So - wearing a bike jacket makes you a crim.............

[southglasgow]

Ok, so the weather here in sunny central scotland is anything but this morning, so when SWMBO asks to go to East Kilbride to do some shopping I say, no problem, grab the keys to the car and the most water proof jacket that comes to hand - my new Weiss jacket, completed with knox armour, and loads of rippy velcro.

So its off to the shops.

Wandered round the shopping mall and in and out of a number of places, and then as I go into M&S find a security guard watching me with a little too much attention. Fine its his job to watch out for undesirables, but to wander about after me, peaking over the chinos and jumpers to have a look, and a long snear as the missus finishes her purchase and we leave?

Difference in my appearance from normal, only the jacket, and ok, it is a bit lumpy with the armour, and when I carry it over my shoulder it still doesn't slump properly because its not fully broken in yet but really, the jacket singles me out as a crim? I'm not aware that I have a five finger discount way of shopping.

Anyway, next off the supermarket. Once round the aisles and then to the checkout. Old dear in front pays with a crisp English £20, of which there are supposedly half a million fakes in circulation,and a handful of pound coins - of which some places claim up to 30 million fakes kicking about. Lady at the till, 'thanks very much dear' never a blink or check of the cash and it goes in the drawer.

My goods get scanned and when I pay with £20 (Scottish this time - supposedly only a tenth of the number of fakes than English notes) and its out with the Money detector pen - and a quick look up and down at me.

I know loads of folks moan about the way we get treated at some petrol outlets - lids and safety gear etc, but getting the evil eye for your jacket?

Anyone else suffered the same? Please tell me I'm not being paranoid - well no more than usual.
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CBT June 09 - Kymco KR 125 July 09 -> Sept 09. Suzuki RV125 June 10 -> Theory June 13, MOD 1 July 13, MOD 2 August 13. Woohoo -> April 14. Yamaha XJ6N.

[stinkwheel]

It's a lot better than it used to be.

A lot of pubs used to chuck anyone wearing a bike jacket straight back out (I know of a couple who still refuse to serve anyone in motorcycle leathers).

Guest houses and B&Bs would refuse to take your booking if you mentioned you were on motorcycles.

Our club used to have to book into bunkhouses in ones and twos over the period of a few days and make sure no-one mentioned bikes. We'd then park round the corner and get a couple of the more respectable looking female members to ditch their leathers then book us in, pay and get the keys before the rest of us made an appearance.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Biker101]

To be fair, when i worked at tesco, i was always suspicious of scottish money since it is so easy to fake, only reason it isn't faked so much is because people check them more.

There is a fear of scottish money everywhere but scotland, have you tried changing scottish money abroad, i got a point blank refusal.
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Past: 06 Runner SP50 >>> 01 Varadero XL125 >>> 08 Kwak ER-6f >>> 05 CBR600rr
Present: 99 FZS600 Fazer

[Devils Advocate]

stop fuckin whining...

i wear bike gear too,...i`ve got a shaved/bald head,....my skin`s half white/half black,.... i`ve got the type of face that says "trouble".....and i`ve got a bit of an attitude against the world too..
how do you think "I" feel


Seriously ...i get suspicious looks in shops all the time but i know i`m not doing anything wrong in there so if someone wants to follow me that`s upto them.If they try to stop me for questioning or refuse to let me enter etc etc..."THAT`s" when i`ll start being bothered about it.
god help anyone who does ^^that though....lol

word of advice....buy light/bright coloured bike gear instead of black.It seems to be more socially acceptable for some strange reason

[MarJay]

[Devils Advocate]

[The Original Muzza]

[kungfupoodle]

[Skudd]

When I used to give loss prevention briefings one of the questions I asked was " What does a shoplifter look like?" It always made me laugh when the answers came back and they always described me when on my day off.
Poor training and bigotry is the main issue in shops and it is getting worse.

There are still pubs that have signs saying No Bikers. When booking B&Bs or hotels I still ask if they accept bikers, all are ok, but I still feel the need to ask.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[extreme3d]

Why are you assuming it was the bike gear that generated the additional attention? If I was a security guard and was constantly looked at by a customer I would give them additional attention.

Scottish note - it's more or less standard practice in many retail outlets to check scottish notes in England. So I doubt this had anything to do with your gear. More often than not when sitting behind tills you just dumbly pass stuff through and don't really pay the customer much attention. Soon as anything unusual comes up you will obviously look up - can you blame the operative for then looking up and down at someone in bike gear which in itself is unusual and worth a second glance anyway?

[G]

[Poseidon]

This thread caused me to remember a funny incident that happened to me a few weeks back...

I found out my aunty had opened up a cafe/tea room about 60miles away from me. My immediate thought was, ride out! She's pretty cool so I knew I was in for a decent butty and a brew (and she's not the type to charge family!). I didn't forewarn her as I thought it would be a nice surprise, not having seen her since my wedding over 18months ago.

I got a mate of mine to come along and we found the place easy enough and my aunt was sat out front having a smoke. As we started to pull up onto the paved area near the tables (making it obvious we were going to the cafe) I noticed her get very nervous and she dashed inside. Moments later as we were dismounting, she came back out again followed closely by my uncle (6'2, well built ex-military chap) and approached us in a less than friendly manner. Given the obvious hostility they were showing towards us, I took off my lid and said "We'll f*ck off then shall we!". At this point their whole manner changed from aggressive to very friendly as it dawned on them it was their nephew, and they burst into hysterics before having a very cheery re-union (and the luverliest bacon butty I've had in a long time!). Whilst me and my mate were in the cafe eating, the regulars kept coming in moaning about the bikes parked carelessly outside and how bikers always bring down the tone of the area (loud enough for us to hear!), at which point both my aunt and uncle lept to our defense and said that our bikes were awesome and that they wish they had gotten bike licenses when they were younger as it's so much more exciting than plodding around in a car.

I had to laugh at the blatent double standards involved!!! (at least they didn't charge me or my mate for the bacon butty and 2 cups of tea each!)
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1977 Honda CG125
2002 Ducati Monster S4 (currently restoring)

[chris-red]

Lots of people have bullshit like this, just call it out. They are usually pompas Arseholes, Mearly coment how some people are so ignorant they would judge a person by there means of transport. I can't sit there letting them being smug, tell them out then they shit it.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[Clanger]

I got followed around Primark by security once...but I wasn't wearing my bike jacket or any of my kit at all. I thought I looked like a regular ordinary shopper. Hmm, feel a bit miffed now because I never get the same sort of attention as the OP when I do wear my kit!!!

That's discrimination that is...*clangers stomps feet*...
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Tonka]

a1trackdays organised an off road weekend the other weekend and it involved camping over as quite a few peeps were from around and about the country. I rode with him up to the main office on the Saturday after our day out and was appalled by the attitude of the Campsite Owner. She was clearly anti-bikes, which I have no issue with unduly as everyone has a right to their ill informed opinions, but I do have an issue with her taking their money and then being rude. It was made very clear at the time of booking that they would be on motorbikes.

If people don't like or want people who ride motorcycles then just say or put out signs. Don't take their money and then bitch about them, greedy small minded morons!

I really don't understand why people are so judgemental, but then there are lots of things I don't understand about people, meh
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'The core of a man's spirit comes from new experiences'
Suzuki SV650S (Clean); Yamaha XT250 Serow (Dirty)

[Devils Advocate]

[stinkwheel]

[Biker101]

[stinkwheel]

As an aside. Did you know that english banknotes are NOT "legal tender" for the settling of a debt in Scotland, although they are universally accepted as such?

Scottish banknotes are a promissary note chargeable on a specific bank and as such are negotiable currency. The "Promise to pay the bearer on demand at their headquarters the sum of xx pounds sterling." and are signed by the governor of the bank.

It's essentially a cheque from the bank.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[southglasgow]

Thanks everyone. So not just me then - makes me much happier. Maybe I'll just have to remember that lots of folks have already judged based on bias or misinformation. Shame really.

Stinkwheel - thanks for the show and tell, last time I saw one of those was in an RBS branch, where the bank clerk had the audacity to ask the chap where he got it - I nearly had a coughing fit trying not to laugh.
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CBT June 09 - Kymco KR 125 July 09 -> Sept 09. Suzuki RV125 June 10 -> Theory June 13, MOD 1 July 13, MOD 2 August 13. Woohoo -> April 14. Yamaha XJ6N.

[supZ]

[gibbers]

Bit off topic but if the queen dies do they have to replace all the money in circulation, would cost a forutune surely !

[stinkwheel]

[tsmith]

its happened to me a few times. i just laugh now.

if they do the old money check on me, i usually make a point of checking the money they give back to me. hold notes up to the light, ask to see the manager and then suddenly change my mind, pretend to bite one of the coins making out its chocolate etc.

winds them up no end, but if they want to play silly games then so can i.

[Mystery]

yeah i get the same when i'm in my local tescos check my cash as well unless there really busy mostly i get alot of suspicious looks
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Carbon knuckles assure you maximum protect against debris and unfortunate accidents or if someone cuts you off, their side mirror.Mopeds are like chubby chicks.. they are really fun to ride until you're friends catch you on one