A report
Yes to the free tea and buns ( actually coffee and lunch ! ) and yes to the attempted take over..
Sadly only one of the gang of three got elected..
I have to report I was badly disillusioned with the way the BMF is run..
The powers that be within the organisation are far more concerned about the minutia of their constitution and rules than they are about either riders rights or the overall biking scene..
Sure, some of them make the right noises but that?s about it..
I am afraid the action of one particular man, a Ted Stevens, demonstrates the attitude ( as far as I am concerned ) of the whole sorry hierarchy..
When pressed for a reply to a certain question he blustered and shouted over both myself and an area rep, and eventually walked away..
Anna Zee, the now elected chair, when asked about the future of postal or electronic voting, said: 'If people cannot be bothered to attend an AGM that is their problem'
When I suggested that it may be the case that not everyone CAN attend, the reply was 'Well I can hardly be held responsible for that' ( These are not direct quotes as I did not have the advantage of a minute taker or a recorder, but they are as I remember the conversations )
I will not step away from the job I do in relationship to the BMF as someone outside stands even less of a chance of being heard than someone inside..
Repeatedly people stood up and said the BMF had to move on and get away from infighting .. well as long as people like Ted Stevens and Anna Zee are in any positions of power, and continue to be more interested in rule making than the interests of the BMFs membership, I cannot see things changing very much.. And at its present rate the whole organisation is likely to self destruct within 5 years..