"Myrtle Beach Hates Bikers!" - or does it?

[boomerang2120]

Does the City of Myrtle Beach hate bikers? Well, maybe not exactly…

We go down and stay usually a couple or three of times a year for long weekends. It’s partly our first visit, that by complete accident happened to be during Bike Week, that revived my urge to get another bike after 25+ years.

Here’s what I was told by a local guy who works the front desk at the condos we always stay at.

For years the locals liked all the bikes and all the money they brought riding into town. For the most part it was down right family friendly, with only a few each year causing any real problems. Sure there were locals that didn’t like some of the noise, and uninvited ‘lawn sprinkling’ that went on, but all in all it was calm and great visibility for the city.

Fast forward some years and Bike Week developed into two different events. The original and the follow-on generally known as Black Bike Week.

Now here’s where it gets tricky. He said that over the more recent few years Black Bike Week got harder and harder to control. More violence, more robberies, more vandalism, more damaged rooms, more walking out on bills at hotels-restaurants-bars. The tipping point was when a local white college student was shot to death over a parking spot down near one of the favorite hangouts.

Now you have some really mad white South Carolinians – but - the ‘city fathers’ have to make darn sure they aren’t going to be accused of singling out any one group for ‘targeted enforcement’ or ‘profiling’. So the crackdown has to target everybody.

Galveston Texas went through something similar about 15-20 years ago. There was a time when no one with half a brain would go stay in that town, and you sure didn’t want to be out on the street after dark. They lost money and visitors for years. Then after years of cracking down, as if by magic, it turned into a really nice clean place and the families came back.

His take on the whole thing is that after some small number of years the ‘city fathers’ will start to relax and try and bring back the ‘family friendly’ crowd and all the money they bring with them.

Who knows what the real story is, but I'm going to keep my eye open for the day I can ride my bike right through the town, that in part got me back on a bike, and enjoy every minute of it.

[glwilson]

I know someone that lives there, and it sounds like basically the same story he told me. This, unfortunately has turned into a very "touchy" situation for them -- legally, and in public-relations.

Seems like the crowd involved in Black-Bike Week were known to be regularly "unruly" (as stated by my friend).

When the city tried to ban just that particular event, they were met with discrimination charges (or at least threats to such) -- that apparently held Federal-weight -- enough that they simply had to ban all bike events in the community.

In addition; they had to change the local-laws to make it difficult for most bikes to be able to ride legally there, so as to avoid other groups suing them for discrimination for disallowing them to hold an event.

Myrtle Beach caught a lot of "heat" (and still do) from all kinds of people and groups that held events there, or that simply went there to visit and ride. You can still read an occasional blog where someone is p!ssed-off at the city because of the ban.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

So are you saying no bikes in Myrtle Beach at all?

[glwilson]

I cannot verify whether you can have a bike in Myrtle Beach or not... however I am getting the indication they do not welcome bikers at all.

Here is a link to a article discussing the issues.

http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2009...rcy-ar-155378/

I suppose we'll have someone from that area give us a more accurate assessment of the rules. ;)

[Loafer]

Originally Posted by AlabamaNomadRider

So are you saying no bikes in Myrtle Beach at all?

I googled Myrtle beach bike week. It said there is no bike week in Myrtle beach, but there is a rally in Grand Strand nearby. It also says to use Rte. 31 to avoid Myrtle beach.

[wompus]

My adopted sons wifes mother and father owned a old motel in MB. He said the blacks would go right through the Sheetrock room to room just tearing it out so they didn't haver to go out the doors to visit each other. After a couple years of them he just shut his business down.

They might as well move it here to Atlanta... this is about the blackest city/ tri county area in America! Here they welcome the black mentality with open arms. :(" title="" border="0"/>

.

[boomerang2120]

It's not that they "don't allow" bikes in the city. Just that inside the actual city limits of Myrtle Beach they look for every reason possible to pull you over. Some things are not so obvious, like South Carolina does not have a helmet law, while the City of Myrtle Beach does. Then there are sound level checks where they'll pull you over and stick a dB meter up your tail pipe. Funny how even stock bikes fail. Oh, and can't forget limits on "cruising" - be seen going up and down the main drag more than once every couple of hours and you're asking to be pulled over.

I actually saw a bicycle cop hop off his bike, step out into the street, and stop two black teenage girls going 15-20mph on a rental scooter for not wearing eye protection. Kept them there until someone loaned them some sunglasses.

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by Boomerang

It's not that they "don't allow" bikes in the city. Just that inside the actual city limits of Myrtle Beach they look for every reason possible to pull you over. Some things are not so obvious, like South Carolina does not have a helmet law, while the City of Myrtle Beach does. Then there are sound level checks where they'll pull you over and stick a dB meter up your tail pipe. Funny how even stock bikes fail. Oh, and can't forget limits on "cruising" - be seen going up and down the main drag more than once every couple of hours and you're asking to be pulled over.

I actually saw a bicycle cop hop off his bike, step out into the street, and stop two black teenage girls going 15-20mph on a rental scooter for not wearing eye protection. Kept them there until someone loaned them some sunglasses.

That is what I have heard also... they are making it miserable to even ride in MB so that most will just not go there.

I have read on a few other blogs where people that used to go to MB (not necessarily for a rally) on their bikes found out that the place they stayed no longer allows bikes to be parked there. One particular blog said they didn't learn this until they rode all the way there, then were stuck without having a place to stay -- and they "claimed" they were not offered any refund. So, they parked the bike somewhere else and rented a car to get to their rental-place. If that was true... that kind-of sucks.

To be truthful... I can see where a town/city would want to eliminate the problems they were facing. I don't like @ssholes no matter what their mode of transportation is.

[Stump]

Well I guess I won't be going to MB any time soon. :(" title="" border="0"/>

[cactusjack]

I'm over 2,000 miles away, and it's unlikely the opportunity to ride to Myrtle Beach would ever present itself. I'd avoid the place like the plague, though. I guess biker money isn't green enough for them.

[ringadingh]

Sounds like there plan is working. When enough people finally quit going and retail shops suffer they may rethink their idea.

[boomerang2120]

From:

http://www.southcarolinacriminaldefe...aw_overtu.html


Posted On: June 11, 2010 by Bobby G. Frederick
Myrtle Beach helmet law overturned - too late for the bike rally, but better late than never
Earlier this week, the South Carolina Supreme Court released its decision on Myrtle Beach's motorcycle ordinances - the laws are invalid because they are pre-empted by state law.

n S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-30 (2009) the General Assembly authorized local authorities to act in the field of traffic regulation if the ordinance does not conflict with the provisions of the Uniform Traffic Act. Even assuming, as the City contends, that the Helmet Ordinance does not conflict with the Uniform Traffic Act, we find that the ordinance may not stand as the need for uniformity is plainly evident in the regulation of motorcycle helmets and eyewear. Were local authorities allowed to enforce individual helmet ordinances, riders would need to familiarize themselves with the various ordinances in advance of a trip, so as to ensure compliance. Riders opting not to wear helmets or eyewear in other areas of the state would be obliged to carry the equipment with them if they intended to pass through a city with a helmet ordinance. Moreover, local authorities might enact ordinances imposing additional and even conflicting equipment requirements. Such burdens would unduly limit a citizen's freedom of movement throughout the State. Consequently, the Helmet Ordinance must fail under the doctrine of implied preemption.
Myrtle Beach City Council's attempt to harass bikers and kick them out of town = fail. How about we refund the money for all of the tickets that have been paid, now? And reimburse motorcyclists for the time that they spent on the side of the road getting hassled by the police during bike week? Because you knew, from the beginning, that these ordinances were unconstitutional?

[glwilson]

Given what the court provided, I can see why they overturned the law.

It would be far too confusing not knowing what each city required in equipment.

In other words, no consistency in the law would be an extreme burden to citizens. ;)

[NRiderUSA]

I guess MB isnt immune from having people in charge that "Think" they know whats best for their subjects.

As is the way of out rulers over the years, instead of prosecuting those breaking the exisiting laws, they create "coverall" laws to punish "everyone".

Every incident that was listed could have been covered simply by enforcing the laws against vandalism etc and sticking it to the dicks that did them....
Bet the businesses wish they would allow people to come into town again and punish the dicks that tag along instead.

[glwilson]

From what I can tell, there are quite a few businesses that actually do not want the "biker events" in town at all.

Evidently, there simply was not enough money being made verses all the hassles, damage, and trash (actual garbage -- not necessarily people-trash) caused as a result of the biker-events.

(Anyone from that town/area can chime-in and correct me if I am getting wrong information.)

I also read where many businesses tried closing during the events -- only to be sued on some idiotic discrimination charge.

I find the delima to be rather interesting. Personally, I think communities should be able to determine what "events" they allow or disallow. At the same time I think a business can close at any time they want, without having to face silly charges of discrimination.

I am against discrimination in all forms; however if a business closes completely to everyone, then who in the h@ll are they discriminating against? No one would be my opinion.

Regarding motorcycles in MB... it would be my guess they have mostly succeeded in discouraging many from ever going there. I would have no intentions of going there to only get a rude reception (to say the least). It would also be unlikely that I'll ever go there without my motorcycle -- so they are going to lose tourist dollars beyond what they bargained for to some degree. I am almost positive MB has caused themselves some damage (possibly for a long time) from what I read. There are a lot of people that will not go there ever based on the publicity surrounding this issue -- and I do believe they may underestimate the "purchasing-power" of motorcyclists as a demographic group.