I think this is the new trend, "get rid of those bikers".
Soon one by one this events and weeks will moved to non mainstream
Isn't this how Bike Weeks started, bikers gathering in some area or town
Looks like we are going back to our roots
I am sure Daytona would love to do away with it and they pretty much have
They are a Nascar Town now, Nascar can do NO wrong
They did away with Spring Break, kicked MTV out, and many others

 

living only 200 miles away and riding to myrtyle regularly in can tell you the real problem is the second or black bike week.They tried to make everyone stay open for both rallies.Alot of merchant wanted to close for black bike week byt be open for harley week.Reason the blacks dont spend near as much money,cause twice the trouble and theres 4 times the theft.Yes Im racist,but this comes from 7 cops and a few merchants.
&nbsp\\; I had a cop tell me on Sunday (lasyt day of our rally )that he hated to see us leave.when i jokenly said hey you have more bikers next week,he said" Damn i hate to see you all leave".
Its basicaly like everything else they destroy and steal and others suffer.
&nbsp\\; You can take the monkey out of jungle but he still acts the same.

 

As many have stated it seems like the focus of issues is with the Alantic Beach Rally held right after "Cruise to the Beach" Harley Rally. I spoke to many merchants/resturaunter and stuff and they were like "We love this week" Its those Damn "Hoodlums next week" It also seems that come Late Saturday or early Sunday at the end the Vendors are packing up and running away as fast as they can.
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Maybe its time to fix the issue at hand and point out the issues to the NAACP insted of tiptoeing around the bias issue. Oh Wait were talking about our polictical leaders\\;\\;\\; it will never happen so punish everyone for the actions of few.
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Good Luck MB your going to need it
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Frank
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oh no we cant speak bad of naacp national association of alway complaining people.

 

While the wife and I were there during the HD rally, we ate at a local estalishment (fast food) in Myrtle Beach, won't mention the name as it is the only one there in the area.....We talked to the owner who is retired military and been there for 20 years, if I remember right, he said he truly enjoyued the HD riders and rally but it was the black bike week that caused all the problems...He said they would stand out on his property throw trash eveyr where even though trash cans were 10 feet away, would litterally have open public sex in front of his business, and things of this nature...He closes down each week during Memorial day due to the very **** poor behavior of these bikers, and he said refuses to even sale to them as they hurt the entire area with their attitudes!!!
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I guess we are guilty by association....

 

&nbsp\\;all this came about after 3 blacks shot and killed a college student who was charging cars to park on his uncles property.the blacks refused to pay,and it escalated until the 20 yr old college kid was shot in the back as he was leaving the scene.the locals became very adamant in trying to get rid of both rallies after this happened.we all know that theyre afraid to stop the real cause of their problems,the black biker week,they have to stop us too.the naacp will not let it happen to their own,even though most of the real trouble is during black bike week.

 

You only need to be there during Black Bike Week (I was by mistake)and you would understand.&nbsp\\;\\\\\\; It is not a pretty sight.
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A waitress told me she gets her highest tips during Harley week and that during Black Week she's happy if they just pay there bill, which many do not.&nbsp\\; They just get up and walk out.

 

Separate and Unequal Treatment in Myrtle Beach Posted: May 20, 2008@ 2:00 pm by Anson Asaka There are two annual motorcycle events held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina during the month of May. The first event is Harley Week. The second event is the Atlantic Beach Bike Festival, commonly known as Black Bike Week. Black Bike Week occurs during Memorial Day Weekend, one week after Harley Week. Harley Week is a predominately white event. Black Bike Week is a predominately African American event. Black Bike Week is the only time of the year when the majority of tourists in Myrtle Beach are African American. The two events are separate and unequal. During Harley Week, the City and the local business embrace and welcome the bikers. The businesses open their doors and put up signs saying “Welcome Bikers”. The City allowed a two-way pattern on Ocean Boulevard and the police presence is relatively light. Conversely, before the NAACP’s involvement, the City imposed a one-way traffic pattern on Ocean Boulevard only during Black Bike Week. When African Americans participating in Black Bike Week came to town, there was a massive police presence. In the recent past, the police utilized overly aggressive policing tactics. The police continue to ticket and arrest black bikers for minor infractions. Compared to Harley Week, far more people are arrested during Black Bike Week. In addition, many restaurants closed their doors and took down their welcome signs during Black Bike Week. Racism trumped the need to make profits. During Black Bike Week, some businesses treated African Americans like second class citizens. Some hotels implement draconian rules. One hotel required black bikers to sign a Guest Contract which consisted of thirty four hotel rules. Some hotels required guests to stay for five days and pay in advance. Harley Week participants were not subjected to such treatment. Expressing distain for the black bikers, some hotels discouraged whites from making reservations during Black Bike Week. One nationally known restaurant actually increased their prices during Black Bike Week. Another restaurant, Friendly’s Restaurant on Ocean Boulevard, was unfriendly to black people. Friendly’s closed the interior of the restaurant and forced the black bikers to eat outside of the restaurant. Instead of serving its normal fare, the restaurant served only barbeque. Friendly’s is known for its ice cream. During Black Bike Week, Friendly’s did not serve any ice cream. During Harley Week, the restaurant was open and offered its customary menu items. Moreover, a major gas station chain instructed staff to close the restrooms and remove certain items from the shelves during Black Bike Week. The gas station closed its restrooms and forced black bikers to use unsanitary porta potties. The gas stations covered bathroom signs, covered the doors with caution tape and put barriers in front of the bathroom doors. They hired security guards to monitor the black customers. During Harley Week, the bathrooms were open and there were no security guards. We are not talking about something that occurred in the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s or the even the 1990s. Some of these things happened last year. As a result of the NAACP’s hard work, many restaurants now open their doors and welcome the black bikers. The NAACP has had many victories in Myrtle Beach. The Association has successfully settled most of its federal lawsuits. Now, the Myrtle Beach Police Department uses the same traffic pattern on Ocean Boulevard from 29th Avenue North to 17th Avenue South during the height of both bike events. Under the settlement agreement, the Myrtle Beach Police Department must train all officers deployed during Black Bike Week on policing crowds and cultural sensitivity. Despite our accomplishments, there are several restaurants that continue to close during Black Bike Week. Accordingly, the NAACP will remain vigilant. We will continue Operation Bike Week Justice. We will continue to shine the light on Myrtle Beach. The NAACP will continue to monitor both the businesses and the police. We know that without public pressure and litigation the businesses and the police will revert to old regressive and discriminatory behavior. If a business was open last weekend during Harley Week, it should remain open this weekend during Black Bike Week. Businesses should charge the same prices during Black Bike Week that they charged during Harley Week. Businesses should keep up the welcome biker signs during Black Bike Week. To those attending Black Bike Week, the NAACP urges you to call 1-888-362-8683 to report closed restaurants, increased prices, police misconduct and other types of unfair treatment. If you observe any of these problems, please file a complaint at our command center located at Sandy Grove Baptist Church, 1008 Carver Street, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577. If you have a complaint against the Myrtle Beach police, we encourage you to file a formal complaint with the Myrtle Beach Police Department as well. Anson Asaka Assistant General Counsel NAACP

 

I never thought of it from the position of going to someone else's hometown, and there is some validity to the point. However, if you choose to live in a tourist area, you get what you get. If you live in Niagara Falls, you get tourists. MBtourists. Daytontourists. Orlandotourists...Hollywoodtourists. If you choose to live there, you can't complain about the guests that visit your town.

And quite honestly, there are so many small jurisdictions that Bike Week isn't going anywhere. You have Myrtle Beach, Conway, Sunset Beach, Murrell's Inlet, Atlantic Beach...and so on. So there won't be vendors in MB...It is not like I am there to buy that much stuff to begin with. I am there to ride and socialize.

Jon Golden
Charlotte, NC
08 FLTR

 

Ummmm...Ocean was one way traffic during the first yearly rally...I know..I was there an hated it!&nbsp\\; I'm anyting but a bigot...when My own black friends confirm that some of the BS from shop owners happen I belive them...they were most disgruntled tho by the BS they saw the young black bikers perform.&nbsp\\; Being in the Military I works with all races, creeds and colors...and I've seen all types of issues.&nbsp\\; But Myrtle Beach needs to enforce laws versus throwing it out the door!&nbsp\\;

Then again...Let's just see if we can move it north or south of there.&nbsp\\; I'd hate to see years of tradition broken...but if needed...let's build it from the ground up!&nbsp\\;

Mike