We're watching you, Mr Smith. Protest 27th June 2010

[miloking]

The only thing they (and Mr Smith) did take notice of was sheer numbers. 7000 bikes frightened them. So, how do we roll out 2000 bikes in Auckland (that being about the proportion I guess ?) . What will make the Harley riders, and the Ulyssians, and the scooter riders, turn out as they did for BIKEOI!.

I think BBQ and beer wil guarantee much higher turn out (oh and summer helps too )....by the way i was there at wharf today(10 minutes late but still) signed the petition and when i heard "lets go ride" left..

Also if we are to have any chance to "protest" anything...i think we have to stop this arguing about who is riding Harley and who isnt or if you support BRONZ or if you are member of Ulysses etc. in the end we are all bikers and this is the exactly what Nick Smith wants, for bikers to be divided in invidiual clubs with their own agendas fighting each other... if we continue this we are all truly fucked.

[cowpoos]

and that will reduce the levies how? certainly not before 2019 anyway

If you want the levies reduced then the means lie within our own hands.

Bogan.....he's saying...stop falling off ya bikes...and it will get cheaper. simple

[Virago]

...I don't know if the 'hard men' ride Harleys. Certainly not all Harley riders would class as 'hard men'.

---

(I'm probably including Harley type bikes as Harleys - the crusiers generally)...

...Biggest motorcycle club in the country, Ulysses, looking for "positive and assertive leadership" ? As in , follow the one perfect motorcyclist and all drive round in two wheeled cars. Definitely not...

I'm sure you are right about Ulysses. And, I do not know very many. Some (most ? all maybe) of those I do are very nice people. Their riding style doesn't work for me, but that's neither here nor there...

I'm surprised that whilst you talk of uniting motorcyclists in this battle, you choose to categorise, factionalise and alienate with such snippets as above. Do you think that if car drivers were facing a similar battle, they would segregate into Ford versus Holden camps?

I personally believe that this particular protest action was poorly conceived, and doomed to fail from the start. The initial proposal would give no detail, other that dark mutterings about physical intimidation and law-breaking. This appears to have alienated the majority.

The actual reality, which simply involved quietly meeting somewhere to perform perversions on an effigy, appears to have disillusioned many of those few prepared to turn up.

Time for some fresh thinking, perhaps...

[cowpoos]

I'm surprised that whilst you talk of uniting motorcyclists in this battle, you choose to categorise, factionalise and alienate with such snippets as above. Do you think that if car drivers were facing a similar battle, they would segregate into Ford versus Holden camps?

I personally believe that this particular protest action was poorly conceived, and doomed to fail from the start. The initial proposal would give no detail, other that dark mutterings about physical intimidation and law-breaking. This appears to have alienated the majority.

The actual reality, which simply involved quietly meeting somewhere to perform perversions on an effigy, appears to have disillusioned many of those few prepared to turn up.

Time for some fresh thinking, perhaps...

I had an Epiphany just before and started a thread with a similar frame of mind as some of your post....infact....I like some of your post better than my opener in my thread...so you should copy paste it thier to make my thread look better

[RiderInBlack]

Time for some fresh thinking, perhaps...

2010 BRONZ AGM, Wednesday 21 July 2010 (New Thread Started follow LINK), might be a good start.

[MSTRS:Me]

It's quite obvious to me that Les's beloved 'hard men' don't exist. If they ever did. And if they ever did, chances are they'd have opted out of protest anyway, by the simple expedient that they do (did) their own thing. They'd just refuse to pay their rego/levy and get on with life.
As for the various factions within motorcycling...the clubs, interest groups etc...it is also obvious that their leaders(?) aren't interested in resisting changes/increases to ACC. Trying to reach their members through them is an exercise in futility.
The only thing that will get the word out is targetting ALL bikers as individuals. And that means saturation advertising in the media. Who can pay for that?

[bogan]

Bogan.....he's saying...stop falling off ya bikes...and it will get cheaper. simple

yes i realise that , but do you think they will bring the biker levies down again if we do? I seriously doubt it. And not till 2019 because we have to catch up to full funding.

[Katman]

yes i realise that , but do you think they will bring the biker levies down again if we do? I seriously doubt it. And not till 2019 because we have to catch up to full funding.

They possibly won't bring the levies down but it might well make them think twice before putting them up further.

(I hope you don't think we've heard the last of levy increases).

[MSTRS:Me]

It's quite obvious to me that Les's beloved 'hard men' don't exist. If they ever did. And if they ever did, chances are they'd have opted out of protest anyway, by the simple expedient that they do (did) their own thing. They'd just refuse to pay their rego/levy and get on with life.
As for the various factions within motorcycling...the clubs, interest groups etc...it is also obvious that their leaders(?) aren't interested in resisting changes/increases to ACC. Trying to reach their members through them is an exercise in futility.
The only thing that will get the word out is targetting ALL bikers as individuals. And that means saturation advertising in the media. Who can pay for that?

In fact, perhaps the time has come to stop with the bikes angle. Combine forces with other lobby groups and regain the numbers are strength thing.
Nothing to stop another BIKEOI! for our own particular ACC issues. But for ongoing lobby/protest/exposure...drop the bikes.

[Katman]

drop the bikes.

I think that's what has brought us to where we are now.

[outlawtorn]

I reckon it would be really great if everyone who has posted their opinion on this topic actually got round to a meeting....basically I'm saying pull yer finger out and give BRONZ a hand, remember BRONZ is a handful of dedicated bikers trying their damndest to accurately and fairly represent your best interests.

Come on guys, less bitchin and more thoughtful suggestions, if we are to make any difference at all we need to think, act and move forward collectively!
Cheers
John

[mashman]

I reckon it would be really great if everyone who has posted their opinion on this topic actually got round to a meeting....basically I'm saying pull yer finger out and give BRONZ a hand, remember BRONZ is a handful of dedicated bikers trying their damndest to accurately and fairly represent your best interests.

Come on guys, less bitchin and more thoughtful suggestions, if we are to make any difference at all we need to think, act and move forward collectively!
Cheers
John

Well said. and in that spirit... the boyracers have tried an idea out on the mayor of Christchurch that i'd have liked to have tried on tricky nicky

[Katman]

Well said. and in that spirit... the boyracers have tried an idea out on the mayor of Christchurch that i'd have liked to have tried on tricky nicky

Did you read the comments below that article?

The general public have had enough of boy racers and are insisting that something is done to get rid of them.

And you'd like to emulate the boy racers actions?

[MSTRS:Me]

Did you read the comments below that article?

The general public have had enough of boy racers and are insisting that something is done to get rid of them.

The public tend to be just as stupid...

Natural selection will take care of the problem. They, all due to inexperience, will eventually crash and kill or hurt themselves and the numbers will dwindle accordingly.

WTF? There is an endless supply of innocents that they can and do, take out. Plus, an endless supply of younger ones joining the ranks to keep the mayhem going.
The logic behind that person's comment may be better applied to bikers (who are generally the ones that are killed when (anything) goes wrong) YET I don't see our numbers dwindling either...

[MSTRS:Me]

Did you read the comments below that article?

The general public have had enough of boy racers and are insisting that something is done to get rid of them.

The public tend to be just as stupid...

Natural selection will take care of the problem. They, all due to inexperience, will eventually crash and kill or hurt themselves and the numbers will dwindle accordingly.

WTF? There is an endless supply of innocents that they can and do, take out. Plus, an endless supply of younger ones joining the ranks to keep the mayhem going.
The logic behind that person's comment may be better applied to bikers (who are generally the ones that are killed when (anything) goes wrong) YET I don't see our numbers dwindling either...

[Katman]

The public tend to be just as stupid...

Yep, but they've got the weight of numbers on their side.

[mashman]

Did you read the comments below that article?

The general public have had enough of boy racers and are insisting that something is done to get rid of them.

And you'd like to emulate the boy racers actions?

Not exactly what I was thinking about... the general public are fed up with boy racers hooning about the place... they were protesting against a law that stops them from driving where they like... it also got SOME FUCKING PUBLICITY, well just publicity... we're protesting, well some of us, about the abuse of the ACC health care system and the fact that Joe Q is being stiffed so that the government can cook the books to suit their own agenda... subtle differences KM... i was tipping my hat in regards to the action taken by people "we" like to villify... ironic eh!

[yachtie10]

I reckon it would be really great if everyone who has posted their opinion on this topic actually got round to a meeting....basically I'm saying pull yer finger out and give BRONZ a hand, remember BRONZ is a handful of dedicated bikers trying their damndest to accurately and fairly represent your best interests.

Come on guys, less bitchin and more thoughtful suggestions, if we are to make any difference at all we need to think, act and move forward collectively!
Cheers
John

+1
I am guilty of this (but I have excuses)
The only way things will change is if a lot of people are willing to get off there arses and make a positve contribution
whinging about what other people have done doesnt get us any where.
Lets have some positive ideas

I am talking about the levies (not about national vs labour)
my personal belief is that nothing will change because New Zealanders are to apathetic to get out in numbers to make a difference
I have been to every protest (including yesterday and Wellington) and apart from Wellington we seem to lack numbers required to achieve anything.

The only other way I see forward is to lobby effectively with the Media on the facts. Unfortunately I dont know how to achieve this. If anyone does I am in for any help I can

I also want to give thanks to those who have organised the protests at least you made an effort

[MSTRS:Me]

The only other way I see forward is to lobby effectively with the Media on the facts. Unfortunately I dont know how to achieve this.

Neither do I. I've had 10 letters published in the local paper. Not one of them has sparked any kind of exchange, nor did the paper do any sort of expose or investigative journalism. The media is as apathetic as their readers.

[retro asian]

Proof that those who turned up yesterday actually are hard men (and women):

(Look at the f%$#-ing big puddle !!!)