Chapter 4 Summary and Analysis

After the initial euphoria of being stars, the Hell's Angels discovered that publicity was not necessarily a good thing. Police would often recognize gang members from published media photographs. Distant law enforcement units would spot photographs of fugitives in national magazines and contact local police. Hell's Angels, who didn't want to be found, could be more easily located. Many gang members lost their jobs after appearing in photographs or having their names listed in news articles. Companies hiring workers would avoid selecting people who looked like Hell's Angels.

The social stigma created by the negative press caused most people, even other criminals, to view the Hell's Angels as losers, who were little more than human trash. This bothered most members, who preferred to think of themselves in more romantic terms. In fact, most Hell's Angels preferred to view the increased news...