[TheeBadOne]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/903068.asp?0dm=N228N

LAUGHLIN, Nev., April 21 — The tens of thousands of bikers at this year’s Laughlin River Run motorcycle rally will find twice the usual number of police, plus motorcycle searches for drugs and weapons, a ban on cans and bottles, and a curfew for those under 18.

THE CHANGES come a year after a brawl with guns, knives and wrenches killed two Hell’s Angels and one Mongols motorcycle gang member and injured at least 12 other people at Harrah’s Laughlin hotel-casino. Another Hell’s Angels member was shot to death in California.
The bikers attending this year will have to cross checkpoints before they even enter the town for the rally, which is scheduled to begin Wednesday.
Police at checkpoints and volunteers will distribute fliers listing laws and event rules — including a 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew for anyone younger than 18.

BIKERS ASKED TO LOSE LOGOS
Most hotels will ask the expected 80,000 motorcyclists not to wear gang emblems or logos, said Andre Carrier, an executive at the Golden Nugget hotel-casino and chairman of the town’s organizing committee. Some hotels will have metal detectors at entrances.

“What we’re trying to do is ensure their safety,” said Lt. Thomas Smitley, head of the Las Vegas police substation in Laughlin, a town of 8,000 on the banks of the Colorado River. “We’ll be proactive and highly visible.”
After last year’s brawl, the town briefly considered canceling the five-day rally.
“But it’s an important event for us — important for our brand, important for our economy,” Carrier said.
In 1983, the first River Run drew fewer than 500 people. It has grown into a signature event for this town 100 miles south of Las Vegas, near the Arizona-California state line.
The rally now pours an estimated $25 million into town; weekend room rates at nine major casinos jump from $40 per night to $190 or more.

‘THE 1 PERCENTERS’
“Ninety-nine percent of the people are there to party, to play,” said Maryland state police Lt. Terry Katz, a past board member of the International Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association and a former rally attendee. “The problem is the 1 percenters.”
These days the riders of $20,000 Harley-Davidsons are more likely to be doctors or lawyers than outlaws.
“We’re a group, not a gang, said Davy Weller, 56, a retired insurance broker with homes in Sun Valley, Idaho, and Las Vegas.
“Our feeling is it was an isolated instance,” he said of last year’s violence. “I’d be shocked if there were any problems this year.”
Katz, who has been studying motorcycle gangs nationwide since the mid-1970s, said gang members use gatherings like Laughlin to stake turf and display power. Officials noted that last year’s violence came after months of skirmishes between Hell’s Angels and competing biker gangs such as the Vagos, Pagans, Bandidos, Outlaws and Mongols.
“There was shadowboxing leading up to it,” said Patrick Schneider, assistant U.S. attorney in Phoenix, and current president of the International Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association.

RECENT DEATHS SPARK CONCERN
Schneider said recent sources of worry have included the March 22 slaying of the Hell’s Angels chapter president in Cave Creek, Ariz., hometown of Hell’s Angels chief Ralph “Sonny” Barger, and the stabbing two days later of a Mongols member near Reno. Authorities aren’t sure if the two deaths are connected.
“I can tell you that something’s going to happen,” said Tim McKinley, a retired San Francisco FBI agent who investigated the Hell’s Angels for 15 years. “But I would be surprised if it’s in Laughlin this year because of the massive police presence.”
Hours before last year’s fatal fight, Mongols and Hell’s Angels members squared off at a Hell’s Angels T-shirt stand. Within hours, a phalanx of motorcycles rumbled from the north end of the Laughlin strip to Harrah’s, where the Mongols were staying.
Casino surveillance cameras recorded the violence.
Prosecutors and detectives are still dissecting videotape and matching faces with names of the more than 120 Hell’s Angels and Mongols members they detained and questioned after the fight. Only one person has been charged, and those charges were later dropped.
Last year’s 135 uniformed officers will be boosted this year to more than 300. There will also be undercover officers and motorcycle gang specialists from as far away as Finland. Medical and police helicopters will be based in Laughlin and Bullhead City, Ariz., a city of 42,000 across the river.
“We’ll have no tolerance for criminal conduct and no tolerance for lawlessness,” Smitley said.
-----------------------------------

To those who live out there, are you taking any extra precautions this year?

[AZTOY]

No logos

I don't think so, biker are not going to take off there CLUB LOGOS.





This is going to be a big mess.:banghead: :banghead:

[Joe Demko]

Bikers. Feh. Scum are scum. The "clubs" are criminal organizations. They're no different from the Crips, Bloods, Royal Aztecas, Cosa Nostra, et. al.
It amuses me, in a sick sort of way, that grown up, professional men (doctors, lawyers, CPA's, etc) will lay out big $$$ for a Harley, and then go to great lengths to dress up like criminal scumbags when they take that high-priced two wheeler out for a Sunday ride.

[CZ-75]

It amuses me, in a sick sort of way, that grown up, professional men (doctors, lawyers, CPA's, etc) will lay out big $$$ for a Harley, and then go to great lengths to dress up like criminal scumbags when they take that high-priced two wheeler out for a Sunday ride.


:rolleyes:

You can't go around judging people based on their appearance.


Where have I heard THAT before.

Do as I say, not as I do.

[El Tejon]

Golgo, uh, just because certain professionals put on leather (a surplus Swedish Navy jacket that I bought at Knob Creek) doesn't make them criminals, right? Or even wannabe criminals?

Not all that like scooters or even, gasp, firearms, commit crimes!:D

[Stabby]

$$$ for a Harley, and then go to great lengths to dress up like criminal scumbags when they take that high-priced two wheeler out for a Sunday ride.

What's wrong with buying something you want when you can afford it and enjoying it? I mean unless I become a doctor I don't see myself affording the Boss Hoss 502 I lust over. And how exactly how are they suppossed to dress? How does a criminal dress? You know the point of the leather is to protect you if you take a spill. They're plenty of bike clubs that are not criminal orginizations, just a bunch of gearheads and fabricators usually.

My friends all have bikes or muscle cars, usually wear leather jackets of some sort, and (the worst part) have beards!. We arent criminals. Grad students, a radio host, and technology professionals. We just like engines and chrome and torque. Thats all there is to it, not criminal conspiracy.

It just another hobby that is feard and misunderstood by a lot of people who are misinformed or cant get over their preconcieved notions when it is really just fascination and appreciation for a specialized machine --hmm sounds kinda like another hobby a few people around here are into.

[TheeBadOne]

A biker is a biker is a biker, no big deal....unless you're talking about a Hell's Angel or the like; "Outlaw Motorcyle Gangs".

[dustind]

I use my honda xr400 (street licensed dirt bike) as my main form of transportation. It gets 50 mpg, goes from 0-60 in under five seconds, and i can park it anywhere. I love rideing it, i drive around just for the fun of it, i guess that makes me a criminal wannabe. Id like to see you slide on asphalt at 50+ mph and tell me leather is for "dress up." :banghead: :fire:

[dev_null]

AZ: It happens, depending on the venue. It's called neutral turf and usually calls for "no colors, no attitudes." Whether it can be applied in this case remains to be seen.

Golgo: Well done job of "removing all doubt." :rolleyes:

-0-

[Porter Rockwell]

Hello,
every spring the media/government has their "outlaw biker" specials and news briefs on all the radio/TV/net to scare the masses out of their wits, blah, blah, blah.
Meanwhile, the same media/government promotes the gangbangers and totally ignores the real gang violence happening in every city on "that" side of town whether it's LA, DC or Boise and SLC.
It's not the "bikers" doing anonymous drive by shootings in their own neighborhoods.

[TheeBadOne]

A link on a short article about 'Outlaw biker gangs".

http://organizedcrime.about.com/library/weekly/aa022503a.htm

[bogie]

Hey, now, back when I was a yout, I was running with a branch of one of the more notorious clubs.

Never saw half of what was in the movies...

[CZ-75]

Well, thank God we assume that bikers are white, otherwise this might be about race. :rolleyes:

[Porter Rockwell]

CZ-75, biker clubs come in all colours, a quick example are the Federales among several other Mexican clubs.
Dykes On Bikes is a biggie in Frisco eh?
THEEBADONE?
Do you believe this crap?
How does a gang that advertises it's presence (mandated colors) sneak around and sell dope?
The site mentions that the authorities KNOW that these groups are manufacturing illegal drugs yet the authorities have yet to stop club activity, hmmm?
Are LEO so stupid they can't spot a foot wide patch and follow that supposed criminal?
What a steaming pile!
Frankly, the goverment is terrifed of many/any large group of free thinking men.

[CZ-75]

biker clubs come in all colours, a quick example are the Federales among several other Mexican clubs.


Thank you.

[TheeBadOne]

Porter,

They don't directly touch what they do, they are the administration, and they collect the money while underlings do the actual deeds. Many HAVE been arrested, HAVE served their time, and HAVE learned much by their experiences. The criminal Outlaw MC gangs (like Hells Angels) are very good at what they do. Law Enforcement will be the 1st people to tell you that. Why don't they send in someone undercover? Duh, that was done in the 60's and they've learned from that. To get into a major OMC (outlaw motorcycle club) you usually have to commit a violent felony (up to and including murder). How good are these guys? Their counter-surveillance/intelligence is often superior to that of the cops. Never underestimate them. There are a lot more MC clubs that are just that, clubs, but don't confuse them with the OMC's.
Take pride in you don't know how they commit their crimes, if you did you'd be a criminal. You can follow a guy in a patch jacket all you want; his 'crimes' are not hands on. He's made his bones before he got his patch. Are all bikers with patches criminals? No, the majority are NOT. Law Enforcement does track the OMC's and their activities. They are most interested in the “Big 5”, of which Hells Angels is obviously one of them. The Angels dump a lot of money in PR, millions. As a result they are seen by many now as, ‘Reformed’. They even have designated member(s) who they recruit because they have clean records, and they keep them from getting them dirty. It's their job to present a pretty face to the public at the PR events. If you think they’re a joke, try wearing one of their patches. Bet we don’t hear from you anymore after that.

[Porter Rockwell]

TheBadOne?
I'm a little confused with your last comments, first you say the HAMC requires prospects to commit felonies? Then you say they have designated members with clean records? Oxymoron?
You then say HAMC spends Millions of dollars on PR? You did know that Sonny is BROKE didn't you?
Look a little closer in your own town TBO, see any limos or $100K cars, airplanes?
The stereotypical HAMC member has all he can do to keep the putt running and food in the fridge for the family, same as most Americans!
So some more research my man, organized crime is alive and well but it ain't your neighborhood Red & White.
BTW, for years the real organized crime banned HAMC from the state of Nevada. Moe Green it was that made the call.

[TheeBadOne]

I won't waste my time/breath/keystrokes. Either you're sympathetic to OMC or just ignorant (no crime in that) of OMC. As you know the HA colors, I'll guess the former. How do you explain the Casino shoot out last year?

[Preacherman]

I would generally agree that most bikers are pretty decent folks, like most shooters (and since I belong to both groups, I speak for myself as well! :D ). However, there are the few who make it difficult for the many... In the prison where I work, we have some outlaw biker types on long, long sentences (usually related to drug supply rings, etc.). They are STILL trying to organize and run their gangs, even from behind the wire! Some of them, though ingenious combinations of coded talk on the phone, letters containing a hidden code, etc., actually succeed in doing so. If only they'd put as much ingenuity and effort into a regular job on the street, they'd have been millionaires by now... :rolleyes:

[Porter Rockwell]

Threaten me or my family with lethal force? That's a real toughie TBO, you are aware of the deaths leading to the altercation?
Can you document this Million dollar HAMC PR campain you've mentioned?
Sonny has been selling a book, statues and T shirts to get by, strange behaviour for a millionare don't ya think?
IMO, this continued annual charade is geared to increase funding for the various LEOs and fed funded think tanks.
Local gangbangers commit more crimes daily than HAMC ever has yet there's no headlines about the real national crime wave.
Rap and Hip Hop teach the kiddies to rape and murder on all the TV channels, bikers just want to ride.
MILLION DOLLAR PR CAMPAIN??
LMAO!

[TheeBadOne]

I guess the Mob doesn't exist either since they are so low key too....

[LawDog]

Porter-Rockwell, are you defending all motorcycle clubs or just the Hells Angels (HAMC)?

A Google search using the terms "Hells Angels" and "Quebec" can be somewhat eye-opening, if research is called for.

LawDog

[Erik]

Bikers are some of the best folks around.

Outlaw bikers some of the worst. By far.

[George Hill]

I'd happily hang out with almost any group of Bikers.
My favorite instructor at my police academy was a Hell's Angels.
99% of them are good people. Solid people. With tatoos...


The outlaw biker... that 1%... or less... They are about as bad as anyone else you might run into in a nightmare.

[Chainsaw]

Preacherman wrote,<If only they'd put as much ingenuity and effort into a regular job on the street, they'd have been millionaires by now... >

If they would have gotten an regular honest job......like working for the government or sumpin.


__________________

[Destructo6]

Let's play the semantics game again.

Motorcyclist = the 99% who enjoy motorcycles and are interested in no more than good clean fun.
Biker = the 1% who, other than motorcycles, share little in common with Motorcyclists.
You know the point of the leather is to protect you if you take a spill.
The safety angle would be valid if the typical biker garb consisted of a full-face helmet and total coverage leathers. Since the standard seems to be cheekless chaps, a leather vest, and skull cap, if any helmet at all, safety appears to be the least of their concerns.

I'm not sure why Golgo-13's comments about what he found amusing is somehow transformed into a bigoted statement. I, too, find it amusing, similar to how I find it amusing that rich suburban white kids dress up like poor inner city gang-bangers. Why are we wrong for finding it amusing? Has a nerve been touched?

[Stabby]

Since the standard seems to be cheekless chaps, a leather vest, and skull cap, if any helmet at all, safety appears to be the least of their concerns

come on that's just bs. Everyone I know who rides kinda doesnt want to die. It entails appropriate boots, thick jeans a proper leather jacket, and ALWAYS a helmet. And my few friends with sport bikes the same except their jackets match their bikes, Is that the criminal dress code Golgo?

it occurs to me that maybe because I live in a traffic congested urban area with poor roads and pooreer drivers and maybe you guys don't that is why the bikers around here seem to pay a lot more attention to safety.

Offence is takeen by Golgo's comments because he insinuates that anyone wearing leather on two wheels is trying to be a criminal which is simply not the case. Now sure I don't doubt that there are some out but they are a fairly low percentage.

I understand where you guys are coming from though, and yeah it is amusing to see a clean cut doctor in full new shiny leather like you described on a brand new shiny BMW bike or something, but hey if it works for him then why not? I'm just trying to point out that a lot of the anti biker stuff sounds like the same thought process that we constantly constantly criticize the anti gun folk for....

[444]

I couldn't care less about this whole biker crap or what you wear. But, last year, I got called into work from home for this shootout they had last year.
I posted a little bit at the time and I am not going to add much now, but I can tell you this. This wasn't a bunch of drunk bikers getting out of control. The shooters in that casino were stone cold pros. A whole lot of ammo was fired and not one person was hit that wasn't targeted; and this was done inside a casino. Just like everything else that happens in or around a casino, the whole thing is on video tape from numerous angles. When I saw what went down, it was the first time in my life (and so far, the last time in my life) that I was afraid to be at work.

[King]

Thank you Erik.........

[StuporDave]

I think that a lot of people here are speaking about things they know nothing about.

I've been into the "biker" thing since the early 80's (before all the annoying doctors and lawyers bought bikes to look cool). I'm friends and/or aquaintences with several club members. I've been asked to apprentice for two clubs over the years, turned down both offers. The clubs aren't my thing.
As in every other area, there are many good folks who are bikers, and a few real jerks. You hang out with the good ones and avoid the jerks.


It used to be if you broke down on the highway and didn't have what you needed to fix your bike, just wait. The next Harley that came by would stop. They'd either have what you needed, get you needed, or go make a phone call to your friend with the pickup truck.
That doesn't usually happen with the ""RUBbies" (rich urban bikers) They couldn't care less about a guy with an older bike with little chrome. They'll pass you up without even a glance.

I'll take the clubs and old independants any day. Better folks in my experience.

[Joe Demko]

Destructo6,
Their knickers are wadded about my comment because of an earlier thread dealing with stereotyping. I pointed out that not every kid who dresses in "gangbanger" clothes is an actual gang member. Said thread ended up locked. you can review it here (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16804) , if you want. For the comprehension impaired, note that the difference between that thread and this one is that I don't assume that every guy I see dressed up in biker drag astride a Harley is an actual crank-dealing-illegal gun-toting-killer-lone biker of the apocalypse. IOW, the sight of a man on a motorcycle doesn't escalate me into Condition Plaid (or whatever color code is trendy today).
I will expand on my earlier comment to clarify that what amuses me is that the middle-aged guys buying the Harleys and the biker costumes are going to great expense to dress as a stereotype i.e. the "outlaw biker." Nothing wrong with playing dress-up games, though. They're free to dress like any member of "The Village People" they care to and I'm free to laugh at them.

[Master Blaster]

Dress Up is fun!!

SAS Single action shooting society.

Civil War re-enactors

A few gunnies that pop immediately to mind.

Bikers most are good 1% are bad, Just like EVERYBODY ELSE.

In my neck of the woods we have the Thunderguards, Warlocks, and the Pagans. They sell Crank, They shoot cops. They steal, but mostly they kill each other, like the Hells Angels.

Look up James Muddman Simon as a Warlock example.

We also have Blue Thunder which is composed of Police Officers who dress like bikers and ride for fun.

[JohnBT]

Bikers are okay. I still have a permit and a few scars :)

It's Laughlin have reservations about. I got a free gambling junket to Laughlin once. Two things stand out in my mind about the trip. Nice people and a very long flight. Mostly the flight.

John