Blast From My Past

[Sukerkin]

I used to hang with these chaps back in my biker days. Then there were about a dozen hard-core members and a mate of mine was Club President ... now look what they've grown into :

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GoZOVlGAeTo

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CJWDDF21mwo

The Star Bikers do a couple of 'runs' a year now. One at Easter (The Egg Run) and one at Christmas (The Toy Run). In each case, as well as the ones they bring with them, the public pass on gifts to the riders as they pass and these go to disadvantaged children in the city. Then there's the Pet Food run too, which collects and donates food to the local animal charaties.


It's also about the only time you'll see scooters running alongside sports bikes and classics .


Who says bikers can't be nice guys?

Found a few more:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-JBpe-rJvNY This one sees them riding past my old museum at about the 5' 10 secs mark .

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pq8JYrMBZ1A

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vGVYsVLHCrA

There are many more on YouTube it seems. They might not be all that exciting for most but they're great for me as I watch the stream of bikes passing through places I know and have lived .

 

[terryl965]

It is always great seeing people do great things

 

[Kacey]

There's a similar event here - every year, the Rocky Mountain Harley Davidson Society has a toy drive for Denver's Children's Hospital. They have a very successful toys for tykes drive that's been going on for over 20 years, and they bring all the toys to the hospital on their bikes. I do wonder how they're going to split it up this year, now that the Children's Hospital has split into multiple facilities, but based on previous years, I'm sure they'll manage just fine!

 

[Sukerkin]

That was a lovely article to read, Kacey. It makes you wonder why people can't be like this with each other more of the time doesn't it?

 

[Kacey]

That was a lovely article to read, Kacey. It makes you wonder why people can't be like this with each other more of the time doesn't it?

It does indeed...

 

[Jade Tigress]

JUST A BIKER
But, You Didn't See Me

I saw you, hug your purse closer to you in the grocery store line.
But, you didn't see me, put an extra $10.00 in the collection plate last Sunday.

I saw you, pull your child closer when we passed each other on the sidewalk..
But, you didn't see me, playing Santa at the local mall.

I saw you, change your mind about going into the restaurant.
But, you didn't see me, attending a meeting to raise more money for the hurricane relief.

I saw you, roll up your window and shake your head when I drove by.
But, you didn't see me, riding behind you when you flicked your cigarette butt out the car window.

I saw you, frown at me when I smiled at your children.
But, you didn't see me, when I took time off from work to run toys to the homeless.

I saw you, stare at my long hair.
But, you didn't see me, and my friends cut ten inches off for Locks of Love.

I saw you, roll your eyes at our leather coats and gloves.
But, you didn't see me, and my brothers donate our old coats and gloves to those that had none.

I saw you, look in fright at my tattoos.
But, you didn't see me, cry as my children where born and have their name written over and in my heart.

I saw you, change lanes while rushing off to go somewhere.
But, you didn't see me, going home to be with my family.

I saw you, complain about how loud and noisy our bikes can be.
But, you didn't see me, when you were changing the CD and drifted into my lane.

I saw you, yelling at your kids in the car.
But, you didn't see me, pat my child's hands, knowing he was safe behind me.

I saw you, reading the newspaper or map as you drove down the road.
But, you didn't see me, squeeze my wife's leg when she told me to take the next turn.

I saw you, race down the road in the rain.
But, you didn't see me, get soaked to the skin so my son could have the car to go on his date.

I saw you, run the yellow light just to save a few minutes of time.
But, you didn't see me, trying to turn right.

I saw you, cut me off because you needed to be in the lane I was in.
But, you didn't see me, leave the road.

I saw you, waiting impatiently for my friends to pass.
But, you didn't see me. I wasn't there.

I saw you, go home to your family.
But, you didn't see me. Because, I died that day you cut me off.

I was just a biker,
A person with friends and a family.

Author Unknown​

 

[Sukerkin]

Glorious poem that :tup:.

 

[exile]

... and all too true.

People don't seem to believe that there are other kinds of vehicles on the street than cars, and that those other vehicles have a right to be there.

We all have horror stories we can tell about this. I'm pretty sure that non-auto vehicle awareness isn't a big priority in most driver instruction schools, but it should be.

 

[MA-Caver]

There are two kinds of biker gangs... the good and the bad... it's sad that the bad ones get most of the press.

 

[Kacey]

You could substitute quite a few other groups with negative stereotypes for "biker" in that poem - people of color, goths, rednecks, etc. - and it would still ring true; some of the details would change, but not the gist of the poem. It is a sad truth that too many people judge on appearance - especially when that appearance indicates membership in a group with negative stereotypes. Whether those stereotypes are true or not is, sadly, irrelevant to many people.