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Have seen that Fuji bikes North American distributor has cancelled any further sales to police departments due to their bikes being used by violent cops.
I posted a video on insta with chips beating protestors whilst wearing Bell Super helmets, but haven't had a response from Bell.
Trek bikes also seem to be popular amongst the police.
Are we boycotting their boot suppliers as well? Do I need to symbolically burn my Oakleys?
It’s pretty poor and just virtue signalling - It negates that many crimes will have been prevented and people’s lives possibly saved by other police officers riding the same bikes.
What’s next - a ban on Ford / GM selling cars to police forces?
What response do you anticipate from Bell?.
I saw a policeman in full riot gear in Greggs once.
Meh.
You could probably find a reason to boycott just about any brand or product.
Let's be honest Bell are not, and were never endorsing police brutality and/or institutional racism by selling bicycle helmets, even to the police. They were just flogging helmets...
Who supplys the truncheons/tazers/firearms?
If you have to practice "consumer activism" perhaps it's more useful to protest the actual tools of violence not the plastic crash hats (although they're probably all owned by Vista Outdoor anyway)...
I saw a policeman in full riot gear in Greggs once.
I was starving
What response do you anticipate from Bell?.
Bell / Giro / Camelbak / Blackburn are owned by a company making guns and ammunition, and supporting the NRA.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vista_Outdoor
All my helmets are Giro and Bell. Nice one.
All my helmets are Giro and Bell. Nice one.
You are a brutal racist US cop and I claim my $5! 😄
It’s pretty poor and just virtue signalling
On the face of it, yep, it can be. On the other hand, if you're committed to trying to make a fairer society, than what other way, as consumers, have we got to make a point about asking any company or corporation to do something to contribute to society? after all "virtue signalling" is in effect saying;
"We want to you to pay more attention to these things, rather than just EBITDA.
I don't think that's a poor message, and there's no problem in selling bikes to cops as a way of getting them out of cars and into and closer to the public that they're trying to serve. But then if the cops devise tactics that directly use bicycles as shields, or weaponry, or use bikes to quickly move cops to areas where they can inflict violence onto peaceful protest, than that should be called out.
Otherwise, we're just saying we're happy to be bystanders.
For the majority who can do little to help those stepping up and demonstrating at the moment, being aware of what we consume is a good way to tell corporations that their previous behaviour is not acceptable, including selling stuff to groups that are using them to oppress others. Nothing gets a corporation’s attention like hitting them in the pocket.
Bell / Giro / Camelbak / Blackburn are owned by a company making guns and ammunition, and supporting the NRA.
Oh FFS. Giro helmets are the only make that fit my stupid head!
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2019/7/9/sold-vista-ceo-on-the-sale-of-savage-arms/
"If we’re not the largest industry supporter of the NRA we’re certainly one of the top and that will continue to remain the case. We own more than a dozen leading brands, all dedicated to Second Amendment supporters. It’s the crux of who we are and what we represent. You’ll see that support continue, even more so."
I'm sure I could find a US police force that uses Maxxis tyres. Does this mean i need to burn my DHRs?
Pretty sure George W Bush rode a Trek, does this mean anyone who buys a Remedy is supporting war crimes in Iraq?
To be fair though, Vista does look pretty dirty which is a shame as I really like Camelbaks and Bell helmets. Maybe I'll look elsewhere the next time I need a pack or a helmet.
But you aren't getting my new Bell Super 3R, "not from my cold dead hands"
I’m sure I could find a US police force that uses Maxxis tyres. Does this mean i need to burn my DHRs?
DHR's should burn.
DHR2's,however...all good
Pretty sure George W Bush rode a Trek, does this mean anyone who buys a Remedy is supporting war crimes in Iraq?
Oh damn, now I’m really conflicted. ☹️
as consumers, have we got to make a point about asking any company or corporation to do something to contribute to society?
As consumers, you buy shit or you don't, that's about the limit of the relationship with the company selling it TBH especially the likes of vista.
While they might well be scumbags they've done nothing here to endorse police brutality (they're not actually the "bad guys" this time) they simply sold a product. Bell can't vet every potential customer to see if they align with your brand values and then refuse/approve the sale on that basis.
if the cops devise tactics that directly use bicycles as shields, or weaponry, or use bikes to quickly move cops to areas where they can inflict violence onto peaceful protest, than that should be called out.
Why not focus your energies towards calling shame on the perpetrators themselves rather than hysterically directing some imagined blame at whoever made their hats or bicycles?
I think Fuji's point wasn't "we don't want police riding our bikes", and more "we don't want people getting hurt by our bikes". So supplying helmets to the police is a bit different, unless they're strapping them to their feet and kicking people with them.
I fear for Dunkin Donuts.
I’m sure I could find a US police force that uses Maxxis tyres. Does this mean i need to burn my DHRs?
should do that anyway
What about those horses eh? Letting police ride about on them and jostling people. Burn all the stables is what I say. The folk who make the saddles and other horse steering(?) equipment should be ashamed. Enabling the big bastards to trot about doing violence to hominids.
Yeah, and VW means you love Hitler while you're camping.
This place does get a bit stereotypical at times.
I posted a video on insta with chips beating protestors whilst wearing Bell Super helmets, but haven’t had a response from Bell.
Are you actually expecting them to respond (or care) or is this some sort of sarcasm/satire that I'm missing ?
What response do you anticipate from Bell?.
Bell end aims to help police fuelling the violence?
supplying helmets to the police is a bit different, unless they’re strapping them to their feet and kicking people with them
Shhhhh - don't give them ideas.
rather than hysterically directing some imagined blame at whoever made their hats or bicycles?
Yes, that's exactly what I said...[insert eye roll emoji here]
Bell end aims to help police fuelling the violence?
*s****ing*
rather than hysterically directing some imagined blame at whoever made their hats or bicycles?
Yes, that’s exactly what I said…[insert eye roll emoji here]
It kinda is:
...I posted a video on insta with chips beating protestors whilst wearing Bell Super helmets, but haven’t had a response from Bell...
How can I put it, the significant issue is the unwarranted, unacceptable Violence from police officers, not their bloody attire.
It's not like Vista aren't a tarnished company already, they're happy to cosy up to Alt-right, Gun loving nutbars (there was a very good pre-existing reason to give their products a swerve) it's just that this sort of "Consumer outrage" is really just reaching a bit, they're not actually a significant factor in this particular issue... they're just not.
By all means decry the organisation, their overpriced products and their stance on gun control, but don't pretend that just because bicycle mounted policemen happen to wear lids that they sell (probably because they own two of the worlds biggest brands) they are by default endorsing institutional Racism...
I do hope that Derek Chauvin didn't buy his underware in M&S or I'm going to have to go commando. Where will it end?
I wouldn't blame any Bike Co. for allowing the US Police to use their products any more than I would blame Toyota because ISIS like a HiLux.
Frankly I as much as I have a lot of 'issues' with US paramilitary style Policing, and their terrible record with Racial issues, it's the exception and not the norm. Some protesters won't be happy until all Police departments in the US are completely scrapped. I wouldn't suggest that's a good idea.
Its a bike and a helmet. Fun for riding and protecting your head while doing so.
If they made police-specific ones with gun mounts or something; and then tried flogging them to punters by saying "look, we're the choice of the LAPD" then that might be different.
aLthough come to think of it, wasn't camelbak and the the concept of drinking little and often a direct result of the first gulf war (and applicable for desert oil wars in general)? I knew there was a reason I prefered bottles 🙂
No one remember the 1990s TV show Pacific Blue, featuring mtb-riding cops on state of the art full suspension mountain bikes fighting crime with tricks and stunts?
The bikes were Schwinn (maybe some Trek Y bikes later?) and Hans Rey was in it. Makes you think.
Its silly, at least these companies supplied their products in good faith and im sure wouldnt condone such behavior. You should though burn that chavvy Hugo Boss gear who kitted out the Nazis in style or not buy the Siemens Washing machine from John Lewis who used forced labour to make people build their own gas chambers...just sayin