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ANOTHER WORRYING SIGN OF THE TIMES
Big Brother (2)
First ride of the season yesterday, and not 5 miles out of Perth, I get pulled.
"Hello Sir. We're stopping all bikers because of the high incidence of accidents on the roads in Perthshire.
We're highlighting the safety aspects. Did you know that most accidents involve riders over 40, riding on 60 mph limit A roads?"
Yes, I read the papers.
"Well our Chief Constable has said we have to act on this, and so we've been told to stop all motorcyclists, and hand out tickets for any infringements, such as dark visors, illegal number plates, loud pipes and so on. He wants "them" to know that "they're" not welcome here, and move them on elsewhere."
I could not believe my ears!
Is this Dodge City or what?
Ride them outa town, and don't let them come back again...???
What happens to all of us who actually live in this area, and whose taxes pay for this kind of harassment??
For reasons which are obvious, I did not make an issue of this to the officers concerned, who, to be fair, seemed, at best, a little embarrassed, and were at least polite and courteous. They went on to say how they were being 'encouraged' to emphasise any infringements to Insurance Companies in the event of any accident, so the insurers could lessen or refuse the claim...
However, I hear others have been pulled locally by more aggressive traffic police, and treated to the "we're out to get you bikers" attitude...
Fortunately, I had my legal plate on (having been warned that something was afoot) and my SEs were on chuff chuff mode at 30mph in the village.
20 miles further on, I just avoided getting stopped again, because they were too busy with the ones they had stopped already.
This is what they call a democracy?
I have no problem with promoting safety, and I have no problem with reigning in the more loony of the crotch rocket brigade. However, this goes far beyond that, and is a blatant attack on a segment of society, for no reason other than their choice of transport or leisure, all of them (us) being tarred with the same brush, simply because we ride on two wheels.
http://www.harley-davidsonhangout.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45030
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