Anti Motorcycling Sentiment gets worse

amiles · Jun 25, 2008

After some years of displeasure over the Myrtle Beach area motorcycle rallies something bad is starting to happen. Citing residents complaints of traffic, crime and indecent behavior, Myrtle Beach City officials have passed a property tax initiative that will provide about one million dollars to be used to end the three motorcycle rallies held here.

Since there never has been any "official" sanction of the HD rallies there is no "Official" sanction to remove, short of the non issuance of Vendor permits, which has already been done in the city.

The MB Spring and Fall Rallies are de-facto HD style events with little centralization, heavily attended by middle aged bikers of Caucasian descent. The Bikefest is somewhat more centered in a town called Atlantic Beach, heavily attended by younger riders of African descent primarily on Sport Bikes. Atlantic Beach has so far vowed to continue with their rally.

There are some differences in the animosities against the rallies, but all three are considered the public enemy and are being targeted by the authorities.

Many plans have been proposed none selected as yet. Interesting that the tax money is being collected without any real specific plans for implementing the goal.
Having a local helmet law and gasp, enforcing existing traffic and noise laws have been proposed.

So that there is no misunderstanding, these rallies have little in common with the BMWMOA or RA style of rally beyond motorcycles being the central focus.

The business community is divided on this as many make a significant amount of their yearly profit during these rallies while others stand idle.

This looks like a bad omen for motorcyclists

krazo · Jun 25, 2008

And the beat goes on...

All over the country small cities, HOA's and even Denver are adamant about getting rid of loud pipes and the BS that goes with them.

They are passing laws/regulations that take the chickenshyte route instead of directly enforcing noise ordnances:
1. Since we don't want to enforce just noise, it is much easier just to ban ALL m/c. (used by many HOA's)
2. Instead of enforcing specific noise limits, we'll ban any aftermarket alterations to the exhaust system. (Denver). Therefore, any aftermarket changes to the exhaust, on any bike, is suspect for ticketing and banning.
3. A variation on 1; we'll ban ALL bikes during certain hours (a curfew) that will make it easy on the cops...see a bike moving = ticket.

With the above, the government makes it easy on themselves and don't have to listen to complaints by the dirtbaggers that they are being discriminated against. None of these "easy" solutions bode well for most of the members of this forum or the thousands of new commuters that are taking to the motorbike for their commuting vehicle of choice.

oldhway · Jun 25, 2008

This is most definitely a bad omen for bikers. I believe Burlington Vermont would love to see 9000 Motorcyclists come visit again.

I think to keep from being impacted by situations as that in the original post, we as motorcyclists need to be proactive in educating the public in the difference between "Motorcycle" culture and "Biker" culture.

More and more of our neighbors looking at motorcycles as reliable, economical (with $4.50 a gallon gas) transportation will help.

Just my .02

greenwald · Jun 25, 2008

amiles said:
After some years of displeasure over the Myrtle Beach area motorcycle rallies something bad is starting to happen. Citing residents complaints of traffic, crime and indecent behavior, Myrtle Beach City officials have passed a property tax initiative that will provide about one million dollars to be used to end the three motorcycle rallies held here.

Since there never has been any "official" sanction of the HD rallies there is no "Official" sanction to remove, short of the non issuance of Vendor permits, which has already been done in the city.

The MB Spring and Fall Rallies are de-facto HD style events with little centralization, heavily attended by middle aged bikers of Caucasian descent. The Bikefest is somewhat more centered in a town called Atlantic Beach, heavily attended by younger riders of African descent primarily on Sport Bikes. Atlantic Beach has so far vowed to continue with their rally.

There are some differences in the animosities against the rallies, but all three are considered the public enemy and are being targeted by the authorities.

Many plans have been proposed none selected as yet. Interesting that the tax money is being collected without any real specific plans for implementing the goal.
Having a local helmet law and gasp, enforcing existing traffic and noise laws have been proposed.

So that there is no misunderstanding, these rallies have little in common with the BMWMOA or RA style of rally beyond motorcycles being the central focus.

The business community is divided on this as many make a significant amount of their yearly profit during these rallies while others stand idle.

This looks like a bad omen for motorcyclists

So.......not only do 'loud pipes' not save lives, they do apparently kill rallies.

Like we didn't see this coming.

johnpeter · Jun 25, 2008

LOUD PIPES indeed! Straight pipes is more like it.

There is a distinct difference between a "biker" and a motorcyclist. I am content to be amoung the former.

A month ago I rode PCH between Long Beach CA and Dana Point just for the fun of it in the late afternoon rain on a Friday. Not one LOUD PIPE. Very pleasnt ride.

gulfcoastbeemer · Jun 25, 2008

Not all people approach motorcycling in the same way, or for the same reasons.

Unfortunately, the most visible group of motorcyclists is comprised of confused souls who most likely had an unhappy childhood. For them, motorcycles mostly represent a means to gain needed attention, not a means of transportation.

FatChance · Jun 25, 2008

Durango is going through the same sort of thing. For years, there has been a large (i.e. 20-30K bikers) rally in the nearby small Ute reservation town of Ignacio every Labor Day weekend. But for those three days, the main 6 block area of Main Avenue in downtown Durango is lined solid with bikes from the rally taking all the parking places on both sides of the street and every bar, restaurant, hotel and motel is packed to the gills. And every year, the local paper is full of letters to the editor to the effect that Durango should do away with the rally, the noise, the traffic and the lack of hotel resources for a more desirable class of tourists. Yet, Durango doesn't put on the rally, it doesn't grant any vendor permits, puts on no events and has nothing at all to do with the rally other being 30 miles from the rally and raking in the millions of tax and business revenue the rally attendees provide. So, the city can do nothing about it other than talk about strict enforcement of noise ordinances, but so far, that has mostly been targeted at teenagers in lowriders cruising Main Avenue with their stereos blasting over-powered bass woofers. It sounds like Durango is probably handling it the right way. They don't have anything to do with the rally but are raking in the bucks. So far, they have politely ignored the locals who are complaining (the ones who don't make any money off the influx of bikers with bucks in their pockets) and are grinning and bearing the noise and congestion.

rocketman · Jun 25, 2008

gulfcoastbeemer said:
Not all people approach motorcycling in the same way, or for the same reasons.

Unfortunately, the most visible group of motorcyclists is comprised of confused souls who most likely had an unhappy childhood. For them, motorcycles mostly represent a means to gain needed attention, not a means of transportation.

RM

Mongo · Jun 25, 2008

gulfcoastbeemer said:
Not all people approach motorcycling in the same way, or for the same reasons.

Unfortunately, the most visible group of motorcyclists is comprised of confused souls who most likely had an unhappy childhood. For them, motorcycles mostly represent a means to gain needed attention, not a means of transportation.

Pulease

..... Give me a break.

BeemerMike · Jun 25, 2008

Hmmm . . . "visitors" on motorcycles come into an area, and even though they bring money to spend, they wear out their welcome with loud pipes and conduct that upsets the locals, who then do not want the visitors to come back.

Wow, who would have thought THAT possible? Don't motorcyclists/bikers have "rights"? :whistle

greenwald · Jun 25, 2008

gulfcoastbeemer said:
Not all people approach motorcycling in the same way, or for the same reasons.

Unfortunately, the most visible group of motorcyclists is comprised of confused souls who most likely had an unhappy childhood. For them, motorcycles mostly represent a means to gain needed attention, not a means of transportation.

Well said!!

roostershooter · Jun 25, 2008

gulfcoastbeemer said:
Not all people approach motorcycling in the same way, or for the same reasons.

Unfortunately, the most visible group of motorcyclists is comprised of confused souls who most likely had an unhappy childhood. For them, motorcycles mostly represent a means to gain needed attention, not a means of transportation.

Not sure about the unhappy childhood part, but I tend to agree with the need for attention statement.

BreadMan · Jun 25, 2008

OK, I'm going to get pilloried for this, but having lived in Myrtle Beach for three years, I can see why they want to get rid of the motorcycle rallies.

The HD rally is crowded, horrifically noisy, and while the hotel do get business from them, the majority of funds spent are at vendor "non-local" businesses, instead of at local restaurants and bars.

The week goes by with the local media reporting on the number of deaths each week, and lots and lots of citations for drunk and disorderly.

The second bike week, or "black bike week" is centered on a small section of North Myrtle Beach, and while not as large, or as widespread as the HD rally, what it lacks in quantity, it makes up in quality. Due to the problems, many restaurants and businesses just close for the week, and again out of town vendors receive most of the economic impact.

crazydrummerdude · Jun 25, 2008

BeemerMike said:
Hmmm . . . "visitors" on motorcycles come into an area, and even though they bring money to spend, they wear out their welcome with loud pipes and conduct that upsets the locals, who then do not want the visitors to come back.

Wow, who would have thought THAT possible?

+1

rocketman · Jun 26, 2008

Or.....perhaps the ones that fail do so, at least in part, due to lack of planning and good crowd control, etc.

Two examples that come to mind are Rolling Thunder in DC where this year is was reported that something like 750 thousand bikes show up and I don't remember seeing any negative reports, yes it was loud, and no I don't care much for loud bikes, but by and large most were well within reasonable limits and the times I've gone downtown things certainly looked well controled and they have been invited back each year.

The other one that I am familiar with is West Virginia Mountainfest, again the vast majority are the cruiser crowd and in the three years its been running it too has been well organized, well planned and the city gets involved with the event, downtown parking for the duration is reserved for MC parking, they bring a ton of business to the area, and there have been very few reports of problems and I have had a great time and whatever I have ridden, either my 78 or LT I didn't feel any negative vibes from anyone.

My point is simply that there are a number of factors that can make for a good event that pulls the local government into wanting to support the event or make them wish everyone would go away and there will always be those that complain regardless. Overall in the 40 years I've been riding I have seen a much greater acceptance of myself as a biker and a more open attitude toward the fact I ride. Also consider how many more bikes on the road today and I think overall the number of problems as a percentage of that number has decreased, in so far as MC related events are concerned.

RM

ALLANCOOK · Jun 26, 2008

I don't think rallies are what's alienating the non-riding public. The public knows what to expect at rallies and for the most part they seem to enjoy them.

Our problem as riders, vis-a-vis the non-riding public, is the lack of respect some riders have for cagers and for themselves. Whenever I see some twenty-something squid pulling a wheelie at 80 mph, every time one blasts by me at a buck fifty, every time a gearless, fat, drunken slob roars through my neighborhood at 1 a.m., I know that's x cagers lost.

It is a constant struggle to win and to maintain the respect of cagers. Maybe we shouldn't have to do it, but we do and there's nothing to be done about it until riders, all riders, show respect for them by riding responsibly.

flgoff · Jun 26, 2008

I just returned form a trip to Maine that took me through Laconia during bike week. I'm sure the rally generates lots of income for that area and is appreciated by those who reap some of that income.

It's the guy on the chopper who feels the need to repeatedly rev his straight piped engine at every traffic light who makes the rest of the populace feel that having a bike rally is a little like inviting pedophile Uncle Ned to the family reunion every year.

Floyd

oldhway · Jun 26, 2008

If 30,000 librarians in Volkswagen Beetles came to town with the intention of ignoring the law, abusing the locals, and just generally misbehaving, I would expect my local goverment to do something about it. If 30,000 Tatoo'd bikers came to town to have a good time, obeyed the law, were polite and generally well behaved, I'd expect my local goverment to try to encourage them to come again.

When I was young and would go to visit a friends house, Mom would always send me off with the admonishment to be a good guest if I ever wanted to be asked back.

If someone came to your house and acted like an ignorant ass and you didn't invite them back, who's the bad guy?

I don't care who you are or how you get there, it's about your behavior. Be a good guest and you'll be a welcomed guest.

The biker lifestyle is someones choice and they are free to make it. Just don't try to inflict it on folks who aren't interested.

BeemerMike · Jun 26, 2008

Consideration Counts

This past weekend four of us made a "border-to-border" ride across Texas. We ended up riding in two "groups" of two. My group was me on my R1100RS and a friend on her 2007 Honda Interceptor. In some small town out in West Texas (probably Fort Stockton), we first stopped for gas and then went to the nearby Dairy Queen (it IS West Texas, after all) for some liquids and some AC (temps were in the mid to high 90's).

We sat down at a table, with our helmets and our other riding gear (me in my blue and red Aerostich), next to a table with a woman in her 30's and her two small children eating their DQ sundaes. After a few minutes, SHE asked us where we going . . . and then told us that we had passed her car coming into town. The speed limit is 80 mph on I-10 in that part of Texas, and we MAY have been going a little faster than that. She said appreciated how we used our turn signals, and then waited until we got some space ahead of her before we moved back in to the right lane. It was a short, but pleasant, conversation.

Sometimes you just never know when you will have the opportunity to make a good, or bad, impression on the cager public.

userw5 · Jun 26, 2008

Oldhway said:
If 30,000 librarians in Volkswagen Beetles came to town with the intention of ignoring the law, abusing the locals, and just generally misbehaving, I would expect my local goverment to do something about it. If 30,000 Tatoo'd bikers came to town to have a good time, obeyed the law, were polite and generally well behaved, I'd expect my local goverment to try to encourage them to come again.

When I was young and would go to visit a friends house, Mom would always send me off with the admonishment to be a good guest if I ever wanted to be asked back.

If someone came to your house and acted like an ignorant ass and you didn't invite them back, who's the bad guy?

I don't care who you are or how you get there, it's about your behavior. Be a good guest and you'll be a welcomed guest.

The biker lifestyle is someones choice and they are free to make it. Just don't try to inflict it on folks who aren't interested.

I have had a place in North Myrtle Beach (NMB) for about 10 years and until this year I had not (for various reasons) ridden my bike there. Over the years I have been there during all 3 bike weeks. I think Oldhway sums it up nicely. Let me add, that not all riders/bikers cause the problem. But like most groups, there are those that end up ruining it for the rest.

Jeff

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