Myrtle Beach mayor says "tempted to intentionally hit b

[Sven]

Myrtle Beach mayor says he's tempted to intentionally hit biker with his car  <From http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/2005/MyrtleBeach.asp>

The mayor of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a town that draws thousands of motorcyclists to events each year, recently said he was tempted to run into a motorcyclist with his car intentionally because he didn't like the biker's shirt.

According to an article in the online edition of the Myrtle Beach Sun News, the topic came up during a Myrtle Beach City Council discussion about the sale of sexually oriented merchandise, including T-shirts with slogans that some find offensive.

Mayor Mark McBride said he spotted one T-shirt slogan that he considered offensive when he was driving recently.

"It was very tempting to kind of nudge the guy on the bike" with his car, McBride was quoted by the Sun News.  <see http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/sunnews/2005/10/07/news/local/12840206.htm>
 
McBride repeated the same sentiment later in the week while appearing in a candidates forum organized by a local motorcyclist rights group.  <see http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/sunnews/12857580.htm>

At least two major non-AMA-sanctioned motorcycle rallies bring thousands of riders to Myrtle Beach each year.

[PeteSC]

Yeah, they're having some real problems in the Myrtle Beach area over the bike events.  Generally, the politicians and residents are tired of the noise from the mostly cruiser crowd that shows up, and there's been some claim of racial bias in that the black bike week seems to draw more arrests.
  I saw the info about the mayor a few days ago.  I'm not condoning it, but I've been known to say something stupid...uh...like...daily!
  If he had any cojones, he would push for local regulations that would make the area unattractive for trashy bikers to do stupid stuff in public places, and they'd go elsewhere.  Then he could look for another job, since he won't be able to get any campaign $$ from the tourist based businesses in town.

[PeteSC]

Posted on Tue, Sep. 20, 2005
 
 

Myrtle Beach debating biker rallies

Associated Press


MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - When a panel got together to discuss the two motorcycle rallies held in Myrtle Beach each spring, the only thing folks seemed to agree on is the need to talk more about it.

About 100 people gathered Monday to hear a group of 20 business and government leaders discuss the rallies.

One suggestion was to move the Carolina Harley-Davidson Dealers Association Myrtle Beach Rally to April, instead of holding it in May.

Theater owners and golf promoters complained the rallies hurt their profits and should be moved or done away with but others said the area should welcome the bikers.

Owners of bars and beer distributors said they generate as much as a third of their income during the rallies.

It was the first time in years that various interests gathered to discuss the rallies and, to some, not much has changed.

"Deja vu," Atlantic Beach Mayor Irene Armstrong said. "Nine years ago, I sat in such a setting, a round table where there was an ad hoc committee formed. Guess what? We were discussing the same things we are discussing today."

But Wayne Gray, the chairman of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce which organized the forum, said getting everyone to the table was a big accomplishment.

He plans a task force to keep the talks going.

"We believe this is the first step in making these events better," Gray said. "At the end of the day, all of us work, live and raise families here."

About 500,000 bikers flock to the Grand Strand each May for the two rallies. The Harley-Davidson rally is held in mid-May while the Atlantic Beach Bikefest is held during Memorial Day weekend.

As both events have grown in recent years, so have community complaints. The chamber recently surveyed its 2,300 members and found that 70 percent who responded wanted the events changed.

"The problem is there has gotten to be so many bikers, it is overwhelming everything else," said David Brittain, who runs the Caribbean Resort and Sea Captain's House restaurant.

Horry County Council Chairwoman Liz Gilland suggested moving the Harley-Davidson rally to April. But the dealers association didn't like the idea either.

"We want to try to work with everybody in Myrtle Beach, but this is our 66th year. It would be awful hard for us to move it," said Gene Lummus, the association's president.

Bikers will come when they want to, added Brenda Spadoni of Better Brands beer distributor.

"May is what it is. We are not going to stop it," she said. "Why we are trying to do away with a certain group of tourists is beyond me."

Walt Standish, president of Beach First National Bank, said the nudity and nightlife that accompanies the rallies is not what the beach should welcome.

But the community is not responsible for the bad seeds, said Mickey James, president of the Myrtle Beach branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

"Four weeks out of the year we deal with bikers," he said. "You make it sound like eternity."

[PeteSC]

Posted on Wed, Oct. 05, 2005
 
   

BIKE RALLIES


Officials: Real noise-law test to be in spring

By Kenneth A. Gailliard

The Sun News


This year's fall motorcycle rally provided a test for Myrtle Beach's new noise ordinance, but a better trial likely will come at the annual spring rally.

Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders flock to Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand twice a year for bike rallies. The spring rally usually attracts more riders over a longer period of time.

Although the roar of thousands of Harley-Davidson motorcycles along the Grand Strand was inevitable during the past weekend, some event observers said noise complaints were not overwhelming.

Myrtle Beach police officers said they issued 48 tickets between Friday and Saturday, but they couldn't say how many were for motorcycle-related noise violations, Lt. Chuck Dunn said.

The city's new law is an enhancement that incorporates several pre-existing city ordinances.

Overall, the weekend biker event and ordinance enforcement went well, Dunn said.

City officials heard little reaction from the public about the event, spokesman Mark Kruea said.

"We didn't anticipate it being a huge problem for this rally," said Mike Shank, marketing director for Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson. "The spring rally is where we expect there might be some concerns."

Kruea said, "I think [the bikers] are aware the community wants a gentler event."

Shank said the size of the crowd - about 50,000 - and biker compliance with the law helped keep complaints down.

The biker crowd for the fall rally, called The Pilgrimage, was about six times smaller than what typically is expected for the Carolina Harley-Davidson Dealers Association Myrtle Beach Rally in May.

No matter the crowd size, Myrtle Beach resident and City Council candidate Cynthia Powell doesn't think the biker rallies are favorable for the community.

She said she visited some vendor sites during the weekend and didn't notice that the new ordinance had any effect on the noise level during The Pilgrimage.

"I couldn't tell that it was any quieter this weekend," said Powell, who will hold a forum today at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center to hear residents' concerns about the bike rallies. "The motorcycles seemed just as loud or louder than they were in the past."

In September, Myrtle Beach City Council approved an ordinance with bikers in mind, but the ordinance does not target motorcycle riders, Kruea said.

The law applies to all vehicles and includes such violations as missing mufflers, rapid acceleration, revving engines and burnouts.

It also is in effect all year, Kruea said.

Shank said Harley officials began educating potential rally attendees about the law at least a week in advance through a Web site, fliers and TV advertisement.

"We wanted to get the word out," Shank said. "I think a majority of the people obey the ordinances anyway. To them, it was no big deal."

Another education campaign will be mounted in advance of the spring rally, he said.

 

[rider123]

If someone is intentionally trying to run me over because he doesn't like my T-SHirt(WTF?) in Florida no less. He's going to be eating some 230gr .45 ACP. THat's attempted murder! Get a grip!

[PeteSC]

Gee,  Myrtle Beach is in South Carolina.  I thought all Canadians knew that?   It used to be pretty popular with Canucks who didn't want to drive all the way to Florida.  
  It will be interesting to see the business interests battle the residents over this.   I'm not sure how much the retirees who settle in the area have to do with this.

[Desolation Angel]

Wow, lots of times I see cars with bumper stickers and window decals that offend me.  Foul language or nasty images.  Be OK if I just sort of nudge 'em with my car?  Harder for me to kill them, them being in cars and all, but I can do some physical damage, right?

[rider123]

Opps sorry South Carolina(Last time I was there was 1982!), the point is the same. Lot's of people say stuff or have bumper stickers that are offensive to one sort of group or another but you don't try and kill them over it! It's called free speech, and it's just as important in the US as in Canada and most other western democracies. Using this person's logic the next time some Harley rider says "WHy don't you get a real bike?" which is a much more personal insult, you should attack them immediately? I think it's very irresponsible for a member of government to openly say these sort of things, what about the stupid person feeling the same way will he think "Well the mayor said he was going to do it so I guess it's ok". As we all know we don't need anymore stupidity in the car driver section of society. Violence over a T-Shirt or bumper sticker is just plain silly.

If the residents don't like the noise just pass the appropriate laws so that they don't have to deal with it. Either they like the biker's money or they don't they can't have it both ways. I'm sure there are probably many seaside towns that would love to see the surely millions of dollars in revenue that these sort of functions bring in.

[PeteSC]

I guess we'll have to see if this turns into an 'anti motorcyclist' or 'anti annoying biker' town.

   It doesn't break my heart either way.   I have no reason to go to Myrtle Beach on a bike, I'm not into the crap going on there.

  Oh the joys of a tourist town.  We want your money, just don't bother us when you spend it......

[Desolation Angel]

I don't do motorcycle events like this, however, just in thinking about it I don't see why "tourists" can't come and have fun AND not be offensive to the locals.  Act like a proper guest.

When I'm a tourist, I'm there to have fun, I don't act like a drunken, stupid fool, and I assure you my hosts are happy to have me.  And my family.

[PeteSC]

Well, acting like a decent visitor isn't exactly on the agenda for the riders who go to these things......
  It's not like they go there to ride the 'good' roads, and play golf!
  They want to raise hell, and party.

  Dittos, kids at spring break.