A ride to remember motorcyclists who have lost their lives on the road, and to fundraise for drought help, has been marred by an “impatient fool” of a driver.
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One of the bikers on the Fallen Brothers and Sisters Ride on Sunday captured a video of a white 4WD breaking the road rules to overtake the procession through Loomberah.
But that’s not the only irony to the incident: it happened as the riders were passing slowly through a mob of cattle forced onto the road by the dry conditions.
The ride was organised by the Aussie Motorcycle Riders Social Club’s Tamworth chapter, starting in the city and going via Loomberah to Currabubula Pub.
Chapter member Nick Webster said it had been “a brilliant day” for the 40-odd riders, who raised almost $1000 for R U Aware We Care, including a $500 donation from Insurance House.
But he said there was “always one”.
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“You’ve got a procession of bikes, it’s obvious we’re doing something – and there’s always one driver that tries to push past, push past, push through,” he said.
Another club members described the act as “some impatient fool decid[ing] to endanger life and break some road rules”.
Remembering riders
Mr Webster said the ride was about “paying homage to all the motorbike riders that have been killed around the North West area”.
“There’s a fair list of names there,” he said.
“Somewhere down the line, we’re going to create a permanent memorial to all the riders that have fallen over the years.
“Some of the names we read out … are riders that have passed on this year: Andrew Quayle [of Quirindi], who died in the Hunter Valley in February, and Benny Jackson, who died at the [previous] weekend at Westdale.”
The riders started with a coffee at Gemocha in Tamworth and had lunch at the pub.
“Half the goal of the ride was to support local businesses so, wherever we could, we supported the locals,” he said.
“We’re just a group of guys and girls that love going for ride and love supporting our community.
“Bikers are some of the most charitable people you can lay eyes on .. we’re not the big, bad so-and-sos that some people in the community make all bikers out to be.”