Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

- GUEST EDITORIAL By R.J. Haeckel A COP REPLI ES Mr. Haeckel is writing in response to a guest editorial in the January 19, 1967 edition of the paper, entiUed, "Lost Sheep And The Law". 1 wish to state at the outset, that I do agree to a partial extent, that the DOlice are in part to blame for some of the lawlessness which prevails at many of the motorcycle events. I have been a cop for over twelve years and will be the first to admit that there are bad IlOlicemen the same as there are bad motorcycle riders. although the proportions are quite different. I work for a Caiifornia police agency of which I am justly proud and I can speak with authority when I say that in my area. we do not have the disturbance problem that is had in other areas. However, I would like to point out to Mr. Roloff some of the problems and statistics of which he might not be aware. True. California Police Officers enjoy a higher rate of pay than those in other areas. but I feel that as a group, Cops are pretty much the same wherever you go. They have a job which they believe in and are doing it because they believe in it (I do) and although the pay is not as good as could be expected each man does what he believes is best for him and you can't knock him for that. I know for a fact that I can make more in private industry. However, I digress. Mr. Roloff mentioned control at large events. Is he aware that the police are not required by law, nOr do they have the manpower to s~ervise large events that are sponsored by private enterprise? They are in existence to protect the public in instances where it is a public event, not one which is sponsored by a private individual for the purpose of profit. They have neither the time nOr the manpower to provide security guards for the promoters. It is UP to the promoter to provide the police protection required, either by a pri vate agency Or by hiring off-duty policemen (who are not covered by insurance) to police his event. Mr. Roloff says he is mad. I'm mad too. Less than five cents per year, of his taxes, go toward the salary of a police officer 50 he is getting exactly what he is paying for. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a pitch for a raise, I'm merely stating a fact. Why should a cop take less money (the rates paid by private enterprise for police work) for a better chance of getting his head split open, all by himself? True, I have sat in a patrol car for many nights and have felt that I have not been earning my money until the night I looked down the barrels of two ..5'5 or have faced two hundred of the old Galloping Goose M.C. with no radio communications, and then I felt that I earned all the dough that I got. Mr. Roloff might take into consideration the fact that at one of the large gatherings he mentioned, I have seen a large crowd gathered around an officer and an individual who are having an altercation. The officer is all by himself and there stands a crowd, over half of which is waiting to see the poor cop get kicked and stomped and the other part of the crowd 50 apathetic that it is sickening. Nobody has asked himself what the bu m has don e to merit a possible arrest or whether he might have an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The only thing the crowd thinks of is that "some cop is spoiling someone's fun." Let's see some redblooded action on the part of the citizens in backing the offic er and try to mak e the event a decent affair. I might mention here that I am a long-time motorcycle rider. I have hill-climbed, ridden the mountain trails and more recently, joined A.M.A. and have participated in road runs. I have been at motorcycle events where the bums were driven off by the crowd who banded together and invited them to leave. They left. I ride a bike every day, and without being sickening abOut it, I try to make a good impression on the public. Agreed, this is difficult as most people have a pre-conceived idea of what a motorcycle rider is like. I have snarled at a few four-wheeled clowns too, which I shouldn't have done, but by-heck I try. If the people elect a politician that steals them blind, they deserve what they get and by the same token, when the public refuses to back their own law enforcement personnel tbey can't expect mOre than they have recei ved in the past. The police are not in the business of insuring your entertainment but your protection. Motorcycle events are not a civic project but an etrort by private enter- prise to make money and your police agency is not in the business of guaranteeing a profit to private enterprise. When an officer has a job to do, if you don't want to help him the least any citizen can do is to mind his own business and not interfere. There are not enough police in any department in the world to do the job assigned to them and pOlice agencies will continue to be understaffed for the job untll the PU blic wakes ~ to the fact they have to help others in order to get what they themselves want. Wben the department I work for gets an undesirable officer, we weed him out. Let's have a taik with a few of Our own motorcycle buddies and straighten them up. Nothing disgusts me more than to have one of my buddies, whom I've gone on a run with, get soused and make himself obnoxious. He insul ts some body and I take a chance on collecting a punch in the mouth bailing him out of his difficulty. He may be "gOOd old Joe" to me and the rest of the gang and its funny when he cloWDs around private, but somebody else's wife may not feel that way. I don't intend to moralize and I can drink as much as the next man, but I don't want to be the one that people look at and say "there's the joker that screwed uP the ral!y this year.Mr. Roloff is mad, I'm mad too, but not asMr.Roloff. I just can't see people reading his article without a little rebuttal. I agree that some police agencies are a poor argument for law enforcement but on the other hand, lets not condemn cops for what they are unable to do with their limited numbers and power. It is the responsibility of every citizen to see that law and order prevail. If we can't be cop-lovers, at least lets not be cOP-haters. I know cops that I don't like but I try not to let it show. If you can see throu gh the large cloud of steam that I've just blown off, the balance of this letter is to tel! you at Cycle News that I think you have a fine publication and to my way of thinking, the best in the business. Keep UP the good work and I'll see you at the next road run. these expenses agalDSt the' gate count of ..000 (not our figure, but the owners) and the concessionaire claiming to have lost money, then perhaps your figures won't appear 50 lucrative. ... The AMA "squawking" has also been done by a majority vote of the Dist. 37 Sports Comm. at their January meeting, 50 California "brays" together at least. 5. If you would care for a personal itemized financial breakdown of Hopetown, please contact us. We do not like the implication that we abandon a fellow rider. and while we do not supply financial security for injured competitors, neither do we ignore them. Let's keep it friendly, Mr. Hill. DON KEMP Dirtdiggers M.C. ("Nothing unlriendly was Intended by Herb Hill, Any reader who wishes to contribute financial aid to the injured riders may send checks or money orders to Chivington & Grooms Fund, c/o Cycle ews, Box 498, Long Beach, California.") MOONLIGHTING I ride a heavyweight bike and for the last 3 times that I have ridden at Perris race track I have had to ride after the sun has gone down. It seems to me that you clubs responsible for this night SCRAMBLIN' AROUND By Maureen Lee "SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE•••• What an 'orrible month for scrambles riders! In January '66 we had four TT Scrambles and this year, just one! Fe bruary will have three while last year there were four. In March we'll be doWD to two while 1966 had five! As for the rest of the season, I'm 50 depressed I'm not even going to look at the schedule! "Something's Happening Here" as the song goes, 50 at the risk of repeating myself it looks like one solution could be either building up present clubs or founding some new ones. The O.C.M.C. who put on one of the best scrambles at Prado last year just isn't handling any run this year according to the cal endar. One of tbeir members who worked 50 darn hard last time on entries, setting up heats and then worked on results after the day was over, said that he was going to propose to the membership that they have no more runs until they could build up membership 50 that the whole burden of work wouldn't fall on Just a few. There are hig clubs who goof things ~ and little clubs who run tremendous events and most definitely vice versa, 50 it's not always size that's important. What counts is plain willingness! We also kll,Ow a club or two whose members make a scrambles an excuse for a day racing would realize the time factor. Why can't you schedule the amount of laps for small hikes in the morning 50 that we big bike riders could have some cotton pickie' time to ride in daylight? Or, better, run the big hikes in the morning? Night racing is ok with proper lighting, but moonlight is not enough. FREDOONMAN Perris Come To the Club Meeting I have a suggestion that might help this problem in Dist. 37 about the non club members and points. I think if you send someone to some of the local club meetings and write some stories on the clubs and their activities it might show some of the non-club members just what they are missing by not belonging to a club. I belong to the Spoke Benders of South Bay. I was president last year. Our club would be very happy to have one of your staff at our meetings, if it would help. We meet the 2nd and .. th Wednesday nights at EI Retiro Park in Torrance. RON E. WHITE #271 Desert (" We are hunting right now for a correspondent. to attend club meetings and write reports on them a you suggest. We think it is a very good idea, Ron,") long beer bash. And, there are one or two others whose events are such that after a season Or two in this business, my editor is going to have to hold a gun against my head to make me cover them! Some other comments•••the absolutely horrible events we had UP to the end of the season. With 50 many little bikes now, the big bikes were left with only two-lap mains a couple of times with the last event being run in almost darkness. T'aint fair! I know there are more zillions of lightweights compared with the heavies, but we can't pick on the minority all the time! It's all the lightweight heats that take ·up the time. So we'd like to propose a suggestion to the clubs who will be hosting the late events this season. How about scheduling the big bikes first, then letting the little ones run 'til dark? Or at least doing a turn about from week to week 50 it isn't just the big bore riders who have to run in the twilight. Practice sessions too ha ve been getting hairier and hairier. One of the last at Perris for the big bores was so bad that it was apparent lbe patron saint of bike riders was watching that particular event! AD of the guys got past the starter and aU were on the track at the same time, novices as well! How about borrowing an idea from the professionals at Ascot? Let' 5 have everyone line up one or two deep so that the starter can real!y handle the number of guys who zoom out on the track. Include a club member who can also watch for the "sneakies" who manage to ride every lap of practice one way or another! There isn't a track around where this system couldn't be used, space-wise. OHIO SCHEDULES BUSY YEAR By Bob Moore HE'S SHOOK I've never heard of any club held against the wall for injuries sustained by any competitor as we should understand Our situation before we get on the starting line. My condolances to the Chivingtons and you will certainly find my contribution among the rest of them when it arrives. I wish Herb Hill of Las Vegas would .:heck into the facts before he shoots his mouth off at the DirtDiggers M.C.!! Perhaps this could be an incentive for clubs to each have a benevolent fund such as the Diggers have. I know help is coming although lengthy in time. JACK SHOOK San Jose DIRTDIGGERS REPLY Dear Mr. Hill: In reply to your open letter in the January 1967 Cycle News, please be advised that Chivington has not been forgotten. 1. A collection for Chivington & Grooms will be taken at our presentation January 28, 1967. 2. An informal rider poll at Our Acton race showed a negative reaction to presenting plaques rather than trophies for a race of this magnitude and we re. sDOnded accordingly. 3. Expenses for a race of Hopetown's stature are far higher than you may realize. i.e., eight -sheriff's men at $...00 per hour for 16 bOurs, total $512.00; ads in L.A. Times $389.16; Prize money, $2000.00; plus hay bales, fencing, lime (3 tons), 2 poster mailings; $380.00 Insurance premium; ~, directional signs, decals, etc. When yQ.u weigh The Ohio A.M.A. clubs just had their sanction meeting in Columbus on January 8th. There were delegates from the 130 Ohio and West Virginia clubs scheduling their 1967 events. There were approximately 262 sanctions granted, which included 20 class C ~ Miles, one IT race (Dayton M.C.'s state Championship), 3 Class A hillclimbs, 18 enduros, 14 moto-crosses, 79 scrambles, 18 short tracks (sportsmen), 21 sportsman hillclimbs, and an assortment of poker runs, rallys, etc. Below is the 1967 schedule for the Class C ~ milers, etc, Date Place April 30 May 14 May 20 May 21 May 30 June 4 June 10 June 17 Jl/l1e 18 June 23 June 24 June 25 July 2 July 4 July 8 July 15 July 16 July 22 July 23 July JO July JO Aug, 20 sept, 10 Oct, 8 Oct, 22 Lucasville, Ohio Portsmouth M.C. 4 Star Marion, Ohio Triangle M.C. 4 star Marysville, Ohio (Night) Heart of Ohio M.C. 4 Star Plain City, Ohio Capitol Cil;y M.C. 5 star Eldora Speedwy(Rossb..g)Treaty City M.C. 4 Star Athens, Ohio Athens M.C. 3 star Salem, Ohio (Night) Western Reserve M.C. 2 Star Short Track Mansfield, Ohio (Night) Mansfield M.C. 4 Star Chillicothe, Ohio Chillicothe M.C. 4 Star Eldora Speedway Treaty City M.C. 4 Star Troy, Ohio Dayton M.C. 5 Star Columbus, Ohio Charity Newsies 10 Mile National Canton, Ohio Canton M.C. 3 Star Mansfield, Ohio Mansfield M.C. 4 Star Lima, Ohio (Night) Lima M.C. 4 Star Van Wert, Ohio (Night) Grand Lakes ~l.C. 4 Star Kenton, Ohio Kenton M.C. 4 Star Troy, Ohio (Night) Dayton M.C. 4 star .. Columbus, Ohio Golden Arrows M.C. 8 Star State Chlll1lPl0nship Eldroa Speedway Treaty City M.C. 4 Star .. Akron, Ohio Greater Akron M.C. 3 Star Class A Hillclimb Pirates M.C. 2 Star Class A Hillcllmb Columbus, Ohio Golden Arrows M.C. 4 Star Oregonia, Ohio Miami Valley M.C. 2 Star Class A UiDclimb Dayton, Ohio Dayton M.C. 2 Star TT State Champ. Club Purse OIDO HALL OF FAME The Southwestern Ohio Motorcycle Clubs Association has their annual Ohio Hall of Fame banquet next week on Jan. 14th. They will present Ohio plaques to the top professional and sportsman riders in the state. Ronnie Rall was the top expert class rider, Jack Warren of Clio, Michigan, top amateur, and Tommie Morrison of JacksonVille, Ohio the top novice. Dave Dresher of Springfield, Ohio won the heavyweight divisIon for sportsman for the third time. Bill Seigler of Madeira, Ohio took the lightweight crown with Bud Wilson of Columbus, the enduro champ. Top road rider in the Association was Mrs. Gene Boy of Dayton,

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