The Western Region Action Group
|
July 2004 |
On July 21st at 7:30 pm sharp a ride will be leaving Gordano Services led by Brian Weekes to a mystery destination. Travelling in a roughly North Easterly direction, if you want to know where it‘s going, you will have to go on the ride.
National Motorcycle Week is being held from the 25th — 31st July 2004, and incorporating Ride 2 Work Day on the 28th July 2004. The organisers want as many Biker Events run over this period as possible to raise awareness of the benefits of Motorcycling. For more Info check out their Website at: www.mcia.co.uk
No, this is not about our more agricultural riding brethren,
but about those annoying people who get in the middle lane and
stay there mile after mile to the annoyance of all other road
users.
David Jamieson has revealed that there is a plan to
deal with these inconsiderate motorists, and that the DfT is to
launch a nationwide campaign, also they are looking into using
the variable message signs to encourage good lane discipline.
The agency is ready to test the scheme on two motorways with a
view to going nationwide.
Trials have started in London with new powers that were given to traffic wardens to tackle congestion, they will be able to report vehicles for blocking yellow box junctions, driving in cycle lanes, illegal U-turns, and other motoring offences. Offenders will then receive thro‘ the post a £100 fine. Six London councils are involved with the trial for six months, while other boroughs will be come involved next year, and the scheme is going before parliament with a view of going nationwide.
It is now possible to loose your licence for non-motoring
offences. The courts have been given powers to impose driving
bans as a non-custodial sentence option since January
1st And this measure is likely to be used more
frequently.
This came to light when one person tried to slow
speeding traffic down by holding up a placard showing the speed
limit, and was prosecuted for doing so.
The Government‘s ’Think! Road Safety‘ people are running an advertising campaign mainly in the press and magazines, and some T.V commercials, to raise the of awareness car drivers about motorcycles, the campaign will run thro‘ July, August and into September. Check out their website at: www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk
It seems after all Bristol MAG‘s hard work in persuading the trusties of Clifton Suspension Bridge to drop the toll for motorcycles, the trusties have reneged on the ideal and are now reluctant to do so. Do I see the seeds of a demo run across the bridge, preferably at rush hour on a damp miserable day!
Weston and North Somerset MAG hold their Third annual
BikeFest on the 31st July, at the Town Square,
Weston-super-Mare, from 10:00am. Bring your bike and it might
just win a prize.
For more Info Tel: 01934 512 338.
Bristol MAG hold their annual bike show at St Nicholas
Markets, Corn Street on the 21st August, so polish up the old
steed and bring it along to be judged, and don‘t forget their
infamous after show party.
For more info ring: 07974 151
439.
Despite being called Safety Cameras, the number of injured
and killed at fixed camera sites has risen at 1 in 4 sites in
the Bristol and North Somerset area since they were installed,
and the local Avon and Somerset and Gloucester Partnership has
seen the third smallest reduction nationally in casualties at
its sites.
Do you know who is behind the local
partnership?
No! Well this is who!
As some of you may be aware Aine has not been at all well
just lately, and it is hoped it is not something to serious and
that she makes a full recovery.
Get well soon Aine.
In order to assist other motorists in identifying potentially
dangerous drivers, it's now compulsory for anyone with a lower
than average IQ and driving ability to display a warning
flag.
The flag (comprising of a red cross on a white
background) will be attached to the top of at least one door of
their vehicle.
For drivers of exceptionally low ability,
additional flags are required.
According to the boffins it is more environmentally friendly for a family of four to travel by car than by train, as advancement of technology for greener cars has forged ahead, leaving the railways lagging far behind, and in fact some of the newest trains are actually worse than the aging Inter City 125‘s they are replacing. This does not auger well for the Government‘s attempts to get people to leave their car at home and use public transport!
In the last issue you may recall an article on a couple doing
a ride for charity visiting all the mainland Cathedrals, well
due to a threatened rail and tube strike they have had to revise
their itinerary, and the dates and times printed are no longer
correct, as they have had to revise their route to avoid the
expected congestion brought about by the strike, and are sadly
unable to say when they will pass thro‘ our region.
Good
Luck to them and Bike Safe.
The Motorcycle Action Group accepts no responsibility for the content of this publication and the views expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or MAG.
Coming to a cave wall near you the great epic A Bridge to Near, starring Rock Hobson, Sylvester Stone and Cary Grit in a Boulder Brothers production with an original soundtrack by The Rolling Pebbles.