Motorcycles in the Media

From time to time, I run across stories in the mainstream media involving motorcycles. Usually they're of one of the following type:

"Someone died today on the I-11..."

"A crime was committed involving a motorcycle..."

"Residents of busytown are annoyed about the motorcyclists causing trouble..."

Most of main stream media stories generally share the same basic theme: Motorcycling is dangerous and motorcyclists are bad people.

So, it was with some interest that I read the following story: A gang of motorbike-riding raiders roars through a shopping centre during James Bond style smash-and-grab heist at a shopping centre jewlery store.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9658476/James-Bond-style-raid-as-axe-wielding-bikers-storm-shopping-centre.html

While it's a a horrible crime, I am grateful to the telegraph for reporting the story in a reasonably neutral fashion and not depicting all motorbike riders as criminals. A criminal is a criminal it's not what they drive or ride that makes them so.

The Telegraph could so very easily of tagged this crime as _only_ being possible _because_ of the motorcycles. From there, it's a short step to suggesting "they" should all be banned.

I've heard of this a few times, and the motorcycle connection is that it enables a rapid getaway in such a congested city. Dual sport bikes are often used as they can be ridden down flights of stairs, for example and the requirement to wear helmets also means a disguise is built into the plan from the start.

Interesting, the Telegraph compares the "Axe Weilding bikers" raid to the movie The Italian Job, and no one proposed banning the mini after that, did they?