Safety campaign to target Somerset roads

So what was the difference in biker deaths between 2007 and 2008?

The articale is not clear and clouds the bike figures.

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 11:00

another reason not to ride on sunday's.

I'll bet my arse they wont be doing fuck all on the race track, err I mean NSL road that's behind my house  

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 11:16

Doesn't say, I suspect biker deaths nearly half in both years, so about 18-19 in 2007 and 13-14 in 2008. So about 25% less deaths following the campaign. Not a huge difference, but linking the decrease in road deaths to the campaign is a bit arrogant, there could be a number of other reasons for the decrease. I think 2007 had a lot better weather than 2008 on the whole which could contribute to the extra bike deaths as more ditch their cars for bikes. Unless I see a direct link, I'm forever going to disregard campaigns.

For example, on the A540, they've now put up flashing signs warning you to slow down for the junctions just ahead based on your speed, funnily enough the silly thing doesn't detect bikes, I've tested this by riding at 20mph in excess of the speed limit. Although it tells cars doing less than the 60 posted limit to slow down. Yet noone so far has seemed to take any notice, no slowing down, no braking.

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 11:26

FishFace wrote (see)

So what was the difference in biker deaths between 2007 and 2008?

The articale is not clear and clouds the bike figures.

The provisional ptw figures (for Jan to October) were 7 in 2007 and 11 last year.

The total numbers of all ptw casualties (same period) were 243 in 2007 and 205 in 2008.

 

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 11:59

InsanityNo.2 wrote (see)

Doesn't say, I suspect biker deaths nearly half in both years, so about 18-19 in 2007 and 13-14 in 2008. So about 25% less deaths following the campaign.

I've posted the figures above - there is no 'campaign' as yet. 

There is going to be a big Avon & Somerset Bikesafe event at Haynes Museum at the end of April (25th 26th - I think).  Those in the area will discover soon enough that there is also about to be an 'unmarked' police bike patrolling - apparently not specifically aimed at catching bikes but I can't see that they won't use it for that.

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 12:05

nothing a load of £30 fines for small plates cant sort out

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 12:05

FJSRiDER. wrote (see)

There is going to be a big Avon & Somerset Bikesafe event at Haynes Museum at the end of April (25th 26th - I think). 

'Yer tis

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 12:19

FJSRiDER. wrote (see)

  Those in the area will discover soon enough that there is also about to be an 'unmarked' police bike patrolling - apparently not specifically aimed at catching bikes but I can't see that they won't use it for that.

do you know what bike it is?

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 13:03

Taff.. wrote (see)

do you know what bike it is?

Not yet - they were quite tight lipped about it.  I think it will become obvious soon enough - the copper (who I presume will be the operator assigned to it) seemed pretty amused at the chance to pull cars over with it.  

But it will be equipped with 'everything' other than ANPR (too hard for the rider to operate and ride) and will be on the roads 'by Easter'. He will be wearing full uniform - but he said 'probably not any day-glo'.

I think it will be probably based in Taunton.  BTW there is a 'part-time' unmarked green Pan-Euro up at Portershead that has been about for years.

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 13:17

nice one, cheers.

Maybe they'll bring it along to our ride-to-arrive weekend in May, they brought their GSXR1000 last time I went but that was more of a PR tool than anything else.  The rider binned it last thing on the sunday as well, too much power on a greasy road   .

I'll be mostly using the A37 again in good weather rather than the M5, its much more interesting.

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 13:25

Taff.. wrote (see)

I'll be mostly using the A37 again in good weather rather than the M5, its much more interesting.

Uh-huh.

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 13:47

FJSRiDER. wrote (see)

Taff.. wrote (see)

I'll be mostly using the A37 again in good weather rather than the M5, its much more interesting.

Uh-huh.

I'm sure we could find similar stories for just about every road in the UK.

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/wdp/news/article-250314-details/article.html

I was following this guy quite regularly just before this accident, I had a days leave on the day that it happened, could have been me   

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 14:01

Taff.. wrote (see)

I'm sure we could find similar stories for just about every road in the UK.

Quite probably.  Just remembered seeing it the other day.

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 15:13

FishFace wrote (see)

So what was the difference in biker deaths between 2007 and 2008?

The articale is not clear and clouds the bike figures.

FJS has got the figures right above ^^

We've had an increase in fatalities and a drop in serious injuries.  The fatalities are the ones that make the headlines but as the numbers are generally small it doesn't take much for there to be a dramatic difference. The KSI (killed & seriously injured) figures are larger and a better indicator for monitoring patterns.

The campaigns I have planned are mostly centred around rider training, rider awareness and car driver awareness: Bikesafe, First Bike on Scene (subsidised first aid training for motorcyclists), Ride to Arrive (a bit like a weekend long Bikesafe course), Rider Performance courses (I've set up two courses that are taking place at Castle Combe racetrack) and the Bikesafe event mentioned above by FJS.

I'll be running an urban campaign along the same lines as my previous year's 'Think Bike' campaign and I'll probably run a separate rural campaign more along the lines of 'Don't think hedge' as our typical rural crash has a larger element of rider error with less input from other road users. I haven't planned how either of those campaigns will be structured yet but I'm open to ideas, preferably clever stuff that makes people think and stops people crashing (either into bikes, hedges or solid objects)

FJSRiDER. wrote (see)

Those in the area will discover soon enough that there is also about to be an 'unmarked' police bike patrolling - apparently not specifically aimed at catching bikes but I can't see that they won't use it for that.

Intended for 'road safety education and enforcement', predominantly along high casualty routes. It's not aimed at any one mode of transport so bikes aren't the target but they won't be exempt.

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 19:45

FJSRiDER. wrote (see)

Taff.. wrote (see)

do you know what bike it is?

Not yet - they were quite tight lipped about it.  I think it will become obvious soon enough - the copper (who I presume will be the operator assigned to it) seemed pretty amused at the chance to pull cars over with it.  

But it will be equipped with 'everything' other than ANPR (too hard for the rider to operate and ride) and will be on the roads 'by Easter'. He will be wearing full uniform - but he said 'probably not any day-glo'.

I think it will be probably based in Taunton.  BTW there is a 'part-time' unmarked green Pan-Euro up at Portershead that has been about for years.

i live about 200 yds from taunton police station,if i see anything i'll post it up. the police use my road to cut around to the back of the police station.

i have seen a black suzuki k6 1000 , with tiny "police" stickers on it.

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 20:01

JIM@SRSP. 

Is there any plans to try to educate drivers on lane discipline on the motorway?

I have seen 'Keep left unless overtaking' signs somewhere in the country but cant remember where, but people seemed to be moving over to the left more in the area where the signs were.

Any chance of having a campaign on the M5?

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 20:23

Taff.. wrote (see)

JIM@SRSP. 

Is there any plans to try to educate drivers on lane discipline on the motorway?

I have seen 'Keep left unless overtaking' signs somewhere in the country but cant remember where, but people seemed to be moving over to the left more in the area where the signs were.

Any chance of having a campaign on the M5?

I'm the bikes bloke guv, I couldn't possibly start doing stuff that benefits car drivers

Seriously though the motorways are the responsibility of the Highways Agency and if they're running the signs somewhere it's often part of a national campaign or in response to a particular local issue. It's definitely a problem on sections of the M5 and I've got to call the HA about something tomorrow so I'll ask if it's a possibility.

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 20:32

nice one thanks.  

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 20:59

Taff.. wrote (see)

JIM@SRSP. 

Is there any plans to try to educate drivers on lane discipline on the motorway?

I have seen 'Keep left unless overtaking' signs somewhere in the country but cant remember where, but people seemed to be moving over to the left more in the area where the signs were.

Any chance of having a campaign on the M5?

i've seen these signs on the M42.

Posted: 03/03/2009 at 21:18

I spoke to one of the guys at Interroute who informed me that the signs there feature messages related to the current HA campaign. He is going to find out for me who to speak to about getting similar messages down this way.

Posted: 04/03/2009 at 20:06

Are these those bloody huge signs that get a build up of snow and then cause the roads to be closed when the compacted, now near ice, falls onto the carriageway? 

Posted: 04/03/2009 at 21:01