It's Peace Day

Not RoadPeace day, I hasten to add, since RoadPeace want to ban me from riding anything bigger than 125cc. I've been there, done that, and traded it in as soon as my licence status allowed me to - I personally don't enjoy the feeling of a large HGV trying to crawl up my exhaust.

But that's not a peaceful thought. Today is Peace Day, and we are all urged to do our bit to make the world a more peaceful place. I have pledged to be more patient with others - especially the ones that tut at me when I am in their way on the underground. For reasons unknown, tutting commuters make my blood boil and I did once set about one of them with a copy of MCN. In my defence, it had been a Very Trying Day.

Not so much a helmet, more a numpty hat...

First ride-out with my IAM observer this morning. Went well - within two roundabouts I'd got confused about which exit counted as "straight on" and lost him. The second section started with me leaving my left-hand indicator on for half a mile or so. The third section included me landing with both wheels in the mother of all potholes and turning my vertebrae to powder. On the plus side, I have scored 5 for "Progress: Other Areas" which means I have no fear on rural roads and dual carriageways; and I scraped a 3 for "Restraint" by giving a big cheery wave to the person that stopped at the traffic calming chicane. That leaves me with 16 other "attributes" to master. We could be at this for some time...

Pass me my stereotyper..

Big coverage on ITV news today of the huge turnout of bikers for Gerry Tobin's funeral. Interesting to compare it with the minimal coverage that the KillSpills rally got. It's right that the biking community should get together to show our contempt for the low-lifes that think it is OK to shoot someone dead on the motorway. But I'm worried that the high-profile coverage just reinforces the idea in Joe Public's mind that all bikers are Hells Angels.

They're black, they're round, they keep me off the ground..

...NEW TYRES!!

I love new tyres. I'm a bit scared of them, thanks to the dire warning stamped in red on my bill about taking it easy for the first 200 miles. This is only my third set of new tyres ever, the bike came on Michelins which wore out and were replaced with Metzelers in 2004. Now we are on Avon RoadRiders (why couldn't they have been roadrunners, would have been much more fun trying to ride out past cliff edges and paint my own tunnels on the side of mountains). 350 quid worse off, thanks to an unexpected bill for trucking the stricken beast back up the M1 to Flitwick - my cunning plan to use a temporary repair kit was foiled by the presence on an inner tube - but for at least a little while (until I square them off) I am revelling in the joy of truly 3D movement.

Ode to Bob Crow

Bob Crow,

Are you the Londoner's Foe,

With the strike you're leading?

Commuting's too traumatic

With a back tyre non-pneumatic,

So from this bus I'm pleading

For a tyre that's inflatable

And a pay deal more negotiable :)

The system works!

Metro Goldwyn Mayer Inc. has retracted its copyright claim with respect to
the following videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWJV2Jva45k

This content has been restored and your account will not be penalized. For
technical reasons, it may take a day for the videos to be available again.

Sincerely,

Harry
The YouTube Team

Now, while it's nice to know that my account will not be penalised, the use of the word "sorry" could be fruitfully demonstrated here....

How do I sue MGM for libel?

Back from a week in Scotland on RBR tour, I have this cheerful message in my inbox:

Dear Member:

This is to notify you that we have removed or disabled access to the following material as a result of a third-party notification by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Inc. claiming that this material is infringing:

Kill Spills 2006: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWJV2Jva45k

Please Note: Repeat incidents of copyright infringement will result in the deletion of your account and all videos uploaded to that account. In order to avoid future strikes against your account, please delete any videos to which you do not own the rights, and refrain from uploading additional videos that infringe on the copyrights of others. For more information about YouTube's copyright policy, please read the Copyright Tips guide.

If you elect to send us a counter notice, please go to our Help Center to access the instructions.

Please note that under Section 512(f) of the Copyright Act, any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material or activity was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification may be subject to liability.

Sincerely,
YouTube, Inc.

This is a video shot 100% by me at the 2006 rally. It hasn't got a commercial soundtrack, because I am not stupid.

At the very least MGM should have to say what it is they claim belongs to them. The movie has a few interviews: Dr Leon Mannings, Trevor Magner and Jeff Stone of the BMF, footage of Stephen Edwards giving the Kill Spills award to Sainsburys, and bikes heading down Downing Street. Have any of these people been bought by MGM? Is "BMF - The Movie" coming soon?

I find the big red splash across my YouTube account profoundly offensive. MGM are calling me a plagiarist and copyright thief and that's just bloody rude. I have submitted my Counter Notice but not having a massive team of lawyers it probably will sink under a pile of similar responses.