In my opinion, the words ‘history’ and ‘heritage’ are two words that are used far too often in the world of scooters. That statement certainly doesn’t apply to York Scooter Club though, a club that’s really stood the test of time.
Continually showing support to an ever-evolving scooter scene. There are no gaping gaps in this club’s history. When it comes to scooter rallies, whether that’s attending them or organising them, York SC are of historical importance, they’ve also been proudly upsetting the general public since 1975 and that trend continued with their recent scooter-only event.
Riders travelled from as far afield as Essex and Wiltshire in support of the rally. It was also event number 11 out of 23 on the prestigious LCGB Best Supporting Members Championship for 2022. Although the furthest travelled riders were Jeanie Hynd and husband Dumf, who had travelled down from Scotland on a pair of heavily modified Vespas, complete with fresh venison road kill still stuck to Dumf’s scooter!
A late-night finish in the bar on Friday led to some rather sorry-looking scooterists on Saturday morning wobbling round in the early morning summer sun…
Listening to conversations on the campsite it’s obvious to see that so many people are doing their best to catch up for the lost months during the pandemic. I heard riders telling tales of at least six different adventures in just the last five weekends, including Kelso, Euro Lambretta (Belgium), Big 7, Kendal (LCGB), Cleethorpes, and the Lambretta Lui Vega Dolomites tour of Northern Italy we featured here last week. Scooterists certainly are a committed bunch.
Saturday evening’s live band were punk, skinhead, oi fanatics The Guttersluts (not the two lovely ladies pictured above) and what a kickstart to the night they were, an audience dancing about and laughing out loud in equal measures, a very good and loud performance indeed.
Another late night of music and drinking followed, respect to Jordan Lewis for an epic-length DJ set.
Words and photos: Col
Be sure to flick through the rallery above.
Just after the York SC rally, I read quite a disturbing thread on Facebook from an irate scooterist who had taken offence to the ‘Scooter Only’ sign at the entrance to the event. The post labelled the organisers as discriminatory and various other things. It also threatened legal action against them before it was diffused by fellow scooterists who understood the true reasoning behind ‘scooter only’ events. I personally know the organisers of Breighton Ferry and know they’d be mortified to know they’d upset any genuine scooterist who can no longer ride.
Firstly, nobody is going to turn away a disabled scooterist, or somebody who can no longer ride to events. Our scene is ageing rapidly and not everybody can get on a scooter to ride distances, or at all. Lots of genuine scooterists have health issues and mobility problems. They’d love nothing more than to be swinging a leg over a scooter and doing what they used to do but sadly they can’t. That doesn’t mean they’re excluded.
Secondly, anybody who takes life so seriously that they think they’re being targeted deliberately needs to look back at the past. Scooterists have always been a bunch of piss takers, friendly banter and rivalry are part of what we do, (Vespa v Lambretta, auto versus gears, scooterboys against mods…) age and health won’t change that fact. Surely we wouldn’t ride the lengths and breadths of Europe on a ladies shopping machine if we took things seriously?
Thirdly, not all venues can cater for everybody and his dog. Access issues, space constraints, and restrictions on attendance can all mean a certain event or campsite may not be open to all. Limits sometimes have to be set. For instance, at Cleethorpes the campsite is scooter only due to its size. Disabled scooterists have always been welcome to attend though and the organisers will always help to accommodate anybody with special needs.
A scooter-only rally is usually a smaller event put on to encourage GENUINE scooter riders to attend – ON SCOOTERS! Rather than a free-for-all where Jenni from the knicker factory and all her mates get some mod fancy dress and hire a minibus for the weekend to get them to the local ‘Mod/Ska/Scooter ‘Festival.’ If that’s what you want I suggest you try a themed weekend at Butlins.
Scooter only events are not put on to upset or discriminate against people who can’t ride for various reasons, rather as a way to discourage those who never have any intention of attending a scooter rally on an actual scooter. The larger seaside events are better equipped to deal with the masses, whether they ride or not.
Scooter Only events are usually aimed at a couple of hundred people who want a back-to-basics scooter weekend with like-minded friends. They usually have basic camping facilities in a field, rather than 5-star glamping and shower blocks with underfloor heating and piped music to relax their delicate innards during their morning ablutions.
One thing is for sure though, whilst we still can, we have to protect our lifestyle, ride our scooters (if we’re able) and enjoy the time with our friends. Keep the lighthearted fun and banter going, it’s part of what we do.
Iggy
Gotta completely agree with you as a disabled scooterist the lads at cleethorpes couldn’t help me enough and let me park up on site I think people who get but hurt at a sign need to have a good look at themselves what a joke
Well said Iggy – to threaten York SC with legal action is pathetic.
Well said Iggy, I always pop over to York SC Rally in my car as I can no longer ride my scooter due to Mobility issues and the lads have always made me welcome. Mind you I did used to be in York SC as well as other clubs. Love the scooter scene still. They are a great bunch I would rather be there than any other events held in a field etc. Great atmosphere and piss take.
Hi,
I’m also disabled but can get out on my Lammy about once a week. I went to Breighton for an hour. It was clear it’s an old school type rally with an emphasis on enjoyment.
I read your comments about the upset disabled person on social media but I didn’t see the comments so can’t make any on the original post.
You wrote, “anybody who takes life so seriously that they think they’re being targeted deliberately”, and ” not all venues can cater for everybody and his dog”. However no one has to be targeted deliberately, discrimination can also be carried out “indirectly”, without any intention.
In UK law companies / organisers need to make “reasonable adjustment” to ensure discrimination is not carried out. The sign at the entrance made it very clear that it was scooters only. Therefore it could be asked, what “reasonable adjustments” were made for people who wanted to attend who couldn’t ride through the gate? I think in reality anyone who could make it through the gate could attend, e.g. in a wheel chair after being dropped off by a car. But it didn’t say that, it said no four wheels, which wheel chairs have and I can understand why someone who is disabled and unable to ride could feel they where being excluded.
Also you wrote, “not all venues can cater for everybody and his dog”. Which is not untrue, but all venues have to make “reasonable adjustments” in an attempt not to discriminate. It could be asked what planning and organising is carried out to ensure all attempts have been made to mitigate discrimination, direct or indirect, every were everybody goes.
I’m not attempting to argue or undermine anyone anyone on this, nor I’m I woke. I just highlight that discrimination direct or indirect is around us all the time and sometimes without us realising.
Treeman