New "Summer evening meetings" in North Herts / South Beds

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Group Leader
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New "Summer evening meetings" in North Herts / South Beds

Post by Group Leader »

Last night the first of hopefully many evening gatherings was held at the Old George in Ickleford, just north of Hitchin organised by a friend.

With a (very) wide definition of "classic bike" it seemed to go down very well indeed with over 60 bikes turning up. I and John aka "195318s" flying the AJS flag. There were some very nice machines there indeed (I know I shouldn't mention it here, but I do love an air-cooled RD Yamaha), many Triumphs, a Norton or two, BSA's and it was an excellent venue.

The next one is on May 8th starting at 6:00pm or thereabouts, would be great to get some more Jampots there if you're local.

Alan
1953 AJS 16MS, 1939 BSA 250 and a 1/3 scale Sopwith Triplane but that's another story ..... :lol:
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Rob Harknett
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Re: New "Summer evening meetings" in North Herts / South Bed

Post by Rob Harknett »

Are you thinking of starting a club section in the area. If so, it must be done by making a request to the Secretary, for the committee to decide upon. The Herts section met at Knebworth prior to moving approx. 10 miles south to Hertford Heath. Hitchin is about 10 miles north of Knebworth. So perhaps it could just be a relocation of the Herts section. Which is one of the oldest club sections. I would be pleased to move on as Herts section rep, if you wish. I only got drawn into the Herts section, way back in the 1980's, When I took a ride to Knebworth to visit them. I did not know what was going on that night, until I discovered it was concours night. My bike was judged and given 2nd. prize.
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Re: New "Summer evening meetings" in North Herts / South Bed

Post by Beefheart »

Re "summer evening meetings"
This seems promising not too far for me will do my best to be there with jackpot G9.

Colin
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Re: New "Summer evening meetings" in North Herts / South Bed

Post by Beefheart »

Ps I do hate predictive text
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Re: New "Summer evening meetings" in North Herts / South Bed

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Rob Harknett wrote:Are you thinking of starting a club section in the area.
No Rob. After 35+ years of being involved in the starting and running of a number of clubs (including, as it happens, being a founder member and the Chaiman of the Knebworth Model Flying Club for a good number of years) and other associations I have come to the realisation that in my case it's a sure fire way of losing a hobby as you spend so much of your available time "doing club", the "doing hobby" bit slips away and the whole thing ends up just as a chore which you are obliged to do. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that strikes a pretty loud chord with some here in "Jampot Land"!

When I first joined Jampot a couple of years ago there were the calls to help on the committee, edit the magazine etc and for ~10mS I did think about putting my hand up. But no, I decided there and then to concentrate this time on the bikes and riding and I have to say I'm loving every minute. If that sounds selfish it's not meant to be but is just the way it is.

My local village has an informal "Classic Vehicle" group and last year there was some consideration given to turn it into a more formal club. The consensus of opinion was; What was the point? We all know that we meet on the 3rd Monday of each summer month at the "Dog and Sprocket", what more is required other than to turn up, have a drink (and maybe food), gawp at interesting machines and put the world to rights with your mates. What would having rules, a Committee and a subscription bring to the party?

The advent of WhatsApp and similar, means informal groups of bods can arrange spontaneously to go for a ride (as we do) with a simple message and yes, that's what we do. (.... I'll probably get blamed for killing off clubs now :roll: )

Mark's efforts to start up the meets in Ickleford would tend to suggest there's a need / desire for such informality where there is perhaps no longer the "critical mass" to suppport formal, marque specific clubs, sections or groups. That would certainly appear to be the case here in North Herts/South Beds. Anyway, this particular event was remarkably successful and it's not long to the next one :)
Old George.JPG
Rob Harknett wrote: If so, it must be done by making a request to the Secretary, for the committee to decide upon.
Fair enough, rules are rules and are there to serve a purpose. Given that there is another current thread bemoaning the future of this and other clubs I would venture to suggest that such rigidity might actually hasten that demise and add fuel to the fire of a more informal way. Or have I misinterpreted the message and it was more the way it was expressed?

Anyway, an example of when it's taken to the extreme:
A work collegue who is a fan of big American, "agricultural" motorcycles (someone has to be I suppose :D ) and a member of the owner's club showed me (in disbelief) the rules and regulations for being a "Ride Captain". That particular volume appeared to be a typical product of the H&S, risk-averse, procedure and check-list based society in which we now live and work and another reason for the apparent yearning for informality during playtime.

No, give me Facebook & WhatsApp and "See you at the garage tomorrow at 10:00" anytime.

Alan
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Last edited by Group Leader on Fri Apr 19, 2019 11:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
1953 AJS 16MS, 1939 BSA 250 and a 1/3 scale Sopwith Triplane but that's another story ..... :lol:
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Re: New "Summer evening meetings" in North Herts / South Bed

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Beefheart wrote:Re "summer evening meetings"
This seems promising not too far for me will do my best to be there with jackpot G9.

Colin
Excellent!

Look forward to meeting you and your Jackpot Colin :rofl:

Alan
1953 AJS 16MS, 1939 BSA 250 and a 1/3 scale Sopwith Triplane but that's another story ..... :lol:
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Re: New "Summer evening meetings" in North Herts / South Bed

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Yes, that's how I see things too, Alan, but I don't see it as threat to the future of formal clubs although it's possible that some one-marque clubs may combine with others...........(VMCC ?)
Ref:
Group Leader wrote: The advent of WhatsApp and similar, means informal groups of bods can arrange spontaneously to go for a ride (as we do) with a simple message and yes, that's what we do. (.... I'll probably get blamed for killing off clubs now :roll: )
Our section thrives more or less independently from the national club as we know when club nights are held, where others live to drop round for a natter, borrow/lend a tool or spare part or make a phone call to say we're going to a rally, autojumble or for a casual ride to wherever this afternoon/tomorrow.........

I subscribe in order to support the people who voluntarily run the national club's valuable activities that are generally beyond the scope of a section; providing spares, information, national and international rallies, website, event insurance, the magazine and registration/dating services etc., and enable remote/foreign owners to obtain information, help and advice and be part of the AMC story.
'There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which taken at the flood............'
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Re: New "Summer evening meetings" in North Herts / South Bed

Post by Rob Harknett »

There always has been and still are, biker meet venues. That's it, just a venue nothing more. Now look what a club offers the biker. Don't forget " a club forum " to let people know where they can meet up.
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ajscomboman
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Re: New "Summer evening meetings" in North Herts / South Bed

Post by ajscomboman »

Alan, you'd only need to inform the club if it was desired to be an official section listed in the magazine, and also to comply with GDPR rules and regs when it comes to official paperwork to be handed out. Other than that you can do exactly what you like.
There is no Big Brother syndrome coming from this President.
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Re: New "Summer evening meetings" in North Herts / South Bed

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SPRIDDLER wrote:I subscribe in order to support the people who voluntarily run the national club's valuable activities that are generally beyond the scope of a section; providing spares, information, national and international rallies, website, event insurance, the magazine and registration/dating services etc., and enable remote/foreign owners to obtain information, help and advice and be part of the AMC story.
You and me both Spriddler. Belonging to the Club is great and provides very useful facilities in so many forms of which, of course, the supply of parts for our bikes and the huge wealth of freely given knowledge are key and well worth the subs alone! It is probably clear that I have already benefited hugely from my membership over the last two years and the reason I sent off my 2019 subs the other day ready for year 3. Hopefully, even as a Newby, I have been able to "Put something back" and already contribute something to the benfit of others.
Rob Harknett wrote:There always has been and still are, biker meet venues. That's it, just a venue nothing more. Now look what a club offers the biker. Don't forget " a club forum " to let people know where they can meet up.
Rob I'm not suggesting that it's got to be either informal Biker meet Venues OR a (the) Club, both are complimentary. Indeed the whole point of the original post here was to provide members with information on a new, good night out, help fly the Jampot flag at Mark's new event and hence swell the numbers attending. A Win-Win in modern parlence.
ajscomboman wrote:Alan, you'd only need to inform the club if it was desired to be an official section listed in the magazine, and also to comply with GDPR rules and regs when it comes to official paperwork to be handed out. Other than that you can do exactly what you like.
I suppose the highlighted section is the key here, and is a reflection of the society we find ourselves living in. This is one of the things that have turned organising and running clubs into a chore and, now a days, a very responsible one at that as I aluded to previously. For the reasons I mentioned, unfortunately I won't be voluenteering to run a re-vitalised North Herts section. However I would be only too pleased to support it if someone did step forward locally as a trip over to the Essex border is too far for me on a Club night!
ajscomboman wrote:There is no Big Brother syndrome coming from this President.
Apologies if it appeared that I was suggesting there was, hence the query regarding whether it was "policy" or the way it had been expressed.
1953 AJS 16MS, 1939 BSA 250 and a 1/3 scale Sopwith Triplane but that's another story ..... :lol:
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