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) Daft Way Up Report
2) Wakefield MAG Bike Show at the Wakefield Gala
3) Bike Theft Awareness Ride (Hull) Report
4) May Rideout
5) MAG YouTube Channel
6) Advanced Stop Lines
7) Recent FEMA Press Releases and News Articles
8) Rally Tickets For Sale
9) Riders call for common sense regarding crime and congestion
10) Highways England, MAG and others turn concerns into action
11) Forthcoming Events (for May and beyond)
Check out the event report: Here
2) Wakefield MAG Bike Show at the Wakefield Gala
Our popular bike show, hosted at the Wakefield Gala at Clarence Park Arena, on May Day Bank Holiday Monday, is rapidly approaching. Fettle up your pride and joy and enter it into the show .... for FREE. All types of Bike, Scooter, Moped, Combination and Trike are welcomed and there are six winning categories plus an overall Best in Show up for grabs. We will also be hosting the Yorkshire MAG stand and running a tombola (with some great prizes to win). Lots of other attractions at the show to entertain you whilst you wait to see if your bike has won, and it's a great family day out.
Location: Clarence Park, Wakefield. Show to be judged at 14:30, Entry into show from 09:30 onwards (Gala officially opens at 10:00).
Hope to see you there. Did we mention it was FREE !!!
3) Bike Theft Awareness Ride (Hull) Report
Check out the event report: Here
Our Rideout for the month of May will be held on Sunday 13th May. The destination is 'On Your Marques' model car museum, on the East Coast of Lincolnshire (Mumby, Alford, Lincolnshire, LN13 9TL) www.on-your-marques.com. Entrance Cost: Adults: £4.00. Concessions: £3.50. As well as some 4,500 models on display, the museum also hosts a cafe and a 45 metre long Scalextric track on the glorious East Coast. But of course, our rideouts are not about the destination, but all about the journey and your genial rideout leader, Martin Burgess, has planned a cracking learner friendly scenic route, with a guaranteed 50,000 acres of clear blue sky (Honest !!!!).
Usual Rideout rules apply. Meet 8:30am (leaving at 09:00am) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT. Hope to see you there.
Did you know that MAG has it's own YouTube Channel that you can subscribe to, and hosts a number of MAG produced videos ? No, well check out the link here, sit back and enjoy the viewing .... you may even see some familiar faces :-)
Link: MAG YouTube channel
Ever wondered what the rules were surrounding Advanced Stop Lines (ASLs) ...... read on:
Bike boxes, or as they're officially known, Advanced Stop Lines (ASLs) are one of many causes for confusion among riders, drivers and cyclists sharing the road. Exacerbated by grey areas in the law, differences of opinion and seemingly steep fines, just what are the rules and regulations surrounding their use, and what happens if I inadvertently end up in one:
Furthermore, these 'exceptions' makes prosecuting offenders difficult. PC James Aveling, a city bike patrol officer for more than 15 years, said in a Guardian article on the same subject: "Booking cars which enter the zone is tricky as it's not illegal if they stop in one if a light turns red and they're part way in. Officers thus have to watch a driver creep in on an already red light. There are occasions when motorists flout the rules and drive straight up to the second solid white line at traffic lights, but there are also occasions where cyclists enter the zones illegally in the first place. It is only legal for a cyclist to enter an ASL from the break in the solid white line, usually found as a small gap on the kerb side edge. So if a cyclist enters from the centre or right, they are committing an offence and potentially putting themselves in danger by weaving in and out of traffic to get there."
The Cycling Embassy also acknowledges the negatives of ASLs, stating there are many disadvantages including the fact that they may encourage people to filter past traffic when it may not be always safe, and to position themselves in dangerous positions in front of HGVs and other vehicles with poor visibility.
So now you know ;-)
7) Recent FEMA Press Releases and News Articles
Whether the UK is in or out of the EU, European legislation and developments will continue to affect us all through European specifications for imported machines, accessories, spares or clothing. Even if all you do is venture to the continent on holiday on your bike, you will still need to be aware of different rules and regulations in order to avoid infringements of the law in whatever country you may decide to visit. Hence, it's sensible to keep up to date with all the latest developments and trends.
Recent FEMA Press Releases and News Articles include:
Check out all the latest FEMA news at: www.fema-online.eu/website/index.php/news/
Wakefield MAG now have our branch allocation of 'Sale or Return' Yorkshire MAG Rally Tickets, which are on sale NOW at the Wednesday meetings. Remember, if you buy them direct from us, you will save on the booking / postage fee !!! Let me know if you want some reserving. A reminder of the dates for these cracking rallies:
More details of the rallies at: www.mapevents.co.uk/
9) Riders call for common sense regarding crime and congestion
Ian Mutch calls on Mayor Khan and Government to come to their senses about motorcycle-enabled crime and unfair pollution taxes.
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) held their biggest demonstration in years on Saturday 21st April to highlight the unfairness of a new pollution tax that London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, is threatening to introduce and which will hit some of the poorest workers in the capital. The demonstration, organised by MAG's London Regional Representative, Tim Fawthrop, drew support from all elements of the riding community including dispatch riders, delivery riders, commuters and leisure bikers.
Selina Lavender, MAG's Chair, said "A big thank you to the MAG members who put in the hours to bring the demo together. It was great to see riders turn out in support of the event and I really enjoyed riding with you all. Hopefully Mr Khan will get the message!"
Keith Prince, Chair of the Greater London Authority Transport Committee and a motorcyclist himself, added his voice to the call for common sense: "I am disappointed that the Mayor of London has chosen to punish the most vulnerable with his ULEZ tax by again not keeping his promise to work with the motorcycling community. Ironically as a socialist, he is taxing the least well off; the low-paid essential workers and night workers who need their small-capacity bikes to get to work and cannot afford to replace them. Transport for London's 'Easy Rider' report of 2015 states 'powered two wheelers are part of the solution.' Why, two years later, are we now part of the problem?"
Other speakers included Peter Ramsbottom, London Deputy Regional Representative, who is equally disappointed by the actions of the Mayor: "We need to view motorcycles as a solution to the problem, and that's what MAG has been campaigning for since these recent threats emerged."
MAG's President, Ian Mutch, summed up the campaigning commitment of MAG: "The Mayor really does need to think about motorcycling because he made many promises to us before being elected. Now we invite him to talk directly with MAG. Currently, his policies on motorcycling are counterproductive: they ignore the benefits that motorcycles of all kinds bring to the commuting mix."
Colin Brown, MAG's recently appointed Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, said of the event "this was a peaceful, good natured demonstration but there is real anger amongst bikers who don't understand how the Mayor can think it's fair to charge riders of old mopeds £12.50 a day to enter the city, while someone with a six-litre sports car gets in for free, as far as the pollution tax is concerned, if it's a new vehicle. We believe we have a strong legal case based on discrimination. We hope it doesn't come to that but if the Mayor is willing to damage his own reputation to defend a tax on the poor, then MAG will take him on, all the way to court if necessary."
10) Highways England, MAG and others turn concerns into action
Highways England continues to be a role model for action following its Motorcycle Infrastructure Sub-Working Group meeting on 17th April 2018. Lembit Öpik, MAG's Director of Communications & Public Affairs, regards this as "amongst the most productive project groups in our Political Unit's calendar. Rarely have I seen a team which delivers so much and so well - in this case with a task list 28 pages long." These include:
"We got through a lot," adds Jimmy Torrance, Manchester MAG Representative and fellow member of this sub-group. "You know, they actually listen to riders. Road surface issues are a direct test - if Highways England does repair more dangerous potholes and resurfaces slippery manhole covers,that would prove the group's usefulness."
If you have specific concerns about major roads, please let Lembit or Jimmy know, and they can raise these issues at the sub-working group.
Contact details are on the MAG Website: www.mag-uk.org/en/aboutmag/a6344
11) Forthcoming Events (for May and beyond)
Friday 4th May - Sunday 6th May 2018 - Into the Valley (ITV) Rally
Bank Holiday Monday (May Day) 7th May - Wakefield MAG Bike Show at the Wakefield Gala
See Above.
Free Bike Show entry (but a donation to MAG would be appreciated). Multiple Show Categories / Awards, catering for all types of Bike, Scooter, Moped, Combination & Trike. Yorkshire MAG Stand and Tombola. Multiple attractions at the Gala. All Welcome to come along and show off your Pride & Joy. Location: Clarence Park, Wakefield. Show to be judged at 14:30, Entry into show from 09:30 onwards (Gala officially opens at 10:00)
Sunday 13th May - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: 'On Your Marques' model car museum, on the East Coast of Lincolnshire)
See Above. Meet 8:30am (leaving at 09:00am) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT
Wednesday 30th May - Wakefield MAG Social Night - Event: TBC
20:30 in the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield
Sunday 10th June - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: TBC)
Meet 8:30am (leaving at 09:00am) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT
Friday 15th June - Sunday 17th June 2018 - Farmyard Party (FYP) Rally
Thursday 21st June - Wakefield MAG Evening Rideout (Destination: Sheffield Speedway, Owlerton Stadium - Sheffield Tigers Vs Glasgow Tigers)
Meet 18:00 (leaving at 18:15) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT. Website: www.sheffieldspeedway.co/. Speedway Entrance Cost: Adults (aged 17 and over): £16.00. Concessions (over 65s): £13.00 with ID
Wednesday 27th June - Wakefield MAG Bingo Night
Eyes Down for 'another' Fun Filled Night of Bingo !!! Cash and Prize Bingo, and lot's of hilarity guaranteed. All profits to the MAG Fighting Fund. Starts 20:00 at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield
Sunday 1st July - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: TBC)
Meet 8:30am (leaving at 09:00am) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT
Friday 6th July - Fleur de Lys Classic Vehicle Show
4pm-8pm, Clarence Park, Wakefield. Website: fleurdelyscvs.org/
Friday 3rd August - Sunday 5th August 2018 - Yorkshire Pudding Rally (YPR)
www.yorkshirepuddingrally.co.uk
See the events page for further details and more !!!
That's all for this month, 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.