Here's a thought that may not be something you'd hear often- the Corporate CONGLOMERATE is soft on us and our activity-
When I write comments or on chat boards of a political nature, I use these days the term Corporate Conglomerate, instead of Big Business, because I believe we've seen a shift AWAY from ANY divided business enterprises that are somehow much competing over ANYTHING.
The computer and political landscapes, and the huge profits that come from selling fuel, have allowed a real monopoly to form, that now dominates ALL business and government.
The conglomerate, when not being directly intimidating and opposed to something, is therefore "soft" on some enterprises as opposed to others.
Motor bicycling is one of them- in fact all enterprises that in any way affect the selling of gasoline and the huge profits that have slanted things the way they are are alos going to be played 'soft"
The conglomerate will still sell us our kits and equipment- but don't you think the shipping prices from everyplace non-ebay have gone through the roof ????
The conglomerate recognizes there is still profit to be made- but more importantly to mega corporations is the TAKING BACK AGAIN of the capital thery distribute, because, the belief goes is that this is what fuels labor and keeps the hard charging maching moving forward.
So on we plod, not getting any real support or encouragement- among a lot of others factors of course,
some touched upon quite eloquently.
But after a LIFETIME of bikes and now motor bikes, and of cars and being concerned about energy and environmental things, I've really reached this point where I think the biggest influence on EVERYTHING has been, and still is, the amount of gasoline something either causes or curbs.
When I got on the net last year and searched the MPG of various cars I was SHOCKED at the poor MPG figures I was seeing, and it really drove it home. Since 2000, they really started making cars and trucks EVEN BIGGER, and that made no sense to me.
And have you tried to buy a used car lately with a clutch and a manual tranny, to get better MPG? Practically non=existant these days!
I don't get around town like I used to- except for the motorized bicycle - my age- so I order a lot of stuff online. We motorized bicycle riders are really getting taken to the shipping cleaners right now.