Myrtle Beach Gets First Lawsuit Against New Ordinances

Bikers and enthusiast are not going down without a fight.

Last week, Myrtle Beach City Council approved new city ordinances which mainly focuses around the annual bike rallies. There are two big bike rallies that are held in May: The Harley Davidson Spring Rally, and the Atlantic Beach Bikefest, which are around the last 3 weeks in the month.

There are a few angry citizens out there that want the rallies ended for good. They have ran up to city council demanding that they put an end to this. They want Myrtle Beach to be a family beach again. Was Myrtle Beach not a family beach before?

Some citizens say they feel like prisioners in their own homes when the rallies come to town. How could you possibly feel like you cannot leave out of your home? You as a resident CHOSE to move to Myrtle Beach, and if you did not realize it before, Myrtle Beach and the vicinity is a tourist destination, therefore there will be many festivals that take place not just in May but the entire summer. If you do not like where you are living, you can move.

At any rate, city council posted the ordinances, which could be viewed at myrtlebeachonline.com. While some of the ordinances may work out for the best, the main ones that people as bikers and enthusiast have a problem with is the helmet ordinance. The new ordinance states that those riding a motorcycle must wear a helmet. Problem with that is, South Carolina state law says otherwise:

SECTION 56-5-3660. Helmets shall be worn by operators and passengers under age twenty-one; helmet design; list of approved helmets.
It shall be unlawful for any person under the age of twenty-one to operate or ride upon a two-wheeled motorized vehicle unless he wears a protective helmet of a type approved by the department. Such a helmet must be equipped with either a neck or chin strap and be reflectorized on both sides thereof. The department is hereby authorized to adopt and amend regulations covering the types of helmets and the specifications therefor and to establish and maintain a list of approved helmets which meet the specifications as established hereunder.

A Virginia law firm which specializes in motorcycle law has filed the first lawsuit against the city of Myrtle Beach. Their arguement (and many others) will be that a city ordinance cannot supercede state law. More lawsuits are soon to follow.

In an earlier article in the Myrtle Beach Sun, city council said they would be prepared for upcoming lawsuits, but will they really? Whether they want to believe it or not, the motorcycle industry brings in big bucks to the Grand Strand each year for the fall and spring rallies. For a city that has an amusement park already filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy (Hard Rock Park may have been in operation for a full year, but this 4 million dollar park has filed for bankruptcy), it would seem that you would not want to get rid of two events that have a strong sense of history to the area. As a matter of fact, why not focus on news stories that are REALLY important to the locals of the area. Since May, Myrtle Beach has focus on the bike rallies up to the current day as if there is nothing else to talk about. Now Myrtle Beach, Horry County, and the state of South Carolina will be on national spotlight AGAIN. The only news that fit to print for this state is how South Carolina turns away tourist, and how our education system still lags behind the majority of the United States.

Atlantic Beach: Unincorporated town or historic district?

The big news right now in the Grand Strand area of South Carolina is whether or not Atlantic Beach needs to continue as an unincorporated town, or join in with the city limits of North Myrtle Beach and become a historic district of the city. Atlantic Beach (also known as AB) has a lot of history behind it, especially for African Americans.

According to The South Carolina Parks and Tourism website, AB is known as "The Black Pearl". The town was formed by the Gullah/Geechie people of the Sea Islands of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida. During the segregation days, blacks were not allowed to visit neighboring Myrtle Beach. So for a day of fun and the sun, many black families gathered together to go to AB.

In 1980, The Carolina Knight Riders Motorcycle Club started the first "Atlantic Beach Bike Fest and Block Party." The event, which was small back then, has now grown to over 200 thousand attendees. This event is now known as "Atlantic Beach Bike Week" or to many "Black Bike Week"

I am a native of South Carolina, orginally from Hemingway, which is about an hour away from Atlantic Beach. By the time I was born, families of all races were able to go to any beach they wanted to. Atlantic Beach was a yearly trip for my family for Memorial Weekend (the same weekend that bike week is held). We would go to the beach and play in the water all day. We would later wash up, get dressed and head down to Myrtle Beach for the Pavilion. That was the best amusement park in South Carolina (I could write another blog about that). After a fun filled day, we would go home.

AB is going through a finanical bind, just like the rest of the country. Right now the options they have are to either to continue to operate as an unincorporated town, or become part of the North Myrtle Beach City limits offically, with the town of Atlantic Beach being marked as an historical district.

I do understand the town council wanting to continue to operate as a town, however if the funding is not available, then I think AB should join in officially with the city of North Myrtle Beach. For years, North Myrtle Beach has been policing their 4 blocks, assisting with the bike rally and other festivals that are near the vicinity. I think there is some fear that the identity and history would be stripped if becoming a part of NMB. Maybe those who are part of the town could still operate it, maintain it, making sure that history is preserved. AB could use some cleaning up of the streets. There was someone who suggested that a few hotels be built in the area but I don't think that would be good, especially when the main part of the bike festival is held there in that open area. What I do think would work is a sound stage in that open area. During the festival alot of shows, and concerts are held. With a sound stage present, there could be alot of outdoor concerts, festivals, art shows in this area and this would boost the economy of both AB and North Myrtle Beach. The bike festival is the only festival that is held for AB. Has anyone else ever considered hosting a community service event or cultural arts event there as well? If not, it is certainly worth looking into.

Whatever the outcome may be, I will always continue to visit Atlantic Beach, either as an unincorporated town or as a historic marker. There are some things that will never be erased, no matter how hard you try. This is one of them.