Minutes of a Motorcycle Addict

Perhaps you thought bikers didn't care about Parliamentary Elections? You're dead wrong...

Me and the politicians. You don't see this everyday, I assure you...

Photo: Tor Egel Edvardsen

Wednesday 26 August I led a debate where members from the Parliament's Commitee of Transport met bikers at the venerable biker hang out Tyrigrava Kro just south of Oslo. The meeting was put together by the Norwegian Motorcyclist's Union, NMCU, and its goal was to get political aknowledgment, accept and commitment to important issues for us bikers.

And we got it. A stunning unanimous commitment from all the parties involved, from left to right and centre too, on how to tax bikes, how to use them to conquer increasing city traffic problems, how to make regimes to MOT approve customized bikes - these rolling pieces of art  - and so on.

Are the politicians just throwing glare in our eyes? This was the third Election Debate that NMCU has put together. In the two previous ones, in 2001 and 2005, we got concrete results from each of them. So we have good hopes that this will be the case this time too.

In any case it is extremely inspiring and satisfying working for an organisation - the NMCU - which truly takes rider's interests seriously and work hard to make them visible for the politicians and bureaucrats. Actually, due to the work of the NMCU, riders have gained both a foothold and good reputation among the political establishment as being constructive, solution-oriented and fair. 

Now the hard work is paying off. NMCU will make sure of that.

Check out MC24's report here (Norwegian only).