Last Saturday the roar of motorcycle engines stopped traffic in Melbourne’s CBD.
The riders had come from Glenrowan and Mansfield, Epping and Sunbury, Broadmeadows and Ballarat to join the “Ned Kelly commemorative anti-association protest ride”. They were denouncing legislation due to be introduced into State Parliament that aims to stop groups of three or more motorcyclists riding together and is intended to restrict the activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs.
This Saturday, the future of motorcycling in Victoria will be chewed over at another traffic hotspot, Coburg’s famous Sydney Road-Bell Street intersection.
Broadmeadows biker Georges Gouron was in the thick of the action last weekend, and he’ll be there next weekend as well.
Mr Gouron is a member of the Independent Riders Group, which represents the more than 326,000 Victorians licensed to ride motorcycles and scooters.
He believes banning motorcyclists from “filtering” between cars and restricting riders in lining up behind cars in the traffic only holds back the flow and helps clog roads.
Independent Riders Group spokesman Damien Codognotto has been an advocate for motorcycle riding for decades.
“Motorcycles and scooters are cleaner than cars so the increased use of commuter cycles reduces pollution from traffic,” Mr Codognotto said.
More information: www.facebookcom/IndependentRidersGroup
