Says it all really....🙄

[Ian]

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/motorbikes-overlooked-by-government-mcia/

[Moto63]

Hhmmm.... as the title suggests. Yes doesn’t it just.

[Smithy]

I can't say I'm surprised really despite evidence from studies that use of PTWs to get people to work would dramatically decrease road congestion and pollution the government remain blind to the benefits. There seems no reason for this prejudice in these days of clean, efficient two wheeled transport.

I have decided in the face of such prejudice to celebrate the fact that being ignored by the mainstream government must make me some sort of rebel. After all the hipsters took over beards so that's no good, the punks took over para boots so that's no good and these days every young woman I see has tattooing. My position as a 60 something rebel was slipping, I was no longer edgy so finding out I am ignored has revived my status as rebel without a clue.

Hey man Live to Ride, Ride to the shops for a pint of milk and some nice biccies.

Ian

[mthee]

Very funny  from a fellow rebel without a clue 

[BrendanO]

Very frustrating.

MAG (and others) have been wirking on this all week, and as a result, it was raised in Westminster yesterday by an MP whose name I forget but who is in the All Party Parliamentary Motorcycling Group or some such.

In response, Grant Shapps saud that indeed motorcycling was very important to the economy with blah blah blah blah. But there y'go, it did get picked up.


Of course, if more than 1%-odd of motorcyclists were individual MAG members, we'd have had the clout to not have been forgotten in the first place. MAG does a lot with only a handful of paid staff  (I think only TWO fulltimers).

Or if you dont feel MAG is your orofile, join BMF instead.

[iansoady]

Those of us who are in one-make clubs (eg Norton Owners) are associate members of both MAG and BMF. I despaired of MAG when they supported the racist bloke who only took up riding (a C50 IIRC) in order to cause animosity against Sikhs. And Lembit Opik, their current front man is an idiot.

We have to accept that we are a small minority and to be honest I don't think we do too badly generally. We're not helped by the "1%ers" and the clowns with their throttles against the stop I've been hearing out and about recently. However, I'm sure everyone here is a fine upstanding citizen.

[BrendanO]

Not everyone in organisations nor political parties we support will be perfect Ian. Abd as you say, sadly , some dickheads are drawn to bikes (the worst ones often on quads in urban settings, cos they dont want to have to pass a bike test).

An important point that MAG has recently been pushing is exactly the one you make about club members  like yourself who are also BMF/MAG members through their clubs. Turns out - big surprise to me - that MAG membership through a club gets literally pennies per member to MAG!! From a point of paying fir politicsl lobbying (or say an air fare to a Transport Scotland meeting), it isnt very helpful...but all those club me bers feel they've done their bit.

I would again seriously ask everyone on two wheel to think about being an individusl member of MAG, BMF, LARA, TRF.

MAG is £27 individual membership, the magazine has become pretty good (it's as big as say Ride), and if you go to the right Yorkshire rallies, you get free beer tokens to their very cheap bars.

But mist importantly, without cash coming in, the govt get to do what they want.

Cycling isn't being promoted just cos its cheap(-ish) and healthy (except for RTA rate).  They have lots of folk onside, and lots of me bers of CTC, SPOKES, and lots of other clubs.  (and I say that as an occasional cyclist, in fact I'm about to cycle to Screwfix).

[mthee]

Food for thought! I'll definitely be getting off my arse to see about a membership. Thanks for posting.

[BrendanO]

Awwww, thanks!  That's given me a bit of a boost on a day when I've sat doing nothing

I owe you a drink sometime! (Note to self to make more of an effort to meet Thumpers when this is over. Curses Saturday job...)

Sorry for all the mistypes in last post too.

Ok, deffo motivated to go to Screwfix now!!

[CrazyFrog]

Those of us who are in one-make clubs (eg Norton Owners) are associate members of both MAG and BMF. I despaired of MAG when they supported the racist bloke who only took up riding (a C50 IIRC) in order to cause animosity against Sikhs. And Lembit Opik, their current front man is an idiot.

We have to accept that we are a small minority and to be honest I don't think we do too badly generally. We're not helped by the "1%ers" and the clowns with their throttles against the stop I've been hearing out and about recently. However, I'm sure everyone here is a fine upstanding citizen.

I lost faith when they went through all that political shenanigans 4 or 5 years ago. One of the casualties of the witch hunt was our local rep, a guy called paddy who I met a few times and who was a really nice person, and a former MZ man too! I very nearly left in disgust, but on reflection carried on paying my subs as they really are the only voice we have got, sadly.

[BrendanO]

In reply to CrazyFrog, yeah, that all seemed a bit nasty. I dont know the ins and outs.

I felt uncomfy with some sexist shit from them, mainly the magazine, maybe 10 yrs back.

As for the non-Sikh guy wearing a turban and kicking up when he got stopped...well, it's certainly an interesting pub argument (in  that if he was Sikh, he'd be fine, so it's religious discrimination cos ge's not); but a bit crass in real life - that exemption was one of the few examples of a govt being pragmatic, saying we'd like you to all wear hekmets, but appreciate that part of the population CANT!
They also knew that in 1971, the London buses and Underground would grind to a halt without a percentage of its workforce being able to show up. (compare to current example of nannies being allowed back to work for their posh employers, but you cant visit yr parents). Anyway, I wonder if MAG got forced into supporting him as their original motivation was against helmet compulsion (not against helmet use). They also backed the more sensible guy with the BMW C1 (roof, seatbelt) when he went to court and lost.

.
.
So, not perfect, but quite good and getting better. Deffo getting very good at political engagement (and hVing an ex-MP in Lemit Opek may be a smart move there).

This just posted on fb (sorry if u dont have. Or well-done if u dont have?)

https://www.facebook.com/179141508124/posts/10161831513418125/

.

(Post from MAG, joint effort from them, TRF, BMF, VMCC, etc.  MCIA not mentioned, strangely enough.)