EU hands off Biking, 25th Sept

[Moose]

I hope some of you guys will joins us (Mag) for the following Demo,

Cheers
Moose.

http://www.mag-uk.org/en/news

16-08-11 25th Sept -Act Now! EU Hands Off Biking!
A National Co-ordinated Day of Action using the Nation's motorway and main trunk routes is planned for 25th September at 1pm. Simultaneous action across the country.


There's a raft of issues emanating from Europe that will have a profound effect on riders and the motorcycle industry generally and we must stand up. Some of them are driven by the EU Commission, like the new Type Approval and Market Surveillance Regulation that will see the introduction of compulsory ABS, the sealing of powertrains from airbox to the diameter and aspect ratio of the rear tyre, restrictions on the aftermarket industry, possible roadside checks by police or other Gov agencies to inspect emissions or for owner 'tuning' and more.

There's EU funded development of electronics to control and govern speeds either through warning systems or actual throttle control and the plans in Ireland for compulsory, full sleeve day-glo jackets for riders and pillions.

As with France, where reflective/day-glo clothing is being debated, the onus should not be on the victim. Will insurance companies start saying that because we weren't dressed in day-glo it's our own fault that an inattentive driver drove into us?

France also wants to ban bikes over 7 years old from urban areas for environmental reasons! Their congestion is already terrible and putting more riders into cars that pollute terribly when they are stationary, is bonkers.

Bikes are part of the urban transport solution, not problem.

Enough! There will be a vote by the MEP committee discussing the above Regulation, at the start of October (4th/5th or 6th). We need them to listen. They represent us. MAG and many others in the motorcycle community are negotiating hard with our own Government and our European representatives.

On the 25th September you can make your voice heard. Starting from service areas across the country, we all ride at 1pm and vanish 20 minutes later. This is the first time.

Join us to keep EU hands off biking.

Closer to the date, we will be listing all the actual start points here, on the Riders Are Voters.org website and many other places. We've already got venues from Plymouth to Aberdeen on most M-ways and major trunk routes, but if you or your bike club would like to be a 'starter', contact us for co-ordinated action.

[Samray]

Been following the EU Proposals, and the EU demos.
It certainly is a worthwhile protest, numbers will hopefully be too large to ignore completely.

Hope the subject of zero tolerance doesn't raise it's head. ... and hope the sun shines.

[DavShill]

Moose - be a good idea to keep this thread updated with links of where to find the itinerary so we can join our nearest hook up point. Any more news?

[BikerGran]

For those on Facebook there's a useful page - look for

25th Sept 2011 - Action Now! EU Hands Off Biking

as I don't seem to be able to post a live link.
(edit by D-R ... I've made that a link for you)

[Nooj]

All meetings are at 12:00 on Sunday 25th, all rides start at 13:00.

Farcebook group
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=217936881589100

Farcebook interactive ride map
http://www.facebook.com/pages/25th-Sept ... 2544333196

[DavShill]

Brill - meeting point just near me

[flatlander]

facebook is the masg link in the op updated with a list?

[BikerGran]

Not sure what the question is, but the answer may be - there's a link to a map on the FB page with all the starting points. Being updated all the time.

[Tweaker]

Excellent! There's one close to me on the M62 - it's in the diary.

[flatlander]

ok so there is one at Sandbach so thats good for me

On a related note if there are to be more things like this it may be worth considering more strategic points, if they haven't already.

For example we once worked out that by blocking half a dozen roads you could paralyze a massive percentage of ttraffic in this country not scientific or anything but you only have to recall going through the lorry park near walsall M6 /M5 convergence to get the jist

M6 M5 convergence and M6 M1 convergence For example woiuld be a good start IMHO

PS

I couldn't see it over on AP site so have copied your post over there if thats ok?

First they came for the lorrys
and I did not speak out - because I was not a lorry driver.

Then they came for the car drivers
and I did not speak out - because I was not a car driver.

Then they came for the motor cyclists
and I did not speak out - because I was not a motor cuyclist.

Then they came for me -
and by then there was no one left to speak out for me.

apologies to The German anti-Nazi activist,Pastor Martin Niemöller
Community and individuality are not opposites. People cannot survive on their own. When the odds are stacked against you, you must rally with the oppressed and hated.

[BikerGran]

If you read the blurb you'll see that the idea is definitely NOT to block any roads - just to make our point and be seen without breaking the law (blocking the road with slow moving bikes could be held to be obstructing the highway).

[flatlander]

you are right it could be... but unlikely I feel plus you don't have to ride slowly just the volume of traffic does that on a normal day.

Actually personally I agree with not breaking most laws bending a few and generally trying to be good I do wonder how many people will have fully road legal bikes on the day though

[D-Rider]

If you read the blurb you'll see that the idea is definitely NOT to block any roads - just to make our point and be seen without breaking the law (blocking the road with slow moving bikes could be held to be obstructing the highway).

I think it is essential not to block roads or ride deliberately slowly etc.

Let's face it, publicity to the wider population beforehand will be virtually non-existent and they won't have a clue as to why there are loads of bikers getting in their way, inconveniencing them and making them late. There is huge potential to shoot the whole cause in the foot and turn potential supporters into those against us.

[Moose]

Let's face it, publicity to the wider population beforehand will be virtually non-existent and they won't have a clue as to why there are loads of bikers getting in their way, inconveniencing them and making them late. There is huge potential to shoot the whole cause in the foot and turn potential supporters into those against us.

MAG central are supposed to be co-ordinating press releases so the public knows what is going on + we only ride for 20-30 minutes @ 45-48mph then disperse, this will of course slow down any following traffic but will NOT block the road, it is also being done on a Sunday so as to cause the least disruption, some have said we should hold it on a weekday to cause most disruption.

On a positive note did you see that the Tyne tunnel is now free for bikes (from the 12th Sept)?
After years of campaigning and direct action, and with threat of a further demo they asked us not to demo, and agreed to allow bikes free passage.

We (East Yorkhire Mag) are intending to demo the Humber bridge on the 25th.

[Moose]

Update

We are no longer going to Demo the Humber Bridge on the 25th

Because as of April 2012 bikes will cross the Bridge for free (we have it in writing) I think they were a little bit concerned that we were going to demo the Bridge on the 25th so contacted us with the good news, so we wouldn't.

Direct action (or the threat of) seems to work

Here is a link to the starting points http://tinyurl.com/Action-Now-EU-Hands-Off-Biking

I have sent the following out, if anyone wants to do the same please feel free.

Hi,



I am sending this to EVERYONE in my contacts list. Don't worry, you are on a BCC, so I am not broadcasting your email address to the world!



If you are planning to travel anywhere in Britain on 25th September your journey may well be affected. At 1pm on Sunday September 25th a simultaneous demonstration will take place on motorways and major roads across the UK. This is being coordinated by the Motorcycle Action Group (http://www.mag-uk.org) in protest at a raft of anti-motorcycle legislation currently being pushed through the European parliament.



To check whether your journey will be affected, please go to this link for a Google Map of the start points: http://tinyurl.com/Action-Now-EU-Hands-Off-Biking Please forward to anyone you feel may benefit from this information.



Best Regards,




I look forward to seeing Davshill on our leg of the demo.

Moose