Category: General Ramblings (Page 15 of 19)

I put Five Live in contact with Patrick last night to talk about the release (below) from the Transport Select Committee – Patrick McConnon was holding up the banner for londonbikers.com – he was talking about the idiotic idea about putting limiters on bikes – the MPs are obviously off their heads and need to look at all the factor affecting accidents on bikes – not just speed… Patrick raises some very good points and the MP just keeps repeating ‘this isn’t nanny state this is about saving lives.’

You know what – I think I’m the person best placed to work out how to save my own life, I don’t need the government to tell me what I should be doing. As an ex-campaigner for New Labour I’m beginning to lose interest in this government and what it’s trying to shove down our throat

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Embargoed to 0001 Thursday March 29

STUDY URGED ON MOTORBIKE SPEED LIMITERS

By Peter Woodman, PA Transport Correspondent

MPs called today for a Government study on the possibility of introducing

speed limiters on motorbikes.

Motorcycle accident rates were “far too high” and it was time for “radical

action”, a report from the House of Commons Transport Committee added.

It was also “unacceptable” that the biggest motorcycles were more polluting

than cars, the committee said, and the illegal use of mini motos by adults as

well as children was “making life a misery for communities up and down the

country”.

In a report on the Government’s motorcycling strategy, the committee said that

motorbike accident rates had been far too high for 10 years.

MPs said a case had been made to the committee for limiting the speed of more

powerful motorcycles, though some technical issues still needed to be resolved.

The report went on: “We recommend that the Government commission…..research

on the viability of introducing speed limiters on motorcycles in order to

stimulate a sensible debate of the options.”

The committee added that the Government had to support the development of

cleaner bikes and that the fact that the heavier bikes were more polluting than

cars was possibly another argument in favour of “reducing the maximum power and

speed that is available on these vehicles”.

The report said that until 2001 the market for mini motos and other bikes that

come under the heading of Motorcycles for Use on Private Property (MUPP) was

small at about 7,000 new bikes a year.

But it was estimated that around 170,000 MUPPs of various kinds were imported

into the UK market in 2005 and that there have been at least seven deaths due to

mini motos since mid-2004, five of which were children under the age of 15.

The committee said the police had powers to seize and crush mini motos being

driven illegally off or on the road and in an anti-social manner.

The report went on: “Where the police have a `blitz’ on these vehicles in an

area, it can lead to a reduction in the short-term.

“In the long-term, the results are not as conclusive. We recommend that the

Government undertake a review of enforcement against mini motos to gauge whether

police blitzes work to reduce anti-social behaviour in the longer term.”

The report said that a trial to see if these off-road vehicles ought to be

officially registered might help.

The MPs said it was “particularly worrying that parents are purchasing these

vehicles for their children without understanding that they can be dangerous”.

The committee said the Government should consider including mini motos as part

of its Think! campaign on road safety.

The committee added that there should be a duty on retailers to sell mini

motos responsibly and it was “irresponsible and unacceptable” that some

companies had been giving them away in promotions or as free gifts.

The MPs concluded: “If the problem persists, the Government should make the

case to the EU Trade Commissioner to restrict the imports of these goods if they

are of a particularly low standard, as the (motorcycle) industry appears to

think is the case.”

end

Every person who dreams of travelling has at the back of their mind an image of what they should look like and what the form of travel should be. For me it’s always been a motorcycle and for years I’ve searched for that ‘thing’ that means travelling the world on a motorbike – I’ve finally found it – it’s in Robert Edison Fulton, Jr’s book One Man Caravan.

The book is amazing – I can’t put it down and it’s well worth a read – this guy is astounding – he travelled the world – 22 countries in all – and best of all he started out in 1932 – the man is amazing.

First Draft
————–

As I sit here in my plush M&S dressing gown, red wine in one hand, laptop in the other and Northanger Abbey on the TV, I’m hardly the picture of a motorbike adventurer; facing the world with only 600cc and a toothbrush.

Friday night saw me gripping the sides of my toilet in horror as my tummy and I had a severe disagreement over kipper, thinking about it the underdone scrambled eggs may also have been a factor. The upshot of this personal time my toilet and I shared was that the very first Journey To Russia training run was off. I was supposed to meet Patrick and Stace at a Little Chef just north of Guildford at 9am the following morning. Yeah right. My wife Catherine made the dutiful call to announce my illness and subsequent no-show.

By 6am the following morning I was feeling much better, there was nothing else to, well I’ll spare you the details but I was on, I was going on the trip and that was that damn it. I gingerly ate a piece of bread and drank a glass of warm water, only to end up running for the loo yet again.

9am came and went and I sat dejected in my bed, warn out and irritable. Then the phone rang and the wonderful Patrick let me know that Stace was going to be an hour late, he’d tried packing his 2 second tent on the back of his VFR only to find it acted rather like a wing – a 2 foot round tent will do that. So I had a chance – running to the shower I shouted at Catherine to make me some toast and warm Ribena – I was going to Dartmoor whether my tummy liked it or not.

3 hours later we pulled out from the Guildford Little Chef, ready for the day and fighting to prove we could do this thing. I forgot to fill my bike with petrol, this wasn’t going well, but after filling up at the next available station (evil Esso – I shall never forgive myself) we really were off. The plan – stop every 100 miles, not before, we must make up some time! 50 miles later we gently pulled into another garage on another a-road and had a frank discussion about 50 miles being much more realistic – and this way we could stop and enjoy the journey, take photos, have a chat and cup of tea – who’s idea was the 100 miles anyway?

After yet another long stop at more services (Exeter this time) we got our heads down and arrived in Dartmoor National Park around 6pm, wonderful! We just needed a campsite, or at least somewhere to pitch our freshly bought and untested tents. It was still light, just, so we blasted though the winding roads, slowing to admire the views and take photos, and to try and work out where we could pitch. There were quite a few spots indicated on the map, but obviously they were closed this side of Easter, we decided that we should stop at the next shop or pub and ask for help, the light was fading fast and none of us wanted to be building camp in the dark.

We stopped a further two times, both at pubs and both times none of us could be bothered to get off our bikes and go ask for help, we really are a lazy lot. But as luck would have it, a little further down the road we found a farm who offered a field, a standpipe, and a cold outside loo. Bliss. Tents were erected in record time (2 seconds for Stace, 10 mins for Patrick and I) and the camp kitchen brought together. We were cold, hungry and the last thing we needed was to have to wait 30 minutes for water to boil for tea and to get the potatoes, onions, carrots and gammon on the go. Our Trangia stoves, the stalwart of the Swedish army are fantastic, if you have time to wait. Stace saved the day with his gas stove and we ate a fine meal with plenty of energy and warmth, all in the pitch dark and all by the light of Patrick’s headlamp.

The evening wasn’t a total disaster but it was cold, uncomfortable and we learnt a lot of lessons. Firstly we needed more than one stove, we also needed stoves that could boil water quicker and cook more than one thing at a time. We also need a little bit of camp discipline, we spread ourselves out a little far and had to stand to pass things to each other, not helpful when all you’re interested in is eating.

The morning dawned after and eventful night of Park Rangers with piercing spot lights, farmers with shotguns and foxes hunting lambs. The rain was moving in and none of us wanted to get the tents wet, camp was broken quickly without the aid of tea and a warm breakfast, we jumped on the bikes and pulled out from the farm. What a mistake. With no warm food or drink inside us we really struggled to pull the bikes up the steep inclines and shallow valleys, every corner was complicated and long, every car an evil star fighter trying to take us out. This was definitely not a good idea. Little Chef once again called and we answered with grateful arms (and worried wallets).

Once warm and fed the rest of the journey home was very pleasant, the weather brightened up, Staces constant supply of Cadburys Fruit and Nut, and the smooth running of our bikes saw us hit Guildford in only 4 ½ hours.

Quick good byes and a debrief delayed our separation but I was glad to get out on my own. It was only when I got home that I realised that even though I’d only spent 48hrs with the boys, I already missed them and it felt wrong that evening to be at home on my own with only the TV for company.

The dressing gown and red wine are a comfort, but no substitution for a cold night with friends on Dartmoor.

… I bet you think because I’ve been away in these nice hotels, that I’m not actually doing any riding… that I’m missing my bike. Well. You’d be wrong, ish.

The last two BBC Innovation Labs have been at Littlehampton on the south coast and this week in Midhurst in West Sussex. Both of these locations have something in common; a beautiful ride once you’re past the M25. Midhurst in particular was a real delight. The winding roads through some of the countries most stunning forest left me pulling over to the side to change the Tom Tom to take me on the scenic route.

That meant missing lunch at the hotel – so you can see how nice the roads must have been!

The problem is of course I’ve not swung my legs over my supple saddle for almost a week. It’s never a good feeling to be without a throbbing lump between my legs, the air forcing its way into my lid, and the rain creeping down my neck. But when you’re staying in one of the most beautiful places in the world, surrounded by stunning views, roads and cafes, and knowing your ride is 250 miles away; it all just seems worse.

I miss the bike. I spent a sleepless night slipping into dreams of riding through the lanes here at Swinton Park. I’ve got a full weekend that doesn’t include a ride, not to mention the fact I’ll be without my bike for the next three weeks, with a couple of exceptions.

Next weekend is the TLB / LB France Ride, fantastic! The weekend after is the JTR Training run… wonderful!

So here’s to the weekends, the lanes, and the dreams of rides to come. But before you start to feel sorry for me, just look where I’m staying this week…

What a fantastic day! Weather was a bit dodgy to start with, but soon cleared up as I blasted around the North Circular to the Ace. Had a huge breakfast there, great as always, and then met up with the rest of the crew. 30 of us in total at the Ace, and for some reason by the time we arrived in Clacton there were 40 of us.

Route was okay ish – made a ITN file for the Tom Tom but it went a bit wrong, well more than a bit wrong, it took me the wrong way on two occasions, and tried several more times – I must sit down and work out how to fix this before we go to France. On the plus side I got the tracking to work really well and created a KML file of the route, couple of bugs to fix but nothing spectacular.

I know this isn’t really about biking, but I went on my bike and these guys are the main sponsors for our Journey To Russia – so I think it counts.

The guys held a fantastic party this evening – full of energy, and fun – full of entertainment and great conversation. I think trustedplaces.com is going to go from strength to strength if the people who were at the party were anything to go by. Intelligent, interested, and full of opinions – I don’t think you can get a better combination of people to write reviews of their most Trusted Places.

The Samba band was amazing – along with the dancers – the whole room was jumping with the beat as everyone took part – there must be something deep down inside us all which responds to this most basic of instrument.

So well done guys – the trustedplaces.com Rio part was a huge success – can’t wait for the next one!

… no I’m talking about some big Hollywood blockbuster, I’m talking about the English weather. For the last four months we’ve been hit with rain, wind, snow, hail, ice, slippery leaves, not to mention a whole host of other strange weather like raining sand.

But now the end is near, we’re towards the end of February and that means only one thing… warmer weather, dryer roads and slicker tyres. I left work for the first time today in the light, it was wonderful, I very nearly went for a blast around the lanes. Had it not been for the rain then I think I would have. There’s another point, now we’re past the worst of winter it’s actually getting warmer, which means when it does rain it’s not mixed with the evil salt that the council sees fit to contaminate the roads with.

So the battle draws to an end, the English weather can try as hard as it likes, but it will never stop me riding (unless it snows REALLY heavily).

Wrote an article today for londonbikers.com about the extension of the congestion charge zone in central London. The interesting thing for me is not the moaning mothers of Kensington but rather the amount of rich kids who’ll get round the charge by buying the latest, most stylish scooter, doing a CBT in short order, and hounding the streets.

The problem isn’t one of scooter snobbery, or even the fact that on the whole I don’t like scooter riders (there are obvious exceptions), it’s the fact that these people will be hurtling around central London with no experience, very little training and thinking they own the road.

Whilst I’ll be enjoying the less congested streets I’m wondering how long it will be before I get rammed by a scooter rider not thinking where they are or what speed they are doing, how long will it be before the accident statistics get to the point where the government ‘must do something’.

We don’t need this kind of attention as the EU are already talking about making the test process more difficult and only available to those who can afford it – but perhaps I agree with them about the CBT not being enough before people can actually ride on the road.

Here’s the article from LB.

Congestion Charge Extension.
19 February 2007, 08:07
by mattcbf600

Feb 19th sees the congestion charge extending west to Bayswater, Notting Hill, North and South Kensington, High Street Kensington, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Belgravia and Pimlico.

The Mayor has said that since the introduction of the original congestion zone, traffic entering central London during the charging hours has been cut by around 20%. TFL expects a 10-15% reduction in traffic in the new zone, reducing congestion by around 15%.

But many in the new zone reject these claims and say it will actually penalise those who can not afford it. Around 55,000 vehicle owners are included in the new zone – they will receive a 90% discount on the fee, some believe this will lead to more congestion in Central London as those from the new zone return to their cars to commute.

As well as extending the zone west the hours it operates will change, it will now end 30 minutes earlier at 6pm.

On Saturday, up to 50 cars took part in a protest organised by the West London Residents Association – they believe the charge will damage their businesses and cost residents hundreds of pounds a year.

Transport for London on the other hand claims that the Congestion Charge has helped fight pollution, reduce road accidents, and increased the number of cyclists and bikers, as well as turning more and more people to public transport.

TFL’s director of congestion charging Malcom Murray-Clark said, “London still has significant congestion problems.

“Surveys indicate that of all areas adjacent to the zone, congestion is most intense in the west where there are sever delays through the working day”.

Whilst TFL have spent a lot of time assessing the impact on cyclists and public transport no thought appears to have been put into the inevitable increase in bikers. As people turn from their cars and look for alternatives, poorly or little trained riders will seek scooters and other small powered machines to avoid the charge. We already know our bike bays are rammed to the hilt – can they take another scooter explosion this summer?

More novice riders on the road will lead to more accidents, TFL needs to think about it’s policy on access to bus lanes for bikers as well as how it plans to tackle this issue.

I tried to get in this morning because I had a really important meeting that I really didn’t want to miss… so even though the snow is a foot deep – I checked the BBC Jam Cams for Central London and decided to give it a go.

It’s only cost me an alternator plate on the bike, when I dropped it getting it back to the house… it’s still coming down really heavily here and I’m expecting another foot or so over the next couple of hours, I get the feeling had I not got back now, it would have cost me a lot more.

I also want to rant about how stupid car drivers are in the snow – especially 4×4 drivers who think they are invincible… but I can’t say what I want to say in polite company.