The Federation Of European Motorcyclists Federation (FEMA) has published its online Autumn 2012 Newsletter.
The Newsletter focuses on the upcoming European Motorcyclists Forum at the international motorcycle fair INTERMOT in Cologne, Germany, on 3rd October.
The forum has a dedicated focus on training, licensing and road infrastructure and the RIDERSCAN project, a “European Scanning Tour” for Motorcycle Safety, would appear to be using the forum to launch to the motorcycle community.
The RIDERSCAN project is an EU (European Commission) co-funded project which aims to gather the existing knowledge in motorcycle safety related areas. The outcome is to identify missing knowledge and information and provide guidance to road authorities on how to improve motorcycle safety.
The project we are told, “also expects to foster a new dynamic among road safety stakeholders by advancing knowledge, enhancing communication and better cooperation between the various areas related to motorcycle safety.”
Right To Ride is planning to attend this event as well as the ifz International Motorcycle Safety Conference which is also at the international motorcycle fair INTERMOT.
All grand issues from FEMA on the grand scale of things, however what is sweeping over us, is a lack of feeling for detail of what FEMA is actually doing, which is a pity!
The Rest Of the Newsletter
The General Secretary of FEMA in the opening editorial of the newsletter states that , “the introduction of periodic roadworthiness tests (RWT) for all two-wheelers by the European Commission is one of the most worrisome.
FEMA clearly opposes such a proposal since the positive effects on road safety and the environment of such a measure are not proportional to the increase in economic burden for citizens, especially in this period of deep economic crisis Europe is facing.
When everyone in Europe is struggling to keep up with their basic social and economic needs, we believe that Europe’s governing bodies have much more important things to do than introducing periodical testing for motorcycles.”
That’s what FEMA have said and we commented on this back in July in our UK Riders Popping Corks! article.
FEMA rider organisations, whose countries do not have RWT or say that there will be a significant change in their couintries version of RWT, are demonstrating in Brussels.
Also throwing their strength of feeling on RWT, in what appears to be a separate demonstration in Brussels, is the Belgium rider organisation FBMC (Belgian Federation of Angry Motorcyclists) www.fbmc.eu FBMC, is not a member of FEMA and they claim to be the only federation, defending the motorcycle, that is not subsidized by political power.
Meanwhile FEMA member, MAG Ireland www.magireland.org are organising the “No Con Test” Demo Ride in Dublin on September 22nd. Timed to coincide with a series of demos in other EU countries,MAG Ireland say, “Including a mass rally in Brussels which will see tens of thousands (their estimate) of riders converge on the European Parliament to demonstrate their anger at the EU Commission’s complete lack of proportionality.
We will have the full details of these demonstrations shortly.
Other reports in the Newsletter cover:
Demo against the EU imposing periodic inspections for motorcycles – On Saturday 22nd September 2012 the Dutch Motorcyclist’ Action Group (MAG NL) will organize a protest run to Brussels, in order to fight the proposal of the European Commission for annual, mandatory technical inspections for motorcycles.
The protest run is organized in close co-operation with MAG Belgium. Among others, Dutch Member of the European Parliament Wim van de Camp will speak to the riders.
The latest news we have picked up is that Ian Mutch MAG UK President will be attending and speaking.
First RIDERSCAN expert meeting – On Wednesday 29th of August 2012 the first expert meeting of the RIDERSCAN project took place. Experts from all over Europe gathered at the FEMA headquarter in Brussels to discuss eight different motorcycle safety areas.
Sustainable 2Wheels – FEMA will take part in the Sustainable 2Wheels event in Brussels organized by ACEM and ETRA on Tuesday 18 September 2012 in the framework of the European Commission’s Mobility Week. The event promotes contemporary two-wheelers, with or without engine, which allow for clever and sustainable urban mobility.
FEMA – www.fema-online.eu
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