Engaging the rest

[dpex]

Who cares about bikers? Bikers.

The rest don't care. They have their own worries.

So I'll say it again. We NEED to engage a much wider group to protest with us.

Not about the proposed increases but about the targeted levy itself.

Registered road-users are the ONLY group targeted for a special levy.

We pay it through rego and fuel. Why? Simple. Because they can force us to pay.

My proposition is that Targeted levies are unjust.

But I come back to the point. Who cares about bikers?

Nobody but bikers.

But who cares about all of the other registered road-users who will soon be forced to pay more to protect those who pay nothing extra?

Nobody. That's who. Because all registered road-users are fractionated by class.

Sure, the truckies got up 'once' and protested. But what about the cabbies, the couriers, the ambulances, even cop cars.

So what do we do to engage them?

First we have to make them understand that they, like us bikers, are being unfairly targeted. Second, that the unfair levy is about to increase. Third, we have to invite them to join us to protest one simple thing.

All ACC Levies Must Be On The Individual, regardless of what that individual is doing. That's what Woodhouse proposed.

This is a media action. To get the media to stop focusing on idiots...as regards our (biker) cause, we need money.

You wanna stump up with ten bucks. Yeah right.

But, imagine how 'helpful' the lads at a particular Westfield mall would be after they discovered every car-park, on a Saturday, was filled with bikes, couriers, taxis, you name them. Then to discover the access roads were full of trucks.

No trade. All day. Just one Saturday. The cost to a mall would be in the millions.

This would not be blackmail. We'd simply be pointing out that of the several million folk who rock up to the mall, every year, bereft of the bucks they pay ACC, they could be spending it here.

In this way we go to the heart of commerce and the public...each of whom is being similarly raped by ACC but don't really care because it is JUST a part of rego and gas.

But take away their ability to rock into their favourite mall and suddenly you get their attention.

But their attention has to be focused on the fact that every driver of every registered motor vehicle is being raped to support all the rest.

And so, all those bikers ready to rock up to West City Mall, on Saturday 28th November, then be in. Be there by 8:30, and let's fill the place up.

Meanwhile I'll be talking with truckers, cabbies, Couriers, et al.

Let's make 28th November a day which West City Ltd will not want to repeat.

We take all of the car-parks. They lose a day's trade. A day's trade to a mall is measured in the millions of dollars.

So let's strike where it hurts most and will get the greatest bang for our time.

West City Mall. 8:30 am. 28th November.

Be there.

All that are up for it, say AYE!

[Hitcher]

We'll get a wider group of support if we promote a few simple messages and stick to them. We'll lose people's interest very quickly if our message is too complex or if they think we're whingeing or trying to duck out of our "responsibilities".

One of our issues at the moment is lazy mainstream media parroting "facts" and figures from the Minister and ACC without doing any analysis. That's our job. While it's great to get people like Prof Charlie Lamb onboard, we also need to accept that nobody listens to National Radio's afternoon programme. A cunning plan to get our messages in front of Joe Q and Sharlene Public in a form that's easy for them to understand is key.

• We want people to distrust ACC
• We want people to distrust the Government's intentions for ACC
• We want people to think that bikers are being unfairly picked on
• We want people to think that bikers are decent reasonable people -- just like they are.

That achieved, we will have won the hearts and minds of middle New Zealand. That must be our objective.

[sinfull]

I seen ya rolling through waikanae on ya way home David, i know what you'd been up to, ya bloody protestor you !!