Mmm this is not going the way I had envisaged.
There does seem to be a problem with the Policing methods used in North Wales. The Chef Constable has recently changed but the attitude of that force will remain until its nudged in the right direction.
I ride a motorbike. The Police are trying to discourage motorbikes in Snowdonia. Lots of you out there are talking about riding sensibly, responsibly, within the speed limits and on a fully road legal bikes.
Well so do I and I have an 08 R1200GS MU with all the options.
Im a driving instructor for cars.
I drive a Fire Engine for Cumbria Fire Service.
I have IAM membership.
Im not advocating any sort of illegality. I look at this in the same way that the walkers did with the Right to Roam campaign in the '80s
I work with the Police on a daily basis and just like the reset of us they sometimes get it wrong both individually and as a group. It will take something like this action to prompt them to take a look at themselves and realize that discriminating against one type of road user is not appropriate.
Of course it depends how we behave on the day. But Id have thought, we represent the more responsible end of the motorbike spectrum and thus we are a group that would be most suited to take part in this event.
Lastly, remember this yes you ride a nice BMW but its a motorbike and the people and groups that dont like motorbikes dont like yours just the same!
That's all very laudable Mike, but if you read the links above, most people seem to think (including myself) that this ride, although for the right reasons, is very likely to shoot itself in the foot......it is, unfortunately, more of PR stunt by MCN than anything else, and the sports bike knobber riders seem to be determined to turn up with their '
I've got a small plate, so what, why aren't you nicking proper criminals' attitude.
It will only take a few minor infringements, or one or two twats riding like knobjockeys on this ride out, to dent the motorcyclists' cause and you can guarantee that the relevant anti brigade will pick it up, blow it up and use it as further proof that we SHOULD be banned from the place.
You'll also see (from those other threads) that the vast majority of people who ride there sensibly and responsibly have never been stopped or had any aggro......so is there, in reality,anything to 'take back' if it hasn't been taken away from anyone apart from those who don't deserve to use it anyway
Rather than working against the police, it seems to me we should be working
with them, but also standing firm against the illegal or unfair blanket banning of PTW's from the area as Brunstrum advocated.
That's not going to be accomplished by encouraging hundreds of loonies in irridium visors to ride like plonkers in an already sensitive area.....I'm afraid the only result I can see coming from this exercise is damage to our future pleasure in riding in N Wales and as a Welsh Dragon might say....for that reason Mike, I'm out.
Did ya see what I did there huh??
Coat, getting.
(allegedly)
