens, it is my firm belief , from everything I have read and researched that this man has crossed a line that is discriminatory and directed solely at the motorcycle community.  And his actions are contrary to the Charter of Rights & Freedoms where in we are guaranteed our right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. I also believe that he has contravened the code of conduct for the Ontario Police.

Until we have all of the facts, all of the answers and apologies are issued, I won't let this rest.

If what I have presented makes sense to you; if like me, you have concerns about the conduct of this police chief, then I ask you to please read and consider signing my petition.

Petition by iPetition
Please make sure you use first and last name when signing the petition or we just have to remove the signatures.  Anonymous, nick names and one name only all have to be trashed or it ruins the integrity of the petition. I have enough work to do so please, both names or don't bother signing and costing me time I don't have.


THIS JUST IN FROM THE POLICE CHIEF'S BLOG:

Let me explain how we got to this point. Remembrance Day 2010 as we formed up at the Legion, for the first time a number of “Bikers” lined up as well, and I was surprised to see them stay and walk along in the parade, I thought was very unusual and maybe a onetime thing, but they returned in 2011. That year a few of them walked up to us as we stood in formation taking head shots (pictures) of our officers. This is a practice of criminal biker gangs to develop an inventory of officer’s pictures for intimidation and intelligence purposes. Many of my officers complained to me and asked “why are they allowed to march?” I wondered too, as I felt the parade portion of the ceremony was limited to the group I have mentioned (occasionally elected officials join in), for me the march is a visual reminder of the men and women that marched off to war. I explained to the Legion that in my opinion that it was inappropriate for them to walk in the march and that if this continued I would attend the ceremony but not march.

He ends his post with: Many may still not agree with my opinions, but I reserve the right to express them, it is that freedom that our Soldiers fought, and continue to fight for. End Quote

Oh so now we bring in Criminal Bike Gangs as they like to call them - really....

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Kawartha Lakes Police Chief John Hagarty - Bikers don't belong marching in Remembrance Day Parades wearing biker attire.

Some people should not be allowed to hold a position of authority because of their abuse of that authority and I rank Police Chief John Hagarty of Kawartha Lakes among them.

Here is the link to a CTV news piece on the matter: http://ow.ly/qG43V

Here is a quote from that piece: A group of bikers won't be allowed to take part in a ceremony honouring war veterans for the second year in a row in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. The local police chief feels the group's participation is odd and that the 'biker attire' would stand out against the backdrop of cadets and military uniforms.

For a second year in a row, the police chief has denied the Kawartha Lake Charity Riders the right to march in the Remembrance Day Parade while wearing their biker attire.

He put the ultimatum to the Royal Canadian Legion again - it's either the bikers or me.

For the second year in a row, the Royal Canadian Legion, Sir Sam Hughes Branch 67, capitulated and the Kawartha Charity Riders out of respect and deference, agreed to silently watch the procession instead of being a part of it.

I am disgusted with the police chief who refuses to speak with me.
I am sad that the Legion chose to cow tow to this arrogant man.

It has been suggested that we should be suing the police chief - there are no legal precedents that I know of that would allow one to sue him for his personal beliefs and opinions.

Maybe he could be sued as a bully because that is what he appears to be.

However, I do feel that it is an abuse of his authority.

The only way this situation is ever going to get resolved is for the Mayor, Ric McGee, of Kawartha Lakes to take his police chief to task and make him apologize to the Legion and the Kawartha Lake Charity Riders.

This police chief is entitled to his personal opinion but is not entitled to infringe on the rights of anyone he is sworn to serve and protect and by telling the Legion it's them or me - he has become a bully of the lowest kind.

It is a travesty that all Canadians who want to lay a wreath at a cenotaph are not allowed to.

This man is not the moral or the fashion police and should be put in his place by someone.

I think there are two things that we in the riding community can and must do.

The first is to start inundating the Mayor's office, the Police Chief's office and the Sir Sam Hughes Branch 67 of the Legion with emails and letters expressing our outrage and disbelief.

The second thing is to begin a defence fund.
It is high time we start legally working to protect our rights as citizens of Canada.

I propose a national organization called the Canadian Riders for Justice & Equality.

What say you?

In the meantime, if you feel so inclined to actually do something about your anger over Chief Hagarty's position here is the contact information you need:

John Hagarty, BAA, CMM III
Chief of Police
City of Kawartha Lakes
Chief’s Executive Assistant Leah Rea - LRea@klps.ca
Phone: 705 324-6307 ext 506
The Contact us page link: http://www.kawarthalakespolice.com/contact.html
The chief's Twitter account: twitter.com/jhagarty

Mayor of Kawartha Lakes
Ric McGee

Email: rmcgee@city.kawarthalakes.on.ca
Phone: 705-324-9411 ext 1320
Twitter account: twitter.com/RicMcGee

Councillor Gord James - Chair of the Kawartha Lakes Police Service Board
Email: gjames@city.kawarthalakes.on.ca
Phone: 705-324-3985

Royal Canadian Legion - Sir Sam Hughes Branch 67

Ask to speak to : Harold Jessup - President
Phone: 705-324-2613 

Email: sirsamhughes@bellnet.ca

Contact Us form page: http://www.lindsaylegion.ca/contact-us.html

As I pay homage to our veterans today - all of our veterans, I wonder what they would think if they knew this is how the citizens they fought to protect, the rights and freedoms they fought to protect were being treated and what they would want us - the citizens of Canada to do about it.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor & Rider

Remembrance Day & Christmas Shopping Promotions

I am old fashioned.

To me it matters greatly that companies respect/observe Remembrance Day BEFORE they start putting out Christmas Merchandise, Christmas Ad and other propaganda.

It is exceedingly important to me that companies who say they support our troops and our vets really do.

It is important to not only TALK the talk in your marketing and sales pitches but it is deeply important that you WALK that talk and really do what your marketing says you do.

So today, November 7th, 2013, I get an email from Harley-Davidson telling you all about how to Knock Out your Christmas list...NOT Remembrance Day is coming let' show our support...

No...sadly the company that touts itself as AMERICAN FREEDOM has forgotten who gave them that freedom inspite of their history with veterans & war and inspite of what's on their web site and marketing.

This one advertisment speaks louder to me about who Harley-Davidson has become than anything else they could possible do.  I am not talking about the dealers here - I am strictly talking parent company...

They seem to have forgotten that our troops aren't just something to market to or to use in marketing.
Or maybe that' just me being old fashioned.

I am not sure how I feel about the new bike models that Harley has announced - I get that they want to diversify, get more young people riding - their direction is very clear.

The new import looking bikes, the 500 and 750 CC's are to be followed by smaller 250's and 300's

I am unsure of how the values of the heavy weight bikes are going to be affected, I am curious as to how diluted the brand might become or whether this diversification will bring them the desired results as a company.

I wonder if the true die hard Harley fan is going to stay that way?

For me it's not about the broader and more diversified brand...no, to me it's all about contradictory marketing messages and what they speak to at the core of things.  Harley-Davidson USA - I am deeply disappointed that you started marketing Christmas to me, 5 days before Remembrance day...

I really don't like that.

I am curious though - if the bikes sold in the US are going to be assembled in the US - does that hold true for Canada too or are we getting the Indian assembled version of the bikes here? Does anyone have that answer?

On another Remembracne Day topic, please do NOT get me started on the White Poppy promotions that are happening right now....

I'd love your feedback on the topics for today....

How do you feel? I'd love to know.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Anonymous takes on Queensland Australia's Campbell Newman

News out of Australia is that Anonymous is targeting Campbell Newman - the man responsible for the laws that are stripping regular citizens of their rights because of the War on Bikies.



Campbell Newman may call their tactics amateurish however I am beginning to believe that these kinds of Anonymous messages are the only way for law abiding citizens to get the message about the atrocities that are taking place not just in Australia but around the world.

It appears that every time we riders turn around some government official or some top cop wants to make a name for themselves by going after 1% bikers hard and in a very public way and in the process, innocent citizens end up paying the price.

I am all in favour of criminals going to jail but I am not in favour of regular everyday citizens having their rights stripped all in the name of a war on crime.

I wonder if there is any way that police services and governments can actually target crime without labelling the taxpayer that pays the bills as a criminal because they ride a motorcycle.

News out of Winnipeg is it is official - Lone Star Harley-Davidson's doors have closed after 18 years in business.

In NSW two deaths are being linked to the Snowy Ride motorcycle charity event.

The Oregon Ducati dealership Motocorsa is up to their unusual marketing stunts again...this time it's a spoof on sexy models and motorcycles with guys playing the role of sexy model...

With Remembrance Day just a little over a week away, we have a project that needs your funding and support.

This from Lise Charron;

The S.O.S Project for Soldiers of Suicide and their families is an initiative of the non profit organization «Honour our Canadian Soldiers ».

Their depression/stress was so deep; they believed that suicide was the only solution. Families left behind feel isolated in spite of the fact that their loved ones have served our country with distinction.

The taboo against the choice of suicide is that these Soldiers have been forgotten during commemorative ceremonies. We also know very well that using the word suicide is difficult for many people.

Most of these Soldiers of Suicide lost their battle as a result of post traumatic syndrome disorder (PTSD). This syndrome also affects the people involved in the life of that person.
There are some resources across Canada, but information about is still limited. This results in an urgent need to be able to provide assistance in order to try to prevent suicide in the military or to inform the families and loved ones who suffer the consequences afterwards of the help that is out there for them as well.

Our goals are to create ways to help the person directly or to provide information about what exists in Canada. There is also the opportunity to work with existing organizations to provide a variety of resources. Raise awareness about suicide among our Canadian Forces members. Hosting candlelight ceremonies across Canada on February 21st to remember they also served our country to protect our freedom.

Thank you for your support

Lise A Charron
President and Founder of the non profit organization
Honour our Canadian Soldiers

If you can help please consider a donation: http://www.gofundme.com/51qyyo


As always there is a lot more in the newsfeeds over at www.beltdrivebetty.com where our work is keeping you informed.

I leave you now with a few funnies shared with me by friends on Facebook and via email:

If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please dress for the slide and not the ride and remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Bob sledding biker in trouble again and more from Australia's turf war

The news from the Ottawa Citizen is that former bob sledder and Olympic participant, Kenneth Peter Laurier LeBlanc, 45, of Calgary, is charged with extortion.  The Hells Angels member has had other brushes with the law  - Begin Quote: He spent behind bars in the early 1990s for threatening witnesses who were to testify at his brother’s murder trial. Most recently, he was handed a two-year sentence and a lifetime firearm prohibition for aggravated assault in connection with a May 2007 incident. End Quote

In Australia, there is talk of recreational bikers registering with the police to prevent harassment under the new Anti Bikie Laws.

According to several articles on the matter, there were a dozen bikers including Eva Cripps from the Australian Motorcycle Council at a meeting with the Police Minister, Jack Dempsey and several senior police officers.

The police think the easiest way around them harassing non bikies is for non bikies to register their riding events with police.

So this is their solution, make recreational/independent riders register their events with the police instead of the police educating themselves on the non 1% patches and clubs/organizations.

According to the article in the Telegraph, police say they will continue to pull over recreational riders: Begin Quote- POLICE have defended their treatment of legitimate motorcycle riders, saying it's hard to tell someone's identity when they're wearing a full-faced helmet. End Quote

I'm not sure about you, but it seems to me that the police here in Canada have the same attitude in various pockets of this country too, although they are not as vocal about it as their Australian counterparts.  British Columbia appears to be one of those provinces that has a mentality that everyone who rides a motorcycle is a potential suspect for being a member of a 1% club.

It drives me nuts.  The recreational rider as they call us (those who don't ride with a 1% club) has no rights in the war against motorcycle clubs that the police deem as gangs.

The justice system world wide in fact seems to have this attitude. I read hundreds of articles on this topic and I find that every article where in the police are interviewed has the same type of bent to it.

Everyone who rides is looked at with suspicion by the police.

This WAR against the bikies in Australia is getting ridiculous and fast. The new laws are only 2 weeks old and already they are having to revise them. Why? Because some politician and his cronies decided they were going to make a name for themselves as being the one who brought the bikies down.  The problem is that those laws are not well written, they are draconian in their bent and they are being enforced by people in many cases who are over zealous.

So, what are your thoughts on how the police and the everyday ordinary rider can get around this situation?

The police want to have events and group rides register before they head out.

And so what - you are going out with 3-4 people and you have to tell the police who you are and where you are going to avoid being caught up in the witch hunt?

Seriously?

What about the individual rider?
Do you have to call into your local and tell them you are going for a ride?

What happens if you are travelling outside of your police district?
What happens if you are a tourist?

Perhaps everyone who wants to go for a ride should all call into the police stations - I wonder how badly tied up the phone lines would be and would emergency situations suffer for that?

Where in God's name any of this make sense?

People who ride motorcycles in Australia should be very fearful, because obviously in Australia human rights mean nothing.

Australia is a police state now. No one can deny that.

I ask you - do you have an idea or solution to the challenges in Australia?

We'd better start thinking of some answers folks because this could become the reality where you and I live - doesn't matter the country...

So - what are your ideas on stopping the insanity in Australia?

There are many other stories in the news feeds today. Visit www.beltdrivebetty.com to find out what's happening that could affect your day or life as a motorcyclist.

I leave you with a few funnies to contemplate, shared with me by friends on Facebook and via email:

Have a great Thursday everyone. If you are a subscriber to our newspaper, the Busted Knuckle Chronicles - I hope you are enjoying your read and taking my message about dressing for the slide seriously....

Ride like everyone around you is blind and can not see you and remember to dress for the slide and not the ride.


Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider

Your rights - In Queensland Australia, bikers have NONE...

If you are a biker in Queensland Australia, you probably have been fearful of riding your motorcycle inspite of the police's public campaigns to the contrary. You'd be right to be fearful...

In a move that they claim was a visit to ensure a veteran motorcycle club could not be infiltrated by bikies, the truth was police raided their clubhouse. These people are in their late 60's and 70's and have served their country...

Begin Quote: 
The raid on Friday night targeted the Vietnam and Veterans Motorcycle Club (VVMC) at its clubhouse at Kingston south of Brisbane.

Twenty officers from Road Policing Command and the QPS Taskforce Maxima anti-bikie group raided the club’s regular monthly "Bunker Bash" party.

And further down in the article:

ABC journalists who attended the club's compound just hours ahead of the raid witnessed people arriving being asked about tattoos, rings, belt buckles and patches that might indicate membership of a "one percent" club.

VVMC president "Agro" said police had immediately recognised Schultzy because of his previous connection with Life and Death, which is on the Government's list.

"I said he’s not [a member any more]," Agro said.

"They say they believe he still is, so they asked him politely to leave and he said yes." End Quote

Read the whole article

There are other articles in the news today about the situation in Australia that are equally as concerning. 
Like this one about a poor beggar who bought a business that had been owned by a 1%er and the headaches he's having.

The rights of ordinary everyday citizens are being trod on and violated - all in the name of "justice/law, public safety"?

These laws were written hastily, they are flawed and they are being executed by people who appear to be just as big of bullies as the people they are attacking.

I am fearful as one of the latest news pieces suggest that the state of Victoria is beginning to look at the Queensland laws.

In the meantime, my heart goes out to my brothers and sisters in Queensland Australia.
I am praying that no more innocents caught up in this gangland war between the police and the 1% clubs.  I pray you are allowed to enjoy your motorcycle un-accosted.

There are many more stories in the news, check out the feeds at www.beltdrivebetty.com where our work is keeping you informed.

SPOILER ALERT - This weeks Busted Knuckle Chronicles has an urgent front page story from moi, Belt Drive Betty.

It's the kind of article no biker ever wants to contemplate writing.

If you are curious about what could be so important that the story of the Biker's United in Remembrance Conga be interrupted, then register on my site with the special promo code - INK2013 (I Need to Know2013)  and we'll give you a free 30 subscription to the Busted Knuckle Chronicles, Canada's ONLY weekly newspaper for Motorcyclists.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic of the day - Motorcyclists - when it comes to war between the police and the 1%ers, do you have any rights or right to protection?

Have a great day everyone and remember that if you are blessed to be riding today you need to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and please, dress for the slide not the ride.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider