Canada Motorcycle Group plans to boycott Nanaimo over police policies

OFF THE WIRE

http://www.canada.com/Motorcycle+group+plans+boycott+Nanaimo+over+police+policies/4763135/story.htmlMotorcycle group plans boycott of Nanaimo over police policies

By Darrell Bellaart, Daily News May 11, 2011
A spreading boycott of Nanaimo by motorcycle riders has Mayor John Ruttan on the defensive over an RCMP crackdown on motorcycle safety.
More than 200 members have joined the Facebook page "Boycott Naniamo" (sic).
Ruttan is concerned about the negative image the boycott could give the city.
He planned to meet with staff members Tuesday to issue a response to the boycott.
Most complaints are around getting ticketed for noisy exhaust pipes, but Mounties say the campaign is to boost safety.
"Noise is just one part of the whole issue for motorcycles," said Cpl. Norm Smith. "I've been in the downtown core and you can't see the motorcycle but you can hear it."
The Nanaimo detachment launched a safety crackdown in April after a string of serious motorcycle crashes last year.
Susan Sneekes, a Victoria Harley rider joined the Facebook page. After numerous near-misses, she wants drivers to be more aware of motorcycle riders.
Riders call it cracking their pipes. They rev the motor so other drivers can hear them. "It's just to wake them up," Sneekes said. "It's dangerous out there."
So far, Ruttan has already heard complaints from riders in Victoria, Vancouver and Seattle, but "I told them: 'I just don't think this was intended as an unfriendly gesture,'" he said.