THE name change

Ok, by now you've noticed something different, yes, I've changed the name of my blog. It may ring a bell with some RC-ers and it's not because I'm taking the piss or want a slice of the action, oh no siree.

There's a guy, an international RC racer, by the name of Joseph Quagraine. I don't know him, I won't even pretend I do. He had the balls to develop, make and market his own RC car. He called this, THE Car, and subsequently, all the merchandise since then has THE preceding what the item is, ie: THE pit towel, THE car stand, etc etc, you get the idea.

Alas, here is a guy who voices his opinion via social media and of course his own website, called THE Quagraine, oddly enough. Anyway, I've read a few of his articles which I've enjoyed and seen a couple of vids on neobuggy. He tends to speak his mind, something I've been known for in the past. He tells it how he sees it, lets people have it with both barrels if need be. I like that. He doesn't give a monkeys who he pisses off but he seems passionate about his business, as well as the sport his business revolves around, as one would. A kind of Maverick, if you will. So the blogs name change is a nod, a tip of the hat, to this bloke.  He looks to have haters and followers in equal measure but he is always an interesting read.

In one of his posts a short while ago, he went on to say that everyone is sponsored these days and that it is killing the sport. If Mr Quagraine should ever happen upon this blog entry of mine, I'd say I have to disagree with him there. Now, we both race rc cars, that is where the similarities end. He is an international pro, and I'm just a club guy, we're on complete opposite ends of the spectrum, with him being as far beyond me in terms of the hobby/sport as modern atheist man is beyond narrow minded religious nutjobs living in caves, or trailer parks. Anyway, this year, I got my very first supported drive, call it what you like, being sponsored, supported drive, whatever. Prior to that, I was just doing the odd club round at just one club, upon being given a drive, I invested in a lot of new stuff, including cars, engines etc.  I have tried to promote the brand of which I drive and my sponsor and show them both in a positive light, which they well deserve. What I have also done since being gifted the drive is attend more races, and participate in a regional championship, which required travelling. Now, I doubt I would have done that before, but I can say the sponsorship helped go some way in making it more affordable to race at more clubs. How does this kill the sport Mr Q?  I think, and this is just my opinion of course, being at the top of tree, Mr Quagraine might have lost sight of the grass roots side of things, if he was ever involved at all.  

Anyhow, that's just my opinion, and like arseholes, everybody has one. If Mr Quagraine ever has time to waste on reading this column, I hope he has an opinion on it and lets me know, because he has his opinion, and I have mine. Now, what is THE opinion on the blogs name change? Keep it or change it back?

Answers below please or where ever I have posted this link.

Bikes, friends, and "45 people you may know"

On Sunday the 9th October, the wife and I attended Brightona, an event on Madiera Drive in Brighton in aid of charity and featuring some custom bikes and a few yank motors, stalls and of course a couple of stages where bands were playing, it was a good relaxing day out, aside from when I realized I hadn't turned the heated grips off after an hour of being there, and knowing the triple needs a decent amperage to get it turned over and fired, I powerwalk back to the bike and find it all roses, phew.

As we came up the on ramp to join the A27, were found ourselves on the tail end of maybe a couple of hundred bikes, riding en mass.  Whether they were all together or several little groups doesn't matter, it's moments like that I remember why I ride bikes, that and being waved at by other bikers who have stopped in laybys to wait for friends etc.  

There was one guy, riding a trike, with his family on the back.  He was of a back patch orientation, but he also only had one arm, and controlled the bike via joystick.  This guy has lost an arm and hasn't jacked it in.  This too makes me proud to be part of motorcycling, I don't need to copy and paste a facebook status to prove that.  I've been a motorcyclist all my adult life and I've been lucky to learn a few things and meet a few people and make a few friends in that time, but, like most scenes or hobbies, it has to be said, it can be quite cliquey and has it's fair share of pretenders.  I'm not saying that once you start biking you can't jack it in, or you can't start later on in life, but I've seen people come in to it all a bluster, talk the talk for a couple of years, then leave again, never to seen by anyone ever again, they are not bikers in my eyes, they are pretenders. I'd like to think that for most of us, once it's in there, inside of you, it isn't going away.

I spoke to an old friend about this some years ago, you find them all the time, they've probably got bored of squash or golf and need something new they can do with their office chums. "oh yeah that marquez is shit hot, I went to bobs bikes last night cos Leon Haslam was there opening signed envelopes and there was a (insert current exotic bike name here) in the carpark".  That's nice, ever heard of Mick Doohan? No? Then fuck off.  It's like they started watching a film halfway through and switched it off 20 minutes before the end, and not bothered to find out what happened at the start or the end. Then having the nerve to say it was a brilliant film.  I'm being harsh there as you don't have to follow racing to be in to bikes, I doubt back patch clubs give a toss if Hutchy wins the 2nd supersport race, t'was merely an example of how I see things sometimes.

I'm ranting now.

Which brings me nicely to the aforementioned social media site.  Some of you may know I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook.  It's handy as it genuinely helps with keeping in touch with people one may have lost contact with for whatever reason.  For example, we met a guy in Brighton I used to work with, we used to chat about bikes at work, and as it happens, we still do.  If it wasn't for fb, he wouldn't have messaged me his number, and we wouldn't have happily hung out together for a couple of hours and had lunch. That is what I'd consider a friend.  Saw a number of other people I knew, but they weren't much interested in hanging out or catching up, but that's exactly who they come across as, just people I know, with whom I share a common interest.  I might have met them at a local bike meeting place, or through another friend, or even through another hobby, there's no need to ignore them or be rude, that's not on, I'm always friendly and civil, but they're not actual friends, and that's what I hate about facebook. It misleads you into thinking you have more friends than you actually do. I see, on a personal basis, maybe about 5% of the people on my list, they have been to my house and drunk my tea and sat in my lounge or whatever. Some of them can't though whether it be distance, restraining orders, court injunctions or whatever, and that's fine. Some people are there because you might be in a group, or club, or there's an exchange of some capacity, or they're a fan (haha)

So too are friends who are far away but you still see them during your chosen hobby. One dude I race RC with lives nowhere near, but has been more then helpful during race days, and we've shared a laugh, I would consider him a friend. Sure, not everyone gets on with everyone else, life isn't like that, so someone you think could be a friend, just turns out to be someone you know instead.

You know what I'd like?  I'd like a text on my phone, like the old days: "working in garage, I need a hand, I'll get kettle on, can you spare an hour or so".  I'd be round there, helping a friend, having a laugh and inventing memories.  Much preferable to my phone going off with an fb notification: joe bloggs tagged you and 6 others in 4 photos.  Are they likely to come round for a brew and hang out in the workshop? Are they fuck, and am I likely to care or remember in 5 years time that I was tagged in 4 photos?  Frankly, there's more chance of an arm growing out of my arse. I mean, what would you rather hear? “Do you remember that time Jeremy did a wheelie, fell in the mud, got pissed, lost his keys in the sea and got stopped by the bill for kicking wing mirrors off cars while on the back wheel of his Virago while dressed as a chipmunk?” or: “did you see I tagged you in 65 pictures of your bike in a carpark on facebook?”

That song by Baz Luhrmann, Sunscreen. It's true you know, all of it. The line: “the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young” is spot on. Being 40 and a bit eccentric, you notice crap like that. I've been on a mission lately to see old friends, friends I had when I was young.......sorry, younger. I've caught up with a couple so far, with 2 or 3 more to go. Sure, it's not easy, people move on to different circles and adult stuff gets in the way, that's life but if the friendship is real. It doesn't take long to pick up where you left off and the good times come back.

It's easy to make excuses to not see people in todays society. “Can you pop over tomorrow?” “I can't, got band camp/wife or husband is angry/ working late/ got a cold/ decorating/ skint/ dog has a wet nose” etc, and it's too easy to not want to bother with them because they don't bother with you. Social media makes it OK though because they are on your friends list, but how long before they turn into just someone you know instead of a friend?

Anyway, now I've posted a link to this drivel on facebook, the kettle is on and I'm waiting for that text message while working on my bike. 

Still waiting..........