What planet are they on? | Feature | Motorbikes | Motoring | Telegraph

This little gem comes to us courtesy of Haddock.

Frank Melling writes:

A bill currently before Parliament could have a devastating effect on motorcycling, as Frank Melling reports

What planet are they on? | Feature | Motorbikes | Motoring | Telegraph.

If my caustic comments on New Labour in power earlier today are not enough to convince you that they are a bunch of arseholes, this story confirms that they are incompetent arseholes at that:

That Mr Stringer’s basic idea was harmless enough is beyond dispute. Annoyed by feckless youths irritating his constituents on mini-moto bikes, he felt that if all these tiny motorcycles had to carry number plates then the police could arrest the miscreants and the nuisance would stop.

So far, so good, if a little idiotic.

Many thought that he was being naive at best. The bikes were already being ridden illegally, and simply adding a rear number plate wasn’t going to help. It was a shallow and simplistic proposal, but it was harmless enough, so no one took much notice.

The usual fucking New Labour incompetence surfaces – instead of using existing law, let’s make up a stupid new one.

The Bill as it stands would therefore kill British motorcycle racing at a stroke. It is impossible to make most racing bikes RTA-compliant (consider the aerodynamic consequences of fitting a number plate to a 200mph MotoGP machine) and it would be an offence to race any that was not registered. Custom and classic events would be equally devastated and museums would be liable to prosecution if they displayed any bike that did not carry a DVLA registration. What’s more, the Bill makes no mention of compensation for confiscation. One can only imagine the reaction of someone who has a £100,000 racing bike in the garage if the authorities try to remove it.

What kind of fucking half-wit could come up with this? I mean, just how fucking stupid can one get?

The political parties are in disarray about what to do with this ill-conceived and poorly thought-out piece of legislation. Mr Stringer himself seems confused and bemused by the reaction. His response to my questions was to ask whether I was “pig ignorant” about parliamentary procedure, then terminate the conversation.

If I hadn’t become so cynical about these idiots, that I cease to be amazed by their sheer fuckwittery, I’d start swearing or something.

On March 2 the Bill was passed by a large majority at second reading, and only when I repeatedly pressed the Conservatives this week did transport spokesman Chris Grayling declare that they would oppose it at third reading: “It is certainly far too wide-ranging,” he said, “and while there is a case for strong action against mini-motos, this is a sledgehammer to crack a nut.” The Department for Transport also claims to oppose the Bill but refuses to say why, and none of the other parties bothered to respond. Such complacency is disappointing, given that the future of an industry is at stake. Is it any wonder we end up with bad laws?

Melling is wonderfully understated here. Disappointing doesn’t come close to the mustard. Fucking outrageous is somewhat closer – not just the loons in power, but the incompetent buffoons on the opposition benches who were so indolent that they didn’t notice and voted in favour. The house of commons is a joke – well, it would be if it wasn’t so bloody serious. These morons are running the fucking country for crying out loud!

I would add one final comment. Those in the car community who think that this affects only bikes and is therefore not their problem should be very careful. Once motorcycle sport has been destroyed, how long do you think it will be before four-wheeled motorsport is targeted?

Indeed. The article has a comment by someone calling themselves O Zandango:

This is beyond satire – a breathtaking combination of ignorance and arrogance on the part of a minor politician clearly suffering from delusions of adequacy.

Says it all, really.