I have a adv sticker with a Saltire below it on my homemade wind screen and folk always look at it,( I think cause its crap though)

Twenty years ago we had a flag on the bike and it served us well. I wouldn't dream of having one these days - which is sad.

I am hip to that cause.

bier

By way of further information ... A few years back, I was travelling thru Siberia with Tony P, and my steed wore a UK flag sticker on the forequarter of the bike. The theory I had was that it would prevent me having to answer the tiring and repetitive "where are you from?" question. It was a theory which was totally and utterly disproved (about 500 times out of 500), two ways.

Firstly I was constantly still asked "where are you from" as an opening question.

Secondly, of the handful of people who did notice the flag was a flag, the MAJORITY asked me if it was the american flag.

I would have thought the UK flag was at worst, the second most identifiable flag in the world. As for something more obscure, such as an Australian or NZ flag, you have approx zero chance anyone in Siberia or Mongolia is going to recognise it.

Chances are, in remote Africa or Mongolia, your flag will almost surely not mean anything at all to your target audience.

Great with the sarcasm. I never said I'd give a sticker instead of a smile and my email addy. I was saying it was something easy to carry and it sort of have a dual purpose. I can please an EU policeman or the like, and I can give them away if I think it can make someone a little happier.

I like flags for the symbolism they represent.

I have a New Zealand badge on the rear of the RH-side pannier representing the fact that I'm riding a NZ-registered machine; and a silver fern, a widely recognised Kiwi symbol on the windshield spoiler.

A mini NZ flag and the Saint Piran's Cross (the Cornish flag - my home county) on the top edge of the side cowls .. representing the beginning and end of this trip; and

Always a flag or emblem of the particular country in which I'm travelling, positioned at the most forward leading part of the bike's bodywork, out of courtesy, and in recognition to the nation concerned for allowing me free and unfettered passage around their homeland. Kind of copying the example of when a ship berths in a foreign port and the captain flies the host country's national flag out of respect and politeness. SEE HERE

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I like how keith does it but he & Ellen are super organized!

The CAA sent us a gigantic USA sticker and told us to put it on - which we didnt. We've got a few random stickers, some Asian flags, some for fellow bikers...but we werent sure how the license plate that says Washington DC would be received. Turns out universally well. We always told everyone we are American and were greeted warmly. Most people can separate governments from the people who are interested enough to visit them and experience their culture;) only ranting we got was from Swedes for the USA not being liberal enough. I totally agree that people should carry spare stickers. We could've made so many border guards and vegetable donors happy!

Mate, I wasnt being sarcy, I was being serious!

The right to bear Arms, or fly a flag
 

College of Arms - College of Arms

"The College of Arms is the official heraldic authority for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and much of the Commonwealth including Australia and New Zealand" (but not for Scotland).

I have country flag on both panniers. I think who have flag on bikes a bit nationalist or proud of his nation(ality).

On the other hand, having a US or UK flag on the bike not look a good idea nowadays in some countries, especially North Africa and Middle East....

Oh, in that case I'm truly sorry :)

stickies
 

Apart from the excellent HU reflective roundals:thumbup1: I also have this rather obscure country sticker on my pannier. Always starts a conversation!

Attachment 10419

Sure enough, here's the conversation
 

I did think I would mention that particular flag of the Basque nationalists as a model of what the UK flag will look like when/if Scotland departs: it would have less colours of course - a rather plain red and white, but the 3 lions of England could be included in the new design, in the fly or the hoist, rather as the flag of Georgia tends to include additional crosses of St George in addition to the main cross.
Such heraldic devices could be quite "attractive"; the 3 lions could be printed in a fetching shade of blue, as used by the England cricket team that thrashed the Ozzies in the ashes test series, and that would reduce the overall blue tone of the current design.

On the other hand, maybe Scotland will remain in the Union.

It's all about symbolism
 

This tendency is flourishing; back in 1999 I met and talked with a Breton guy who was aiming to start a Breton language radio station, in Britanny naturally.
We had a decent conversation about the relationship of Britanny to Cornwall, including the fact that their flags use the same colours.

Now, a lot of the English counties have their own design of flag, even if they didn't have one previously, and some of the counties are selling the concept of "annual county days", a bit like "fathers day" or "mothers day" and similar marketing hype.

Buy shares in flag manufacturers??
 

The politicians would say that right now, but later next year ...........?

I can't see many English accepting a flag that includes a lot of blue Saltire if the vote goes for independance for Scotland.
IMO, the flag would have to change, and quickly.

I dunno Dave? It’s a bit different down here. The St Piran’s (Cornish) flag has probably been around for centuries*. You see it flown everywhere in these parts. Moreover, it seems that nearly every other Cornish-registered vehicle has the flag stuck on its rear bumper or boot lid! .. and it’s been that way for as long as I can remember.

I take your point about the Breton flag; a black & white negative of the St Pirans. I didn’t know about that (should’ve known I s’pose).

Thanks

*Source: Wikipedia

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