Boycott Charity Rides?

[Top Cat]

This should get some responses ;)
Here in NY State about a year and a half ago a State Trooper was chasing a crotch rocket, don't remember what model. The trooper was driving a 4x4 SUV.
Long story short the trooper went off the road on a curve and hit a tree and was killed. The kid on the motorcycle was eventually caught as the trooper gave the bikes license plate number to headquarters before he went off the road.
OK the kid was speeding so he is to blame but the Trooper was driving an SUV which are top heavy to begin with and do not have very sports car like handling. Just my opinion but the Trooper once he had the plate number should have backed off and radioed ahead to apprehend the kid. Be that as it may...............
As a direct result of this unfortunate accident the State Police here are setting up Motorcycle specific road checks. They say it is in the name of motorcycle safty. If you are on a bike you get the full treatment,license, registration,check the pipes, legal helmet,etc. If you are in a car you are waved through.
Now there is a movement by people who ride to boycott any charity ride in response to the motorcycle specific harassment.
I know this isn't going to hurt law enforcement ( well there is one ride every year to benefit a policeman who was murdered on a traffic stop ) but it will hurt the charitys.
My question is, do you agree with the boycott or not?

[Bdog]

Boycott would be tit for tat and the innocent charity would suffer. Two wrongs don't make a right. There are also a lot of bikes on the road that shouldn't be..so road side inspections are a good thing imo. If your bike/gear/paperwork is in order..one shouldn't have a problem...Bdog

[cactusjack]

I don't agree with the boycott. This is like boycotting beef by not buying vegetables. It isn't the charities fault this cop used poor judgment. While I do agree something should be done, this isn't the way to do it.

I would suggest supporting the AMA, ABATE, or the MRF and ask them to lobby to stop this discriminatory practice.

[strobe]

My guess is that they will give it a try, not see any real results and it will fade away. Crackdowns like this seem to go that way, an irrational reaction to an incident that once they try realize that it does nothing, then they remember that the real problem is idiot drivers (like the kid on the crotch rocket and drunk drivers) and focus back on them. You may have a few zealot troopers though that may keep things going a bit longer than most.

Also, I agree with Bdog, the innocent charity suffers and as for the inspections, IMO all vehicles should be subject to that kind of inspection to get the unsafe ones off the roads, as long as they do not take it too far and allow a troopers personal opinion ( for example, pipes too loud when they are still legal) to be the new law.

[phenrichs]

I do not agree with the boycott but what they are doing is profiling and that is wrong. Something needs to be done.

[darthvulcan]

Originally Posted by Bdog

Boycott would be tit for tat and the innocent charity would suffer. Two wrongs don't make a right. There are also a lot of bikes on the road that shouldn't be..so road side inspections are a good thing imo. If your bike/gear/paperwork is in order..one shouldn't have a problem...Bdog

+1 word for word...

[bosko]

Originally Posted by Bdog

Boycott would be tit for tat and the innocent charity would suffer. Two wrongs don't make a right. There are also a lot of bikes on the road that shouldn't be..so road side inspections are a good thing imo. If your bike/gear/paperwork is in order..one shouldn't have a problem...Bdog

+2


I just figured out the message Icon. :)

[jasperboy]

I agree that a boycott would not heave the desired effect. Perhaps some litigation pressure from one of the Motorcycle Lobbist Groups or the ACLU. Another idea is similar to the annual Coast Guard Reserve Boat Inspections that happen at every lake, river etc.... They stake out all the launch ramps in the spring to "offer" inspections. They make sure you have lifevests, lights work, horn, distress flag, proper registration etc... You then get a sticker that shows you are good for the year. Perhaps something similar where you could get a inspection card to avoid the checkpoint. Of course my first choice is "screw that, this is America" , but anymore I'm not so sure...

[ringadingh]

Picking on bikes because a cop made a stupid decision to chase a bike and died. It doesn't seem fair. The cop had a bad day at work, thats all.

[dogdoc]

Originally Posted by Ringadingh

Picking on bikes because a cop made a stupid decision to chase a bike and died. It doesn't seem fair. The cop had a bad day at work, thats all.

I agree, its not fair for the bikes to be singled out. Some bikes,,ahhh, Nomads might be altered and not meet specs.

[sarge1057]

I'm not sure how boycotting charity rides would help unless you mean boycott police sponsored rides.

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by Bdog

Boycott would be tit for tat and the innocent charity would suffer. Two wrongs don't make a right. There are also a lot of bikes on the road that shouldn't be..so road side inspections are a good thing imo. If your bike/gear/paperwork is in order..one shouldn't have a problem...Bdog

+1

Enough said on this. I don't understand a boycott on charity rides to protest this situation. It simply doesn't make sense to do so.

In fact; I would think "riders" would want to come out in full-force to support "riding".

[Top Cat]

Let me see if I can clear up the confusion :-/
When motorcyclists go on a charity ride there are lots of bikes in the group. The police set up a check station on the route. They stop EVERY bike in the group. Cars get the wave through. This is discrimination of the motorcyclist. If the motorcyclists don't put on any charity rides there is no known route for the police to set up on where they can harass 100 bikes in one location.
I know this dosen't hurt the police but if they get some feedback from charitys they may back off a bit.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Top Cat (TC)

Let me see if I can clear up the confusion :-/
When motorcyclists go on a charity ride there are lots of bikes in the group. The police set up a check station on the route. They stop EVERY bike in the group. Cars get the wave through. This is discrimination of the motorcyclist. If the motorcyclists don't put on any charity rides there is no known route for the police to set up on where they can harass 100 bikes in one location.
I know this dosen't hurt the police but if they get some feedback from charitys they may back off a bit.

Ah, okay TC - that kinda makes sense now since you explained the logic behind it.

I'm glad they don't do that here. I know of a few spots where the cops like to hang out to catch (mostly) sportbikes speeding through twisties, but they don't hassle you unless you're doing something you shouldn't be doing.

[bosko]

Originally Posted by Top Cat (TC)

Let me see if I can clear up the confusion :-/
When motorcyclists go on a charity ride there are lots of bikes in the group. The police set up a check station on the route. They stop EVERY bike in the group. Cars get the wave through. This is discrimination of the motorcyclist. If the motorcyclists don't put on any charity rides there is no known route for the police to set up on where they can harass 100 bikes in one location.
I know this dosen't hurt the police but if they get some feedback from charitys they may back off a bit.

If the cops plan on stopping charity rides in this manner "in the name of safety", I say that's Bullsh!t.