Nat. Party Conference Protest Ride 18-10-09

[klingon]

Here's the sattelite view.

[cheesemethod]

Is it illegal to park on a grass verge?

[klingon]

Is it illegal to park on a grass verge?

Yes, technically it is. But I think we should start with that then see where we go from there. I think our plan here (in public, remember!) is just to show up at the address and deal with the details once we get there.

[Ixion]

Yep. Too hard to tell from pictures. And they may have some of it coned off anyway.

Call it on site on the day.

[klingon]

From the satellite map we can see that there are two entrances to the car park - one on Kirkbride Road and one on Ascot Road. We will need to have a group of people near each entry to make sure all the delegates see us.

We should smile and wave and not be at all threatening or scary. Just let them know we are there and get them talking. Whenever we have the opportunity, we should put Mr Ixion forward to explain (politely) why we are there and why we have a problem with the increased levies.

[cheesemethod]

So are we agreed with 9am? Or 9.30? I just figure 9.30 might be a little late. Perhaps if we could put all those details in the calendar entry and a map just so everybody is on the same page.

[Ixion]

From the satellite map we can see that there are two entrances to the car park - one on Kirkbride Road and one on Ascot Road. We will need to have a group of people near each entry to make sure all the delegates see us.

We should smile and wave and not be at all threatening or scary. Just let them know we are there and get them talking. Whenever we have the opportunity, we should put Mr Ixion forward to explain (politely) why we are there and why we have a problem with the increased levies.

Hm, that may be difficult, surely they'll just drive past us into the car park and head on indoors ?

[PrincessBandit]

Hm, that may be difficult, surely they'll just drive past us into the car park and head on indoors ?

True, but we would at least be seen. What about a silent "guard of (dis)honour" standing beside our bikes? (If talking is not an option).

[GOONR]

I will come along to this, might take me a while to get there at my legal 70k but I will be there.

[PrincessBandit]

Oh, and is 3pm now off the menu? Or should we do both? If people can make it to both 9/9.30am AND 3pm it might have people questioning what's going on. (They might even think we've been there all day )

[GOONR]

I will check the calendar in the morning to see what time I need to be there, would prefer the morning though, gives them all day to think about the bikers outside...

[klingon]

calendar entry


Can those who plan to go, please sign up as attending. Reason is , if there's only a handful it's better not to do it, looks like we don't care much.

Can I just say it is VITAL that we get LOTS of people to this. And no staying home just because it's raining!

We risk looking ridiculous if only a handful of bikes turn up.

Please, RIGHT NOW send a text, email or PM to everyone you know on KB or elsewhere and encourage them to be there tomorrow to show their support for the cause.

This is our first chance for the issue to be brought out in public and will set the scene for everything to come.

[Skyryder]

Good luck guys. Stay sharp, stay cool, and most of all stay alive.


Skyryder

[cheesemethod]

The National Party is having a conference tomorrow in Mangere. There will be a number of KBers turning up outside the location for a peaceful park up and protest. The protest is about the outrageous proposal to increase the ACC component of your bike's registration by a large amount. If you feel that the increase in ACC fees is unfair, please come along to this 'event'. I feel that showing up in numbers will perhaps make some of the ivory tower dwellers realise that they are about to piss a lot of people off. Anyway, the details:

Time: 9am, 18/10/2009 (Sunday)

Location: Corner of Ascot and Kirkbride Roads, Mangere, Auckland. The parking situation will have to be assessed on the day, there appears to be parking available along Ascot and Kirkbride roads.

KB Calendar Entry
Please indicate your attendance on the Calendar so we can get an idea of numbers.

Please remember, this is a peaceful gettogether of likeminded people. Any illegal activity will only undermine the cause.

[James Deuce]

Someone's already on to it. Why don't you join him. He seems like a personable chap:http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/ca...ay=2009-10-18&

Just a thought. You could try being pleasant to be around instead of a ranty bastard.

Catch more flies with honey an all that.

There's quite a few people either loading everything they type around the subject with insulting subtext, or just out and out calling people names and assuming that "no one is doing anything".

Some people don't care, never will.

Some people care, but really are not in a position do bend themselves to your will.

Some people are working really hard on making sure a consistent, simple message is being delivered. They'd prefer it if you helped them coordinate their efforts rather than haring off on an ill-tempered splinter mission.

Some people would love to be part of a rent-a-crowd, but are a bit turned off by being represented by someone who doesn't have much respect for them.

Some people have done all this before and are quite convinced of the futility of arguing.

Some people have done this before and know that all that will resut is a temporary narrowing of the proposed anal enlargement.

Some have felt all the above and are still trying to be part of a larger coordinated approach and STILL, despite years of having to put up with thoughtless individuals with a very narrow focus on life crapping all over them by purporting to represent all motorcyclists, are hoping that rather than simply minimising the damage, we can engineer a more equitable solution that doesn't single motorcyclists out simply because someone said they should be.

The chip on your shoulder is unnecessary and telegraphs that not only can the Government divide and conquer us into accepting a blanket ACC levy increase to $511, we can't organise ourselves or trust anyone else to manage an effective visible and behind the scenes response. Today's Ulysses news item was ill judged and poorly executed.

Try not to be another one of those.

A better way to get people along is:

"I'm organising a passive protest outside the National Party Conference in Mangere tomorrow, and I'd realy like to get some numbers together. We'll go for a ride and a coffee after spending an hour onsite."