We may be small, but we're not bugs.

A Norsk Motorykkel Union awareness video.

Changes in French traffic laws.

A report in French newspaper recently has highlighted some fairly stiff changes in French road traffic laws relating to motorcycles. As yet there are no indications of when these changes may come into effect. The FFMC (Fédération Française des motards en Colèr - French Federation of Angry Bikers) are planning a day of action in protest [Details here] on June 18th. Click here for the original article Tougher penalties to cut road deaths

May 12, 2011

TOUGHER road safety measures are being introduced to cut road deaths and are aimed at speeding motorists, drink drivers and motorcyclists.  In all, 18 measures are being introduced. They include:  • A ban on radar detectors  • The end of signs giving advance warning of speedtraps (and the published maps of speedtrap sites)  • Speeding at more than 50kph above the limit is punishable with jail  • More points to be taken off the licence for drink driving  • A heavier penalty for mobile phone use and for using DVDs or computer screens while driving  • Motorcycle and scooter riders must wear reflective or high-visibility jackets  • Two-wheeler numberplates to be made larger.  The measures follow four months of increasing numbers of deaths on the roads with 331 dead in January (up from 273 in 2010), 273 in February (254), 308 in March (300) and 355 in April (296).  Reducing road deaths was a major plank in President Sarkozy’s election campaign in 2007 and the interior ministry said that road safety improvements had saved 23,000 lives since 2002 when more than 9,000 were dying each year.  Interior Minister Claude Guéant said the new measures would be introduced before September.  Radar detectors will be banned with importers and manufacturers facing up to two years in prison and a €30,000 fine while anyone with such equipment in a vehicle will face a class 5 contravention and is liable to a €1,500 fine and the loss of six points.  Warning signs for radars – which at present are fitted within 400m of older radars and up to 2km from new installations – will be taken down and drivers will not be alerted to the presence of speed traps. Maps publicising the placement of radars and speed controls will no longer be published. Plans have already been announced for an extra 1,000 speed camera sites across France.  Drivers who speed at more than 50kph above the set limit will, from the first offence, be liable to three months’ prison, a €3,750 fine and six points from their licence. In 2010 there were 25,046 such offences.  Drink drivers face losing eight points from their licence rather than the present six if their blood/alcohol limit is higher than 0.8g per litre. Nurses will now be allowed to carry out the tests, rather than only doctors. In all, 30% of road accidents involve someone whose alcohol level is above the limits.  An alcohol tester is to be developed to stop drivers over the limit driving a vehicle with more than nine seats.  Users of two-wheeler of more than 125cc face having to wear jackets with reflective bands or high-visibility jackets to make them easier to see if they fall off their machines. Non-use will mean the loss of two points from the licence  Motorcycle numberplates will be made larger so they can be traced more easily for speed offences. New plates will be 275x200 mm and will be fitted to new or newly-registered vehicles. Any numberplate that does not conform to regulations (car or motorcycle) will face a €135 fine.  Riders who have not ridden for five years will face an automatic retest.  Driving while using a mobile phone will cost a €135 fine and three points off the licence. Phone use is implicated in one in 10 accidents and there were 506,000 such offences in 2010.  Driving while watching a DVD or computer screen will become a class 5 offence instead of class 4; and will mean a €1,500 fine instead of €135. Three points will be lost, instead of two. This measure is aimed mainly at lorry drivers who drive while watching a video.  Driving on the hard shoulder will result in an increased penalty of €135. In 2009, 225 people died on autoroutes, including 26 on the hard shoulder. Eight of them were pedestrians.  Noise bands will also be fitted to hard shoulders to stop drivers from falling asleep.

Rideout report - 15th May.

The Rideout on 15th May was lead by Bill McReady, who valiantly stepped in to run the Rideout at the shortest of notice!  Bill also managed to co-opt a member of the Northern Pan Club who had missed his own Rideout group, so double thanks to Bill for that!


In Bill's words:
The group was made up of Larkman and his wife, Dave Meek, Colin Spencer, a non member Alex who was to ride out with the Northern Pan Club but he just missed them. I invited him to join us and he took the offer up although it was the first time we had met.

The Weather was overcast with a forecast of showers. We headed off to Leyburn by the back roads through Piercebridge,  through Richmond where the heavens opened for a short time. 

On reaching Leyburn the sun shone, with no coffee shops there our coffee and pee break was at Jeuveux Abbey coffee shop. I decided after consulting the Map to take the ride to How Stein Gorge.

Turning right just before Masham to Lofthouse on a winding single track road over moors and dales which gave good views as well as challenging riding eventually reaching our destination. After a lunch break we headed off to Pately Bridge, Masham over the dales on narrow roads. We finally headed to Bedale and joined the A1 where we finally disembarked at Scotch Corner Services.

 

They all said they enjoyed the ride which took them on roads that they had never been on before. Alex said he was interested in joining DAM so maybe something may have come from his experience with our rideout.

 

I apologise for not having any photo’s and I may have forgotten to include one or two people.

Thanks from DAM to Bill for stepping in at the last minute.

How Stein Gorge

Latest test passes.

Congratulations to our latest successful Associates on passing their IAM tests:

Bill Dickinson on the 4th April

Kirsty Harris-Parker on the 25th April.

We look forward to seeing you at our ride outs and social events.

Many thanks as ever to the hard working Observers who help us to maintain such a high pass rate!

Driver & Rider error is behind top three serious crash causes

New research from the IAM reveals that driver and rider error or reaction is behind the top three causes of fatal and serious crashes.

‘Licensed to skill: Contributory factors in accidents’ report presents the analysis of five years worth of accident data, recorded by the police between 2005 and 2009.

 [Download the full report at: IAM - Factors in Accidents]

Factors including ‘failed to look properly’ ‘loss of control’ and ‘poor turn or manoeuvre’, accounted for 65.3% of fatal, 61.8% of serious and 68.6% of slight accidents. Injudicious action – illegal or unwise judgements – such as exceeding the speed limit, following too close, or making an illegal turn, was the second biggest factor, accounting for another 31.4%. Alcohol was a relatively minor factor, listed in only 10% of fatal accidents.

Behaviour or inexperience came a close third, being a factor in 28% of accidents. In contrast, physical circumstances such as road environment, factors affecting vision, and vehicle defects are listed as issues in very few accidents.

‘Travelling too fast for the conditions’ accounts for more fatal accidents than ‘exceeding speed limit’, which represent fourth and fifth places.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “What is obvious from the top three rankings is that many accidents could be prevented by drivers simply changing their behaviour, as well as gaining more experience. That so many crashes are caused simply by the driver failing to look is shocking. On the positive side, there is plenty that drivers can do to reduce their risk of being involved in an accident.

“Having a driving licence doesn’t necessarily mean that drivers have the skills they need to be safe.  Professional drivers, like HGV drivers, participate in continuous professional development, improving their driving skills throughout their careers to reduce their accident rates, insurance costs and to increase their fuel efficiency – why is life-saving training not expected of those who drive for personal reasons?”