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Safer Riding - Web Brief
Concern is growing over the increasing number of motorcycle fatalities and the Roads Minister has asked MAG to contribute to the debate. The Minister is aware that a division of blame for accidents exists in many cases but the current focus is on the single vehicle accident where a rider loses control, typically on a winding rural road.
This article has been taken from the recent submission made to the Minister by MAG. MAG welcomes comments from members. It is MAG’s intention to foster a “coalition of sanity” among like minded long term riders.
Doing nothing is not an option and blaming everyone else for all the accidents is not going to wash. The motorcycle community has to take some responsibility for putting its own house in order. This will clearly be on an on-going debate.
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) recognises that the level of accidents involving motorcycles is unacceptably high. While we feel that other road users must share a proportion of the blame for accidents involving motorcycles we accept that most accidents involve errors of judgement from
all involved parties. We recognise furthermore that a significant proportion of fatal accidents suffered by motorcyclists involve no-one other than the rider.
MAG considers it important to remember that the recent rise in the gross numbers of fatalities is lower than the increase in motorcycle use. The reality is that in terms of deaths per mile travelled, motorcycling has become safer.
It is also significant to note that the 20% increase in motorcycle and scooter use in London since the introduction of congestion charging, has been associated with a reduction in motorcycle casualties.
It follows therefore that we cannot assume that a rise in motorcycling must be associated with a rise in accidents involving motorcycles. Furthermore we should not be complacent about rising injury rates on the basis that use rates have grown faster.
MAG consider it reasonable to speculate that the Direct Access route, by means of which most new riders now gain their licences may be a factor associated with some of the single vehicle accidents on high powered bikes.
Common sense suggests that to proceed from novice status to riding contemporary superbikes within as little as a week poses risks to those who take this route.
In recognition of this MAG suggest that the Direct Access route should involve a far more rigourous training regime. Such a regime should take a rider beyond the standard of basic riding competence traditionally required to pass the Department of Transport test.
While not presuming to specify the precise number of hours of training that might reasonably be required of a novice, MAG support in principle the idea of a far more rigourous regime of training and evaluation of riding skills than currently exists.
MAG suspects that the problem of the superbike accident victim is a feature of the” macho” competitive mentality encouraged by the mainstream motorcycle press.
MAG recognises that existing voluntary training schemes such as Bikesafe can not be guaranteed to reach those most in need of them, which is a reflection of the attitude of those most in need of advice.
MAG thinks it appropriate therefore to amend the judicial system so as to link motoring misdemeanours to training. MAG consider that the most effective way of doing this would be to offer those facing fines and license points the option of taking further training in both skills and attitude. Such training would be entirely at the expense of the rider. Notwithstanding the probability that such training would cost several hundreds of pounds, it is our belief that most riders would chose such an option in order to avoid license points and the insurance premium increment that they would otherwise incur.
MAG’s contribution to the resolution of the accident problem lies with providing publicity for training initiatives and cultivating an appropriate mental attitude to motorcycling on the public highway. In this connection MAG’s newspaper, “Streetbiker” has adopted an editorial stance biased in favour of the touring approach to road riding, with competitive appetites accommodated only in the context of the race track.
This represents a stark contrast to the mainstream motorcycle press who purvey an interpretation of road riding which we feel has contributed significantly to the problem of single vehicle motorcycle accidents.
Training - Testing - Direct Access
We have to stop training people to simply pass a test and start teaching them to drive / ride.
Inexperienced riders need to know how to cope with today's road and traffic conditions from day one and the teaching methods should be flexible, its all well and good wrapping people up in safety devices but they come to rely on them instead of driving / riding in a safe and responsible manner to start with.
To ride a modern sports bike after only ten to twenty hours instruction seems to be a recipe for disaster.
If statistics show that those who have taken the Direct Access route are over represented in single vehicle accidents then the need to address the Direct Access mechanism will be clearer.
Appeals to the truly irresponsible “adrenaline rider” to embrace safety for its own sake are a waste of time, but if they can be convinced that it will be cheaper to ride a bike sensibly, and that they will keep their license if they do so, then we might save lives.
It seems that a majority of sports bike riders use leather suits, EU approved body armour etc.
The eager adoption of this race track equipment betrays an attitude that the road is simply an extension of the race track. Too much reliance is placed on “protective clothing” which works well on a race track, where riders can slide without encountering obstacles, unlike the public road.
The problem is a cultural one rather than one resulting simply from the potential of modern machines.
It should be stressed to the authorities that any measures should be carefully aimed at the problem riders, and should minimise interfering with the majority of riders, who are responsible law abiding citizens. Blanket actions against all riders simply exacerbate the sense of injustice of which the real problem riders falsely consider themselves the innocent victims.
The press should be discouraged from glamorising excessive speed, and from publishing advice on how to ape professional racers by scraping knees on the ground or performing burn-outs, such indulgences having become the “badges of credibility” in this adrenaline fuelled world.
MAG by contrast wish to promote a coalition of sanity by uniting those for whom motorcycling is a long term commitment to provide a cultural counterweight to the mad mob who’ve got us into this mess.
Download MAGs full response Safer Riding submitted to Department for Transport Here
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