Browse wBW ad-free: bercome a member for just $10/year!
Mark Hinchliffe·
Motorbike news
··8 Comments·1 min read

Council bans group motorcycle rides

UK council bans group rides locked
Group rides banned

Group motorcycle rides – even for charities – have been banned in one UK council area unless riders inform police and the local council first.

Harlow Council in Essex has banned motorcyclists in groups of two or more from riding together between 10am and midnight until April 2017 without council or police approval. The first ride affected was a memorial ride to honour a young student.

The move smacks of the VLAD “bikie crackdown” in Queensland where certain riders were not allowed to ride or associate in groups of more than two and the police even wanted all group rides registered with them.

While the situation in Queensland was an Orwellian move to monitor for an infiltration of so-called outlaw bikies, the UK ban is simply to prevent some riders “annoying” the public.

Riders at VLAD protest rally - vlad laws
Riders at an anti-VLAD protest rally

It seems the council decision is in reaction to some riders speeding, pulling wheelies and other stunts or making too much noise with aftermarket exhausts.

“Anyone breaking the injunction would be in contempt of court and may be sent to prison,” the council website says.

Surely police and transport officials could just do their job and fine those with loud exhausts and anti-social riding behaviours, rather than applying a blanket ban on all riders.

It’s the thin edge of the wedge when a local council can impinge on one of our basic freedoms to move around just because someone might offend.

It’s like banning everyone from shopping because some people shoplift.

However, it seems a minority of anti-social riders in many countries are fostering ill feeling with authorities that could result in similar injunctions for all riders.

We’ve seen bans on riders in some areas of the Mid East and Asia over similar behaviour as well as criminal activity such as purse snatching and shootings.

In New York recently the council streamed video of bulldozers crushing impounded motorcycles and quad bikes that were confiscated from hoon riders.

Check out the following boring video. The action doesn’t start until the 30-minute mark.

We wonder what sort of tactics authorities will next employ that will impact on innocent riders as a consequence of cracking down on a few anti-social riders? 

Tags
Mark Hinchliffe
Related

8 Comments

  1. Our governments are now treating all citizens as criminals, not innocents. They are removing all our rights in violation of ours, the UK, and UN constitutions that guarantee basic rights that cannot be removed by government. I direct your readers to this site, called [CARR] Campaign Against Road Ripoffs, because the bloke running it has much legal experience and knows his stuff, and I have met him personally and can vouch for his character. Sec. 92 of the Australian Constitution provides that all commerce and intercourse between the states shall be free of imposts and burdens. This is what all motorists need to familiarise themselves, as what’s mentioned in this article is in violation of the law. The motorcycling groups need to be familiar with this sec. 92, and force the gov’ts to abide by the law.
    Australia, The Repressive Stalinist Nation

    22-05-2016 – CARR received an email from a subscriber and operator of the fantastic Facebook web page called Victoria – A Fines State – https://www.facebook.com/vicfines/?fref=ts

    He had read my recent CARR News item about the Police State and posted his own article, which I consider is far more cutting than the CARR item. Read this and weep.

    Imagine living in a country where all your communications are monitored and stored for scrutiny by government agency officials without even suspicion of a criminal offence having been committed.

    Where you could be prohibited from visiting public places or have your ability to use a phone or a computer removed for 5 years by a state police force with no appeals process available through the country’s courts of law even though you haven’t broken any. Where you could be banned from being employed. And where these powers are granted to and administered by a police force that has continually been shown to be corrupt and prepared to use all its powers to bully at the highest levels?

    Where you can’t gather in groups of 3 or more or wear a leather jacket with a club logo. Or when visiting an airport to travel, having to hand over your mobile phone to have its contents scrutinised by public servants.

    A country where all your assets like your home and car can be confiscated and sold and your money seized through simply being accused of a crime without having your case heard in court, leaving you homeless and without any means to pay to defend yourself in a crushingly expensive legal system. And then if you are found not guilty, your assets are still not returned.

    Would there be a place in the world where the government determines that a homeless beggar’s income would be determined to be the proceeds of crime and consequently seized under the countries laws? Really? Is this possible?

    Is it to be believed that a country would have violent ticket inspector goons patrolling public transport networks, assaulting men, women and school children all over a $5 train fare? With the transport authorities thinking it’s all fine, whilst higher authorities find their actions to be in breach of human rights.

    Or where you can be “deemed” to be guilty of a criminal offence because you are the registered owner of a vehicle – even though you clearly didn’t commit the offence, but if they don’t have any evidence as to who did – its you paying the fine and taking the penalties even if you don’t have a driver’s licence.

    Could there possibly be a country where the courts and policing systems are sold off to private companies for profit? Where debts to corporations operating roads are treated as criminal offences by police, giving powers to other corporate entities to cancel your car registration and driver’s licence and seize your assets if you have not met the company’s payment terms?

    Where you can be jailed indefinitely without being charged or even arrested for committing a crime – yet as a citizen you’re increasingly likely to be the victim of one. What country would enact such Draconian laws?

    Is this China? North Korea? Or maybe we’re looking back to the times of Stalin or possibly Hitler. Wrong.

    Welcome to the new Australia.

    1. Some may think this is all hyperboly and fear mongering but in a country without a specific bill of rights that forbids such as you describe it is all true. Even countries that do have well defined human rights seem to be trying to erode those rights every chance they get, so everyone should worry and campaign against the loss of human rights and to gain back the ones already lost.
      But there is one thing about this article you seem to have missed, it’s about a United Kingdom council not Australia.

    2. Well said,
      Why do you think the govt is pushing the NBN,it is to put control on all types of communications (phone,internet,internet banking, etc).
      All police forces in Australia eg NSW,QLD,SA,NT,VIC,WA,ACT,TAS they are all private companies as they are registed with an ABN number (do not serve and protect the tax paying public at all!) TAX COLLECTORS thats all they are.But I must say that there are good officers out there.
      So if the worst comes about you have the right to SUE an officer if thing go wrong.

  2. Individuals should individually go to this council area and on mass individually take up all the parking spaces and cafe tables and individually make as much a nuisance as an individual legally can for as long as it takes for the council of morons to collectively realise what burks they are.

  3. The thing that amazes me is that the people behind this are “baby boomers”
    If you cast your minds back to the mods and rockers, and outlaw clubs in
    the seventies and eighties there was as much if not more ant-social behaviour
    than there is now,but our parents generation, had far greater tolerance,
    and let the law deal with it. Then we have the absurd actions of police on the
    gold coast charging one of their own because he has blown the whistle on
    one of his colleagues for bashing a prisoner.I am starting to look back on
    the 70’s as a bit of a golden age and feel sorry for the younger generation coming up
    against the repressive crap thrown at them by my generation

  4. from the Council and Police in Question

    “In response to the concerns and questions raised we have issued the following clarification on our website http://www.harlow.gov.uk/pr16-26 which is also below:

    Harlow Council has received a number of concerns and questions raised in response to the injunction granted by Chelmsford County Court on 19 May 2016.

    The purpose of the injunction is not and has never been about stopping those responsible riders or drivers from enjoying using their vehicles in a lawful manner.

    Harlow Council is very sorry that this issue has upset and angered the wider biking community. This was never our intention and we hope the below helps explain the reasons for applying for the injunction and who it is ultimately targeted at.

    Harlow Council and Essex Police wants to make it clear that anyone riding bikes lawfully in Harlow on the road to either meet up with friends, including driving in a convoy; drive through the town; learn to ride or teach others, or take part in a charity event, will not be served with the injunction. This is the same for anyone driving a motor vehicle.

    If an event is to be organised for charity or any other occasion, which would mean a significant number of people attending, then the Council via contact@harlow.gov.uk and Police should be informed so arrangements can be made to support the event.

    The main aim of the injunction was to stop an unauthorised ride out event taking place on Saturday 22 May 2016, which would have attracted hundreds of young people on motorbikes and bystanders. Following a previous event held, both the Council and the Police had serious concerns about the danger this event would pose to the public, to those taking part and the wider impact on the community. Despite the Council and Police’s attempts to work with and talk to the organisers there was no response. As a result of the injunction this event did not go ahead.

    The injunction also aims to target a growing problem of groups of people creating a nuisance by riding bikes illegally on the streets, public highways and on green spaces in Harlow. It is these unauthorised ride outs, and these only, which are the target of this injunction. Not only do these unauthorised ride outs cause nuisance to communities, it also puts the safety of the wider public and the riders at serious risk. Concerns are being raised by Harlow residents about persistent unauthorised gatherings causing a nuisance and antisocial behaviour, and the Council, supported by the Police, had to listen and act.
    The injunction will therefore only be served and enforced on people who are gathering and causing a nuisance and carrying out antisocial behaviour.

    The injunction does not distract from the Police’s existing powers. It is simply one of a number of measures in place to deal with this specific problem being experienced in Harlow.

    This year the Essex Police have received 121 calls about motorbikes, quad bikes, pit bikes and mopeds being ridden illegally or in an antisocial manner in Harlow between March and May. This compares to 74 during the same time last year.

    The Council and the Police are working together to target the issue and have written to all parents/guardians of year 11 pupils and above in the town and attended school assemblies. The Police are also patrolling hotspot areas in the town, seizing bikes being ridden illegally and issuing warning notices under Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002. We are also working with petrol stations to crack down on petrol being sold to under-16s and are distributing leaflets to young people.

    Statement from Inspector, Paul Maleary of Essex Police:

    “Essex Police fully supports the injunction held by Harlow Council. This clarification statement makes it clear that neither Essex Police or Harlow Council intend to target those persons engaged in lawful activity. Our response to any activity will continue to be proportionate and ensure that quality of life for Harlow residents is maintained.”

    1. Nice explanation of how and why they didn’t have to do it as the police already had all the necessary powers to target the nuisances and not the innocent.
      The injunction targets the innocent along with the guilty

  5. I for one fully support the council. Why, just last week a motorcycle went past my very own house. I missed a pearl stich and poor Harold shat his last pair of strides. Yes, I know we survived the Blitz, Woodstock, Rockers and Mods and have let out country be turned into a multi cultural train wreck, but by joves, that motor bicycle rider was the last straw. I find much comfort that my self centred friends and I can piss and moan to the council, and they obey. Beryl thinks sending them to the Colony would be a capital idea, they still do that?

Comments are closed.