Down But Not Out!

jacket-250As you may know our website at Right To Ride was “off-line” over a period of two weeks recently.

Our host finally resolved the problem, after a certain amount of pushing on our part, pointing out that a previous service had in polite terms messed up our IP addresses and other technical “stuff”.

Not Out

Anyway we are back on line with the website, although we have been using our Facebook page to highlight the issues so we may have been down but we were not out!

On Facebook – and not forgetting our EU – Facebook Page

With the website back online you can now once again, view our supporters and other events and look through our business supporters to see if they offer any services you require.

Events – Click Here

Business Supporters – Click Here

heingericke-belfastWhile we have been off line the Hein Gericke shop in Belfast has reopened under different management, at  the same place on the Boucher Road.

They have (along with Davys Bikes in Bangor) agreed to take the Biker NI Safety “Crash” Card safety initiative on board, which is free to riders.

Biker NI Safety Card – www.bikernisafetycard.org
Hein Gericke Belfast – On Facebook
Davys Bikes Bangor – www.davysbikes.co.uk –  On Facebook

Motorcycle Fatalities

big tractorTragically over the recent weeks there have been two motorcycle fatalities, reported in the local news as collisions involving tractors, our sympathies go out to those families and those that received injuries in these incidents.

We can only say to be careful out there as riders and as our message will probably not reach other vehicle drivers, we think that we have to take responsibility for ourselves, simply because no-one else will.

Our cause for concern on this came through last year with a similar fatality involving a motorcyclist and a tractor with the publishing of Muck – Debris – Farmers.

In presenting the information from the UFU (Ulster Farmers Union) it is not our intention for this to be an excuse for farmers not to take responsibility, these are guidelines which are supported by rules and legislation.

Click Here

On Facebook

guardrailfrance-250As mentioned we have been using our Facebook page over the past couple of weeks.

In fact you may get more of a chance to see what we are discussing on these pages.

So here are the comments and some questions we have asking up or over there.

Somewhere In France

Somewhere in France – a motorcycle friendly under guard rail.

How why don’t we have these in Northern Ireland where required?

Read more

Children’s Book

Our intrepid undercover reporter sent us these pictures – even if a bit blurred – what every children’s book should be like – a positive image of motorcycles and scooters.

However would you let your child watch the film Easy Rider as used to illustrate cruising the Nevada Highways……….

Read more

Good and Bad

no mc-250The good and the bad of:

No motorcycles

Motorcycle Only

pictures.

Read more

Motorcycling Northern Ireland Safety Guide Page

Thanks for the mention to Paschal J O’Hare Solicitors, on their Motorcycling Northern Ireland Safety Guide page……………..

Read more

New Look BikeSafe website!

Unfortunately they have used completely new page url’s, so we are now off to change links on our own website – sigh!

BikeSafe in Northern Ireland

Text While Driving MAG Ireland

book-kids-250MAG Ireland – Reports that down South “texting while driving” is now ‘completely prohibited’.

“Although many people assumed texting was already banned, the existing law referred to hand held devices and had a legal grey area where the driver was using the device to text while it was in a cradle.”

At the very least a legal deterrent is now in place for Ireland – but mc only-250will need enforced and a change of attitude however at Right To Ride we say it is a start in the right direction.

But as one very recent example we have heard of a rider and his young daughter as pillion, having a very near head on collision with a driver on their side of the road whilst most likley on a moblie phone, we do have a very very very long way to go to get rid of this menace.

A menace that everybody is aware of but there appears very little that seems that can be done to stop!

Comments: ahh completely prohibited ! sounds good , for texting while driving , not convinced the law for this is not strong enough , l see drivers all the time on mobiles , while driving even some lorry drivers and van drivers , loads of car drivers.

Its an a addictive modern curse ! some people just cant drive , without doing something else in their vehicles , the penalties are weak , thats why people do this !and its always the innocent that gets wiped out !

Exactly! The penalty needs to reflect the seriousness of the offence!

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Twist And Ride

We were not impressed with the first video from Twist and Ride, however here is their second video – Busy-ness Man crashes into motorbike!

Read more

 And another more recent one from Twist And Ride – Meet the ‘School Run Mum’!!

Parking In Bangor

bangor parking smallFollowing on from our report last year regarding the motorcycle parking in Bangor in the Queens Parade car park we have a “wee” update on some of the recent issues at the parking facilities.

Glen Thompson who was originally involved in getting the parking has sent out this message from North Down Borough Councillor – Terry Ted Malcolm – and “resident” biker.

“Further to our recent conversation, I can advise that the bollards have been sorted at the parking bay and are they now fully moveable. We are arranging for the extended bike parking to be in place over the Easter weekend and the following 2 weekends into the May Bank Holiday.

Also, David is arranging for a new bike parking sign to be erected inside the Queens Parade Car Park so that it is visible for traffic travelling down Main Street and turning into Queens Parade. This may not be in place until around June.”

All good work in maintaining – retaining – promoting the motorcycle facilities.

Read more

Simple questions at the end! – NI Motorcycle Fatality Report 2012

NI Motorcycle Fatality Report - 2012 - Click HereThe evidence provided in this report indicates that each road traffic collision is unique but that in all cases the time frame from the perceived hazard to the conclusion of the impact either with another vehicle or with road infrastructure was typically between 2 and 3 seconds.

In 63.4% of cases, (n.26/n.41) motorcyclists applied their brakes prior to the collision and n.18 (43.9%) applied their brakes severely. Of the n.17 (41.4%) motorcycles that slid after falling, n.10 (24.4%) fell onto their right side and the remaining n.7 (17.1%) fell onto their left side.

There were two cases identified where Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS) may have made a difference to the outcome of the collision, both were on a straight section of road.

10. Braking, Deceleration and Perception/Reaction time

The deceleration rate of the motorcycle is dependent on a number of factors, one of which is the braking technique employed by the motorcyclist i.e. the severity of braking applied and the ratio of front/rear brake distribution.

Unlike a car, the front and rear brakes of the motorcycle in question are separate systems and the rider can vary the ratio of braking applied to each wheel. Under severe braking, the minimum deceleration is achieved with rear wheel only braking and a value of approximately 0.4g (3.92m/s) can be considered. A deceleration of 1g (9.81 m/s) can be considered representative of strong braking by a skilled motorcyclist on, for example, a 1000cc engine Super Sports motorcycle using both front and rear brakes.

Following examination of the motorcycle, considering the nature of the tyre mark and considering the friction surface dressing on the road surface, the investigators are thus able to determine a range of possible deceleration rates.

Before the motorcyclist applies braking and begins to leave a tyre mark, there is a time period during which the rider perceives there to be a hazard ahead and then, typically reacts to that perceived hazard. The length of this perception/reaction time depends on a number of factors and cannot be known. However, a probable range of perception/reaction times of 0.75 to 1.5 econds can be assumed.

These calculations for braking, deceleration and perception/reactions time are considered by the investigators when preparing the reports of the scientific examination of the material relating to the collision scenes.

NI Motorcycle Fatality Report – 2012 – Click Here

Braking – “8.1. OPERATOR ERROR The operator is not able to utilize the maximum tire-road friction available. Frequently, this error reveals itself when the operator applies the brakes hesitantly. In case of under-braking of the front brake the deceleration is significantly reduced. Lack of training and practice are often the reason. In many accidents involving motorcycle braking, the accident scene data show only a long rear tire brake mark, some times followed by a short front tire braking skid mark within a few feet of the point of impact. Even motorcycles equipped with ABS brakes are not fully utilized by inexperienced operators. “

“As in any operator-vehicle maneuver testing, it is one thing to determine what operators can do in a test under carefully stablished parameters, versus what real operators will do in a life-threatening accident avoidance maneuver never “practiced” before.”

Original Source – Click Here

So when was the last time you had to “fully” utilize your brakes?

Have you ever practiced using the full application of your brakes (we don’t mean the emergency stop practiced and carrried out for and during motorcycle training or test)?

In fact is that sufficient for the rest of your motorcycle riding life?

Do you think a braking specific course would be useful – would you go to one?

Read more

Other Vehicle Drivers Versus Riders

safe_imagePeppered around the internet are discussions about other vehicle drivers versus riders. There are various comments regarding that “they” would make better drivers and be more aware of riders if they had to:

Take a mandatory CBT – Compulsory Basic Training – on a motorcycle/moped as do learner motorcycle and moped riders.

Ride a motorcycle for two years before being able to take a car test.

Do you think this would be a good idea?

Could the driving test agencies and training industry cope?

What about all current car drivers would they need to take a retrospective CBT – current motorcycle licence holders would be exempt?

Given the current concerns on the routes to a motorcycle licence would we be right in demanding mandatory training for car drivers?

Would it be better that new car drivers (Learners) are trained to drive and not trained to past a test, with a modular structure of training, including specifics on sharing the road with other road users including riders?

Not just a whisy washy mention but with a proper study of the Highway Code?

What about current car drivers, are they a lost cause?
Are there some motorcycle riders that need retested and how would you figure that one out?

Comments: Wouldn’t make much of a difference in my opinion. Some people are just naturally bad drivers and no matter what they are taught would still not pay any attention to other road users.

Every journey starts with a single step, no matter how long the journey is. Let’s think about the future and start with that single step.

Think all road users would benefit from further training after passing their test,to learn how to be safer and to be considerate of other road users – this seems to be a major issue in this country, so many drivers couldn’t care less how their crap driving could impact on someone else’s life.

Read more

Finally – Our  New Website

We are working on a brand new website with a brand new address.

So check our progress as we get up and running over the next month.

And feel free to leave any comments here or over on our Facebook Page

e.g. What would you like to see here above and beyond or changes compared to the “old” website.

www.righttoride.org.uk

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