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NORTH WALES PROTEST RIDE |
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HOT NEWS FROM THE BMF....................................... |
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| DARK VISORS - DARK DAY | ||||
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The British Motorcyclists Federation, the UK's most influential rider group, has today criticised the Government's decision not to allow the wearing of anti-glare dark visors by motorcyclists. |
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After a three year campaign to afford motorcyclists the level of protection from glare enjoyed by car drivers, the BMF, a long-standing member of the British Standards Committee for eye protection, see this as yet another discriminatory move against motorcyclists and a triumph for the pseudo safetycrats. The 140,000 strong BMF received overwhelming support from riders for its campaign to legalise the wearing of darkened visors, (a fact accepted by Transport Minister David Jamieson) but still the Minister deferred to the delusions-of-safety pundits who seem to consider motorcyclists unable to make decisions for themselves. Unlike car drivers, say the BMF, the rider cannot be shielded from glare by a fixed sun-visor so a darkened visor (to the same 18% limit as everyday sunglasses) would have given the required protection. The BMF's stance was that as modern helmet visors are quickly detachable, a spare clear visor could be carried for nighttime use and enforcement could have simply been based on the already accepted 'hours of darkness', lighting-up times definition. The eighteen experts, including ophthalmic opticians, who sat on BSI committee PH/2/5, all supported an 18% level but would have accepted 25%. Said BMF spokesman Jeff Stone: "This decision is bad news, and worse still, goes against the unequivocal support of the specialist BSI committee. When government ignores the views of experts and favours the unfounded opinions of do-gooders, it makes you wonder what's going on." We will not let this one go. We've worked long and hard on this and will continue to do so." Commenting on the timing of the announcement Jeff added: "This government has gained a reputation of trying to avoid controversy by delivering bad news at selected times, this looks like another one - just in time for the Christmas holidays!" In parallel with it's ongoing campaign, the BMF will also be encouraging manufacturers in the development of photochromic light-sensitive visor materials, but see this as a long term solution, whereas dark visors would have given immediate benefits. |
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Issued by Jeff Stone: t: 0121 709 1040 f: 0121 705 8784 e: jeff.stone@bmf.co.uk Details on this and other BMF activities can also be found on our web site: http://www.bmf.co.uk |
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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.................................................... |
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| RIGHT ON! THE BMF ‘KNOW YOUR RIGHTS’ GUIDE | ||||
| The British Motorcyclists Federation, the UK’s most influential rider lobby group, have added a ‘Know Your Rights’ guide to its handy, pocket-sized series of ‘Fast Facts’ cards. | ||||
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Designed as a quick guide to a rider’s rights, the latest BMF card sets out the procedure that should be followed in various instances from reporting an accident to how to respond to a police stop check. It also explains the procedure that is applied in safety camera offences. The new card has been brought out in response to an increase in enquiries covering personal rights issues, highlighted by the BMF’s highly successful Biker Legal Line service. The ‘Know Your Rights’ card supplements ‘Fast Facts For You’ and ‘Fast Facts For Your Bike’, launched last year as the first in a series of free information cards aimed at clarifying the myriad of regulations facing today’s biker. While the first cards tackled questions regularly asked by members and non-members alike on such topics as the correct legal markings for exhaust systems; the current standard for helmets and the current limit for tinted visors, typical enquiries this year have covered who should have reported what and to whom in a accident situation; the law regarding personal injury or property damage and the rules applying in the increasingly common practice of police stop checks. Helmets are compulsory and must be marked BS 6658 1985 or UN/ECE 22-05. A sidecar driver and pillion passenger must wear a helmet but sidecar passengers do not require a helmet. Trike regulations are more complicated. A trike rider or passenger may have to wear a helmet and some may even have to wear seat belts depending on vehicle licensing classification. Such things as weight of the machine and whether you sit astride or in a seat are factors that have to be considered. You should check with the DVLC to find the correct classification. Visors To be legal they must conform to BS 4110, which ensures a level of scratch resistance and permits up to 50% light transmittance. Any other visors are illegal but sunglasses, tear-offs and inner wrap-arounds are permitted. Pillion Passengers No age limit but MUST be able to place both feet on the pillion footrests. Protective body armour Effective body armour should carry a CE marking. The most common is EN 1621-1 covering the impact performance and dimensional requirements of armour designed to protect elbows, hips, knees and shoulders. These work by reducing the peak force on the rider's body and are generally fitted into the clothing. Although in draft form, there are currently no agreed standards for back protectors. Protective clothing The following standards are intended for professional riders, but clothing made to these standards will be available to all road riders: Clothing: Standard BS EN 13595-1: 2002 or EN 13595-1 Boots: Standard BS EN 13634: 2002 or EN 13634 Gloves: Standard still in draft form. Penalties
Fixed penalty speeding is categorised by the courts as
follows: Drink/driving or a dangerous driving conviction will result in an automatic 12-month ban, for repeat offenders or high alcohol levels it may be longer. Two drink driving offences within 10 years could get you a three-year ban. Doctors are now able to take blood to test from unconscious or incapacitated drivers without their consent. Totting Up Under the totting up scheme, points generally last for three years; however, after disqualification, you cannot apply for a new licence until the end of the fourth year. In other circumstances, points can last longer, as follows: 11 years from date of conviction for offences relating to drink /drugs and driving, such as causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink/ drugs and causing death by careless driving then failing to provide a specimen for analysis 4 years from date of conviction for reckless/ dangerous driving and offences resulting in disqualification. Headlights must show a white light or yellow tint, any other colour is illegal. The headlight bulb must not be above 55 watts but there is no limit to the number of headlamps. Indicators are not a legal requirement but if fitted they must work. Numberplates
must conform to BS AU 145a or from 1st September 2001, to BS AU 145d:
Must have black characters on yellow background Only the authorised
font, or something substantially similar is permitted Silencers All replacement silencers/exhausts must, for road use, be marked as follows: EU e mark or UNECE E mark e.g. e11 or E11 and an approval number e.g. 007 or BS AU 193/T2 or BS AU 193a:1990/T2 or BS AU 193a 1990/T3 or an international mark that is equivalent to BS or Pre 1985 MC Only. If marked NOT FOR ROAD USE it is not road-legal. Speedometers must be marked in miles per hour. A conversion sticker on the face of the speedometer for kph clocks is acceptable. VED (Tax) Discs It is not sufficient for your bike just to be taxed, the tax disc must also be displayed in front of the rider on the nearside. VED (Tax) Exemption All vehicles first registered on or before 1st January 1973 are exempt road fund duty. Tyres Must have tread depth of at least 1mm across three-quarters of the breadth of the tread and in a continuous band around the entire circumference. (This is the minimum legal requirement but be guided by your bike handbook for recommended replacement wear levels.) Accidents If you are involved in a road accident while riding and: – Someone is injured – Damage occurs to another vehicle or property – An animal is injured or killed You must: – Stop and remain at the scene for a reasonable period – Give your vehicle and personal details ie registration number of vehicle, name and address and details of the vehicle owner, if different, to anyone who has reasonable grounds for requesting these details – If you do not give your details at the time of accident, you should report the accident to the Police as soon as is reasonable and, in any case, within 24 hours In cases of injury to another person, you must also: – Produce your insurance certificate at the scene, if required to do so by anyone with reasonable grounds If you do not, you must: – Report the accident to the Police as soon as is possible and, in any case, within 24 hours – Produce your insurance certificate to the Police within 7 days You should also
report any accident to your insurance company as soon as is reasonable
to do so.
If you feel you
have been unfairly treated, you should:
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LINCOLNSHIRE'S FAMOUS BIKE NIGHTS. ALL THE DATES ARE ON THE LOCAL MEETS PAGE. CHECK IT OUT!
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE BRITISH MOTORCYCLISTS FEDERATION
BIKES GO FREE WHEN THE BELL TOLLS!
When Big Ben tolls midnight on 31st March, another sort of toll, those for motorcycles using the M25 Dartford Crossing, will disappear, a sure sign say the BMF that the benefits of travelling by powered two wheeler are increasingly being recognised.
In welcoming the move, the 140,000 strong British Motorcyclists Federation, Britain’s most influential rider group and a strong campaigner on such issues, points out that it has always sought to have tolls removed on the basis that motorcycles cause negligible wear and tear and can actually ease traffic flows.
This was part of its submission to the Highways Agency consultation process that resulted in last April's decision by the Secretary of State to finally remove motorcycle tolls as from midnight on 31st March this year.
In line with its long held position on tolls, the BMF first made a case for exemption during the setting up of the Thames crossing’s private finance initiative in the late eighties and has also lobbied for an exclusive ‘motorcycles only’ toll-free channel. However the latter has not proved possible and motorcyclists should continue to use the existing channels, the difference being, they won’t have to pay!
NORTH WALES POLICE GET THE MESSAGE
A protest ride against the harsh policing tactics employed on motorcyclists by North Wales Police, really struck a chord over the weekend when over 500 riders joined a fifteen-mile protest run from Denbigh to Police headquarters at Colwyn Bay.
Yesterday’s run, organised by Alan Shepherd, MD of A&D Motorcycles, Denbigh, and supported by the BMF, was designed to get a more even-handed approach to the problem of reducing motorcycle accidents in North Wales where already, 12 motorcyclists have been killed this year.
Not normally known for direct action, the 140,000 strong British Motorcyclists Federation nevertheless backed this particular protest following a growing number of complaints about the way random stop-checks were being conducted, and in this respect at least, the protest seems to have worked.
Receiving a 50-man delegation from the protestors, Deputy Chief Constable Bill Brereton (himself a motorcyclist) heard many riders complain of an over-concentration on small number plates and illegal exhausts while the real issue of accident reduction was missed. But at least over the issue of inordinately long stop-checks, (one rider being kept waiting for 1 hour 20 minutes), Mr Brereton agreed that this was too long and said that in future riders would have a maximum of a 10 minute wait.
Commenting Alan Shepherd said, "We all want to see casualties in North Wales reduced but the answer lies in education and persuasion directed at the minority of people who are riding badly - not persecution of everyone on two wheels."
For the BMF’s part, Keith Taylor, Regional Chairman and a member of the police-backed North Wales Alliance, said: "The protest showed the strength of feeling on this. We accept the police have a responsibility for road safety but what we want them to understand is that most motorcyclists are law-abiding. Prosecute the dangerous and the reckless by all means, but don’t persecute us all."
The BMF will continue to work with the police to address the issue of motorcycle related accidents but hope that this peaceful protest run has emphasised the fact that motorcyclists are aggrieved that simply by riding a motorcycle, they are being treated like criminal suspects.
