Time's up for smidsys. A website and road sign campaign has been launched to banish the driver’s favourite excuse: “Sorry mate, I didnąt see you.” South Gloucestershire council has set up Smidsy.co.uk. The address is being plastered over road signs, which will be placed at bike accident hotspots to remind drivers it is their responsibility to look out for motorcyclists. Pat Hockey, executive member of planning, transportation and the strategic environment on the council, said; “Our statistics show a significant number of accidents involving bikes happen because drivers are failing to see motorcyclist’s particularly at junctions.” The council says a recent indepth DoT study reveals that 25% of all bike accidents happen because driver’s didnąt see the rider. South Gloucestershire’s own figures show more than 80% of bike accidents at some junctions happen because a driver failed to give way to a motorcyclist. Smidsy.co.uk offers advice and a downloadable leaflet for drivers. Der.
Cotswold Police and Cotswold District Council (CDC) have joined forces in a
bid to reduce the number of motorbikes and scooters being stolen from car parks
in Cirencester, and to improve overall security, both organisations have agreed
to have ground anchor points, appropriate for six motorbikes or scooters,
installed at three car parks in Cirencester. The new ground anchors, which have
been installed at The Forum, Brewery and Old Station car parks, are the first in
the district. It is hoped the new security devices will help to reduce the
number of motorbikes and scooters stolen from car parks in Cirencester. In 2004
thefts of these types of vehicle made up 13% of all thefts across the county.
PC Mark Godsland, the District Crime Reduction Officer who came up with the idea
for the new anchor points, said: “I am delighted with the way the District
Council and their Car Parks Department were so positive about the idea, and the
way that they have moved to get the project in place in time for the Summer, the
scheme could be rolled out across the county if it proved a
success.
“Our goal is for this proactive type of Crime Prevention to be
made available to riders when they visit urban areas across the county,”
he said. “Riders who use these new ground anchors will have a more
enjoyable stay if they have the knowledge that their bike is less likely to be
stolen,” PC Godsland added. The three Cirencester car parks fitted with
the new ground anchors areas have been well sign-posted as part of the overall
financial package. Glos police.
A Doc appeared on the DfT website entitled; ‘Miniature motor powered vehicles and the law.’ The first paragraph of which reads;
Miniature motorbikes, sometimes known as “monkey-bikes” or “go-peds”, and miniature electrical and petrol motor powered scooters are in law, two-wheeled, light-weight, powered vehicles. They are extremely powerful for their size and capable of travelling at speeds up to 40mph.The Troll has duly alerted TB at central as to this and the fact they list Monkey Bikes, and he has sent the following reply:
Thanks for this. As you have guessed the DfT have got this wrong. MAG was approached by the DfT to pass comment on the document. I got, MCIA and the retailers association involved and asked the DfT to hold fire until we could present them with a completed document that was factually correct. As you have found out they have gone ahead and made a mess of it. A few rockets were sent by email pointing out the error of their ways. Trevor.BHopefully the chaps up at central can get this sorted. Troll
The Weston-Super-Bikefest is just round the corner and is open to all bikes and trike’s, so polish up those steeds and bring them down to Weston on the 6th August. And just over a month after that is the Great Weston Rally, for which tickets are available from would any members wanting tickets to the GWR please contact Andy, 01934 512 338. I now have five tickets for Motorcycles entry to the Red Bull air race at Longleat park on 7th August, I myself will be going and I have one other so there are still three tickets up for grabs,,,,,,, any takers I will offer them to Weston and north Somerset members first but then open them to anyone who wants one. Andy
I was once again voted in as rep for Swindon MAG at a pleasant AGM held at the Brown Jack, nobody else wanted the job, can't think why. Trace.
We have done quite a few bike meets with our new MAG stand and weather we get
new members or not remain to be seen, but we are spreading the word and can only
hope that some will respond in a positive sense. If anyone would like to come
and have a generally nice day, for a few hours or whatever then please come
along.
Glos MAG in itself is I think doing very well and Thursdays just seem
to get better and better, so do Tuesdays and Wednesdays when we go out as a
group generally as well.
We are very pleased to have Mark join us who we call
AshFeltMark in various combinations! ‘Cos he works on the council,
actually on the roads etc. and actually understands the problems of road
surfacing etc. so has made him a very useful source of information. And thanks
to his boss for allowing us to read lots of his paper work.
A crowd of us
went to the fantastic Calne Bike day, and ran the MAG stand, luckily in the only
shady spot on a very hot day, Bev and I got a little worried as two guys from
the Forest seemed to be following us around all day sat (were you wearing a
fleece then, Troll), Robbie will have to have a word! Donna.
The following article appeared in my local newspaper:
A special grit is being laid on ‘slippery’ road surfaces to reduce accidents among horse riders. Riders have experienced problems on roads laid with stone mastic asphalt (SMA). Their animals find the substance slippery when it is first laid. Somerset County Council has started laying a layer of quartz grip on SMA constructed roads where the speed limit is 40mph and above. It will also lay the grit or consider using a different surface altogether where requested near riding centres.Road safety officer for the British Horse Society, Bridget Chalford-Griffen, said:
The horses can’t walk on the substance; they slip very badly with their metal shoes. It does improve with a lot of driving over it. The county council is aware of this problem and has been very supportive. For riders it’s been quite a serious problem and I’m hoping that things will improve.
MAG has launched its campaign for the fitment of Motorcycle Friendly Crash
Barriers. This year has seen a concentrated effort on publications that
highlight the dangers motorcyclists face due to the ill thought out placement of
road furniture on the UK roads.
MAG’s campaign seeks to have crash
barriers tested for motorcyclists and motorcycles within European standards, the
fitting of motorcycle-friendly secondary rails in identified danger spots and
the removal of wire road barrier systems from the UK roads.
To this end MAG
has produced its own document “Vehicle Restraint Systems, Safety Fences,
Crash Barriers, Motorcyclists” to compliment FEMA’s “The Road To
Success” and an action document for lobbying. T.B.
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. This issue is sponsored by ‘Bridges are Us’ Estate agents to the discerning Troll