Nova Scotia Bikers Information

This is the information so far, keep Steve in your thoughts and prayers

 

..........Thank you Margo

 Hello all,

I've been in contact with the hospital and Steve's ex-wife and now have
an update to provide.

Steve was riding near Clarenville with a fellow named Quintin, who he
had met along the way to Newfoundland.  His face mask somehow came up
over his eyes, blocking his vision.  He slowed the bike down, but not
enough, before putting his foot down.  He catapulted over the bike, and
went some distance.  It was 1 ½ hours before an ambulance arrived.  He
was sent to the local hospital and then air lifted to the Health
Sciences Centre in St. John's.
He was on life support until last until Friday past.  Now he has a
trach, and has moved from ICU yesterday into a private room.  He is
unable to speak, and the medication he is on is affecting his memory
etc.

He has broken ribs and punctured lungs.  He also had a massive blood
clot between his heart and lungs.  His ex wife Jan was supposed to
travel home this morning, but Steve developed a bleed last night and
things were touch and go again.

Jan says they are going to progressively lower the trach size, until
they can take it out.  He's on lots of medications, and won't be able
 to speak for about 4 or 5 days.  She's heading home on Saturday now, and
she expects he'll be able to fly by early next week, if she can get a
passport for him.  (She's currently working with her member of Congress
to expedite the process).

His bike is being shipped back home courtesy of his travel insurance.
His company's health benefit paid for his wife to go to NF.

I sent a lovely arrangement on our behalf today.  I also emailed the
flower company one of the photos of Steve and some of us from the Nova
Scotia Bikers website.  They will print it off and attach it to the
arrangement.

I asked Jan to keep me in the loop should there be any other
developments.  Hopefully he'll heal well and we will be able to speak
with him soon.

Just a reminder of how quickly life can change. Ride safe,  this weekend.

 

 

A man had his bike stolen when someone broke into his garage in Williamswood Sunday August 25th.  So its assumed that the parts will be out there.. and if you hear of anyone trying to sell such parts..... can you please contact janice@novascotiabikers.com

The bike is a custom built one-of on a Rolling Thunder chasis . The engine is a TP 124CI and transmission is a 6 speed Prowler with right hand drive and 250 rear tire. It has a Flat Ness front end and is painted red with black ghost flames.

As well as the dollar value; this bike was hand built by owner and he wants his “baby” back.

Assault gives Halifax man idea to start a Facebook group for victims to talk
By LAURA FRASER | 8:34 AM

 

The five dime-size scratches on Thomas Fougere’s black motorcycle helmet form a half-moon circle left by the bottom of the beer bottle that was hurled at the Halifax man while he and his girlfriend rode home along Brunswick Street.

And if he hadn’t turned his head in time, Mr. Fougere said the assault could have cost him his life.

"The impact literally felt like a brick," he said.

"If I wasn’t such an experienced motorcycle (driver), I could have run off the road . . . at 30 miles an hour into the back of a parked car."

That night, Mr. Fougere gunned his bike and sped past the group of 10 youths surrounding the suspected bottle thrower, even driving through a red light for fear that he might be followed.

The Aug. 12 attack spurred the 23-year-old into action.

He created a Facebook group called Stop The Violence where other victims of violent crime can come together to share their experiences.

Anyone with suggestions that might curb the amount of violence in the city should also join, Mr. Fougere said.

He said he plans to collect the solutions, which include stepping up the number of undercover cops in metro, and submit them to the municipality or the province.

This fall, Mayor Peter Kelly will be holding a forum on the same subject.

He said he would welcome any suggestions from the group and would encourage members to submit them for discussion or even make a presentation at the round-table discussion.

"Any ideas that anybody has would be greatly appreciated," the mayor said.

"We can’t do it alone, we have to do it collectively."

Mr. Kelly said the municipality has already completed 1,200 surveys in preparation for the discussion and has also mailed out more than 5,000 questionnaires.

Mr. Fougere said that discussion needs to include new strategies that can be used by police to reduce violent crime.

The Halifax man said that while he doesn’t want to imply the police aren’t doing their job, he can’t understand why more isn’t being done to resolve his case.

"If you give me a gun, mace and a Taser, I could catch a 16-year-old," Mr. Fougere said.

Police investigated the incident, but to the victim’s knowledge no one has been arrested.

What upset Mr. Fougere more, however, is that he believes his attacker might be the same youth who threw a rock at someone during the busker festival that same night.

Police tried to arrest that suspect, whose description matches that of Mr. Fougere’s attacker, but the youth escaped after other young men surrounded him for protection.

This type of inaction has increased Mr. Fougere’s desire to create a team of "vigilante investigators."

But the group’s creator stresses that he would never advocate fighting violence with more of the same.

Instead, he said, he wants to come up with new tactics to help police crack down on violent crime before it escalates even more.

"They’re just getting more and more brazen," Mr. Fougere said. "At first they throw a rock, and they get away with it, so they throw a glass bottle.

"And what’s next? Let’s fill the glass bottle with gasoline and light it on fire?"

One of Mr. Fougere’s suggestions would be to dress undercover police officers as tourists, so that they can believably carry cameras, making it easier to catch and identify suspects.

"We have to think of some more realistic strategies because the one we have right now is not working," he said.

"People are still getting away with violent crime."

( lfraser@herald.ca)

By JOSH VISSER | 5:16 AM - August 16, 2007

A motorcyclist was taken to hospital after driving directly into the path of a turning van on Hammonds Plains Road near the Bedford Highway early Wednesday evening.

The 23-year-old woman’s injuries were not life-threatening, Sgt. Dave Reynolds of Halifax Regional Police said.

The motorcycle was travelling eastbound when traffic stopped to let an oncoming van make a left turn. The motorcycle passed the cars in front of it on the right-hand side and ran directly into the side of the van.

"For her troubles, she will be getting a ticket for an illegal manoeuvre on the right side of another vehicle," Sgt. Reynolds added.

By The Canadian Press | 4:41 AM

A motorcyclist shot and killed by a single bullet on a busy highway in Britain originally came from Canada, British police said Tuesday.

The shooting was widely reported in the British media as a "pre-planned attack," although authorities said they were still investigating why Gerard Michael Tobin, 35, was killed.

Tobin was shot Sunday afternoon on a highway near Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, about 210 kilometres north of London, and died of his injuries.

He had lived in Britain for about 10 years, but authorities said he’s a Canadian.

Warwickshire police said they have not yet established where in Canada he’s from. "Officers are seeking further details about his background," a police department spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity.

Reports in the British media said Tobin was returning from a weekend motorcycle event called the Bulldog Bash, reportedly organized by the Hell’s Angels.

Police were looking into whether he was the victim of a revenge attack.

Detectives said a green Rover car with two or three people inside had followed Tobin and two friends for several kilometres before overtaking them and firing two shot.

Only one bullet hit Tobin, who was riding his Harley Davidson bike and may have been travelling at speeds of up to 110 km/h.

A single bullet entered his head just below his helmet. He fell from the bike, which continued some 200 metres down the A46 towards the M40 freeway roundabout.

Detective Supt. Ken Lawrence of the Warwickshire police said Tobin was in a stable relationship and was a "hard-working" mechanic.

"He had a job and a partner. He was a man of good character. He has not come to the attention of the police in any way," Lawrence was quoted as saying by Press Association, Britain’s domestic news agency.

Just someone's opinion........

I was thinking today; what is the definition of a true Biker? While I was thinking, I decided to take my ego out of it and really get to the root of what a true biker is. I came to the following conclusion; “A true biker is anyone who rides a motorcycle!”

I have heard ridicules assertions by those with huge egos that speak about living the biker life. Some examples of what I have heard are; I ride more kms than you do so I am more of a biker than you; I am in a club and you are not so I am more of a biker than you; I ride a Harley Davidson and you ride a Japanese Cruiser so I am more of a biker than you, etc. Some old time riders call other riders “RUBS” or “Weekend Warriors” as a demeaning term to somehow hold themselves out to be more of a biker than the other guy. Some guys even demean other riders because of the motorcycles they chose to ride. To most it’s good natured humor, but to some it’s a very serious thing.

Living the biker life does not mean that you dress in leathers, wear your wallet chain, wear your riding boots, and wear Harley Davidson t-shirts all of the time. Living the biker life does not mean hanging out at biker bars all of the time with other bikers. Living the biker life is actually riding your motorcycle and having a good time.

There are guys that I know that commute over 100 kms a day on their motorcycles to and from work. When they get to work they take off their riding gear and slip into business suits. These guys are some of the best riders I have ever seen. They are not the ones with the big mouths talking about how much of a bad ass biker they are, they walk the walk. I know one guy who is a computer programmer who rides a Harley Davidson 1200 Sportster like a bat out of hell. I am sure this guy can run circles around most other bikers that I know. He is a very quiet guy and he is a Biker.

In the end it all boils down to one thing; whether you ride a motorcycle or not! Sure I ride 1000’s of kms a year, so what. Some guys choose to ride Sport Bikes otherwise known as “Crotch Rockets,” so what. Some guys ride Harley Davidson’s, Japanese Cruisers, BMW’s, Triumph’s etc., so what. If you ride a motorcycle then you are a biker!

By JENNIFER STEWART Staff Reporter | 6:03 AM

A Bedford man killed in a motorcycle crash near Lower Sackville on Friday will be remembered as a man who loved the finer things in life — golf, NASCAR and, most importantly, his family.

Police have not released the victim’s name but an obituary submitted to The Chronicle Herald on Saturday identified him as Thomas Dowe, a 59-year-old retired captain with Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency.

Mr. Dowe, a father of three and grandfather of five, spent 29 years with the fire service.

Speaking on behalf of his peers, Divisional Chief Bryson Wilson said it’s a sad day for all who knew Mr. Dowe.

"He was well-rounded in the fire service and very well liked," Mr. Wilson said in an interview Saturday. "He will sadly be missed."

Mr. Wilson said Mr. Dowe was working in the Bedford area when he took early retirement in 2005 to spend more time with his family. Before that, he said, he’d been involved with departments and programs throughout the municipality.

"He worked in all aspects of the fire service," Mr. Wilson said. "He worked in the fire prevention division and he worked also in the training division through his career."

It was about 3:30 p.m. Friday when a Chevrolet Lumina went out of control and skidded into oncoming traffic near Cobequid Road, where Highway 101 turns into Sackville Drive.

Mr. Dowe, who was travelling in the opposite direction, had no time to react and his Yamaha motorcycle collided with the passenger side of the vehicle.

Nearby drivers rushed to help as the car came to rest against a rock wall, with Mr. Dowe and his bike trapped underneath.

Emergency crews arrived minutes later and rushed Mr. Dowe to hospital in Halifax, but he succumbed to his injuries later that night.

When contacted Saturday, RCMP Staff Sgt. Scott Warnica said police are still trying to determine what caused the other driver, who was not injured, to lose control of his car.

Weather conditions at the time were clear and dry.

In his obituary, Mr. Dowe was remembered as an avid golfer who enjoyed taking his two sons to Moosehead hockey games and NASCAR races.

Mr. Dowe is survived by his wife of 40 years, Jean, his daughter Leighann, sons Louis and Thomas Jr., and grandchildren Laken, Jessica, Devon, Jeffery and Logan.

Calls to the Dowe family were not returned Saturday.

Rev. Carson Baxter, a chaplain with the fire service who will lead the memorial service next week, said he has spoken with family members.

"They’re still in severe shock," he said. "Something that sudden coming on top of them is not easy to cope with."

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Atlantic Funeral Home in Lower Sackville.

A private service will be held Tuesday. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.atlanticfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the burn unit of the IWK Health Centre Foundation.

( jstewart@herald.ca)

Parking issue may be Big Ruckus By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE and AMY PUGSLEY FRASER City Hall Reporters | 9:41 AM

A two-wheeled, motorized Mother’s Day gift to herself has Deputy Mayor Sue Uteck thinking about easing parking regulations in Halifax for motorcycle and scooter operators. As the owner of a new 250-c.c. scooter called the Big Ruckus, the veteran politician wants city hall to consider a way to encourage less environmentally harmful commuting. "If you’re on a (scooter or motorcycle) — and it’s done elsewhere across the country — up to five bikes at a time can park at a (downtown) meter free of charge," said Ms. Uteck, the councillor for Northwest Arm-South End. She said recently her proposal is one meant to help promote "more environmentally friendly use of vehicles in the downtown area." At council’s weekly meeting Tuesday night, the deputy mayor asked staff to look into the motorcycle parking allowance as well as half-space spots for Smart Cars. The Smart Car idea originated with one of Ms. Uteck’s constituents, John Crace, a Halifax architect who has his own environmentally friendly two-seat auto. "Fantastic mileage," he says of the Smart Car’s 22-litre diesel tank, which can take the two-seater about 450 kilometres on the highway. He is keen to have the city support the use of smaller cars through lower parking rates so that more cars can use the downtown. Right now, a motorcycle, a Smart Car and a Hummer all pay the same rate for a parking meter, he said. "But, in fact, you could offer smaller stalls which would favour motorcycles or Smart Cars." The same could apply to indoor parking garages and outdoor lots, says Mr. Crace, one of the founding members and a director of the Atlantic Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council. "You can get nooks and crannies into the design of a parking garage that would accommodate a Smart Car or a motorcycle. And if you could lower the rate because less space is being occupied, then that would encourage the use of a more environmentally friendly vehicle." It’s time to shift into green gear when it comes to parking spaces, he said. "Because the rules, in many cases, were made a long time ago when a lot of the environmental issues were really not on the radar of anyone, . . . we’re kind of well past the tipping point now." In Vancouver, the city created 30 metered spaces for motorcycle parking on various downtown streets. A pilot project, which began in June 2006, offered spaces that are smaller than regular automobile parking spaces and provided short-term motorcycle parking at half the rate of vehicle spaces. Victoria, B.C., also offers special spots for Smart Cars in its downtown core. The parking spaces require only half the area of a regular metered spot. Ms. Uteck said she bought her Honda scooter, a sporty vehicle "that’s as quiet as a mouse," in May and dishes out $9.30 to fill the gas tank. She acknowledged she still needs her family car, which she was driving downtown Tuesday before an evening regional council meeting. "I’ve got two kids and a dog," Ms. Uteck said, "and I play hockey and golf." Though Honda’s marketing material trumpets the Big Ruckus as "freeway-legal," the little motorized machine only has two seats. The staff report will return to council at a later date.

I hope this stops!

 

My point of contact:  It's been awhile since myself and my wife were able to attend one of the great nights of comradely at the Fall River Tim Hortons. We always see friends and swap stories about places to go next, or just talk bike. An event that brings jovial conversation throughout the entire parking lot.     WELL!!!  ???? ....  Last night as 99.9 % enjoyed themselves in a dignity manner, along showed up a bonified bozo !!!!   I think he was there to represent his parents in showing all of us how they brought him up. How proud they must be ?? Fact is he did his little burnout, WOW. A real hero,NOT !! That burnout told us as couple that we will not attend that place of business ( on our bike ) again as a courtesy to the owner of that franchise.  THANK YOU BOZO.