I just wanted to clear up a couple Daytona Beach BIKE WEEK items that I read in the Daytona Beach News Journal over the weekend.

The article was called: "Police: Bike Week DUI not as bad as people think"                       

 Lets start with:

"Gone are the days of nudity, flashing, fights, Outlaws (biker gang), and general tearing up the town," said sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught. "Bike Week has evolved into a manageable event with a great number of attendees abiding by both law and community standards."

I have a friend who told me the town was never torn up, nor did he ever see any "biker gangs" fighting, he's lived here now 11 years, he moved here after visiting for every Bike Week and Biketober Fest for years before

His ex bartended locally here for a long time at an establishment that allowed "colors" none of the 1 percenter's caused any problems there.

Nudity and flashing? Gone? I'm not exactly sure where this "spokesman" hangs out during Bikeweek or at any time of year, but he obviously doesn't walk down Main Street. During Bikeweek the gals working the beer tubs have some interesting ways of dressing, or not.

As for the patrons, I've wondered on a few occasions if some people actually own mirrors! On other occasions I just marvel at the outfits or lack there of some folks chose to wear but, it's Bikeweek! It's fun, it's time to "let your hair down and have a good time!" Yes, I will be fully clothed! I own a mirror, and NO, I won't be on Main Street. I go there throughout the year, I love Main Street, but why should Steve and I worry about a ticket possibility once or twice a year? (for loud pipes)

Ok, that being said lets move on to the DUI part...This seemed to be pretty accurate...

Biker's and Motorcycle Enthusiasts come here to get away from the snow, cold, and to ride, they like to stop at their favorite watering hole say hi, have a beer and move on. They are not here to get falling down drunk. They wait to get back to their campsite or hotel room for that.

"Last year's Bike Week was the deadliest on record with 16 fatalities in Volusia and Flagler counties. But records show only two of the bikers killed were drunk"     

We had a record number of fatalities last year, I looked up what I could and just out of the 16 mentioned, 4 instances either a truck or van pulled out in front of the bike or turned in front of the bike and killed the person operating the bike. 2 instances the rider was sitting at a red light and got hit from behind. Four other fatalities were two separate head on collisions by motorcycles. I wish they would print what kind of motorcycles the unsafe riders were riding. I took the following quote from an article in last years News Journal:

"FHP spokeswoman Trooper Kim Miller said automobile drivers, not motorcyclists, were at fault in most of the deaths. Bike Week, which brings thousands of bikers from around the country to Daytona Beach, continues through Sunday."

Ok, so then I read this other Bike Week Special Edition article also in the News Journal:

"Police have the ticket for excessive Bike Week noise"

I'm of the belief that "loud pipes save lives" now, they don't have to be so loud they rattle the fillings out of your teeth, but geeze.

Bike Week in the last 4 years since I have been here has changed A LOT. The amount of people on Main Street seems to have thinned out along with the amount of venders. It isn't only Main Street, The Cabbage Patch has lost a lot of vendors too. There are signs up everywere "Welcome to Daytona! Please Ride Quietly" HA!

I personally know of a couple that will forgo Main Street because they don't want to take the chance on getting a ticket for their pipes. (laws in their town are different, why should they change out their pipes for 1 day in Daytona?)

Steve and I also will not be visiting Daytona and Main Street either. We have no problems there at any other time of year with the same pipes and same bike, why should we have to change the pipes for an event?

I don't pay attention to Spring Break, but I want to know if the Police handle that noise problem the same way? I would much rather have a loud bike next to me then a car 6 cars back at a stoplight with the bass up so loud it's vibrating the windows in my car and it hurts my fillings. Where is the DPD with their noise meter then, are they around? I honestly don't know, so this is a real question, not a sarcastic one.

Anyway, with this type of antic, Daytona is slowly chasing off its revenue from the event, so who is profiting? The unincorporated area of Ormond Beach, the county of Flagler Beach, and the towns of Deland, Edgewater and Sanford.  Still yet, you do have to watch your pipes, and your "ape hangers"! You will still get tickets for your pipes and ape hangers if they are not at the legal height, but the Sheriff's office isn't standing around with a noise meter in hand, just a night stick and measuring tape.

My advice during Bike Week? Ride Safe, Keep you eyes open at all times and Don't Bring Attention To Yourself.