HA Poker Run 07

Home Discussion Forum Calendar of Events Past Rallies and Gatherings Links Cla$$ifieds Rules Awards Jokes Hefalump Biker Friendly Places Contact Us Odds & ends Sign Guestbook View Guestbook Friends of the 'cats Sound & Video Clips Recipes Body Art Wildcat Tats View Old Guestbook Hatched Matched & Dispatched ABZ of RoadKill Superbike Racing Tell it how it is! Emails and Press Releases About Us

Hells Angels 07 cont.........

cont...........................................

yeh.........what Crusty said........and more.

Rode down to Sydney town the day before this annual event to get some bike issues sorted. Woke the next morning ready for the now traditional Anzac Day outing with the Hells Angels. Overcast and raining all night but the sky was lightening when we headed off. Did a few detours getting there (what some call lost...but we prefer to think of it in more the explorative light) and finally found Woodville Rd. only to immediately get pulled over and breathalysed within the first 50 meters. Now we all know, the morning after the night before, can be a bit tricky but fortunately we slipped through but only after the cop told my mate he looked older than the license said......and then rode past at least 5 more cop cars before buying our hand. The chopper in the sky, PolAir was another dead giveaway......and it was then soon joined by another 10 seater turbo prop eggbeater, seen most commonly on TV when training for terrorist attacks, which hovered overhead for the duration, at a cost to the ratepayer, only a pencil pushing government type accountant, could work out. It was just another indication of things to come.

Anyway we found a place to put the side stand down and then walked back to catch up with all the people we know and it wasn't long before procedures got underway. As always a high standard of service was set and one couldn't help but feel proud of the biking fraternity and it's endeavours in honouring our soldiers by the time Derek had finished.

So we mounted up and because we were just a bit late we found ourselves towards the rear of the pack. We untangled ourselves in short time and proceeded on our way........to be rudely and abruptly halted. Without warning a police car came through the lights on Woodville Road and parked in front of the riders, trying to block the road and the tail end of the procession. Remember that the road was wet, visibility not that good and the expectation by all riders that we would proceed as usual and get out of the suburbs and the high traffic areas in good time and without incident. Suddenly we had people locking up brakes and bikes ducking and diving in evasive maneuvers to stay safe. It was amazing that no-one was seriously injured. The lights went green so we weaved around leaving a couple of poor riders sitting in the middle of a major road intersection being harassed by the police in the unsafest of manners.

As we rode on we passed more and more Police booking riders. Every year stickers are sold with ANZAC on them and in true Aussie style we stick them over the plates proud of what that all represents. Many diggers died on many a foreign shore so we could live the lifestyle we have. That sticker over the plate is to us as traditional as 2 up at the pub....it's an Anzac thing...it's our way of honouring those men .....it has nothing to do with running red lights etc etc....and the cops know that.......they just chose to ignore that and use it to justify their small minded pettiness.

So all along the way to the first stop we had cop cars ducking and diving and weaving through bikes in the most extraordinarily dangerous manner pulling over riders for absolutely minor and petty *offences*, namely the Anzac stickers. Then suddenly the whole road was blocked. Marrickville Road a major artery was blocked by police. For what reason? To take off the stickers. Unbelievable. Whoever thought that one up wants some serious questions asked of them. I've ridden in many runs over the years, from Salvation Army Organised to patch club run, and on all of them the expectation is to proceed as a group in one pack to minimise interruption to the general public and maximise safety of the riders and all others. Common sense procedures.

Then we proceeded to the first designated stop. We had Police cars ducking and diving through the pack pulling over riders. One Police car pulled into the pack which was at that stage doing a legal 110 kph on the freeway and it then jammed on the brakes. The police car was used in such a manner as to physically force the riders off the road giving them no time to come to a safe orderly stop. Seriously dangerous, unnecessary and stupid tactics. Additionally there were high powered pursuit vehicles with VIP numberplates acting like schoolyard bullies driving at excessive speeds and at least 14 bike mounted Police doing their best to harass. Isn't there a law about road rage? Endangering the lives of others? etc etc...............

On arrival at Picton we then witnessed a further increase in the Police exercise with the Public Order and Riot Squads presence. Several black vehicles including at least 2 4wd Nissan Patrols and a so called rapid response van. What the hell was all this??? I've been on a fair few of these runs and in all that time I can only say how well run it was and I have not seen any trouble at any time. So here we are with coppers everywhere doing what???? Training for this A.P.E.C. Summit coming up? I dunno...but as a taxpaying law abiding citizen I want to know what the hell was going on! Why was my life repeatedly put at risk and those of my fellow riders by this amazingly stupid exercise? Some serious questions need to be answered.

That aside, thanks and congratulations to the organisers for running yet again a good event and despite all the harassment and the inclement weather we had a good day. Unfortunately my bike wouldn't start and I missed whatever happened later on.

As usual though, don't miss this event next year. A few more photos below. Usual deal, click on them to enlarge.