..if a right is worth anything its worth standing up for...
Regards Terry
PS
Please note, I'm not one these people who don't want to be involved. From the turn of the 20th century, apathy has every kind of oppressive regime from Abyssinia, through Mussolini, Hitler, and Stalin to Kim Jong-il.
Being with any of these is, actually, a good choice. Love it. Somebody has made a decision.
What really tee's most people off the apathy.
I scrapped two hours work because it turned out political, which is not what I wanted.
What I really wanted to ask is to do something that you feel really happy with and, if it fits, give a nod (kick) to those, like myself and Wannabe (maybe), and all the other unsung people who're trying to help us all.
Nobody is looking for glory. All of us, in our own way, are looking for a simple way of getting the 'establishment' to toe the line.
Regards T (Terry)
PS
Sorry if I've re-iterated Wannabe I know she loves it, anyway :)))
As for the jumped up charges - I hope you give them all they deserve and more! You're definitely not one to take these things lying down - good luck & keep us posted!
I frequently ride in North Wales and have never had a problem with the Police. I do feel however that they are very sneeky about things like a radar gun out of the back of a horse trailer. That sort of behaviour doesn't produce respect between bikers and police.
I keep to speed limits, well within reason, in 30s and 40s but probably not in 60s. Why do I? Simply because if I killed someone by speeding in a village I would never forgive myself and it would end my biking which is a big hobby of mine and I would be gutted if I could not ride.
Agree entirely Napoleon... the roads round my way are very narrow, with cars parked all over the place (Victorian terraced housing - they never in a million years imagined that the type of people living here would own a car, or several cars, or several cars plus a works van and 3 motorbikes )... Consequently, you drive/ride very slowly indeed...
However, the local authority, in its infinite wisdom, decided to put up a 20mph limit area.
I actually don't have a problem with that in theory... I don't drive more than about 15mph on most of the roads in question... BUT... the excuse for it was "safety".
If it was *really* for "safety", then why does it return to 30mph at the High Street at one end of the 20 zone and just before the school at the other end of the zone??? The 2 places most likely to have stupid people stepping out in front of vehicles without looking...
Also in some areas of Kent, the camera warning signs now carry additional warning signs stating "Detecting mobiles, seatbelts and speed". And still they try to convince us that cameras aren't just a nice little earner for them?
The truth is that safety cameras can not be installed on a length of road until there has been a number of accidents.
But, does meeting the criteria offer an excuse to install something that generates revenue? I believe it does.
Never been a fan of safety cameras from a highway safety aspect. Average speed safety cameras are a different kettle of fish. I am a big fan of these, especially the forward facing ones
I agree with Napoleon: anyone going faster than the speed limit really needs to get a clue!!
With a bike, there's never any need to run rabid, just because it's there.
Even a 125 big, beefy, Bantam would blow out any of today's 'boys racers' . (A WHAT?!? - My first bike was a 1959 BSA Bantam - nearly killed me ... every time I rode the bl@@dy thing ... And then more wheelies per 100 yards, with the exception of a Suz AS50, than you could possibly poke a stick at!!!)
You don't need more that a 50cc to blow off any 10 - 15year old asthmatic 'boy racer' car whilst still having an extra 3 or 4 gears..
...And you still have more wheelies per 100 yards than you could possibly shake a stick at!
Hmmm??? What's an R1 in a 20mph zone?!?
a) psychotic; b) brilliant; c) FUN! ..
Oh bugger!...I thought these episodes have got things better .. I really don't think I need stronger medication.. .. (we are coming to get you .. )
...yet, just as long we ensure the 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 olds, following the way as we do on the school crossing!!
A camera cannot exercise discretion... Back in the day, a police officer would possibly give you a slap on the wrist if you were trundling along at say, 50 in a 40 zone along a straight stretch of road, with no side turnings, no blind bends, no parked vehicles etc in the middle of the night, when there was no other traffic/pedestrians around... He/she might not even do that, if you didn't display any sort of attitude and held your hands up to your heinous crime...
They seem very... erm... fluid in their interpretation of the criteria... there's a camera round the corner from mine... yes, there have been some nasty accidents over the years and a fatality on that road... but nowhere near that particular stretch of it that I know of.
Coincidentally, the camera's been placed in the exact spot in the road just opposite where the Police used to hide in their cars, partially hidden from the road, hoping to catch folk out
With regard to "safety" cameras, I wish people wouldn't use that pathetic euphemism. They have as much to do with safety as Hitler did with racial tolerance. The camera partnerships are sinecures for failed and retiring policemen and the cameras usually placed where they will catch the most punters rather than where they are needed to reduce speed related accidents. They have become a substitute for road policing rather than the supplement they should be. The Kent and Medway partnership responsible for cameras in Wannabe's part of the world are one of the worst offenders for misuse of cameras and tried to stitch me up at a conference for speaking out against the current obsession with speed enforcement.
On marked speed limits, I too stick to 30 mph (they're there for a reason), most 40 mph (some of them are inappropriate) and few 50 mph especially rural ones since the majority of them are totally inappropriate and put there for window dressing. The safety lobby should drop its obsession with 'speed management' and look to improving standards of road use by all road users.
However, if we are to have more police enforcing traffic laws, they need to get their credibility back for enforcing the law without fear nor favour - which gets us back on topic. If police officers end up as they have in North Wales as Brunstrom's storm troopers, they are not deserving of our respect and everything that can be done to undermine their authority like making official complaints for random stops should be done. It's all very well saying that we shouldn't put the individual copper doing his job in an untenable position, but it seems that many of them enjoy throwing their weight about and "I was only obeying orders" didn't cut it in Nuremberg and shouldn't in North Wales. If they are acting on orders that are of questionable legality and morality, they should be penalised and left to take it out on their superiors. The Police Service should be working to regain the public's respect, not as a soft touch but as a credible organisation.
As for apathy, I worked in riders rights for many years until 2007 when I decided to get my life back but during that time, I was appalled by the apathy of most motorcyclists, many of whom had never heard of BMF and MAG and seem to let the authorities do to us as they wish without question. It's true what blind_clegg has said about State control sneaking up on us to deny our rights. The nonsense that was thrust upon us by the European Commission on motorcycle testing and training could have been headed off with enough support - although a weak European riders' representative body at the time didn't help. Thankfully, it's more militant now. Having served my time in riders' rights, it's my turn to be apathetic. I did one of the Westminster demos against parking charges but have not otherwise been active in the last couple of years and on Sunday will be going to the Essex Air Ambulance Run as I have for the previous 4 years. I wish those of you brave enough to venture into North Wales luck and hope the event achieves its objectives.
Perhaps this should have been in the Random Rant thread.
For those that are still awake/alive/interested, below is the first of two mail messages I have sent to North Wales Police.. you may want to consider sending your own... (obviously, I'm happy to discuss the implications of "conspire with, aide, abet, counsel, or (most importantly) procure"
This last one is the 'beaut' because it involves the entire Police Authority, as well as the Chief Constable and Deputy Chief Constable which, I believe, I can easily prosecute
The beauty is that you simply forward any refusals to me/the Editor of MCN (I'm sure he won't mind)...
(and the spelling checker seems to work better than my own machine :-{ )
To: psgbikesafe@nthwales.pnn.police.uk CC: northwalespolice@north-wales.police.uk, marc.potter@motorcyclenews.com
Dear Sir,
I have read a letter, published on page 28 of Motor Cycle News, issue 9th September, 2009, that purported to be a verbatim copy from "Paul Cheshire, North Wales BikeSafe Co-ordinator".
I am writing to ascertain:
1) Whether the published letter is an accurate representation of a letter you have sent;
2) Your status in North Wales Police, for which 'BikeSafe' is merely a trading name. That is, are you a Police Officer or civillian.
Depending on this information depends on how I can proceed with complaints to either the Press Complaints Commission or Independent Police Complaints Commission,
or initiate an investigation into
fraud (Section 2, the Fraud Act 2006), criminal negligence (Common Law: see R v Bateman, 1925), and/or abuse of Public Office.(Common Law)
Obviously, I would advise you to retain your responses, as it is my intention to publish this request, together with appropriate email addresses to a wider community who may wish to know if they should subscribe to MCN or complain to their MPs, councilors, MEPs, and LOCAL Police Stations, etc. about the apparent crimes indicated, explicitly, in the published letter.
Yours sincerely, <<<PUT YOUR NAME HERE>>>
CC: North Wales Police The editor, Motor Cycle News
Reclaiming North Wales for Bikers mcn This ride out is this sunday 13th i know some guys are meeting up at the quatt cafe 9am. the quatt cafe is near Bridgenorth so come along you can have a look on the facebook group page Reclaiming North Wales for Bikers
thinking out loud , hope we get a lot of positive feedback after this weekend ...maybe the media gets seriously involved and some officials feathers get ruffled .
Since my last post, I've some email correspondence with both Marc Potter, the Editor of MCN (marc.potter@motorcyclenews.com) and Paul Cheshire, North Wales BikeSafe Co-ordinator (Paul.Cheshire@nthwales.pnn.police.uk) regarding the scurrilous allegations allegedly written by Paul and published by MCN.
Fortunately, between the Press Complaints Commission and the courts (Misuse of Public Office, possible by Paul, has a serious penalty) I'm sure the veracity of either the press or the government will be vindicated.
Many, many thanks to redbull900 for his gallant offer of a seat: sadly it came too late for me (I slept in :-{ ) and I feel distraught.
Never fear. My complaints will be wending their tortuous way to a conclusion which, I seriously expect, will see a number of conspirators and co-conspirators looking for alternative employment.
Welsh coppers are b*****s I went to a big scooter rallyin Walese and all they did was hassle us non stop. ......Never had a lot of time to rape and pilage or nothing and I only managed to find 1 virgin worth taking home........unfortunatly he was one of our crew and had already been earmarked.............. Again though I have no respect for welsh coppers they are complete K**** and Im not biased I hate all forms authority.
RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
Karma:
It all seems to have gone very quiet now so what was the result of the 20,000 strong protest. Any response from the Police there or any other authority that might suggest this was a success or was it merely a load of peeps riding round Wales for the day???
![Reclaim North Wales 13 Sep 2009 (2) - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8mobileLQ.jpg)
![Reclaim North Wales 13 Sep 2009 (2) - Forums [Biker Match]](/images/backgrounds/strips/8desktopLQ.jpg)
