The biking Community

I've always believed that as a biker you are part of a tight(ish) knit community and you have an invisible thread connecting to every other biker.
You may not like certain brands of bikes and their rider but its always a jovial mickey taking.

However this year I've seen more and more of the nasty side of bikers coming out. We endured physical and verbal assaults as part of a fundraising committee this year becuase of changes we had to implement from external bodies. There seems to be more agression towards each other dare I say egos clashing to the extent that at time I am finding myself thinking if this is what biking is do I really want to be a part of it.

I love my biking always have and loved sharing something with complete strangers. So is there a change or have I just happened to come accross all the guff this year?

[dizzyblonde]

Aye, occasionally theres someone who spoils it.

Last night a fella on a streetfighter was pulling out of the industrial estate, and I was pushing the pram up the hill. He stopped on the road and waved, I gave him the nod in return, as I didn't recognise him but had to acknowledge.........some fella is gonna tap me on the shoulder one day and say 'it was me ya berk!'......I must know who it was, but I'm as blind as a bat and he had a lid on lol.

I don't worry about it myself. It's no different to being a dog owner say, in that you'll meet other dog owners and have something to talk about, a connection as such. But any cnut can own a dog.

I'm thinking of starting an apathetic riding club if you wanna join.

Originally Posted by Stenno

I
I'm thinking of starting an apathetic riding club if you wanna join.

That sounds well sort of fun if you want it to be!

i just seem to be on the recieving end of a lot of smash this year from other bikers. there's always been the snipes but usually resolved and ultimately good hearted but being told to F off you ain't wanted because you expressed and opinion different to theirs.

It sours it becuase you do forget the good ones in the community - (all those I've spent night with despite never meeting them before - Dizz, Phil, Tara etc etc )

Originally Posted by Stenno

I'm thinking of starting an apathetic riding club if you wanna join.

Meh.

[garynortheast]

Don't get me started on the so called cameraderie of bikers/motorcyclists. My experience of it when I lived dahn Sarf in the 70's was that it was a pile of hypocritical dog poo. The"outlaw" scene, massive amounts of bike theft by other so called "bikers" and a tendancy towards violence and intimidation of anyone who didn't do things in a certain way, had other political views or who didn't show respect for this or that club.
It was a relief to move up here more than quarter of a century ago and start riding on my own or with one or two very carefully chosed friends.
Grumble, grumble...

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Quedos

However this year I've seen more and more of the nasty side of bikers coming out. We endured physical and verbal assaults as part of a fundraising committee this year becuase of changes we had to implement from external bodies.

I think this is something that does bring out the worst in some folks. A charity event is someone's 'baby' and when there is a change of management the 'old guard' often find it hard to let go. I don't know the details of your experience, but sounds very similar to the problems that beset the Wirral Egg Run after a change of committee and changes were forced on them by external agencies. Those issues are well documented on the web and still rumble on.

I will say, good for you for sticking it out, there are always more 'silent majority' bikers who support what you are doing than there are vociferous nay sayers.

Have one of these..

[Viney]

Originally Posted by Quedos

I've always believed that as a biker you are part of a tight(ish) knit community and you have an invisible thread connecting to every other biker.
You may not like certain brands of bikes and their rider but its always a jovial mickey taking.

However this year I've seen more and more of the nasty side of bikers coming out. We endured physical and verbal assaults as part of a fundraising committee this year becuase of changes we had to implement from external bodies. There seems to be more agression towards each other dare I say egos clashing to the extent that at time I am finding myself thinking if this is what biking is do I really want to be a part of it.

I love my biking always have and loved sharing something with complete strangers. So is there a change or have I just happened to come accross all the guff this year?

Then step back and let them do it and get all the grief. Eveyone thinks its easy to do this stuff, buts not. Personally, i have come to the conclusion that its not worth the effort.

A biking community. Erm, whats one of those then? I have firends that i have met via the use of a motorcyle, but i see them as that friends.

One thing i do know, and this is life in general, and that is you can please some of the people... On biking forums however, this seems harder. Hence why i dont organise rideouts any more other than with epople that i know are flexible and easy going.

Originally Posted by Viney

A biking community. Erm, whats one of those then? I have firends that i have met via the use of a motorcyle, but i see them as that friends.

One thing i do know, and this is life in general, and that is you can please some of the people... On biking forums however, this seems harder. Hence why i dont organise rideouts any more other than with epople that i know are flexible and easy going.

Meh, I heard your rideouts were rubbish anyway.....

I dunno, I will nod at bikes on the road but I still think that as someone said, although there is that initial ice breaker of having a bike, it's still a case of having to find likeminded people.

Can't please all the people, all the time unfortunately.

Organising something to fit in with every body's need is nigh on impossible,so why don't people just pick out the bits they want to do and do there own thing for the other part.You are not compelled to go/do all things planned for the GM or AR,you always have a choice as an individual
Slating or being hyper critical because some part of the agenda does not suit you as an individual doesn't mean that others would not want to do it.
I say good luck to the people who take the time and effort to organise events and if you can't add anything useful or helpful don't add anything at all.


Yes,you can express your thoughts but if you want to step up to the plate and do the organising go ahead and plan something else, which is when you suddenly discover that it is not so easy.


WELL DONE ORGANISERS OF THE GM AND AR and any other event

P.S Asking for information or details not already posted or you may have missed does not constitute being critical