European Issues Campaigns Consultations

Earlier on we moved all the European issues to our new website at www.righttoride.eu

Our main focus was still on Northern Ireland however Europe could not be ignored as motorcycling issues – Directives and Regulations – emanate from the European Commission, its Directive Generals (DGs)  through the decision process to the European Parliament, Council, Committees and working groups.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) through its working groups on vehicle technical regulations and road safety also has a hand in motorcycle issues not just in Europe but across the world globally.

So we kept an eye on global issues and what motorcycling representatives were saying and doing.

We also monitored motorcycle issues and were involved at Government Departmental level and lobbying in the background, setting the ground work, for the future.

Relentess

Legislation on motorcycling that comes from Europe is relentless.

The objective of the Right To Ride EU website was to keep it simple and provide information about legislation from the EU Commission, EU Parliament as well as other motorcycling issues from other European countries.

Although we were able to talk to representatives of the European Commission and MEPs, we tried to get involved directly in meetings as independent motorcyclists.

However we were informed that we needed to have a representative in Brussels.

Our view is that this is undemocratic and accordingly stifles opinions that may not be part of the consensus of other representative organisations with regards to motorcyclists across Europe.

The Issues Around Europe – Still Relevant

The information “out there” is available on many motorcycling websites and forums, but it is piecemeal and sometimes it is difficult for the ordinary motorcyclist to understand or find.

Furthermore, the reporting of motorcycle issues is sometimes very insular.

Although the “motorcycle community” is world wide, the in-depth reports in countries are in the user’s language and usually contained in rider organisation websites or their members’ magazines, which do not reach the rest  of motorcyclists – the non-members.

Of the 33+ million motorcycle and scooter riders in Europe, only a small percentage are members of riders rights organisations.

The mainstream motorcycle press do not generally publish in-depth articles on legislative issues, perhaps a few snippets here and there.

At Right To Ride EU our objective regarding “Rider News” was to publish on-line and in-depth articles on riders issues across Europe and even beyond.

We knew that decision makers, authorities and agencies already scour through our Right To Ride.co.uk website  for information.

We asked if riders had any news regarding riders’ rights issues – your campaigns – promotion of motorcycling – pertaining to motorcycling in your country  – whether a riders organisation, individual motorcyclists, as a decision makers, or an authority or agency representative.

This is still relevant for us over at Motorcycle Minds 

Issues We Looked At – Right To Ride EU

Road Worthiness Testing – Introducing changes to Road Worthiness Testing (RWT) across Europe which includes mandatory RWT for motorcycles in every EU member state.

Not all member states in the European Union have Periodic Technical Inspections (PTI) for motorcycles, scooters and mopeds and therefore the Commission is looking: “to extend EU legislation on road worthiness testing/inspections to motorbikes and other powered two wheelers” (in ALL EU countries).

In the UK we already have RWT or our MoT what will EU legislation bring to the UK and motorcyclists?

EU – Regulating Biking – Consultation Framework Directive – Anti -Tampering – Europe.New proposed framework regulation for motorcycles, which seeks to regulate emissions and the safety of motorcycles.

The SAFERIDER Project has ended and the “No To Throttle Control” campaign by Right To Ride to have the Consortium withdraw the Force Feedback Throttle was successful. However the SAFERIDER saga goes on and on……

Europe calls once again with a proposal for a European wide IT system: eCall.

Right To Ride calls on the European Commission, as well as the European motorcycle user groups and European Motorcycle Industry, being the supposedly influential bodies and finally, our politicians as “European Citizen” representatives to delete the branding of motorcycles as dangerous on the EUROPA website.

The European Motorcyclists Forum by the European Commission. The objective of the initial Motorcyclists Forum in 2010 was to give the users of PTWs (motorcycles – scooters and mopeds) the opportunity to put their views directly to the research community and the decision makers.

Right To Ride has replied to the madness contained in the Department of the Environment’s (DOE) consultation on proposals for implementing the 3rd EC Directive On Driving Licences. This directive voted on and passed in the European Parliament in 2006 must be transposed into national legislation by 19th January 2011 and enter into force as of 19th January 2013.

Right To Ride responded to a European Commission consultation which deals with a major area of road safety: driver training and traffic safety education.The objective of the consultation was to provide a framework to help further define guidelines and recommendations for efficient driver training and traffic safety education in the European Union.

www.righttoride.eu

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