Safer Journeys for Motorcycling

[Brian407]

I cant believe the pessimism and negativity of most of you. How the fuck are we going to get ANYTHING changed in our favour with attitudes like that. Get a grip people. People walk over top of you because you fucken well let them. Take some responibility for yourselves and grow some balls, instead of complaining like little girls and blaming your problems on someone else. Get off your arse for fucks sake and DO something about it.

Caseye and Katman... i'm with you.

Hitcher... Without doubt, you have to be the most apathetic individual I've ever encountered. Exactly the type of person the govt needs. The path of least resistance.

[James Deuce]

What precisely can one "do"? The time to "do" something was the just held election. The same crowd appear to have been handed a mandate to continue with their policies. As has been proven over and over, bikers are not prepared to put aside their personal politics to pursue a common objective. The current Government wish to sell ACC as an insurance business and to do that they need to tighten control of or remove the worst risks to a commercial insurance business.

Bikers proved completely incapable of any outcome other than eating their own leaders and allowing themselves to be divided and thoroughly conquered whilst having lots of private and public spats an fallings out. Calling people apathetic in the face of the biggest disaster in the politicisation of the motorcycling "community" of New Zealand is precisely the kind of result the Government were hoping for. The only thing we can say we achieved it to help get Nick Smith demoted for failing to convincingly spin the Government figures and lies in way that made bikers look even stupider than they already do.

Keep up the ad hominem attacks. It's a great look.

The "general public" will never perceive motorcyclists as anything other than fucking idiots. It only takes one dickhead on a stolen chook chaser to wheelie up and down Dave Moore's street in Christchurch with his column in Fairfax media, with a far greater readership than say Kiwi Rider, and the perception is reinforced with the "general public".

There is no solution. Just enjoy the time you have left. You all missed your chance when you failed to follow up on 2009's fantastic effort.

[Brian407]

Un-fucken-believable. Can you see China from that hole in the sand you've buried your head in ?

If you cant beat em..... TRY FUCKEN HARDER !!

[Madness]

Are you living the dream Brian?

[James Deuce]

Stick your hand up Brian, get on with it, and don't come bitching to us when you can't reach far enough around to get the knives out of your back.

I've stuck my neck out for "bikers" once too often. They seem to be very angry people with short memories. Not really worth the effort.

[MSTRS:Me]

Un-fucken-believable. Can you see China from that hole in the sand you've buried your head in ?

If you cant beat em..... TRY FUCKEN HARDER !!

*small voice pipes up*

We did. And then we did again. And found that it is easier to herd cats than get ANY sort of agreement amongst bikers, much less any momentum going in some sort of movement.

Were YOU there in 2009? And where was your voice before, during and after?

[Brian407]

Not really worth the effort.

Says it all really, you are not the sort of person thats helpful to our community, you're just one more of the sheeple.

And Madness, post as many dumb ass youtube videos as you want, it doesnt change the fact that freedom has to fought for, its not an automatic right, and the more you relinguish, the more you'll loose.

Do any of you hunt? if you do then you will know exactly how a well organised MINORITY can influence the regulators. If you dont hunt then google Fiordland Wapiti Foundation and read how it works.

[NONONO]

Banish the thought you guys, ol Hitcher is entitled to his opinion, that's what makes this and any other forum so interesting .
I can't help but agree with him about the Pollies and us ranting here but never actually getting to lock horns with the Polly/Bureaucrat that matters.
That's why I've emailed Mr Wright/Wrong.That's why I've ridden to Welly , twice,joined BRONZ every year for years now. Thrown my hat in the ring when AAG and then MAG came along.
I'm tired of you lot bleating and doing NO More than that.
I've suggested that we do get in the ear of the Pollies that we do actually prove our own case for responsibility instead of blaming the car drivers and anyone else within a mile of us when we come off because we didn't see the metal on the corner, see it! we should expect it and act/ride accordingly.
I believe as Katman does, that when the general public and the pollies/bureaucrats see motorcyclists in general riding at something approaching respectable speeds, actually obeying the road rules and not giving ordinary motorists heart attacks at the audacity of their speeding,dangerous behaviour that we might have a chance at being heard and understood with something approaching a sympathetic ear.

Seriously Mark? I have ridden behind you remember
And here's my opinion..

[Brian407]

*small voice pipes up*

We did. And then we did again. And found that it is easier to herd cats than get ANY sort of agreement amongst bikers, much less any momentum going in some sort of movement.

So when beating your head against the wall hurts, DONT KEEP DOING IT. Find a way round the bloody wall, dont just walk away and say it's too hard. Thats just defeatism.

[Katman]

So when beating your head against the wall hurts, DONT KEEP DOING IT.

It's not so bad. I've been doing it for so long now I'm starting to enjoy the sensation.

[James Deuce]

a well organised MINORITY can influence the regulators.

Better men than you have tried. (I thought I'd try the ignorant bastard personal attack approach seeing as how you started it.)

You tell everyone else to do some research, well, how about you read through the ACC forum and the Kiwirider blogs to get an idea of the effort put in and the people involved?

I've been "involved" in biker politics, on and off, for more than twenty years. The end result is always the same. Several factions will publicly humiliate any "biker" stupid enough to put their hand up to lead a protest movement and develop policies around expected outcomes and what can and can't be horse traded.

If you can do better, get on with it, and stop attacking people who may or may not be willing to be part of the organisational support process.

[Brian407]

It's not so bad. I've been doing it for so long now that I'm starting to enjoy the sensation.

Starting to think that thats what I'm doing here. Too much apathy and pessimism here for me, i'm off to make a difference somewhere. My glass is Half Full, not Half Empty.

Happy New Year one and all, that is if you can bear to enjoy yourselves and be happy for a change.

[MSTRS:Me]

Starting to think that thats what I'm doing here. Too much apathy and pessimism here for me, ...

Pffft!! You've been here 5 minutes and yet you know what needs to be done to sort the issues facing bikers?
Away you go and get on with it - we're all watching and expecting great results. If you make a difference, then we'll stop bagging you.
When you've been at the coalface for a few years, like so many here have been, then you'll see why they feel the way they do.

[Brian407]

Pffft!! You've been here 5 minutes and yet you know what needs to be done to sort the issues facing bikers?
Away you go and get on with it - we're all watching and expecting great results. If you make a difference, then we'll stop bagging you.
When you've been at the coalface for a few years, like so many here have been, then you'll see why they feel the way they do.

Been here a bloody site longer than 5 minutes, and yes, after almost 40 years of riding bikes, and almost as many years in policy making roles I think i might know a thing or two about what needs to be done to get a collective, and heard, voice.

And, i hope you're not referring to this forum as 'the coalface' because it's absolutely the wrong place to begin trying to organise people. I've been watching with interest for years while forums such as this bitch and moan, and amount to nothing.

I dont care if your talking motorcyclists or kindergarten kids, everybody can become united in the pursuit of a common goal. Trick is to make the goal worth pursuing, and thats never going to happen on this forum.

If you're not going to make submissions on the current draft document before the Feb deadline then thats your choice, but make no mistake about it, Its YOUR choice, and if that choice is to do nothing then accept responsibility for YOUR choice and dont complain about what you get, and i have no further interest in discussing it with you.

[Ronin]

Stick your hand up Brian, get on with it, and don't come bitching to us when you can't reach far enough around to get the knives out of your back.

I've stuck my neck out for "bikers" once too often. They seem to be very short people with angry memories. Not really worth the effort.

Fixed that right up for you.