Belt Drive Betty's Blog

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National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010

I am so disgusted...

Have you read the news about what is going on now in the USA?
The NHTSA is funding MOTORCYCLE only check stops.

The AMA is equally disgusted and demanding to know hwy this is being done.

Under its Motorcycle Law Enforcement Demonstration grant program, the NHTSA will award up to $350,000 in total to be divided among as many as five law enforcement agencies to set up traffic checkpoints that target motorcyclists.

The demonstration program is modeled after a controversial program in New York where the state police set up a series of checkpoints that targeted only motorcyclists, raising the ire of the AMA and motorcycling community. In 2008, for example, New York State Police announced plans to set up 15 checkpoints near motorcycling events that summer. (From USRIDER News)

There needs to be some way to stop these kinds of discriminatory practices folks - now Edmonton is claiming that it's bylaw is working and touting that fact to encourage other jurisdictions to get on the band bandwagon...sad, sad, sad....

Hubby and I made it to Kenora and had a fabulous meeting and breakfast withe the gang from the MRFD - to read all about it visit my Travel Blog for Ontario: http://travelontariobymotorcycle.blogspot.com/

In other news:
In Victoria BC a lady rider was injured when a white SUV moved in to her lane.

Cops for Cancer needs sponsors in BC...

In PEI they are getting excited about their 1st ever Red Island Rally coming up soon...

In Corner Brook Newfoundland the RCMP have released the name of the man who died in an bike crash, his 14 year old passenger was released from hospital on Monday.

PLEASE - Ride defensively, ride your own ride - do NOT let peer pressure get the best of you...Ride like everyone around you is BLIND, has an UNSAFE load and IS out to get you and please - ride Proud not Loud - invest in a 140 DB Air horn instead!

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

A busy few days ahead

Hubby and I are in Yorkton this morning where we woke up to grey and wet skies.

We have a 700 KM trek to Kenora today and in the morning we hook up with the 10th Anniversary Ride for the MRFD.

So - there will be no blogging besides the travel blogs for the next couple of days unless I find myself with some time.

It is challenging - building the paper bit by bit every day, staying on top of paperwork, meeting people and riding but we are getting in the groove.

Apparently I touched a bit of a nerve with a few people yesterday with my comments on Pee Wee Herman and Sturgis. I want everyone to understand that as a survivor of abuse - I am not going to condone someone who owns "art" as he called it by way of explicit magazines etc. I know that many may think me unforgiving but when it comes to children and abusers - I know only too well how the abuser can lie, manipulate and generally weasel their way out of things - I experienced that for many years. Perhaps the man is innocent but I will Never feel comfortable with that individual having any representation around children. But that is just me.

In the news today:
In Saskatoon the counsellor who wants to quiet the noise from motorcycles is being threatened.

In Newfoundland a rider is dead after a crash.

In Australia the Hells Angels attended the funeral of a reported crime boss.

In Ontario - the Ozzy’s Garage Youth Mentorship Program is working miracles

In Kamloops BC - city council is being urged to leave noisy bikes to the RCMP

If you wish to follow our progress on our Awareness Conga visit our travel blogs:

Traveling Alberta
Traveling Saskatchewan

PLEASE - Ride defensively, ride your own ride - do NOT let peer pressure get the best of you...Ride like everyone around you is BLIND, has an UNSAFE load and IS out to get you and please - ride Proud not Loud - invest in a 140 DB Air horn instead!

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Monday, August 16, 2010

One upset American Biker

There is a "freedom" fighter in the USA by the name of Bruce Arnold.

Arnold has been riding and writing for a very long time, he is well "decorated": 50 Iron butts to his credit, former racer, bikers rights activist.....

He sends me some of his columns for re printing and this latest one really caught my eye and my heart...

You see it is all about Pee Wee Herman - registered sex offender and alleged child pornographer Paul Reubens - now when I reported on the fact the man lead the Legends ride - no one made one comment - not a one. When we posted the video on our web site - the one where Reubens' was interviewing people, - not one comment. I waited.

Mr Arnold is the first one to point out the sad and pathetic thing that has become Sturgis.

I can not improve up Mr Arnold's diatribe. He is blunt and straight to the point - since when do bikers embrace a known and registered sex offender? Since when do we tolerate alleged child pornographers?

It was a sick thing IMHO that Pee Wee Herman was invited to be at Sturgis much less head up the Legends ride - and he probably got paid a filthy fortune on top of it all...I for one doubt I will go back to Sturgis anytime soon...the guns and colors ban is one thing - this blatant disregard for our children and their safety - well,it is one I can not ever forgive nor will I forget anytime soon.

One other thing about Mr. Arnold's exposing some of the behind the scenes truths...this lawyer who brought Reubens' to Sturgis - has IMHO - one sick and disgusting mind and needs to be investigate himself for potential sex offences and pornography violations - because who - other than someone with a really disgustingly sick mind would team Pee Wee Herman up with a children's charity? Kids and Chrome actually had a meet and greet for this man and used it as a fund raiser - what sick and disgusting minds even conceive that kind of crap? That is one charity I will NEVER support...

I am sorry - if this is the way the motorcycle community is going to go - if were are going to allow children to be hurt and condone it - then I want out - NOW. This is not the ride I signed on to 30 plus years ago. Sturgis South Dakota - as a town you are quaint and charming as a rally you are getting far too over the top for this gal...until you decide to get back to good old rider values - you have seen the last of me and my money - now if more bikers did the same that might actually be a statement that had some real impact - sad thing is - the riding community has become so diluted with those who do not appear to have the heart of a biker that the commercialization of our community will continue until we are legends in our own minds - wait - I think we maybe are already there....

As always I welcome your feedback and input - dive in on this topic - maybe you can help me see things in a different light...

In the news today:
In Ontario and rider was killed in Amherstburg when he lost control and struck a tree.

Also in Ontario - Jean Hamilton has been working for a special cause...

For those of you who love the Tuetul's - you might be interested in the direction of their new show...

In BC the WRR Conga III for Breast Cancer has raised over $36K - what an amazing thing!
Visit their face book page for the details...

Also in BC - a former police officer discusses loud pipes and the fact that he thinks they save lives...

And in Nova Scotia - the first ever motorcycle weekend in Truro was enjoyed by many!
For the latest news visit www.beltdrivebetty.com

PLEASE - Ride defensively, ride your own ride - do NOT let peer pressure get the best of you...Ride like everyone around you is BLIND, has an UNSAFE load and IS out to get you and please - ride Proud not Loud - invest in a 140 DB Air horn instead!

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Sunday, August 15, 2010

When to flip the bird and when not to, a hard lesson on being a show off...

Sometimes the good old boy upstairs has the most outrageous sense of humour!

I read with a certain amount of delight about a 16 year old BC rider who got a come uppance I hope he won't soon forget.

Apparently this young man took offence to a parking control officer who was chalking tires and decided to flip the man the bird but in the process, the young man forgot he was riding and by the time he looked back at where he was going, he was going straight into the back end of a car that had stopped for the light. Now he is facing a series of fines and an ICBC increase that will cost him a pretty penny - apparently he did not have the "L" magnet on his motorcycle...he was charged with driving with undo care and attention and not having his "L' endorsement visible which is a contravention of his license conditions....

Ahhh yes, if only every young show off got caught in this manner when they were young, maybe we wouldn't have so many attention seekers driving cars with huge boom boxes cranked to the nines, or semis with Jacobs brakes and straight pipes or riding motorcycles and making the rest of us look bad...

Still - I am grateful one young man got a life lesson - and thanks to the Good Lord, the young man will live to ride another day even if it will cost him and arm and a leg for insurance...

In other news:
A 28 year old BC rider is dead after a crash near Rayleigh...Exessive speed is believed to be the cause.

Port Dover had over 100,000 visitors for Friday the 13th!

The Motorcycle Ride for Dad National Run is gaining momentum - lots of riders have been coming out to meet the gang - Prostate Cancer is becoming a well known subject that is far less fearful for men to talk about than every before all thanks to men like Garry Janz, Don Cherry, Frm Gen Hillier and the whole gang from the MRFD - I am so honoured to be a bronze sponsor of what they do.

In Waterloo Ontario a safety blitz was held targeting motorcycles and folks - it appears there are a lot of unsafe motorcycles on the road in Ontario - either that or the view we are being given in the news is very skewed...Out of around 400 motorcycles stopped in the 6 hour blitz - 56 charges were laid -
The charges included improper helmets, handlebars exceeding 380 millimetres high, defective tires, improper mufflers, no headlights and driving in contravention of license conditions.
19 motorcycles were hauled away as unsafe to ride due to major equipment defects...

If you have the time to join us - we would love to have you on our Awareness Conga for F.I.R.R.E.
If you can't join us on the road, consider joining F.I.R.R.E. (Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education) It is the best $20 you will spend on yourself!

You can also follow hubby and I as we light a F.I.R.R.E. across Canada - I will be doing my best to blog daily and keep you informed as to how the fund raising and the Awareness raising is going!

No matter what event you choose to attend this weekend - PLEASE - Ride defensively, ride your own ride - do NOT let peer pressure get the best of you...Ride like everyone around you is BLIND, has an UNSAFE load and IS out to get you and please - ride Proud not Loud - invest in a 140 DB Air horn instead!

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Tragedy in our community once again...

Our community is under siege yet again and sadly it is our own error as riders that appears to be taking it's toll this year.

In the first collision I am reporting on today - involving a death, 64 year old Donald Ulmer of Grenfell Saskatchewan was travelling at a high rate of speed - in a corner, crossed the center line and rode right into a group of 6 motorcyclists going the other direction.

The second collision involving a death was on Vancouver Island - police have not released any details.
It seems to me, more and more - that the biggest enemies we have in our community when it comes to accidents - is , well - US. Yes there are a lot of collisions with cagers where the cager is at fault but more and more people rider error is responsible for the mayhem and tragedy that we are witnessing. This year we have lost - at last count according to Education for the Driving Masses 106 riders, this makes 108 for sure - in all of 2009 we lost 118

Ride Like a Pro DVD's are available here in Canada through Flo: Go with the Flo - Ride like a Pro

Education - improving your riding skills - watching your speed on roads you don't know...we all know what it takes to be safe out there...

I get made fun of a lot when I ride as I tend to watch my speed in curves - for those who like to ride the twisties really hard - I AM NOT the companion to go riding with in the Kaslo - Nelson region. If the speed limit sign says 40KPH - then that's what you will find me doing - I tend to err on the side of caution - especially if I don't know the road well. Well - my attitude is - go ahead - make fun of me - at least I am here for you to do that.

As always - your feedback and input is deeply appreciated. I look forward to the banter...

Today marks the first leg of our Awareness Conga - for our first year I chose to create awareness for F.I.R.R.E. - the Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education. Hubby and I will ride to Morniville where we will hook up with Geoff and a couple of other veterans tomorrow morning - they will ride with us the the West End of Edmonton to meet up with Lucien B Gratton who is supposed to be riding with us to Lloydminster...Let's light a F.I.R.R.E. and watch it burn nice and bright!

In the News:
Port Dover saw over 20K motorcycles come out to celebrate the 50th Friday the 13th since the inception of the event!

Pee Wee Herman was a reporter in Sturgis and lead the Legends Ride...

The MRFD National Tour had hundreds of riders join them in Trenton.

The Military Police National Relay is supporting the Wounded Warriors

A Toronto Lawyer used some quick thinking to save the life of a motorcyclist who wrecked while trying to pass a semi ..

Wheels.ca Editor Mark Richardson shares his story about his mom's cancer and a ride he promised her...well worth reading folks.

No matter what event you choose to attend this weekend - PLEASE - Ride defensively, ride your own ride - do NOT let peer pressure get the best of you...Ride like everyone around you is BLIND, has an UNSAFE load and IS out to get you and please - ride Proud not Loud - invest in a 140 DB Air horn instead!

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education

Contact Me

Friday, August 13, 2010

The finishing touches...

I am in the final hours before my trip to Digby Nova Scotia and the Wharf Rat Rally.

In the morning, hubby and I mount up and head out on the first leg of our journey - Morinville & Edmonton. We are staying at a friends home in Morinville tomorrow evening and on Sunday morning we will head over to the Comfort Inn West in Edmonton to meet up with Lucien Gratton who is going to ride with us as far as Lloydminster.

Once in Lloydminster, Tami, the general manager of the Econo Lodge has a ton of stuff planned for us there! We are meeting with representatives of the Border Bike Rally and other motorcyclists in the area and on Monday, Tami and her partner are going to ride with us - maybe as far as Saskatoon where we will be meeting with members of the Saskatchewan Lone Wolves. They reportedly have members from all over the province coming out to meet with hubby and I and learn all about F.I.R.R.E.

And that's only the first three days of our trip. We will be equally busy in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia! And I will be doing my best to keep you updated - I have travel blogs all set up and will be reporting as regularly as mother nature and time allows.

In all we are hitting 8 provinces and our mission is to spread the message to riders about F.I.R.R.E. - the Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education and to spread the word to those who don't ride about who we who do ride - really are. We want to put a face to us/motorcyclists - so that when drivers see us from behind their steering wheels they see something more than a helmet, and gear - they see the person and the family behind that person and to ask them to take more care when they are driving their trucks, vans and cars.

In far too many cases drivers of automobiles tend to be distracted and forget to shoulder check, they throw on a signal and start to move without realizing that the vehicle they are in command of is a weapon when not used with respect and care. Many times they just move - no signals, no warning.

Our goal, our mission is to create some awareness...for and about riders.

We have one other mission...I want to send one terminally ill child and their family to Orlando to the Give the Kids the World Village. I would love to see a terminally ill child be allowed to be a child and their family be allowed some time to enjoy - I have seen so much sadness in this world and if I can help to spread a little joy - to see a child have their heart lightened...that would be fabulous!

To donate to our Conga visit my Conga Page on the F.I.R.R.E. Web Site: F.I.R.R.E.
We have our first donation of the trip! You can specify that you want to donate for F.I.R.R.E. or for the GTWV Fund (Kids Village)

Art Torvalson made a donation to F.I.R.R.E. - thank you Art - we sure appreciate it!

If you can - join hubby and I, be it for an hour, an afternoon, a day or the whole trip - we are looking forward to learning about the riders of each region and their favorite places to ride...for me personally as Belt Drive Betty - this trip is so much about spreading and sharing the pride and the love I feel for this community - MY community - the Riding Community and I can't wait - one more sleep folks - I am putting the finishing touches today on two more newspapers (Getting the shells ready - the jokes, regular features and helmet sticker sayings laid in to each one) and I have to finish my July and August invoicing and books.

Our gear is all laid out ready to be loaded on the bikes and the last little details are being attended to today as well - like changing the pin number on some cards so I can remember the darn things...last minute instructions to the daughter about looking after my kitten and my plants and I am ready - I know hubby is ready...

Let's start a F.I.R.R.E.

In the news today:
The Horsemen in Ontario really do not appreciate the Sarnia police...

If you were thinking of heading to Truro Nova Scotia and don't have a place to stay secured - don't bother this weekend...with the Dutch Mason's Blues Fest and the Motorcycle Rally on this weekend there is not a hotel room to be found anywhere - likewise for motels, campgrounds and B & B's - the story is the same - NO VACANCY!!!!

In Merritt BC two bike rallies are competing for councils approval for 2011

In Vancouver BC - The 9th annual Music Therapy Ride will take place on September 18th, 2010. All motorcycles and cars will roll out from the River Rock Casino and Resort at 9:30am. This year they are really reaching out to the whole motorcycle community to participate - not just those who ride and are in the music industry!
For more information or to join the ride, please visit www.musictherapyride.org

Again we have crashes and collisions to report - check out the Rider Down section on our web site...

Belt Drive Betty

A MAX Award winning web site!

National VP of Marketing

Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education