Scotland welcomes bikers

From the moment I was of an age the law allowed me a driving licence and until very recently I have spent my life on motorbikes, it wasn't a hobby, it wasn't a 'Sunday afternoon' thing it was a whole lifestyle and one that in my experience was often misunderstood.

It is thus that this item in the news this morning caught my eye. 'Visitscotland' has begun a drive to attract touring bikers into the area with the help of Colin McGregor (Yes he has a famous brother), in an endeavor to promote Scotland as the perfect touring destination, which save for the rain it is. The scenery is stunning, the cities are cosmopolitan and full of interest and the roads could have been designed with two wheels specifically in mind.

As a biker, to be welcomed and encouraged to an area makes a very welcome change. I have lost count of the times over the years when myself or friends have been denied entrance into campsites, pubs, restaurants or hotels merely because we arrived on two wheels and clad in leather. I am not talking here of gangs but of couples and individual riders.

For those in any doubt let me assure, you we wear leather not to be intimidating but because should we be unfortunate enough to be involved in a road traffic accident it may just save our life....or at least a limb. And why black, because whilst much of the leather clothing available now is brightly coloured attractive racing gear, for those touring it has to be borne in mind that what drivers on four wheels get stuck on their windscreen and bumper, all the debris, road dirt and insects, we get on our clothing. If you have ever tried keeping any other colour but black looking clean, having ridden thousands of miles, the reason for black becomes patently obvious.

Joe Public has a tendency to assume that all bikers are dirty, noisy, law breaking individuals covered in tattoos and piercings wearing an odd array of clothing and to be avoided at all costs. The stereotype suggests bikers are intimidating, even frightening and association with horror stories of the 60's and 70's Hells Angels is still not uncommon..... and though I hate to ruin the misconception, even Hells Angels are often nice people.

Of course, as in all walks of life there are those in the biking fraternity who will fulfill the worst expectations but in the main bikers are ordinary people, professionals, housewives, mothers, fathers, brothers, husbands and wives who just happen to share a passion for two wheeled engineering, a feeling of freedom, of camaraderie and a lifestyle that is a little different.

I have lost count of the times that on telling someone that I am (or was, though it never gets out of your blood) a biker, that my life revolved around all things 'bike' or that I got married in leather on a bike, their perception of the five foot female, suited and booted standing before them suddenly changes quite dramatically and not normally positively. The perceptions and pre-concieved stereotypes of women bikers is worse even than that of the men....on top of all the other claptrap we are also assumed by many to behave with the moral fibre of an alley cat, be 'fair game' for anyone and of course we are sexual predators who work our merry way around the entire biking community. I wish! Believe me, life as a biker was never that exciting.....perhaps I should feel affronted! We are subjected to an endless and boring tirade from some quarters of comments about 'women in leather'....the if I have heard the line' do you keep that on in bed' once, I've heard it a thousand times! Gah.

I would be the first to hold my hands up and admit that bikers are not always the epitome of excellent behaviour, I wouldn't deny that some actions of those riding endanger the lives of themselves and others or that to come face to face with a hundred machines is not a little intimidating, but, if those who support the stereotypes ever made the effort to get to know a biker or two instead of judging us out of hand they would find that for the most part we are just ordinary, everyday people.

So.......well done to 'Visitscotland' for making the move to encourage those on two wheels to visit and to welcome then...... what a very pleasant change.