Dear Wakefield MAG Member,
Welcome to the Wakefield MAG e-newsletter. If you can't attend our Wednesday meetings regularly, it's the next best thing to keep you up to date with what we are up to.
CONTENTS
1) Yorkshire Pudding Rally Report
2) VJMC Show Report
3) Mr Moo's Ice Cream Parlour (Skipsea) Rideout Report
4) MAG Subscriptions increase
5) Motorcycle safety campaign aims to make drivers THINK!
6) MAG National Demo - Saturday 23rd August 2014
7) Bikers - an endangered species
8) ePetitions (Wire Rope Barriers and Road Re-surfacing)
9) Yorkshire Regional Rep Vacancy
10) Forthcoming Events (for August and beyond)
11) Bike for Sale
1) Yorkshire Pudding Rally Report
Check out the event report Here
Check out the event report Here
3) Mr Moo's Ice Cream Parlour (Skipsea) Rideout Report
Check out the rideout report Here
MAG has managed to keep the same membership rates for a number of years now but these had to rise on the 1st August 2014. The fees for new/renewal have gone up to £27.00 individual, and £40.50 joint with life membership rising to £405.00 individual and £594.00 joint.
HOWEVER, if membership is taken out with a Direct Debit, the fees remain at the old rates: £25.00 individual and £37.50 joint (two adults). There are less processing costs involved with Direct Debit Membership (hence why the price can be kept lower), but also, there is less membership drop-off with Direct Debit (as your membership renewal is automatically processed). So, when your renewal comes around, re-join with a Direct Debit mandate, take all the hassle out of annual renewal and save yourself a couple of quid !!!
5) Motorcycle safety campaign aims to make drivers THINK!
A THINK! radio campaign has been launched to encourage drivers to take longer to look for motorcyclists after figures revealed that 30 bikers are killed or injured every day at junctions, Road Safety Minister Robert Goodwill has announced.
Launched on 21st July 2014, the 'Didn't See' campaign will run for 4 weeks until 15th August 2014 on national radio with the aim of reducing the number of motorcyclist and driver collisions on our roads.
Research for THINK! has shown that drivers believe the majority of motorcycle accidents happen because of bikers breaking the speed limit - but statistics actually show around half of motorcyclist accidents, where the rider is killed or seriously hurt, occur at junctions, with drivers failing to look properly being the most common cause.
Read the full news article on the UK Government Web-site: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/motorcycle-safety-campaign-aim-to-make-drivers-think
6) MAG National Demo - Saturday 23rd August 2014
How much is a life worth?
Every day, a motorcyclist is killed or seriously injured on the road due to the actions of a driver who didn't pay attention, or even look out into the road. Nine times out of ten, the driver receives a pitiful sentence for careless driving after pleading guilty, or worse still, nothing more than a driving ban; meanwhile, a family loses someone who cannot be replaced.
Sorry mate, I didn't see you! ... is the most common excuse for a driver when a rider has been knocked off. It doesn't matter if the rider is wearing hi-viz, with headlights on or not. It's time that this changed!
The purpose of the demo is to raise awareness on the theme that too many riders are being knocked from their bikes; that drivers are being mildly punished or getting off free, and that we - every day - see that the errors of other road users are putting our lives at risk, while we are being popularly held up to blame. This year there have been even more deaths than usual, and it's our perception that the majority are due to driver errors and poor planning/maintenance. Our best political lobbying efforts on key issues have received lip-service and duplicitous underhandedness so it is time for action.
The demos will take place in at least nine cities, including London, Glasgow and Belfast. These will not be the usual demos you've seen from MAG recently. Every year, thousands of bikes gather in Brussels to protest at the EU parliament's scant disregard for riders' rights. (at the demo attended by MAG Chairman John Mitchell in 2012, over 7,000 bikes parked along the Rue de la Loi, outside the EU Parliament HQ) and it wasn't a silent protest. It's time us Brits took a leaf out of their book.
The Yorkshire leg of the demo will be held in Sheffield, starting from Meadowhall at 1:30pm. See the Event Facebook page for the latest details: https://www.facebook.com/events/612446855539004/
Now you see us! August 23, 2014
7) Bikers - an endangered species
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) is deeply concerned by the dramatic fall in popularity of motorcycles among the young. According to DVSA data, just 353 young people in the 16 to 17-year-old age range took their A1 practical tests in 2013/14, plummeting dramatically from 3294 who took the test in the previous 2012/13 period, a decline of almost 90%.
The news confirms MAG's worst concerns about the effects of the cost, complexity and availability of the current motorcycle test. For years MAG has been in discussion with the government agencies responsible for determining the style and content of the test but has had to contend with extreme obstinacy from some parties within the Driving Standards Agency. Given the obvious benefits economically and environmentally that motorcycles can offer; it is irresponsible to discourage people from taking advantage of this transport mode. Motorcycles offer economic use of road space both when parked and when moving and can address the financial and mobility challenges of many people. Like bicycles, motorcycles are single-track vehicles and therefore enjoy the logic of geometry in utilizing spaces that are not available to twin track vehicles. They are part of an elegant solution to 21st century resource issues.
MAG calls on The Government to rethink its policy toward powered two wheelers and switch from discouraging to encouraging their use through a more reasonable licensing regime.
8) ePetitions (Wire Rope Barriers and Road Re-surfacing)
A couple of ePetitions you may want to sign if you agree with the aims/objectives of the petitions:
Ban Surface Dressing roads
Responsible department: Department for Transport
A cheap but dangerous form of road re surfacing is surface dressing, which is tar sprayed onto a poor surface and then left with loose chipping for months. Any that are not stuck down can cause a hazard to any road user. This is fastest and cheapest however due to the chipping it is definitely the most dangerous surface for any and all two wheeled vehicles. Riding on this surface is not only dangerous but does a lot more harm than good. This cheap and nasty surface isn't sustainable and has to be re-done often and has no benefit whatsoever. If your going to do a job you may as well do it properly!
This form of road surfacing needs to be banned from the UK roads. All drivers would much rather have a road closed for longer and be done properly, rather than having to drive through a minefield and causing their vehicle damage which can be costly. The state of our roads has been an ongoing issue in this country and needs to be addressed.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/67408
Wire Rope Barriers (A11 cheese wire carriage way separation)
Balfour Beatty with the blessing of the Highways Agency has installed 10 miles of high tension steel wire carriage way separation. This type of of barrier will maim and kill motorcyclists, it has been banned in Denmark, it is fitted with further protection elsewhere in Europe, but here cos' it is cheap we get 10 miles of it. This has been taken up with the Highways Agency, Balfour Beatty and the petition authors MP, but could you please help by signing this petition:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/67873
9) Yorkshire Regional Rep Vacancy
Wayne Rooney, the Yorkshire Regional Rep has announced that he is not standing for re-election at the Yorkshire Region AGM in October, after two years in the post. There is therefore a vacancy for a Yorkshire Region Rep at the AGM (subject to being voted in by the membership). Duties include representing Yorkshire at the bi-monthly National Committee meetings in Warwickshire, and being the focal point for the very active Yorkshire Region of MAG. It goes without saying that this is a voluntary post for which you get no pay .... just the honour of representing God's Own County !!!
If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll give you more details of what is involved, or, contact Wayne directly at: yorkshire-rep@mag-uk.org
10) Forthcoming Events (for August and beyond)
Sunday 10th - Yorkshire MAG Region Meeting
Every Yorkshire MAG member is invited to attend the Yorkshire Region Meeting and have your say in how the region is run. 10:00 at Venue TBC
Saturday 23rd August - MAG National Demo
See Above.
Saturday 23rd August - Charity Rock & Blues Night
Barnsley and Doncaster MAG present their Charity Rock & Blues Night. Live Bands (Olds Cool, Outfit Blues Band & Top Heavy). Proceeds split between White Knights Blood Bikes Charity & BADMAG. £4 per ticket (avail. on the door). From 18:00 till late at Skellow Grange Social Club, 223 Skellow Road, Doncaster, DN6 8JL
Sunday 24th August - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: Cadwell Park, Bike Racing Qualifying Day)
Meet 8:30am (leaving at 09:00am) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT.
Friday 29th - Sunday 31st August - Peak and District MAG's 3rd 1815 Rally
LIVE MUSIC, DJ, SILLY GAMES, TRADE STALLS AND HOPEFULLY BETTER WEATHER. The Waterloo Hotel,Taddington,Buxton,Derbyshire.SK17 9TJ. More details at: http://padmag.org.uk
Friday 29th August - Sunday 31st August - NE MAG's Stormin' The Castle 2014
Bike Rally & Custom Show. Witton Castle Country Park, Witton-Le-Wear, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 0DE. www.storminthecastle.co.uk
Friday 19th September - Sunday 21st September - EY MAG's Spat out of Hull
An end of season camping and drinkathon, for the rally faithful of Yorkshire and beyond. With Bands, DJ's and comedy. Dene Park, Sports and social club, Dunswell, Hull. More details at: http://east-yorks.mag-uk.org/
Tuesday 23rd September - Leeds MAG Comedy Night
7:30pm at The Cross Keys in Morley, West Yorkshire
Sunday 28th September - Wakefield MAG Treasure Hunt (Branch Rideout with a difference !!)
Meet 8:30am (to get clues/instructions) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT (Treasure Hunt will leave at 09:00am prompt) £1 per entrant (to cover cost of prizes). Arrive with a full tank of petrol
See the events page for further details and more !!!
It's not sold yet .... so it's still being advertised ......
2002 Honda Hornet 600 For Sale. Yellow. MoT'd until September and Taxed until February 2015. 6000 miles - all dry by previous owner, and a few wet ones by me (if only to prove it doesn't disolve in the rain).
VGC, New Tyres, Coolant, Battery, and recent Oil Change. Hugger fitted to protect the back shock.
Bargain at only £2,400.
Call Tony on Wakefield (01924) 210953 or 07757 891398 (Please call Fri-Sun Only Please)
That's all for this month, and I hope to see you all soon.
Ride Safe .. Ride Free
Steve Travis
Chairman
Wakefield MAG
0772 078 4734
Wakefield MAG meet at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield at 8:30pm every Wednesday. New (and Old) faces are always welcome.