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Unconcerned Bikers Association

Fast Fred Rafts & Travels

Fast Fred is a wandering guide enjoying endless summers and sharing adventure along the way.
I began writing these motorcycle pages of articles, photos, and trips during 2000.

Unconcerned Bikers Association

CBA or UBA?

Last week Fast Fred told me about an organization that is expanding it's membership throughout the southeast United States. They are called the Unconcerned Bikers Association (UBA). The UBA is a group of riders who join MROs but don't actually do anything to help secure our lifestyle and preserve our freedoms. They don't go down to the legislature building to help Sam Nobles lobby. Unlike Iris Hindle, they don't write letters or emails to their legislators. They don't call Cindy Hodges to ask how they can help with the MRF. They don't contact Deb Knox to find out how they can contribute to NC BikePAC, and they don't care to join Charlie's, Randy's, Jan's, or Jim's state level committees because they think it's not their job. These UBA members somehow think that $20 per year covers all the lobbying efforts, newsletter fees, membership fees, and organizational costs of a SMRO.

I tried to think of ways that CBA members can recruit the UBA members into their organization and get them involved at the state level. I tried to think of ways that CBA members can get the UBA members to take an interest in writing letters, lobbying in Raleigh, contributing to BikePAC, and getting involved at the state level.

It takes about ten minutes to put together a short email to a legislator to let them know how they feel about an issue. It takes about five minutes to stick a check in the mail to join NC-BikePAC. It takes about five minutes to join the NC-Bikers email list. I was trying to figure out why more people don't get involved considering it takes so little time to help out?

For the 1400+ members of the CBA who are not on the NC-Bikers email group, NC-Bikers is the main vehicle for communications among North Carolina's motorcycling community. (You can go to www.YahooGroups.com and search for the NC-Bikers group to find out how to join).

It all boils down to priorities. If preserving our riding lifestyle is not a priority to us, then we won't act. For those who do get involved and educate themselves on the issues, they will be rewarded by knowing that they are informed people. They will have that satisfaction. What most people find out is that the more we know about the issues that faces us, the more we will want to know. It's a snowball effect. The further we dig into bikers' rights issues, the more we realize how much work there is to do. Most people think they don't have time to be legislatively active. That is just a cop-out. The truth is that most people just don't think it is a priority and therefore blow it off and think someone else will do it for them. Most people put watching sit-coms on TV ahead of fighting for freedoms. If we spent the same amount of time writing legislators as we do watching reality TV, the CBA would be the most powerful grass-roots lobbying force in the country.

Where will our children and grandchildren be when the bill of rights is gone? They will be subjects incapable of making their own decisions. Government will be making the decisions for them. The Sons of Liberty Riders have a saying ...... "Have you looked in the mirror and asked yourself ..... Have I done everything I can to preserve my liberty?"

If you can't give an honest answer to this question, then you may be a member of the Unconcerned Bikers Association.

Vinny
www.NCRider.com
CBA - SoLR - MRF - NC BikePAC - ABATE of SC

Fast Fred Ruddock with a Helmet Ticket in Polk County North Carolina

About Fast Fred

My life has been a dedicated blend of open road adventure and relentless advocacy for motorcyclists’ rights. I'm "Fast Fred" Ruddock, and my journey on two wheels began as a teenager. Over the years, I’ve owned 13 Harleys and several other motorcycles, machines that were far more than just transportation. They represented a freedom that I have fought to protect. Recognizing the power of information, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, skills I immediately put to use for the movement.

My commitment to advocacy led me to a complete immersion in ABATE of South Carolina (ABATE of SC). I quickly moved through the ranks, starting by developing the ABATE of SC website in 2001 and serving as the Berkeley/Dorchester Chapter Coordinator. This progressed to serving as Lowcountry Area Coordinator, where I successfully shifted our local focus decisively toward rights and rapidly increased membership. From 2003 to 2007, I served as the State Coordinator, where I helped coordinate several key legislative victories, including the passage of the Purple Heart license tag bill and the successful repeal of unnecessary handlebar height restrictions. My primary strategic goal was always to achieve widespread political influence by organizing a chapter in every single county.

On the national front, I extended my influence by serving as the State Representative on the board of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) for several years during the 2000s. This role ensured that the concerns of South Carolina riders were directly represented in critical federal legislative discussions. Crucially, I also worked to shape public opinion: I wrote articles related to motorcycle rights for various magazines and had a small column in Easyriders magazine for several years, using media to educate riders nationwide on the issues impacting their freedom.

My activism was not only about lobbying but also direct action and constitutional challenges. I participated in the Myrtle Beach civil disobedience against local helmet laws, contributing to the legal groundwork for the eventual overturning of that restrictive law through a landmark SC Supreme Court case. I also challenged helmet laws personally, fighting three tickets in court as an act of civil disobedience in several states. I lobbied in multiple state capitols with me friends across the country. My dedication continued after my ABATE leadership, as I served as the Director of Bikers Of Less Tolerance (BOLT) of South Carolina.

Today, while I also enjoy working as a river guide and sharing my travel adventures, my legacy remains rooted in the fight for motorcycle freedom. I have spent decades on the front lines, utilizing both political strategy, legal challenges, and national media to protect the rights of every person on two wheels.

My Other Adventures

I'm a professional whitewater guide and kayak instructor. I grew up rafting, sailing, and surfing, and I spend my North American summers guiding on world-class whitewater. I have spent much of my adult life riding motorcycles and paddling kayaks.

Raft with me: Check out Fast Fred Rafts for details.

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