RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
Karma:
Well maybe they should all refuse to buy MCN for a month if they want revenge
Any motorcycling magazine that teaches peeps it's ok to speed, wheelie, create doughnuts, chop number plates, remove silencers, add nitrous to already crazy bikes and take the 'P' out of the law clearly has no place in the future of motorcycling. I bought last weeks copy and was surprised at pages of praise for the great turn out..........and nothing else!! No response from the Police chief, politicians or anyone else other than the extremely serious incident when the police tried to confiscate a camera, luckily the MCN reporter challenged him and got the camera back, oh my god how shocking!
RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
Karma:
Steady on Pond or you'll end up in the corner with me taking a beating from 20,000 bikers who've just helped MCN rake in half a million at their own expense with absolutely jack to show for it!
North Wales Police has issued a statement praising riders who flooded the region on Sunday but hinting it intends to continue randomly stopping hundreds of them every weekend.
A spokesman for the force said: "The event was clearly well attended, was very good natured and enjoyed by all involved.
"North Wales Police remain committed to saving lives and reducing road death and injury through education, enforcement and engagement."
RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
Karma:
So 20,000 people rode into Wales to 'reclaim' it and the best response was thanks lads, hope you enjoyed it but we're carrying on with our policy anyway!!
Just as i suspected MCN were the only beneficiaries from this 'protest'
Be fair RK. How many *protests* ever achieve anything other than making your voice heard and opinions known?
There wasn't a lot protesting being done in any case. It was just a very very very busy day in certain areas and no different to other popular hotspots.
I think the ones that really benefitted were the ones getting the extra trade, petrol stations, pubs and of course the 3 meeting points.
MCN got nothing out of me, that's for sure.
what do people have against the MCN, it must be liked as the numbers at the Butlins weekends every april and october, the MCN stands are always brimming with hopeful folks hoping to win a new bike, and its a well put together weekend organised by MCN covering all aspects of biking, including ride outs with the police....i just struggle to see what folks have against it ??? ...MCN as a whole, not just the paper
I stayed clear of wales that day as their was a greater chance of the police being harsher on the number of bikes in the area. As a general rule I stay out of wales.
RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
Karma:
Roachy if the protest wasn't titled 'reclaim north wales' by mcn and 'advertised' as a protest to change the thinking of the police there i'd agree with you whole heartedly.
Yes local businesses did benefit but wasn't the whole point of the protest to convince the police that what they were doing was unnacceptable and allow free passage through wales without being stopped unnecessarily.
The only thing this achieved is congestion in north wales and some great publicity for MCN. Don't get me wrong if I rode in north wales and was constantly stopped I might have joined in too but I think there are deffo more positive ways of 'protesting' that are more likely to receive a stronger response than 'it was enjoyed by all involved'!
If you and your bike are within the law then you shouldn't have anything to worry about if you're stopped by the police - should you?
BUT, if as PP seems to feel, it's just not worth riding there because of the hassle then how long before the police get their way (if indeed that is their intention).
For me, I'll ride where I want, when I want unless the law dicates otherwise.
Box hill is a fine example,plod is always there but plod is on bikes and I think go for the "cameraderie" more than the nick count. The local businesses also benefit hugely from the Bulldog Bash and want it to continue but plod still wants it stopped and I've heard horror stories of bike riders being stopped and strip searched (bike and person)in police organised compounds.
I dont mind being stopped by the old bill but when it becomes a regular occourance for no other reason apart from i am riding a bike then it becomes discrimination plain and simple.As has been said,if those had been black,gay or anything else,there would have been an outcry and more than likely illegal.
I will say however that I have never had a problem with plod in North Wales and to be honest,not really seen many of them.Events of this kind only succeed in bringing them out in my opinion
RustyKnight In: Newton Aycliffe
Posts: 2462
Karma:
*only succeed in bringing them out in my opinion*
I agree with that pond, if MCN had arranged a meeting with the police chief and all parties had agreed to sit round a table at this protest to thrash out the 'problems' then there'd have been a point to it.
Simply riding into town mob handed to show them what bikers are all about has exactly the opposite effect IMO. If i'd had to cancel a weekend with my family cos i'd been called into work as i'm sure many of the plod will have i'd be a bit 'p'd off too and looking for some recompence
A 'protest' is usually organised with some rules and instructions for the attendees, not just a ride into town, burger and chips then ride out again!
For me the day was just to have a good ride out and see a load of like minded peeps.
Yeah, ok maybe MCN did sell a few extra copies, but they also spent a lot on advertisement and in organising the event so whether they made on it is a matter of opinion. Mine is that I couldn't say.
As Roachy said though, the ones who will have truly benefitted are the local trades. And not just the Ponderosa etc. Long before we got to the cafe itself, there were lines and lines of parked bikes in towns and villages. And all of these people will have been eating and shopping.
And perhaps this is the true success of the event.
After all, the locals will have known why we were there. And when thousands of bikers turned up for the one day, instead of trouble, all they brought was huge amounts of money into the region.
If this event generates local support for our cause then it has indeed been a success.
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