Many thanks to paul and alison for their hospitality and to everyone else who turned up, the look on the faces of some of pauls neighbours was priceless:lol:lets hope that we can see paul out and about enjoying the sunshine. having seen some of the photo's i must start that diet:lol::lol::lol:. regards Dave s.

Good post Rushjob, and one that I hope will get a positive response.

How about every time a biker is stopped for "breaking the law" they have to have compulsory advanced training, intead of a fine and points?

How about the covert camera systems put on unmarked police cars and bikes, are used to identify training needs of bikers caught on cameras, rather than evidence for convictions?

If we really want to reduce these fatalities then someone has got to try something different, as the current attempts just aint working:(

i guess the use of the word "target" is the wrong one. When you hear the statistics you do realise that something should be done to help keep bikers alive.

I think the motorbiking world is changing, - part of descision to move to the Multistrada was based on the "risk" of loosing license and therfore job with a race replica. I also think that the traditional fast A roads are just too much of a risk. Yesterday i rode up to Boxhill mid morning, busy time- I took little back road B roads nearly all the way, - had myself a good time. The 916 wold have been too fast for the road surface, bumping and banging around, - MS perfect. Trackdays are becoming the only way of letting race reps have their way.

Rushjob...............

Your points are well put, as always. Basically what is the alternative????

I, for one, cannot imagine how heartbreaking it must be to have to break terrible news to someone's loved one and family. It must make you focussed. I was going to day angry but I guess that's not the right term...............focussed on getting your point across is the right term. Its no wonder to me that many policemen can get very frustrated when they haul up a 200mph lunatic missile probably not an hour after breaking the bad news to Mrs Whyus and her family.

Personally I believe that the process for targetting motorcyclists and the points system just doesn't work. What ever happened to education and prevention. Its true that too many peeps just take the **** and everyone has a mad moment so an education process surely has to be the way.

Especially if compulsory attendance was the only way of keeping your licence.

A pilot has to be assessed for competancy every year and in many cases they are only putting themselves at risk. But the rules are basically the same whether you are a commercial or private pilot. You are put in control of a potentially dangerous machine and therefore your ability to control that machine has to be continually assessed.

Education (compulsory education) is the way...........every year for all drivers.

Its about time we got away from this comfort zone and realised that every time you get on the bike, or behind the wheel you are at the controls of a potentially dangerous machine.

Oh..............and if you don't reach the standard at the annual assessment..........then you have to re-apply for your licence and it affects your insurance.

If you do reach the required standard then you get to keep your licence and your insurance is substantially reduced.

But it'll never happen.....................it will be an infringement of our civil liberties :). I wonder how many people feel their liberties have been infringed when their husband has been killed because of an incompetent driver or, worse still, somebody allowed an early twenty something or a born again fourty something to get on a powerful bike without adequate training or preparation just to have their, and their close families, lives cut tragically short. :(:(

[Edited on 26-4-2004 by everton]

Bikers are not the only
 

group of road users that consider themselves "targeted" The max power brigade can enjoy similar attention and are they so different from bikers?

Far too many bikers are getting killed on the roads, you can do what you like with the statistics to show that accidents per mile travelled are reducing, car drivers are responsible for X percent of accidents etc etc. But the fact remains that a disproportniate number of bikers get killed.
One aspect of this does puzzle me a bit. It is now far easier to get hold of a seriously powerful car, usually a Jap Turbo but the roads don't seemed to be littered with wrecks?

IMHO there is a element of lack of respect for the lives of others and even a lack of respect for ones own life that causes people to behave like they do on the roads.
The police should be pulling up everyone who uses the roads in a manner that shows a lack of respect for others or themselves, cars, bikers, vans, trucks you name it, Not relying on Cameras that catch only one sort of offence at a specific location.

The decline in driving standards in the UK has got that bad that personally I feel safer in Italy!!

North Yorkshire had a very bad year last year for bike deaths but thankfully they appear to have resisted the temptation to go for fixed cameras. Instead they are trying the education route through bikesafe and seeking riders views on what could and should be done.

Enough philosophy for Monday Morning

Ray

Can't agree more about compulsory retests for every road user, no matter who they are.

Every year is a bit harsh, I think every 5 years would be better. Maybe another test 2 years after you initially passed?

Think of all the extra jobs this would create at the DVLA, all the extra offices that would be needed for training centres, all the extra driving examiners that would be needed, all the extra jobs created by training companies wanting more instructors, all the revenue it would generate for the government for the (fairly small) charge for the retest.

Seems stupid that this hasn't been done already.

We're seeing a trend at the moment of more and more uninsured and unlicensed drivers on the road (according to what we're led to believe in the press) and this obviously isn't go to solve that particular problem, but it should help maintain standards on our roads - both motorcyclist and car drivers alike!

Slightly OT but....for "retest" read "Biometric ID Cards" At the predicted £35 a shot then there's definitely a rise in the offing at Whitehall.

Back On Topic:
I happen to live in one of those small-ish cheshire villages. One road in one road out, one pub, one post office, etcetera.
The roads a 30mph with a soon to be 20 mph next to primary school.
And I've got to say, about 75% of the vehicles (bikes included) take no heed of the speed limit. The dual speed humps offer only an obstacle course for the merchant bankers.
Try getting a copper to monitor our roads and your a better man than me Gungha Din.
I agree with the majority of the posters here that it does outwardly appear that bikers are the persecuted ones, but for good reason in a lot of the cases.
Your bikes not legal - you could get pulled and charged
Your bikes legal - you could get pulled and not charged.
Tough, that's the law of the land. If you don't like it, either move abroad or run for council and change it yourself.
rant rant rant!

And another thing......
The bike I run is road legal.
Road legal plates, road legal cans, road legal tyres.
So it can be done after all.
IMHO, you made your bed, now lie in it.

everyone needs to ride/drive within there own abilities.

And with consideration for the possible lack of abilities of other road users!