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) Doncaster Bike Safe Show Report
2) Edinburgh MAG Rally Report
3) Farmyard Party Rally Report
4) Last call for Yorkshire Pudding Rally tickets
5) DSA and VOSA to merge
6) Accident Stats
7) Investment in Road Repairs
8) VJMC Show
9) July Rideout
10) Forthcoming Events (for July and beyond)
1) Doncaster Bike Safe Show Report
Check out the rideout report Here.
Check out the event report Here.
3) Farmyard Party Rally Report
Check out the event report Here.
4) Last call for Yorkshire Pudding Rally tickets
Last call for Yorkshire Pudding Rally tickets .... These traditionally sell out a few weeks after the Farmyard Party and we expect this year to be no different. We still have tickets for sale at the branch meetings (for £20 pre-book only) but as this rally is rapidly approaching (Friday 2nd - Sunday 4th August 2013) and there are no 'on the gate' tickets available, you would be well advised to get yours now before they sell out (which they will SOON !!!). So, be very quick if you still want tickets to this most excellent rally, this year at a new site (Escrick Estate off the A19 just above Selby).
Two of the key government agencies that bikers have the most dealings with, DSA & VOSA, are to merge in 2014. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) provides a range of licensing, testing (MoT) and enforcement services with the aim of improving the roadworthiness standards of vehicles, ensuring the compliance of operators and drivers, and supporting the independent Traffic Commissioners. The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) set the standards for driving and motorcycling, and for the education and training of drivers and riders, in addition to conducting the theory and practical driving and riding tests. Alastair Peoples, VOSA Chief Executive, will become joint Chief Executive for the 2 agencies and will oversee their strategic operations towards a full merger over the next year.
Accident statistics published on 27th June 2013 by the Department for Transport show a continued positive trend for powered two wheelers. The number of motorcycle users killed fell by 9 per cent from 362 in 2011 to 328 in 2012. The number of users reported as seriously injured decreased by 5 per cent to 5,000. Total reported motorcycle user casualties decreased by 4 per cent to 19,310 in 2012. Motorcycle traffic decreased by 2 per cent over the same period.
Interestingly the report tries to attribute the lower number of casulaties in Q212 with the unusually heavy rainfall which 'suppressed the number of vulnerable users on the roads and footways, particularly at a time when they could have been expected to be most active'.
However, we in Wakefield MAG do like to keep a close eye on motorcycle accident trends and stats, and don't particularly believe the weather is the key factor in the positive continued downward trend in motorcycle accident casualties - check out the Reasons to Ride page on this website for more historic accident stats (together with many reasons why you should ride a bike !!!).
Check out the full DfT Report Here.
Check out the link to see the promises being made to repair our roads at National and Local level: Government announces biggest investment in roads since 1970s
The Government is committing £10 billion of investment in road repairs between 2015-16 and 2020-21. More than £4 billion will be spent on national road maintenance - enough to resurface over 21,000 miles of road. The other £6bn of that money will be spent at a local level - allowing local authorities to fill the equivalent of 19 million potholes a year.
It's not that I'm cynical, but I'll believe it when I see it !!! In the meantime, keep those pothole reports coming in: Wakefield MAG Pot Hole Campaign.
Wakefield MAG will again be hosting the Yorkshire MAG stand at this years Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club Lotherton Hall Japanese Bike Show, on Sunday 28th July. This year, the West Yorkshire section of the VJMC don't need our help to marshal the show (as the VJMC nationally are providing volunteers). However, we will still need volunteers to man the Yorkshire MAG stand, promoting MAG, spreading the word and hopefully signing up lots of new members. If you would like to help out, do let me know. And if you have a particularly nice Japanese bike, why not enter it into the show (bike show entry is the same price as a standard visitor ticket, so you have nothing to lose). The show is open to all Japanese motorcycles and despite the name, they don't have to be vintage or classics, you can enter anything (but it must have been made in Japan). Hope to see you there.
Our monthly rideout for the month of July, will be an evening rideout (on Tuesday 9th July) to Hollingworth Lake. Hollingworth Lake is a 130 acre reservoir at Smithy Bridge, in Littleborough, Nr Rochdale. The lake was originally built as the main water source for the Rochdale Canal, but developed as a tourist resort from the 1860s, and became known as the Weighver's Seaport. Rochdale Council developed the area into the Hollingworth Lake Country Park in 1974. There has been a steady increase in facilities since, and it is now a thriving centre for water sports and other activities. Interesting factoids: The lake was used for training by Captain Matthew Webb, before he became the first man to swim the English Channel in 1875, and was used for the 'World Professional Mile Championship', a long-distance swimming event, in the 1880s. It is home to the Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club, which has been in continuous existence since 1872.
Meet on Tuesday 9th July at 18:30 (leaving at 19:00) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT. A picturesque route is guaranteed !!!! Hope to see you there.
10) Forthcoming Events (for July and beyond)
Saturday 6th July - Brum Demo 2013
Long established demo ride into the centre of Birmingham, organised by West Midlands MAG. Meet from 12 noon for a 1pm start at the Hare and Hounds, Lickey road, Rednal B45 8UU (also leaving from the Heart of England Rally - Saturday tickets for the heart of England rally available to participants at only £7 per person).
Tuesday 9th July - Wakefield MAG Evening Rideout (Destination: Hollingsworth Lake)
See Above. Rearranged from Tuesday 14th May. Meet 18:30 (leaving at 19:00) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT
Wednesday 17th July - Huddersfield MAG Pie Night
8:30pm at The Field Head, Quarmby Rd, Huddersfield, HD3 4FB. £5 a head - 40 limit, so book your place early!
Tuesday 23rd July - Leeds MAG Curry, Cupcakes and Comedy Night
8:00pm until 11:30pm at the Cross Keys, Morley. Leeds MAG would like to invite you all to a night out with a difference - join them for a curry and a pint or two then polish off the excellent repast by purchasing a cupcake or two in aid of MAG and NABD. Finish off the evening in style as you enjoy an appearance by future star Danny Pensive - when he's as big as Michael McIntyre you'll be able to say that you saw him in his early days! Joining Danny on the bill are: James Christopher, Simon D Heaven and Karl White, and our MC for the evening will be the divine Patrick Devine! Tickets are a fiver (curry and comedy included).
Sunday 28th July - Wakefield MAG at the VJMC Show
See Above. Lotherton Hall. We will be hosting the Yorkshire MAG Stand as we have done for many years now, at this popular all Japanese Motorcycle Show.
Friday 2nd - Sunday 4th August - Yorkshire Pudding Rally 2013
New Site (Escrick Estate off the A19 just above Selby). Tickets still available at the weekly branch meetings. See Above.
Wakefield MAG August Rideout - Date & Venue TBA
Friday 30th August - Sunday 1st September - NE MAG's 22nd Stormin' The Castle 2013
Witton Castle Country Park, Witton-Le-Wear, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 0DE. www.storminthecastle.co.uk
Friday 6th - Sunday 8th September - Yorkies (MAG Affiliated Club) Get Merry at the Ferry Rally
Quality food and beer, bands on Friday and Saturday, rock DJ both nights. Trade Stands, 24hr Showers and Toilets. Breighton Ferry, Bubwith, Selby, YO8 6DH. Ticket Price: £10.00. Contact Mick Culpan (Wakefield MAG) or email Sandie Shaw (Yorkies) Sandra.shaw@talktalk.net for further info.
Friday 13th - Sunday 15th September - East Yorkshire MAG's Spat Out of Hull Rally
Bonfire, Comedians, Live bands, Excellent food. Dene park sports club, Beverley road, Dunswell HU6 0AA. east-yorks.mag-uk.org
Sunday 22nd September - Wakefield MAG Rideout (Destination: Castle Howard)
Meet 8:30am (leaving at 09:00am) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT
MORE EVENTS
We still need to announce the date for our annual Treasure Hunt, so keep watching this space for updates !!!! Also, we are in the early stages of organising another Real Ale Train Pub Crawl, this time to Chapeltown, Sheffield ... now the YPR has moved site and is no longer to be held in Chapeltown, we need an excuse to visit the Commercial (and their outstanding range of Real Ales !!!) .... Again, watch this space for updates !!!
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.