The bigger picture.

[Katman]

You are untitled to your opinion Katman but FFS why now????

Because it's of vital importance that 'they' know that there is a large number of motorcyclists who do want to see a change in Motorcycling.

[MSTRS:Me]

Because it's of vital importance that 'they' know that there is a large number of motorcyclists who do want to see a change in Motorcycling.

But that's a change of culture. Nobody changes 50+ years of culture overnight. Unless it's by pricing it off the road.

[oldrider]

Yes, a pawn placed there by ourselves.

OK, I will give you that point but the "ourselves" that you constantly complain of are only small percentage of the overall "us"!

The public perception of motorcycles and motorcyclists of today is way higher than it was (dare I say it) in "my" day!

I believe it was the AA that coined the phrase "there goes another temporary New Zealander", every time a motorcyclist went by!

The media and the general public soon picked up on that and the rest is history

I might be wrong about that but hey, they (AA) are not that worried about accuracy in statistics, are they?

Funny thing is that when they (AA) began, their AA rescue service, they rode a motorcycle and side car to rescue the stricken "motorists"!

I well remember the AA advertising, featuring the motorcycle's and side-car's!

[Katman]

But that's a change of culture. Nobody changes 50+ years of culture overnight.

Nobody ever said it was going to be easy.

I'm in it for the long haul.

[Reckless]

Because it's of vital importance that 'they' know that there is a large number of motorcyclists who do want to see a change in Motorcycling.

One of Bronzes (and all the protest riders) main points/arguments is for "rider education" and rider training along with education for car drivers to be more aware of us!

Les's asking for ACC to stand by their mission statement of "accident prevention" and demanding 1 flipping million bucks to be invested in this area!

What more do you want! Everyone here to put their hands up without a fight!!!

I'm gonna send my $2k rego bill for my classic and bike to you I think!

You are not helping!

[Katman]

You are not helping!

Neither is burying your head in the sand.

[Reckless]

Neither is burying your head in the sand.

That was comment was typical Katman abusive and destructive!

Not me! I was protest riding yesterday! For no ACC fee hike and better rider education (as Les stated in his speech).

But I don't have to justify my actions to you. I stand by my comments!

I give this thread 2 pages B4 it turns into a shit fight that divides us and puts ammunition straight into ACC's gun!

Signing off! I don't want to be a party to this!

[Ixion]

So, like, the sexual abuse victims, that w ere also singled out for ACC attention. I guess they were all to blame too?

Or the guy in the wheelchair on TV the other night. ACC's targeting him (and others like him, too). All their own fault of course?

Reality is that we are in "this situation" because ACC saw us as an easy target.

Biker's public won't care what we do to them. Public hate motorcyclists. That's what ACC thought (maybe based on the negative input off people like Katman, in fact).

Turns out, ACC (and Mr Katman) were plain wrong.

The public don't hate us. In fact, the public, and , by and large, the press, have swung in behind us.

I don't recall, in 50 years, any time when motorcyclists have had so much public support.

Sure, there will always be the haters , like the AA (and Mr Katman ).

And even our supporters will criticise people who do stupid shit. As, indeed, do we.

[Katman]

Sure, there will always be the haters , like the AA (and Mr Katman ).

Steady on Les - it you truly think I'm against Motorcycling you are clearly a couple short of a six pack.

[yungatart]

I second Ixion.
Yesterday we had our regional bikeoi protest.
I was totally gobsmacked at the amount of public support we got, all of it totally unasked for!
Motorists voluntarily waving us on, car drivers tooting their horns, people taking photos and cheering us on. Overwhelming! The most extraordinary thing...the oldies! They love us! They see it as totally unfair, and a few have confessed that they wonder is it them next....
Not everyone is agaiinst us...my experience has been almost totally opposite to that!

[Katman]

Not everyone is agaiinst us...my experience has been almost totally opposite to that!

I fear that if we, as a whole, don't learn a valuable lesson from this exercise then we will struggle to call on any outside support when we face the same situation 10 years down the track.

[bogan]

political/acc dismantling agenda/whatever the reason.
We are just an easy target (or so they thought):
animosity between bikers and the much more numerous car drivers should give the proposal support (or so they thought)
we are a minority (though they have still bitten off more than they can chew)
and we are over-represented in crashes (though they still had to manipulate the stats)

could we do more to ensure we arent targeted, yes, of course, we could all drive cars. Realisticaly we will be unable to greatly change any of the points I made above, it comes with riding. Though I think we can reduce the effect, make biking a little safer, get on with car drivers a little better, get more numbers. No harm in trying any of these things, but instead of bitching about it on a forum, how bout starting the ball rolling to actually do something.

[Katman]

could we do more to ensure we arent targeted, yes, of course, we could all drive cars. Realisticaly we will be unable to greatly change any of the points I made above, it comes with riding. Though I think we can reduce the effect, make biking a little safer, get on with car drivers a little better, get more numbers. No harm in trying any of these things, but instead of bitching about it on a forum, how bout starting the ball rolling to actually do something.

I don't think we need to all drive cars. All we need to do is address the issue of reckless behaviour on motorcycles. How hard can that be?

[Reckless]

Steady on Les - it you truly think I'm against Motorcycling you are clearly a couple short of a six pack.

You annoy me mate, all you appear to want to be, is right!! and fuck the rest of us!

You wanna bang your drum on the same point and hold the few up who ride like you don't want them to, as a representation of all motorcyclists!
Calling Ixion "a couple short of a six pack" is not helping either!

You do come across to me as very anti Motorcyclist IMHO!

[bogan]

I don't think we need to all drive cars. All we need to do is address the issue of reckless behaviour on motorcycles. How hard can that be?

course we dont need to drive cars, but thats what it would take not to be targeted i reckon. And im all for stopping reckless behavior on bikes, but that sounds well difficult, a stern word aint gonna do it