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Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 18 Mar 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Redboots View Post

Some sort of reflective/hi-viz armband will be required from next Jan... unless we change their minds.



Cheers,
John

The HUBB won't change their minds, it needs political lobbying of a serious nature.
So send some membership money here:
Motorcycle Action Group

Don't mess about, join up right now. Lobbying of any sort is excruciatingly expensive. (That's on purpose, so that hardly anyone can afford to do it).


Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony P View Post
All things are possible.

The French moto fraternity had a spectacular protest success many years back by getting Autoroute tolls reduced from 100% of the car rate to about 55%.

My Autoroute toll protest continues.
At manned toll booths - I stop - switch off engine - remove visor - (and helmet, switch off i-pod and remove ear phones or ear plugs, if feeling particularly bloody minded and there are long queues) - smile and go through usual French introductory pleasantries - remove gloves - unzip jacket - unzip overtrouser top - find money in inner trouser pocket - carefully count it out - carefully check change and receipt - put remaining money, change and receipt in inner trouser pocket - zip up over trousers - zip up jacket - replace ear phones/plugs and helmet (if previously removed) - put on gloves - offer my thanks and farewells - adjust visor - start engine - carefully move forward.
Don't know if you know this Tony, but a MAG campaign followed exactly this method at the Dartford Crossing some years ago. Sometimes with quite a few bikes in line. It was quite fun.
We added the extra ingredients of dropping coins, only having a 20 pound note, dropping gloves, and any other creative thing you could think of.

Most importantly, it worked, Dartford was made free. It also worked, if my memory is correct, on the Severn Bridge and a tunnel up north, maybe the Tyne.

But someone has to organise these things, or get the people organised, otherwise the machine of government continues unhindered.
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Old 22 Mar 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by McCrankpin View Post
The HUBB won't change their minds, it needs political lobbying of a serious nature.

The "we" is the French bikers, organised by the FFMC - [Fédération Française des Motards en Colère] as the laws pertain to France.

More demos are organised for this weekend. The 24th in the department towns - Limoges, Le Mans etc and on Sunday the 25th its the turn of Paris so if you fancy a ride this weekend, pick one from the list: Manifs moto des 24 et 25 mars 2012 : les lieux de rendez-vous - Moto Mag : actu, essais moto et scooter, occasions

Always good fun and make the demos in the UK look a bit tame

John
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Old 22 Mar 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Redboots View Post
and on Sunday the 25th its the turn of Paris so if you fancy a ride this weekend, pick one from the list: Manifs moto des 24 et 25 mars 2012 : les lieux de rendez-vous - Moto Mag : actu, essais moto et scooter, occasions

Always good fun and make the demos in the UK look a bit tame

John
Yep, They know how to do these things properly over in France.

I don't remember what the year was, but a few MAG members went over there to support a Paris protest against a new insurance regime that would seriously disadvantage riders. Something to do with 'no-fault insurance' I think.

We were efficiently marshalled up at Bois de Vincennes, don't know how many thousands of us, then commenced a very slow circuit of the Peripherique. So slow, we stopped for about 30 minutes every now and again, until the whole Peripherique was blocked.

At one stoppage we abandoned the bikes on the roadway, walked about 100 mtrs away and all lay down on the tarmac.
We lay there long enough for all the helicopter news crews to get all the footage they wanted.
Imagine that happening in the North Circular or M25!

I think around the last stoppage, we were all handed a balloon each, told to blow it up, walk to the bridge just ahead and tie them to the parapet. Thousands of balloons for another spectacular photo set-piece.
And no cars moved anywhere.

Great times - maybe you remember the year?

Can't do 25th March, am doing this: http://www.wasp.bwf-ivv.org.uk/Stumble_poster_2012.pdf
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