Safety message for motorcyclists and drivers (From Oxford Mail)
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Safety message for motorcyclists and drivers
4:19pm Monday 19th April 2010 in News
Bob Paterson
PASSING shoppers looked on at the grim scene of an accident involving a car and a motorbike in Oxford’s Bonn Square.
The scene had been mocked up by the Oxfordshire fire and rescue service to spread a message about motorcycle safety.
Watch manager Bob Paterson and his crew from Rewley Road fire station were on hand to deliver safety advice.
Mr Paterson said: “The stark reality is, if you are going to race on a fast bike you could end up as flowers by the side of the road.
“The response has been very good. People are standing back and thinking ‘oh my goodness’.”
Saturday’s event also launched the fire service’s Heroes for Heroes charity bike ride.
Thirteen firefighters and a soldier plan to cycle 1,000 miles from John O’ Groats to Lands End in 14 days, starting on Saturday, June 5.
They will deliver motorcycle safety messages throughout their journey, while funds raised will go to The Firefighters’ Charity and forces’ charity Help For Heroes.
Comments(5)
LadyPenelope
says...
4:58pm Mon 19 Apr 10
I see many dodgy manoeveurs by motorcyclists, but the worst I have seen are by car drivers not checking their mirrors, then either not indicating, or indicating without looking, then just pulling out/turning.
I think it's about time that car drivers were better educated about looking out for motorcyclists on the road, and how vulnerable they are.
Sid Hunt
says...
5:48pm Mon 19 Apr 10
Niko Bellic
says...
7:07pm Mon 19 Apr 10
kaneva
says...
7:41pm Tue 20 Apr 10
Andy_Witney wrote:Oh, don't mind me and the countless times I get tailgated because I am sticking to the speed limit, don't mind me while matey is discussing last nights pub conversation on the mobile while driving to work, don't mind me because not many people can either be bothered to apply their brakes when approaching the roundabout, or are just going too fast to stop anyway!
It's about time the authorities clamp down heavily on motorcyclists who blatently flaut the law. I lose track of how many bikes you see speeding and dangerously overtaking over vehicles but it's how many times do you actually see one pulled over by the police?.
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It's about time there is another national campaign on the TV but this time educate bikers instead of constantly blaming the car driver for accidents. The last advert I remember being on TV showed a car turning right and having a motorbike hit the side of the car, thus saying that the car driver was in the wrong. How about the biker who saw the car was turning right but decided to overtake it anyway??.
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This mock up is all well and good, but until the police start to do their job and stop these bikers, accidents such as this will continue to happen.
Most motorcyclists are guilty of speeding, but there is a far greater percentage of car drivers guilty of the same, and many, many more offences!
How many 'bikers' do you speak to whose bikes are not taxed/mot'd/insured, or riders who have been drinking, or are fiddling with the phone or sat nav or p!ssing about with their hair/makeup!
If riding a motorcycle is about little more than break-neck speed then why don't more people do it? The throttle goes both ways...
Andy_Witney says...
4:37pm Mon 19 Apr 10
.
It's about time there is another national campaign on the TV but this time educate bikers instead of constantly blaming the car driver for accidents. The last advert I remember being on TV showed a car turning right and having a motorbike hit the side of the car, thus saying that the car driver was in the wrong. How about the biker who saw the car was turning right but decided to overtake it anyway??.
.
This mock up is all well and good, but until the police start to do their job and stop these bikers, accidents such as this will continue to happen.