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Breeze On Mobile Phone Misuse The Motorcycle Action Group has applauded one police force's direct action in cracking down on the use of mobile phones while motoring.The new three-month road safety campaign entitled Operation Breeze has been launched by The West Midlands Police and begins on Friday 1st of February. The campaign will cover all roads in the West Midlands Force area and motorways covered by the Central Motorway Police Group, which comprises the police forces of Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Mercia and the WestMidlands. Campaign co-coordinator Sergeant Dave Swift said, "One of our key aims is to reduce death and injury on roads and motorways. We believe that more than 15 per cent of all injury collisions could be taking place while the driver uses a mobile phone." 'Our officers are fully aware that drivers need to maintain a high degree of concentration and control of their vehicles when driving at high speeds on motorways and in the heavy traffic encountered on the busy roads of the West Midlands. This cannot be done with one hand off the steering wheel while holding a phone to the ear!" "We plan to improve road safety by preventing these people putting themselves and others at risk. A momentary lapse in concentration can be the difference between avoiding a collision or the loss of a life. Switch your phone off before taking to the road to avoid temptation while you are driving." During the campaign, officers will be on patrol in both marked and plain vehicles, some equipped with video recording systems. They will stop anyone spotted using a mobile phone. Motorists will either be: Given a verbal caution, Referred to the national driver improvement scheme, Issued with a non-endorsable fixed penalty notice, or reported for summons. In the last campaign, one motorway patrol pulled over a salesman who was holding a phone in one hand and an order book in the other. When asked how he was steering, he replied 'I have developed a technique for driving with my knees.' He was charged with dangerous driving! MAG is still looking for your
"daily" experiences of drivers using
hand held mobile phones. You can send your
information to; The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing but - Statistics! The results of the Motorcycle Action Groups (MAG) Fear Factor survey on motorcycle and scooter theft are due for release in April 2003. To begin the debate on insurance, security and theft MAG is publishing an article on Motorcycle theft statistics put together by its Public Relations department. It highlights the trials and tribulations of statistics, also known as 'Lies and more damned lies'. In November 2002, the Home Office released the Motorcycle Theft Index in which there is a breakdown of the vulnerability to theft of all makes and models of scooters, mopeds and motorcycles, generally described as Powered Two Wheelers (PTWs). For riders the most important piece of news from the Home Office is that 73% of motorbikes stolen are UNDER 200cc and mainly scooters. So, why are we paying through the nose to insure larger cc bikes against theft? Prior to this study there were different theft statistics released which are still being used by various agencies and organisations as the source of PTW theft in this country. Figures vary from 35,000 people affected by PTW thefts to total thefts of 36,822 or data analysed was only relative to 28,957 thefts with reference only to England and Wales with regards to recoveries. mag's article will demonstrate the twisted path of motorcycle theft statistics in this country and let you, the rider decide on whether you can believe the numbers game that insurance and security companies are playing. In conclusion, up until now motorcyclists have been lead to believe that the greatest risk of theft were the higher engine sized bikes like the Honda Fireblade or the Yamaha Rl and accordingly riders have been paying through the nose for insurance because of this misleading information, which by the way, has come from the Police and the National Criminal Intelligence Service. Because this issue has not been publicised, riders will continue to be stung by insurers, with the added bonus for the insurers that they can now sting scooter owners as well for having a higher "proven" rate of theft. The article is available on the MAG UK
website at MAG Seeks Co-Operation Of Cyclists Steven Norris President of the Motorcycle Industry Association and Chairman of the National Cycling Strategy Board held a meeting yesterday with The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) to discuss the use of bus lanes and advanced stop lines by motorcyclists. MAG Chief Executive Henry Marks and Director of Public Affairs Trevor Baird spent an hour discussing the viability of working with cycle bodies to resolve the anxieties of cyclists in relation to motorcyclists. MAG have been campaigning for the use of bus lanes and advanced stop lines by motorcycles as part of an overall strategy to relieve traffic congestion and enhance motorcyclists' safety but have run into stiff opposition from cycling bodies. MAG do not believe that that the use of bus lanes by motorcyclists will prejudice the safety of cyclists at all. In defence of that claim MAG point to the successful integration of motorcycles in the bus lane schemes of other cities such as Bristol where adverse experiences have not occurred. MAG Spokesman lan Mutch: As a regular user of bicycles myself, covering over 2000 miles last year on the capital's roads, I have no problem with motorcycles in bus lanes whatsoever. Due to their smaller size it is easy for motorcyclists to give cyclists a wide berth. Furthermore motorcyclists do not obstruct buses and when using bus lanes motorcyclists need to spend less time filtering between lanes with the attendant dangers that exposes them to. We hope that cyclists will recognise that they have common interests with motorcyclists. We are both vulnerable road user and we both offer advantages in terms reducing congestion and pollution while enhancing mobility. Further information from: |
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