I'm not trying to cause an argument and I'm not expecting people to agree with me - I was just trying to put forward a logical point.

It seems that from the outset, this has been all about exclusions, when really, it ought to be about "How can we ensure we sell enough tickets to make this event a success?"

If it came down to say, 10 people only being able to get there by means other than bikes, you'd really prefer to cancel it?

Doesn't seem logical to me.

But you've made your decision. So fingers crossed eh?

And this is why I don't go to rallies....   I saw four guys get out of a Sierra at the Scottish Bike Show in full leathers (including the driver) and walk away with their crash helmets in hand towards the entrance. Is this what you have to do to be accepted by the biking fraternity?   What defines a biker anyway? Just cos you ride a bike or is it a lifestyle choice? I am sure there are many who are very interested in becoming a biker and would like to chat about it who will now be excluded.   I thought that I might have gone to this meeting but that is in doubt now....   I bought my bike to get away from elitism and prejudices and rules, not just replace them with another set.   Think I am better off just sticking to my solo riding.... whether this makes me a biker or not.                                                                                                                                                                             

Can't be doing with all this bulls**t politics meself neither....... Think i'd rather ride solo too... Fancy a blat TC?!;O)                                                                                                                                                                             

Wannabe I respect your opinion and you make good points what more can I say.   TeeCee I believe that being a biker used to be a lifestyle back in the old days and for thousands still it remains so but times change and now thousands just have bikes stuck in the garage not being used cos of the lousy weather and they're able to say look at me I've got a bike......for me a biker doesn't mind the weather...he or she just wants to be on the bike feeling total freedom no matter what the weather........sorry but this is just my humble opinion                                                                                                                                                                             

I saw four guys get out of a Sierra at the Scottish Bike Show in full leathers (including the driver) and walk away with their crash helmets in hand towards the entrance.   Which is one reason why I say "no pedestrians".   No elitism, no prejudices, just the one rule 'come on a bike'. And you've got 9 months to sort it.                                                                                                                                                                             

Sorry guys... just needed a little rant...   I appreciate how difficult these things are to organise and fully appreciate what the committee is up against both with keeping the members happy and with the insurance/regulations etc.   You asked a while back for suggestions for a name and I offered the 'Ure Welcome Rally'... I still think this could be the ethos behind it... we are not MAG, we are a social site.   Anyhoo, I shall leave it up to you cats..... grab your helmet, Arf.... last one to the Cliffs of Dover buys the chips!!                                                                                                                                                                               

lol!...um...taking into consideration our start off points.....think it might be wise to have some loose change at the ready geez!                                                                                                                                                                             

Careful Arf. Maybe TC is gonna sneak round on his boat. And then say "GO" !                                                                                                                                                                             

To be honest i cant see wot the problem is how u get to rally i thought it was all about peeps getting 2gether n havin a good time!!!!!! but if u can only arrive on a bike well hope u all have a fab time as i wont be goin (no bike)   rant over                                                                                                                                                                             

I agree with WB,TC and Arf. For what its worth at this years Flames and Frames custom show we let in cars,under 16's (accompanied by an adult) and people on foot. If we hadn't of done we would of been down approx 30% on people through the gate. How many of those people this year have bikes or can ride pillion that wouldn't come back again if we hadn't let them in last time. Not forgetting the financial side of it. How many people on this site that can't get a lift on a bike or have kids want to come but won't be able to. Its ok to say they have 9 months to sort it out but not everyone is financially able to. Those who say sort it are those who have bikes already. Maybe you can help them on their way.                                                                                                                                                                             

well said Ric                                                                                                                                                                              

Sorry guys, your doing a great job organising a rally for the site but is it really for the site or for a seperate lot of people, if you are going to have limited space for cars and no pedestrians. I don't know from one week to the next how my arm will be (From my bike Accident) so can't always ride but if I booked to come in my car and then could ride that would have stopped someone else having a limited car space and if I said yes and then couldn't ride then that would mean that I wasn't able to attend as couldn't get in with my car. When I organised my biker week end last June, people came by any means of transport they were able to use at the time of the event and this turned out to be a great fun week end with lots of like minded biker people despite their mode of transport                                                                                                                                                                             

Now i dont know the legalities of insurance, and probably wont ever know, but surely the disclaimer of 'children, dogs, cars, bikes, pedestrians etc attend/take part, purely at their own risk', would go some way to people making their own decisions? I thought the idea of the rally/get together was simply to provide a meeting place for members of this site and have a cracking weekend? The last rally i went to, approx 30 people turned up(due to the appalling weather), but we had a great time. Yeah it was basic, but likeminded people who gather for a particular reason will always find a way to enjoy themselves. AFAIK we are organising a weekend loosely based on a bike rally are we not? 

Right,lets get something clear right now,the no pedestrian rule has got nothing to do with mag.As anybody with any real experience of rallys,music festivals ect will know,a great deal of trouble/problems are caused by local 'youths' turning up because its the best party around and/or the only place to go when the pubs have shut.Thats a whole lot of issues i for one could do without,esp seeing as the total number of volunteer marshalls we have at present number about 6,cheers for all the support on that level guys.        Secondly once again the issue of cars/kids raises its ugly head(are you lot just looking for an excuse to have a pop)please take the time to read the thread before having a go,for the final time,cars are to be allowed but on a limited basis due to availability of parking spaces,or perhaps we should consider banning tents to allow more room for cars??Under 16's is a health and safety issue due to the river at the bottom of the site.(getting bored with repeating myself now)If you get invited to party or a night clubbing do you refuse to go and take the hump because you can't take the kids with you,i think not.       We asked for opinions,ideas and offers of help and once again get nothing but criticism and negativity.I am not an elitist(i ride a chinese bike for ****s sake)nor am i prejudice against anyone or anything,just simply trying to do something constructive with my time.I have better things to do than waste my time justifing decisions that have been made to try and make this the best rally we possibly can,but it is when all said and done a bike rally for bikers and like minded people,not a family weekend at butlins.                                                                                                                                                                               

I absolutely agree with what yr saying Cassie, really i do, and now that you've explained what is meant by pedestrians, i agree with that too. After all, i cant see many BM'ers turning up with rucksacks and tents after travelling up on the bus. Given the people that will likely be attending(for example ME), it wont be a party that many parents(i presume) will want their kids to subjected to. After all, there is likely to be drunkeness, swearing and who knows, maybe even partial nudity(apologising now if the twins get an airing). As has been said before, there is plenty of time to organise sitters. I promise not to bring my dog, as she is at that influential age, and may be scarred for life, plus she hates her goggles and finds that more than 50 yds on the bike a little uncomfortable. I think yr all doing a great job, and if there's anything i can do let me know                                                                                                                                                                              

P.s...i'll only be a marshall if i dont have to stay sober                                                                                                                                                                              

I am sorry you seem to have taken this so personally, cassie. You asked for opinions and they were given. This is a rally for BM members and I was only offering my thoughts. I am sure that others who also offered their opinions were only doing so in the hope of making it the best rally it could have been. As I said in a previous post I appreciate how difficult it is to organise such an event and I genuinely wish you the best of luck with it.                                                                                                                                                                             

lol at DC threatening to let her puppies loose!.....                                                                                                                                                                             

I cant guarantee it will happen Arf, but i like to give advance warning, just in case                                                                                                                                                                              

*Soooo impressed with self restraint not to enter a come back to you right now*