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

[Marmoot]

Advertising the protest in NZHerald would be better for the exposure and sure to attract some attention (from everyone including opposition), wouldn't it?

[FastBikeGear]

It was pretty evident from the brief conversations that I heard this morning at the protest, that as someone said earlier in the thread there is very little consensus about protesting in the biking community.

There is an evident lack of consensus about both what people are protesting about and how to do it.

Here's some food for thinking. Please ignore the typos and bad grammar it's a bit of rapid brain dump.

There are a whole range of reasons as follows (and nicely summed up in the original BRONZ manifesto here http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...1647-Manifesto)

The following are the main items (Features) in the list.

Some people are protesting about the privatising of ACC accounts. Some of us believe that ACC is going to allow the private sector to move into providing injury insurance and compensation for motor vehicle accidents. Some riders want this opened up to private competition some don't.

Some people are Protesting about the move to the fully funded model. Some riders are in favour of this and some aren't

Some people are protesting about the inequity of 'insurance' fees paid by different risk groups and get into the analysis of complicated statistics to prove their point.

Some people are protesting because they want a return to the long abandoned principals of the Woodhouse report that ACC was founded on.

Some people are protesting because the new changes are being justified on a new philosophy that motorcyclists are ‘responsible’ for their accidents which re-introduces the notion of fault into the scheme when it was set up in the first place to avoid it.

Some are protesting that those who choose motorcycles instead of cars make a positive social and environmental contribution. motorcycles use less fuel, have a smaller footprint, cause less emission, congestion and pollution

Some are protesting that ACC should be required, as public policy to take account of social and environmental benefits when setting levies and accept a responsibility for promoting those

Some are protesting that the present method of levying vehicle registrations causes unjustifiable anomalies and injustice, not only to motorcyclists but to anyone who has more than one vehicle but drives only one at a time.

Some are protesting that ACC is not in financial crisis and is not broke. The "crisis" is an artificially engendered one to give spurious justification for actions that the Government could not otherwise justify

Some are protesting that there is no justification, statistical or otherwise, for different levy rates on different capacities of motorcycles.


The marketing problem

If this was a product and campaigning for changes to ACC is a marketing issue, then you have a problem. The problem is we have a product that has multiple features (the list above) and not all customers want all features.

When marketing a product (in this case your product is changing ACC) you are typically looking for a single (USP) Unique Selling Proposition sometimes called a Point of Difference that will both significantly effect (or benefit) the majority of customers and be simple to convey to the majority of customers.

Which would you pick as the USP from the list above?

Next you have to decide who the target market for the campaign is?

Is your market all New Zealanders, or just all motorcyclists, or is it just Nick Smith and key members of National Party that you have to sell our product to?

Or do you even need to sell your proposal to change ACC to the next government (perhaps Labour and Phil?) and get them to adopt it as part of their stated election campaign promises?

What will it take for the National Party to change their mind. Will you be able to convince them by logic they have made a genuine error so that they put up their hands and say we see the error in our decisions and will reverse them?

Can we change Nicks mind without support (pressure) from other groups and is the motorcycle riders market big enough on their own to bring pressure to change the system? Motorcyclists represent a reasonably big voting block on their own.

What form will the pressure need to be in?

1.If they don't change their minds it will be a key factor in them being voted out at the next election?
2.If they don't change their minds you will vilify and lampoon them so that they buckle and cave in?


Taking the campaign to the market

Having made these decisions it needs to be decided how to take it to market. What form and tone do your protests and marketing (lobbying) need to take to get the results you want? If you honestly believe you don't need the rest of the motoring public on side, maybe you can afford to alienate them and this may change the style of protesting/lobbying you opt for. There are many many ways you can take the message to the market. Maybe you organise a national petition to show that the countries leaders that the form of ACC we have is a voting issue.

So the decisions that need to be made are:

What is the USP?
Who are you marketing your USP to?
What pressure can you bring to support your USP
How do you take our message to the chosen target market?

[MSTRS:Me]

My opinion is that Nick the prick isn't interested in our opinion. So we must grab his attention by targetting all of NZ. With the message that everyone is being charged more and is getting less for their money. Whether ACC remains a 'public' entity or goes private, makes no difference. Everyone is being shafted. The only way to stop this is to return ACC to it's founding principles. And stop all political tinkering.

[Katman]

What will it take for the National Party to change their mind.

The greatest leverage we could possibly get would come from motorcyclists being seen to be taking motorcycling a whole lot more responsibly (including putting pressure on fellow motorcyclists to clean up their act) and becoming a less costly burden for ACC.

We need to be seen to be crashing a whole lot less.

[bogan]

I think one of the reasons the bikeoi worked so well, was that it wasn't about any consensus's other than we don't want these fucking levies. Supporters of all actions turned up, and all the reps got a say (i think?).

Why not try that again, set a date, get speaker submissions (bronz, uylesses, wima etc; katman can even stand up in front of thousands of bikers and tell us to sort our shit out if he wants!), put the word out ages in advance, get huge numbers, that will send a message.

[retro asian]

Here are some photos, in case anyone wants to email a press release to stuff.co.nz or nzherald etc

The effergy was a novel idea, but there was no one (from the public) around in the vicinity to see it. If it was in the viaduct by the restaurants or on Queen st it would have been fun for the passers by to watch. And kinda gutted that we didn't get to ride through the city as a big group with our "Nick Smith".

[Katman]

The effergy was a novel idea, but there was no one (from the public) around in the vicinity to see it.

Thank fuck for that.

How big a laughing stock do you want us to be?

[Big Dave]

Advertising the protest in NZHerald would be better for the exposure and sure to attract some attention (from everyone including opposition), wouldn't it?

BRONZ can afford classified advertising.

[Katman]

BRONZ can afford classified advertising.

BRONZ need to start asking themselves why (at a time when motorcyclists are looking for positive and assertive leadership) are they not gaining the widespread support of motorcyclists that they should conceivably be able to expect.

[NONONO]

BRONZ need to start asking themselves why (at a time when motorcyclists are looking for positive and assertive leadership) are they not gaining the widespread support of motorcyclists that they should conceivably be able to expect.

Because, as Les keeps telling us, BRONZ do not represent bikers, they (we, I spose as a member) represent motorcycling.
Now I for one have never been off road on a bike, never raced on a track, don't hoon across deserts or play motorcycle polo. I ride on the roads so by definition am only a minor concern for BRONZ. Suppose BRONZ is the equivalent of "Bike Rider TV", interested in all things two wheeled and motorised. But I'm not really. I'm interested in road bikes and the people who ride them on the road.
There is a not too subtle difference and no doubt many of us do both. But I'm less than interested in quad bike races and agility trails.

[Katman]

Because, as Les keeps telling us, BRONZ do not represent bikers, they (we, I spose as a member) represent motorcycling.

Unfortunately, currently BRONZ seems to be representing nothing other than Les' bitter and twisted viewpoint.

[Ixion]

Worked for me, to the extent that it answered the questions I wanted answered.

About 75 bikes, a few more people. But, they were the same 75 that have faithfully turned out for each event.

And that wasn't the demographic we were looking for (as I kept saying). The people we were hoping to reach, the hardmen, the wild geese, not associated with clubs or the internet, weren't there at all. And we did try to reach them , through channels that (I hope) most of you don't know about.

They responded with a big yawn. So, my take , is that the "heaps of dudes ready for action so long as it's aggressive and confrontational", that we keep being told about, don't actually exist. And the hard men , the men who would be up for disruptive action, have solved the ACC issue the easy way- they're just not registering their bikes. Sorted.

The people we see still protesting (and full respect to them) are polite, respectful, law abiding. Very few Harleys, lots of BMWs sort of thing.

But those are the sort of people that political systems ignore. Unless there are thousands of them, 70 turnout in mid winter, maybe 300 in summer. 500 at max even with massive promotion. That won't set fear into the hearts of Mr Smith or Mr Judge.

We cut the program short when we saw the turnout, wasn't going to work with those numbers, and they weren't people that would have been comfortable with it.

Not analysed all the feedback yet , but overwhelmingly, as expected it's in favour of legal, mostly peaceful. Not convinced myself that it really reflects motorcycling, but it's the only feedback we have, and the numbers are what the numbers are, BRONZ isn't in the business of telling people what they should think.

Which at least settles the internal issue within BRONZ. Pity, but as I sa the numbers are what the numbers are.

BRONZ represents motorcycling , not motorcyclists. So we can't just ask our membership what they think, or even the internet (cos, odd as it may seem, some people aren't into the net). Today we asked those people, the ones who aren't on the net, aren't in BRONZ , if they wanted in. They weren't interested.

Doesn't mean we give up, but its pretty clear the numbers aren't there for mass action. So, it's back to the drawing board.

Further opposition is going to have be based in those smoke filled rooms again, the stuff Mr Wobblyas talked about. (interestingly, haven't heard from him in a long time. Sign of a changing tide? )

Thanks to everyone who turned out.

[Ixion]

Because, as Les keeps telling us, BRONZ do not represent bikers, they (we, I spose as a member) represent motorcycling.
Now I for one have never been off road on a bike, never raced on a track, don't hoon across deserts or play motorcycle polo. I ride on the roads so by definition am only a minor concern for BRONZ. Suppose BRONZ is the equivalent of "Bike Rider TV", interested in all things two wheeled and motorised. But I'm not really. I'm interested in road bikes and the people who ride them on the road.
There is a not too subtle difference and no doubt many of us do both. But I'm less than interested in quad bike races and agility trails.

Are "motorcyclists looking for positive and assertive leadship" ? I don't think they are. After todays meeting, I stopped at the abr in Wiawera. (Nice bar). lady behind the abr rides a CB400. Was mildly interested in the protest, agreed that ACC was expensive, not interested in actually doing anything about. Looking for "positive and assertive leadership". Nope.

Moved on to Puhoi. Couple of dozen Harleys there (the people I was hoping might turn out for the meeting). Had a wee talk with them. They don't like paying $517 Who does, But they don't see it as a big deal, they're not looking for any action on it. Looking for "positive and assertive leadership" . Nope. They'd tell the positive and assertive leader to fuck off.

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.

Are the (large number of) dirt riders unhappy and looking for "positive and assertive leadership"? I'm not into that scene , but I don't think they are.

Should they be? Maybe. Should they all be beating themselves over the head and yelling "I am evil, I am unworthy, everything is my fault". No. Fuck off.

I think "positive and assertive leadership" is code speak for "beat up on bikers who don't kowtow to the one perfect motorcyclist and drive two wheeled cars; and grovel apologetically to Mr Smith". And I don't see any appetite within motorcycling for that.

I don't agree with what Mr Smith and ACC are doing. Nor does BRONZ. But the vast mass of NZ motorcyclists aren't too worried about it. We'll keep trying to persuade bikers that they should be worried about it. But not at the expense of treating them like shit.

(but please stop falling off so forkin' often, m'kay)

[Maha]

''I don't agree with what Mr Smith and ACC are doing. Nor does BRONZ. But the vast mass of NZ motorcyclists aren't too worried about it''.

It really does seem that way Les.
But we will crack on regardless.

Like you said in Wellington ''this is not the end, its the begining''.

Our last outing attracted 105 bikes, and to be honest, that was more than any of us expected.
United we stand, divided we.......well you know how it goes.

[Ixion]

''I don't agree with what Mr Smith and ACC are doing. Nor does BRONZ. But the vast mass of NZ motorcyclists aren't too worried about it''.

It really does seem that way Les.
But we will crack on regardless.

Like you said in Wellington ''this is not the end, its the begining''.

Our last outing attracted 105 bikes, and to be honest, that was more than any of us expected.
United we stand, divided we.......well you know how it goes.

My problem is that 105 and the 75 today were the same people. It's not like we're adding new blood with each meeting/ride. We're not reaching the rest, like the couple of dozen Harleys at Puhoi today. They just don't see a problem.

I don't think we're actually all that much divided , no more than bikers always are , (except for the one obvious permanently divided gentleman), in that the people who aren't fighting don't actually disagree with the campaign, they just don't see it as an issue that's important enough to get their time or attention.

Apathy, not opposition is the problem.