MyrtleBeachOnline.com: Myrtle Beach bike rally

Motorcycle deaths on the rise in S.C.

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:32 EDT

Motorcycle-related deaths jumped 40 percent from 2003 to 2007 and are expected to keep climbing as gas prices rise and more people buy motorcycles, according to an analysis released Monday from AAA Carolinas.

Only 4 percent of registered vehicles in the state are motorcycles, but bikes are involved in 11 percent of all fatal crashes, AAA reported. Sixty-two percent of motorcycle fatalities in 2007 happened in Horry, Greenville and Charleston counties, AAA said.

"With an increase in motorcycle sales this year, the number of motorcycle fatalities will undoubtedly rise," David Parsons, chief executive and president of AAA Carolinas, said in a statement.

Foes of rallies going online

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:14 EDT

A group of residents who do not want motorcycle rallies in Myrtle Beach anymore have launched a new Web site to continue supporting anti-rally efforts, including an online petition and videos shot during this year's rally.

The site can be found at www.takebackmay.com.

The "About Us" page does not say who's in charge of the site, but local attorney Tom Rice said he is one of the contacts for the site and the group "Take Back May," also known as "End the MAY-hem."

NMB rally survey confuses board

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:27 EDT

Opinions on the May bike rallies are so complex, the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce board couldn't figure out what to make from the results of a survey its members completed this month.

It initially decided not to release the results. But after requests from the community, it made the survey results public on Thursday.

"We didn't see anything from that survey that led us in any direction," chamber board Chairman Ed Horton said. "It kind of confused us. ... We just said, 'Well, we'll put it out there, maybe somebody will see it different than we do.'"

NMB releases bike rally survey

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:28 EDT

Almost half of respondents to a North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce survey said the chamber should help support and improve the rallies, while nearly another half said the rallies should be eliminated or downsized, according to results released this morning.

The chamber had been withholding the results, but its board of directors voted to release them. The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce ran a similar survey of its membership and released the results on Tuesday.

In a prepared statement, chamber President Mark Jordan said: "The issues being identified are emotionally charged and much more complex than a simple yes or no. A survey is just one of many tools and opportunities to allow input from our members to assist our leadership in better representing their collective interest. At this stage of the debate, we believe the most important thing for us to do, is to make sure our members have an opportunity to be heard."

Bikers get organized

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:38 EDT

Bikers enjoyed rock music and expressed strong opinions during Wednesday's Save the Rally event at SBB Four Corners in Murrells Inlet.

The benefit concert raised funds for the support of the annual May Harley-Davidson rally and organized a fight to keep the event going next year.

Myrtle Beach officials are considering issuing no more vendor permits for the event, in an effort to stop the influx of bikers each spring.

Survey: Harley rally favored over Bikefest

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:22 EDT

The Myrtle Beach business community is strongly against Atlantic Beach Bikefest while generally in favor of the Harley-Davidson rally, according to a survey released Tuesday by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

The survey showed that opinions of the events that have become staples in May remained mostly the same now - divided - as they were in 2005, the last time the chamber surveyed its members on the rallies. Myrtle Beach has raised taxes to try to get rid of the rallies after residents complained about noise, safety and other issues.

In this survey, the chamber went further, asking about each rally on its own, with stark results. About 450 of the nearly 2,400 chamber members completed the survey.

MB planning panel supports zoning to deflate bike rallies

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:24 EDT

Myrtle Beach's anti-motorcycle-rally efforts received support from the city's planning commission Tuesday as commissioners gave a thumbs-up to amending zoning rules so no special events can be held during May.

The city already has an ordinance that prohibits vendors and special permits from being issued throughout much of Myrtle Beach, but the OZ-50 zones - including Broadway at the Beach, the Myrtle Beach Convention Center and the NASCAR Cafe - were exempt.

But after a fatal shooting over Memorial Day weekend - which some officials say might never have happened if a bike rally hadn't been going on, although the incident has not been linked to bikers - the City Council decided to take action to address problems commonly reported during the Harley-Davidson and Atlantic Beach bike events.

Bike rallies divide businesses

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:14 EDT

Bike rallies are not just dividing residents and motorcyclists on the Grand Strand - they're continuing to divide the business community as well, results of a survey of businesses released today show.

May is "feast or famine" for local businesses, and businesses are strongly against the Atlantic Beach Bikefest, according to the survey of Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce members.

Even so, 40 percent of businesses said they wanted to get rid of the rallies that bring hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists to the beach - even if it means losing revenue. About 450 of the nearly 2400 chamber members completed the survey.

Surfside bans biker vendors for 2 years

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:37 EDT

Temporary motorcycle event vendors are now banned for two years from Surfside Beach during May's annual biker rallies, after Town Council on Tuesday approved a moratorium.

The action comes on the heels of Myrtle Beach's aggressive campaign to end the rallies that attract thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts to the area each year.

The ban in Surfside Beach is intended to protect residents from the traffic congestion and noise pollution that plague the area each May as thousands of motorcyclists travel to the Grand Strand, Mayor K. Allen Deaton said.

Sanford signs motorcycle's stoplight law at ceremony

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:22 EDT

Motorcyclists no longer have to wait on a stoplight that refuses to turn green, according to a new state law.

The law allows motorcycle or mo-ped riders to proceed through a stoplight after waiting two minutes and making sure traffic is clear. Gov. Mark Sanford on Wednesday held a ceremonial signing for the bill, which took effect May 27.

The law is similar to those in effect in Tennessee and other states. The bill was pushed by Sumter resident and motorcyclist Billy "Reb" Richardson, who has worked since 2006 for it to become law.

Rally ruckus rolls to MB

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:22 EDT

Though a crowd packed Myrtle Beach's City Council chambers Tuesday afternoon - both supporters and protesters of the May motorcycle rallies - only seven people signed up to speak during the public comment period, and only two of them on the pro-rally side.

The council's meeting room holds about 300 people and was almost full. Many arrived an hour before the mayor's gavel dropped to ensure they had seats to show their support or disdain for the city's moves toward discouraging bike rally visitors in Myrtle Beach, including passage of a 3-mill property tax increase to fund as-yet-undetermined anti-rally efforts.

Mayor John Rhodes gave each person three minutes to speak during the 30-minute public forum period at the beginning of the meeting. There's another at the end of every meeting, but those who spoke didn't even take up the first half hour, and all left when it was over.

Mayor: City, bikers need compromise

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:06 EDT

Tuesday's Myrtle Beach City Council meeting is sure to draw a crowd, even though the bike rallies - and the city's efforts to stop them - are not on the agenda. Now, three weeks since the city passed its budget and tax increase to fund anti-rally efforts, Mayor John Rhodes answers some questions about the coming meeting and the rallies.

Question | Everyone's expecting a big crowd at Tuesday's meeting. How will the council handle that?

Answer | We're not going to let 100 people speak. It's going to be orderly, just like the [Horry] County Council meeting was last week - but I have no reason to expect anyone to be disorderly. They are reasonable, orderly people. We will spend a certain amount of time listening, but we are not going to give the whole meeting to the bike rallies. We have other things we need to do. People will have three minutes each [which is the policy at all city council meetings].

If we pull bikers' welcome mat, where does it stop?

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:26 EDT

Whether Myrtle Beach continues to support the bike rallies in May should be left up to the citizens of Myrtle Beach. Personally, I enjoy when the bikers begin to roll in. I've heard some citizens say that we need to reclaim the month of May, but what exactly will we be reclaiming?

It seems with the way the economy is now, the city would actually want the bikers to keep coming. Families may stay away from travel, while many of the motorcycle enthusiasts would continue to ride in and support our businesses during bike rallies. Don't most students stay in school until late May or early June? What makes you so sure that once all the bikers are gone, you're going to get all the families coming here?

Let's look at the situation: during the Harley rally, as far as I know, the city of Myrtle Beach only allows vendors at Broadway at the Beach [and the Convention Center]. The bikers drive up and down the Grand Strand and are fairly spread out.

It all depends on who you talk to

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:57 EDT

The Roman poet Ovid once wrote, "I see the right, and I approve it too, Condemn the wrong, and yet the wrong pursue." This statement is absolute and correct in all aspects.

Myrtle Beach City Council has voted to phase out all vendor permits [by changing the zoning at the Convention Center and Broadway at the Beach] during the Harley-Davidson and Atlantic Beach Bikefest motorcycle rallies in May. The reasoning behind this bombshell is crystal clear: Get rid of the bikers, and bring in families.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is neutral and silent on the issue. We are about civil and human rights, and apolitical on the bike quagmire. The NAACP's mission has always been about justice and equality for all. The NAACP has never joined forces with criminals, thugs, murderers, thieves, drug dealers or other lowlifes.

Bikers, residents vent

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:23 EDT

The thunder of motorcycles roared across S.C. 9 Tuesday as dozens of bikers, fresh from a buffet at H.B. Spokes Saloon, sped toward Conway on a mission: To show Horry County Council they support the spring bike rallies.

Thousands of bikers come to Myrtle Beach for the Harley-Davidson spring rally and the Atlantic Beach Bikefest, both in May. Neither rally was a topic on the council's regular meeting agenda Tuesday, so the council took no action and did not discuss the issue.

Still, more than 700 people attended, the most ever for a council meeting, said Paul Whitten, the county's public safety director. The crowd packed three overflow areas outside council chambers.

Bikers head to council meeting tonight

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:50 EDT

Bike rally proponents will gather before the Horry County Council meeting today to ride en masse to Conway to push for support of the rallies.

Rally supporters will be meeting at 3 p.m. at Swingbridge Saloon and then riding to H.B. Spokes for a free buffet between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

At 5 p.m., the bikers will ride to Conway. The council meeting begins there at 6 p.m.

Councilman addresses bike rally concerns

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:26 EDT

Supporters and opponents of the spring motorcycle rallies say they will flood Horry County Council's meeting Tuesday. The issue is not on the meeting's agenda, although one person signed up to speak during the 30-minute public-input session about the rally.

Councilman Marion Foxworth, who represents much of Myrtle Beach, talked to The Sun News about his views on the bike rallies.

Question | As a County Council member who represents Myrtle Beach, do you support the city's effort to eliminate the May bike rallies?

Rally supporters show up in force

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:21 EDT

If the scene at Revolutions nightclub Wednesday evening was any sign, next week's Horry County Council meeting could be the event of the season.

Motorcycle rally supporters, with signs and petitions in hand, packed the nightclub at Broadway at the Beach to learn what they could do to protect the rallies.

At least 500 people attended the event, which was hastily organized last week after Myrtle Beach City Council took action to get rid of the May rallies that bring hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists, and their wallets, to the Grand Strand.

Biker blocs gear up for duel

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:55 EDT

Pro- and anti-bike-rally forces are forming across the eastern seaboard, heading for a showdown.

Via e-mail blasts, phone calls, blogs and advertising, people on both sides are putting out the rallying cry, calling for people to attend several public meetings over the next few weeks.

They're responding to a Myrtle Beach City Council decision a week ago to raise taxes to fund an effort to push the rallies out of town.

Lifelong love of motorcycles

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:40 EDT

JOHANNA D. WILSON

The world holds untold mysteries brilliant men have tried to solve for centuries.

Frank Deihl has figured one of them out: He knows why men love motorcycles.