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Motorcycle Club or Gang?
24 Nov 2008 by Snakebit Sam in Blog / 6 Comments
A while back I read a story by a newspaper columnist from out west somewhere and he stated that a motorcycle “gang” had showed up in his town. He went on to say that although the members of the group called themselves a club, they were really a gang. Thus insinuating that all the members are law breakers that should be locked up. He said that he belonged to some social clubs and they didn’t ride around frightening the citizens of the community.I guess it’s all a matter of perception. Yes it does take a different style of initiation to get into a motorcycle club as opposed to the local Rotary. When you go through the process and earn membership you believe it’s a club, if you don’t and view those people from the outside you call them a gang. If you watch those shows on TV where undercover police officers infiltrate the 1% clubs you hear those officers say they were proud to earn those patches and be part of the club.
It’s hard to believe but most people still believe that every motorcycle club is a gang. That anybody that rides a motorcycle and wears a jacket with patches on the back is going to murder and rape and pillage and plunder if they get a chance. Worst of all Hollywood has and still does propagate these beliefs with the villainous biker characters they put in their movies and shows. People like that columnist form their opinions from these entertainment pieces.
Thirty-seven years ago people asked if the motorcycle club I belonged to was a gang. I still get asked that when I wear my vest with the H.O.G. chapter patches on it. One time on a ride I had a 1% ride up beside me and ask me what club I belonged to. I think he got disgusted when I told him I belonged to the Elks, the Eagles and was a social member of the local VFW. See, it’s all a matter pf perception.
6 Comments
QuesyRider
I belong to a number of groups. I can only think of one that I joined because I actually wanted to be part of it. The rest of the groups are consequences of my actions. For example, the Republican Party thinks that I am a member because I voted in their presidential primary. For a long time the Democrats thought that I was one of them. For awhile I belonged to the NAACP althought most of those members would not be pleased to see me.
In various moments of discourse with non-riders, I usually refer to all my biking budds as a ‘gang’. I usually get in a few words about the charity work we do and other mainstream ‘good’ works. Then I tell my listeners not to let the word out that we are sort of ‘not too wild’. We have a sordid hollywood/media image to live up to and don’t want people to think of us in a benign way.
I have several funny stories about ‘motorcycle gang’ activities. Just thinking about motorcycle chaps puts a smile on my face.
24 Nov 2008 03:11 pm
Samuel Fuentes
Snake,
You’ew preaching to the choir bud. Unfortunetly, it’s still one of liabilities of riding a motorcycle. Most non-riding folk paint us all with the same brush. I belong to a club, but I never wear the club moniker. (colors)
Nuff said,
Sam
24 Nov 2008 07:11 pm
Kelly P. Smith
There are still those jealous types of cagers who just love to paint EVERY rider as an “outlaw”…this seems to ease their conscience when their driving endangers anyone on a bike.
I had hopes that the film “WILD HOGS” could possibly help our cause, but of course, there had to be a “gang” involved…oh, well…it was in the script.
If only people would realise that many “ordinary” folks ride bikes. Not just for the economic aspect, but it’s the ONLY way to really see the countryside. How can you smell the flowers when the windows are up and the A/C is blasting??
Personally, I ride a chopper and I’m damn proud of that fact. But in the eyes of many motorists, that alone makes me an “outlaw”. My preferred mode of transport and the leather I wear to protect myself scares them because they don’t understand freedom.
If that makes me a “gang member”, I’ll proudly wear that name, too!!
25 Nov 2008 01:11 am
John K. Endrizzi
I belong to a patch wearing club called Knucklehead Company. We have been around since 1977………….. never raped, pillaged, or murdered. What we DO do is to raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation. We’ll be forever trying to un do the image portrayed by Brando & Marvin in the Wild One. As QuesyRider alluded many other fraternal organizations are seen in different ways by various elements of our society. I guess as far as I’m concerned live & let live.
25 Nov 2008 04:11 am
brad
Well written Sam. Reminds me of when I was skateboarder when I was younger. A very uncoordinated, nonathletic one but I tried and had fun. Anyway, any non-skater would label use as a blight on society. They thought we all did drugs, drank, blasted loud, angry punk rock and destroyed property. Which is not entirely false but I and a few others didnt get into that stuff. We were just judged by our clothes and what we did in the same way bikers are. So it was difficult to convince the city to build a skatepark like it is in many cities across the US.
26 Nov 2008 12:11 pm
RoadRat537
If riding makes me a gang member than so be it.
27 Nov 2008 07:11 am
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