Biker blocs gear up for duel

I for one can't wait until these rallies are gone and gone forever.

Bikers are trouble and bring trouble with them....I don't care which rally it is.

Enough is enough and I for one have had it. I'll be more than glad to help foot the bill to rid this area of these rabble rousers.

I have only been coming to Myrtle May Bike week for four years and I have spent a great deal of money. I spend 1200 for the week for a hotel room on top of the shopping, food, etc. This past year I probable spent close to $2,500 plus for the week. I will not return. there are too many other towns I can spend my money on if I am not going to a bike fest.

if we as a city are going to eliminate the bike rallies, we should get rid of it all!! maybe permanent residents could get a barcode tattoo for identification to get into the city. the bikers are no more trouble than any other group of visitors. have you been to nmb during the s.o.s.? this is nothing but a drunken brawl. yeah everybody is dressed up in shiny, fancy shag wear and not leather. let's lose those canadians too! while we are out to destroy our economy we can eradicate those snowbirds, golfers, spring breakers and just close the city. i hope that if the city of myrtle beach goes through with this foolish plan that the city of north myrtle does not follow suit. these bike rallies have been a part of the grandstrand culture for years.

I just read the article concerning the bike rallies in Myrtle Beach and I can understand your concern. It seems that at every opportunity the city council is trying to figure out how to end these events. The council has proposed a tax increase that will raise approximately $1 million, with some of that money to target ending the rallies. Will that really be enough? Local Businesses who directly benefit from the sales during the rallies as well as local government departments who benefits from increased tax revenues and vending permit and Hawkers and Peddlers License fees will be greatly affected by ending the rallies.
Myrtle Beach city Councilman Chuck Martino wants to pick and chose which tourists come to Myrtle Beach. That’s almost like trying to pick and chose your family. Cities like Sturgis SD and Daytona Beach FL have learned to embrace the biker events and have prospered and grown as a result. Why is Myrtle Beach being so resistant to this concept? I don’t believe the local residents want their taxes raised because of the revenue short fall when the bikers and venders are no longer there spending money.
I’ve attended the Carolina Dealers Association rally for over 25 years and have seen great improvement in the quality of what Myrtle Beach has to offer, in part due to the increased revenues from the rallies. I have brought my family back to Myrtle Beach on occasions during and outside of the rallies as a result of the improvements that I have seen and the reception I receive from the business owners. Councilman Martino says he wants to market May in Myrtle Beach as a family vacation month. It seems to me that the rallies are a great way to promote that for the rest of the year while bringing in increased revenues during the rallies. Why do those two concepts have to be mutually exclusive?
Respectfully,
Charles Marsala
Fayetteville, NC

The rally concept is fine as long as everyone has respect for each other and property. The BBW has no respect for anything. It is sponsered Atlantic Beach, so keep it there and have them pay for all of the damage that is caused, I forgot, their broke and in debt up to their _ss. The planning commission can't even agree to get together.
Maybe the NAACP can help get them out of debt with more law suites that have no merit.

I've come to the conclusion that the goal of the "powers that be" in Horry County is to make all of the Grand Strand a permanent retirement home. Even the old folks in our condo complex call and complain about music, not even loud music, in the MIDDLE of the day. It's a vacation spot. People are on vacation. You know you live in this vacation spot, so deal with it.
I personally enjoy the Harley rally and we go every year in May and October. However, I wouldn't set foot there on Memorial Weekend. To those who haven't been a witness to both, you cannot begin to understand that there is a HUGE difference in the rallys. By the way, whatever happened to the boycott of SC by the "other" bikers?
I also do not have children and try to avoid the times when people bring their loud, snotty nose spoiled brats and leave them unsupervised to disrupt an otherwise nice vacation. Hey, they are on vacation too, why should they watch them? That's for the other tourist to do. Maybe that will be next...NO children under the age of 18. Now I might vote for a tax on that :).

Unfortunately that tax hike is only to research the problem.

Chuck Fayetteville nc wrote:

I just read the article concerning the bike rallies in Myrtle Beach and I can understand your concern. It seems that at every opportunity the city council is trying to figure out how to end these events. The council has proposed a tax increase that will raise approximately $1 million, with some of that money to target ending the rallies. Will that really be enough? Local Businesses who directly benefit from the sales during the rallies as well as local government departments who benefits from increased tax revenues and vending permit and Hawkers and Peddlers License fees will be greatly affected by ending the rallies.
Myrtle Beach city Councilman Chuck Martino wants to pick and chose which tourists come to Myrtle Beach. That’s almost like trying to pick and chose your family. Cities like Sturgis SD and Daytona Beach FL have learned to embrace the biker events and have prospered and grown as a result. Why is Myrtle Beach being so resistant to this concept? I don’t believe the local residents want their taxes raised because of the revenue short fall when the bikers and venders are no longer there spending money.
I’ve attended the Carolina Dealers Association rally for over 25 years and have seen great improvement in the quality of what Myrtle Beach has to offer, in part due to the increased revenues from the rallies. I have brought my family back to Myrtle Beach on occasions during and outside of the rallies as a result of the improvements that I have seen and the reception I receive from the business owners. Councilman Martino says he wants to market May in Myrtle Beach as a family vacation month. It seems to me that the rallies are a great way to promote that for the rest of the year while bringing in increased revenues during the rallies. Why do those two concepts have to be mutually exclusive?
Respectfully,
Charles Marsala
Fayetteville, NC

NotReadyforNursingHome wrote:

I've come to the conclusion that the goal of the "powers that be" in Horry County is to make all of the Grand Strand a permanent retirement home. Even the old folks in our condo complex call and complain about music, not even loud music, in the MIDDLE of the day. It's a vacation spot. People are on vacation. You know you live in this vacation spot, so deal with it.
I personally enjoy the Harley rally and we go every year in May and October. However, I wouldn't set foot there on Memorial Weekend. To those who haven't been a witness to both, you cannot begin to understand that there is a HUGE difference in the rallys. By the way, whatever happened to the boycott of SC by the "other" bikers?
I also do not have children and try to avoid the times when people bring their loud, snotty nose spoiled brats and leave them unsupervised to disrupt an otherwise nice vacation. Hey, they are on vacation too, why should they watch them? That's for the other tourist to do. Maybe that will be next...NO children under the age of 18. Now I might vote for a tax on that :).

They only boycott when it is convenient for them. They love to stick that in our face but they suffer from amnesia when it comes to BBW.

PLEASE go not answer the moron - "In Yo Face MB". He is not worth the time and effort and he is doing it for the sick fun of it. NO ONE could be that stupid and still be sucking air! IGNORE HIM!

NotReadyforNursingHome wrote:

I've come to the conclusion that the goal of the "powers that be" in Horry County is to make all of the Grand Strand a permanent retirement home. Even the old folks in our condo complex call and complain about music, not even loud music, in the MIDDLE of the day. It's a vacation spot. People are on vacation. You know you live in this vacation spot, so deal with it.
I personally enjoy the Harley rally and we go every year in May and October. However, I wouldn't set foot there on Memorial Weekend. To those who haven't been a witness to both, you cannot begin to understand that there is a HUGE difference in the rallys. By the way, whatever happened to the boycott of SC by the "other" bikers?
I also do not have children and try to avoid the times when people bring their loud, snotty nose spoiled brats and leave them unsupervised to disrupt an otherwise nice vacation. Hey, they are on vacation too, why should they watch them? That's for the other tourist to do. Maybe that will be next...NO children under the age of 18. Now I might vote for a tax on that :).

My sentiments exactly these retirees want to lock up the beach for themselves. They forget they were once tourists themselves. A friend of mine andmyself were in the store buying steaks for a cookout the last sat night of bike week. This old fossil asked us when bike week was over We told her it was over the next day She said that means that all of you are going home I told her no maam this crowd lives down here permantly boy did she get pissed!!! Yes they are miserable through their prescription fogged minds and they want everyone else ie tourists golfers bikers etc to be as miserable as they are. They sit all day long at Mickey dees drink their 39 cent coffee and complain about everybody and everything If they get on the road their minds are so fogged that they will run over you whether you are in a truck or on a bike. I told one of those snivelers one day if i had his attitude I would take a gun and shoot myself to put myself out of my misery. If these retirees dont like what the beach has to offer in diversity of people and events they need to either get a life or move to a strictly retirement community like Hot Springs Ark SHOVELHEAD GCB SC Note I am 52 years old myself semi retired and hold an AARP card

The thing the councils are not thinking about is:

Of the 300,000 "bikers" (only about 5000 REAL BIKERS come to this event, the term "MOTORCYCLE ENTHUSIASTS" is more appropriate here), about 1/2 OR MORE of these people RETURN in the Summer with the whole Family and Some again for the October Fall Rally. Thusly, SPREADING the wealth to the businesses complaining about slower business during bike week.... ie, Amusement Parks, Theatres, The Mall, Restaurants,...ect...

If the city says, "we don't want your kind, comin round here, no more",...

Don't they realize these folks WILL NOT BE BACK over the Summer???

Now you're talking about another HUGE LOSS in revenue they're not considering.

From all I have gathered, this whole thing is about Money:

1. The City claims policing the events cost too much.

2. People who don't make a living in the HOSPITALITY/ENTERTAINMENT industry are JEALOUS of those who make SIX FIGURES in 10 days.

3. With No Tourism, Properties Values will fall drastically, then Developers (Read: Council's Relatives, hence COUNCIL MEMBERS) can get rich off Northern Retirees who sell there $1,000,000 3000sq/ft house in NY, NJ, PA, MD and move here & buy the same house here for $275,000.... and live cheaply off their 401K and interest. All of which is GREAT thinking. BUT they want the area to conform to THEM, not the other way around.

I want these noisy monsters gone. I hate being trapped when so manh freaks are here in the city during any mass rally. I should not have to be nervous about being hit, killed, driven to the curb, or worse, by any of these people. It may be reasonable business, but please take it elsewhere. Have your rallies in Death Valley, CA or 29 Palms. No one there will complain because rocks do not drive, and cactus plants rarely summon the polic for robbery, murder, rape, and general hated noise levels.

PA BARBIE,
Welcome to a tourist destination.
Suggestion:
If you don't like Mickey Mouse DON'T MOVE TO ORLANDO.
but if you do,... just smile and wave, I know Mickey may LOOK like a huge bucktoothed cheese eating rat, but he's really a mouse at heart.

The Myrtle Beach Mayor and City Council have lost what little sense they once had! Raise taxes to eliminate revenue from coming into Myrtle beach?? What a freaking joke!

Let's face it, there isn't a member of City Council nor the Mayor that has the guts to step up and say what the REAL problem is. The problem is the Atlantic Beach biker rally that started impacting Myrtle Beach around 1998. The Harley rallys spend more $$ in Myrtle than any 5 groups combined. On the other hand, the Atlantic Beach rally sucks $$$ from the city. Sooo, we have to treat them equally and get rid of both, BS!! You work on eliminating the REAL problem.

True, there are a few bad eggs that show up with the Harleys, but that happens with even family tourists. The Atlantic Beach rally on the other hand break every rule and law known to man and spend little $$$.
Talk to Restaurants and clubs, even Motels and ask them which group is more friendly and which group spends the big bucks. The businesses that don't reap $$ when the Harleys are in town reap them later by the locals that spend the money they make during Harley week.

Sorry, but I am 70 years old and I LOVE the roar of the Harleys. For the other old goats that complain about the noise I have I have 3 words for you...BUY EAR PLUGS!!

Aubrey Toole wrote:

Sorry, but I am 70 years old and I LOVE the roar of the Harleys. For the other old goats that complain about the noise I have I have 3 words for you...BUY EAR PLUGS!!

Or turn down the hearing aid....
Aubrey, you are the man.

PA Baby wrote:

I want these noisy monsters gone.....

So what? I want to hit the Power Ball.

We don't always get our own selfish wishes.

Do we have this story correct? It took this family over one hour of stop and go from Myrtle Beach to North Myrtle Beach for a dinner reservation with our out of State family members. Never seen so many rude drivers in all of my life living in MB. Ninety five percent were out of State tags (guess SC residents were staying home). The quarter of million dollars spent on synchronize stop lights must have fell in the ocean. Never will do this again. Oh by the way this was on 3 July 08 driving in the mist of suv's,cars,trucks,guess the three bikers we spotted on the road was holding up all this traffic.
Quit griping about Bikers,automobile drivers are HORRID.

hey...how bout all those obnoxios pedestrians?

SHOVELHEAD wrote:

<quoted text>My sentiments exactly these retirees want to lock up the beach for themselves. They forget they were once tourists themselves. A friend of mine andmyself were in the store buying steaks for a cookout the last sat night of bike week. This old fossil asked us when bike week was over We told her it was over the next day She said that means that all of you are going home I told her no maam this crowd lives down here permantly boy did she get pissed!!! Yes they are miserable through their prescription fogged minds and they want everyone else ie tourists golfers bikers etc to be as miserable as they are. They sit all day long at Mickey dees drink their 39 cent coffee and complain about everybody and everything If they get on the road their minds are so fogged that they will run over you whether you are in a truck or on a bike. I told one of those snivelers one day if i had his attitude I would take a gun and shoot myself to put myself out of my misery. If these retirees dont like what the beach has to offer in diversity of people and events they need to either get a life or move to a strictly retirement community like Hot Springs Ark SHOVELHEAD GCB SC Note I am 52 years old myself semi retired and hold an AARP card

You maybe 52, semi-retired, and hold an AARP card but you should also add 'my boxers are too tight'.

1-Bikers are trouble? What world are you living in? Watch the local evening news 365 days a week and see how much trouble is around you-they sure aren't Bikers.

2-Bikers don't spend much money here? Are you insane? We live here,we have family that comes from other states with their bikes. We start at one end and go to the other of The Grand Strand. Shopping, eating and riding. Can't even begin to tell you how much money is spent.

3-We have a lot of family and friends from all over the USA that would like to know why so prejuiced against Bikers? I doubt they will return to this area and they come many times during the year.

4-I would like to know who is behind Councilman Martino or who died and made him our maker? Sounds very fishy to me.

5-THE BIGGEST QUESTION OF ALL..MB you want to make May a Family Month??? Wow isn't that great MB May Family Month and kids aren't even out of school.

Do you all really think we are so stupid we can't read between the lines? Well keep it up as many are watching and keeping up with your actions. Personally we will go to Florida do our bike weeks, we also do March of Dimes Run an other Charities. To bad you all can tap into some of Florida's ideas.