Before leaving home I spent sometime thinking of today, being the shortest day of the year - this struck a chord with me, and in view of the dreadful accidents these past 12 months involving motorcycles - and cars, as well as the recent truck and bicycle rider fatally on Thursday, to me it was ironic too.
I wrote to the District Police Commander earlier this month advising that a 'general public social motorcycle ride' was planned for the winter solstice weekend. I initiated the post in the calendar and forum and this morning prepared the following 'few words':
Winter Solstice Ride
21 June 2008
The internet can be like a highway with many many users – and to illustrate this point today’s Winter Solstice Ride, posted on the Kiwibiker site, brings together people whom have an interest in motorcycle riding.
Users of the internet and our roads and highways come from from all walks of life, chances are you can form a small group of 5 to 8 people here today and generally each of us would know very little about the other person. And, on the road it is much the same thing we know nothing about the other road user and what he or she may do.
Early this month I was in contact with the District Police Commander and seeing as we are road users coming together – some for the first time, I requested the presence of a NZ Police Officer to spend a few minutes to talk to us.
I would like to introduce:____________________________
____________________________
And in so doing I want to express our condolences in the sad and tragic loss of Superintendent Steve Fitzgerald
The ride today was excellent, a small group of seven - being an optimum small group ride size (had there been more, or many more, then I would have recommended staggered group departures).
One of the comments that came out today, regarding the police public relations stopping at Rimutex Upper Hutt and Mobil Masterton: "You see the same person in a different light, you are not receiving a ticket." Moreover however, my intention in requesting a police public relations involvement was to create a theme, and I believe that such involvement does not need elaborating suffice to say it is positive and reinforcing.
The winter solstice being the shortest day brought to mind for me that for all those that ride, the shortest day should not mean a short life. Therein remains the theme of the Winter Solstice Ride.
Heads up and Enjoy