Bikers call for protest ride through city!
This was disclosed last evening February 20, 2014 at a forum themed ‘Bikes in the Virgin Islands’ which took place at the G-Spot which is located at UPs Cineplex. The forum saw a number of presentations by organisers, biking enthusiasts and members of the audience. Short presentations also came from the Third District Representative Honourable Julian Fraser RA, Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool and a senior member of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force Chief Inspector Kenrick Headley.
“You want to give laws but you are not listening to the youths,” said one man from the audience. “We need to just get up now and do a petition and protest,” the man said while making a contribution to the forum.
However, the organiser of the event Mr. Shane M. Winter said that he is not in agreement with the call for protest action at this time since such actions can offend the wrong people. He believes a different approach would be more effective in seeking to lobby for changes to the laws to allow the use of larger displacement motorcycles which they feel are much safer than scooters. Winter said that there could be changes to the laws to make motorcycling safer, such as focusing on the quality on helmets, age restrictions for granting of a licence and insurance coverage stipulations.
Speaking at the event, the Third District Representative Honourable Julian Fraser RA told the audience and members of the panel that he knows what it feels like riding a motorcycle. He pointed out that he got a licence to ride a motorcycle before many on the panel were even born.
He said, “We have failed these people. We haven’t provided them with the means to ride these motorcycles…I am one such person who is prepared to listen.” But he challenged the bikers that they will have to make concessions too, though he did not disclose what concessions he referred to.
Hon Fraser called the meeting a tremendous beginning and told the organisers that it was not only up to them, but to all present at last evening’s meeting to bring the issue to a higher level.
“You are asking for the ban to be lifted…what are you prepared to put on the table?” he challenged the organisers. “People want to be assured that you are not [putting them] at risk,” he said.
One of the resource persons at the event Lawrence A. Fonseca known as Sinbad pointed out that because scooters have very small wheels, they are more prone to accident than larger motorcycles. He said too that the cost for equipment and riding gear would be too high for most people.
“People are making it out to be about bikes. A bike is just a form of transportation. What we need are stiff laws when it comes to bikes,” said the man.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Winter outlined a number of reasons why scooters are not a suitable form of transportation. Among these, he cited the inadequate braking capacity, inferior suspension and lack of power. “The brakes on a scooter are horrible. Coming down the hill as a 220 pound rider I have to be so careful that the brakes don’t run hot and run out of brakes going down a hill. The suspension is horrible…every bump you feel as if the bike wants to throw you off of it,” he said.
“It is way more safe to ride a [big bike] than a scooter, not to mention the power you have. I could take my wife riding with me. I could go anywhere. I could stop on a dime [since] the stopping power is way more than a small bike,” said Winter.
Speaking during the forum, RVIPF Inspector Headley said that he did not support the idea that bikes over 125 cc displacement should be banned. Questioned why it is that the Police are able to ride police bikes of a displacement of 750 cc, Headley said that the Police are exempt from such a restriction, in the same way they do not have to drive with their seatbelts on.
Honourable Vanterpool, who came almost to the end of the event, apologized for his lateness and commended the organisers for holding the forum. “I came a little while ago and I heard some good things. I want to commend you on the good discussion you are having,” he said. “I believe that you are on the right track and whatever we can do to support that, we are happy to do so,” he said. “The issue of safety was one of the issues talked about. I want to encourage you to continue with that,” he said.
“I don’t think that we in the Government have any objections to listening to you and your group’s proposals for changing the law,” said Hon Vanterpool. “What I would recommend strongly to you [is that you come as a delegation] to my office, sit down, put your case forward. I will do some research even before you come. We will be willing to pick up the cause and look at what we can do to reverse it,” he said. “It is not something that we are opposed to but we want to look at it in totality in terms of what we do,” said Hon Vanterpool.
Over the past months, there have been a number of fatal accidents involving scooters. One of the organisers said that it is his recollection that in the days before the big bikes were banned, the motorcycle fatalities were not at the level they are today.
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50 Responses to “Bikers call for protest ride through city!”
I applaud Minister Vanterpool for taking the initiative and just showing up. That was a good move and it clearly shows he cares.
Minister Walwyn, nobody is stopping you (or anyone else) from initiating meetings on your own! The public has been begging government to do something about scooters for quite some time! How long does it take for government to deal with a problem that has been glaringly evident to everyone else for a few years now?
The fact that this young man pulled together a group of scooter riders on his own, speaks volumes. They have stated that they are willing to work with the citizens as well as the police. Perhaps you can put your bruised ego aside and get on with the job at hand. (BTW) There were articles in the local newspapers informing that they were having this meeting, when and where. I know you read the papers, Mr. Walwyn. You have taken several opportunities to complain about bloggers and several other issues relating to freedom of speech, freedom of information and freedom of the press.
So why not take the bull by the horns and initiate new legislation regarding scooters and motor bikes. The new cybercrime bill is evidence of just how quickly government can construct new laws when they want to!
Get this monkey off our backs by giving the law some real teeth for those who commit offenses and some well deserved freedoms for those who ride reasonably, respectfully and safely.
I truly hope the age limit is raised!
big s..t aint no body to listen to neither the rest of them we all know who u all are and u really think we going listen to ayo for ayo own pleasures and make this thing worst. some of yall saying bout if the big bikes come then u wont have to hide and stunt or would not be so reckless with them you would just ride show u bike. please keep that grop story to url self. if u can hide to ride and stunt then if the law passed u going do it publuic more with no respect that some of url done dont have. no big s..t aint no icon to have talking to any kids. he has no respect for the public or the law so go an sit url crackasss.
I thought this thing was suppose to be about finding ways to encourage the youths to ride safe. How all this talk about bigger bikes and politics get into it???