“MOTOR-BIKE NUISANCE.”

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4591, 22 August 1923, Page 1

“MOTOR-BIKE NUISANCE.”

(To the Editor.! Sir* —I trust you will allow me, through the valuable columns of your newspaper, to ventilate my grievance at what I term the “motorbike nuisance.” I am not condemning all motorists, for as a general rule they are a most rational class of people, but there are exceptions, and coming into daily contact with one of these is the cause of my “rushing into print.” At night, and even in the small hours of the morning, he may be found with his beloved bike, which seems to be dearer to him than a wife or a mother, and one might be ju, titled in saying that it is his religion. It is dear in another respect, also, as I believe a great part of his wages goes towards its upkeep, It. is very amusing ip see him trying to put his bike together again after he has had it in pieces. At last, after a lot of anxiety it is accomplished, when he finds that he has some parts left over. With feverish haste he goes through the whole performance again, and, after two or three hours, with a sudden brain wave he finds out where the spare parts belong, and with a long, loving look back at the object of his worship, retires to slumber, and most likely dreams of his idol. His camp mates may then have their sleep, which the “mugmechanic” has prevented -them from having before. This is an almost nightly performance. A friend of mine was 111advised enough to accept the offer of a ride. There is nothing like motorcycling for creating an appetite- After pushing and carrying the bike through mud and bog-holes on a very cold night they returned at ten o’clock. My friend had a splendid appetite, but a bad temper, and from some remarks he has since made I believe his experience was not very encouraging. The subject of this letter is a man engaged in outdoor work, and on a very wet day recently I saw him drenched to the skin. He had an overcoat, but used it to cover his bike. No knight-errant could act more chivalrously towards his lady than this. The young man is, no doubt, not representative of the majority of motor-cyclists, but I think he is typical of a class which should be kept under restraint, as to my mind they are a danger to the community. Drivers of motor-cars must pass a test; why not a test for motorcyclists ? F.F-