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1. iBiker for NI?

   Posted on 12:00am Tuesday 24th May 2011

   An exciting new smartphone app designed to reduce the number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured on the UK’s roads is now available.

   The ‘iBiker app’, which has been funded by the DfT (Department for Transport in Great Britain), is available on the iPhone and Android mobile phones. In addition to featuring ‘myth busting’ equipment and maintenance videos with James Toseland, the former double World Superbike Champion, the app enables bikers to:

   ·         Plan, plot, and save their rides/routes.

   ·         Highlight points of interest including pubs, cafes, cash points, petrol stations and meeting points.

   ·         Rate routes.

   ·         Connect with the biking community by sharing information about their rides/routes via Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and other social networking sites.

   The ap also highlights ‘the most risky roads and routes in Britain’ and provides interactive information and advice on how to ride safely and responsibly.

   Similar to Ride It Right, iBiker is community driven and focused on the community it serves - riders can take ownership of the app and populate it with information that can be shared across the biker community. Users can get in touch with ibiker via www.twitter.com/ibikerapp. or visit www.facebook.com/facebook.

   Gurminder Marwaha, who manages the app, says, “In terms of our plans for the app, we are very open to suggestions on how the app can be improved and what new features users would like to see. This app is for bikers and to remain a biker app it's important that the community tells us how it wants the app to develop. We will listen to all ideas.”

   What About iBiker For Northern Ireland

   Ride It Right has been in touch with the iBiker developers to see if iBiker works in Northern Ireland and the answer is yes!

   So apart from on your travels outside Northern Ireland riders here can, add their own routes and places, plan, plot, and save their rides/routes and comments on others’ routes and places.

   You can also highlight points of interests, including pubs, cafes, cash points, speed cameras, petrol stations, meeting points and much more.

   However one application that is missing is the provision of video run-throughs of known collision hotspots, these provide commentary illustrating potential dangers, enabling riders to prepare for a ride on that route, and spot potential danger before actually riding it.

   Early days yet but Ride It Right is looking at bringing iBiker here, to add to the 90 different routes videoed in the rest of the UK. Our own routes on the Ride It Right website highlights, The Antrim Coast Road – The Ards Peninsula – Newcastle and the Mournes.

   To get iBiker here we are looking for sponsors/funding, a race “celebrity” to promote iBiker and for the support from Road Safety agencies.

   Information

   www.ibikerapp.com

   www.facebook.com/ibiker

   www.rideitright.org

2. Attracting The Opposite Sex – 2BeSafe

   Posted on 12:00am Tuesday 26th Apr 2011

   A European Commission funded motorcycle project 2BeSafe www.2besafe.eu , initiated over two years ago which focuses on “Two Wheeler Behaviour and Safety”, has broken the surface with the launch of a survey.

   As reported by the Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations (FEMA) the survey is designed “to better understand the needs of riders in terms of safety”.

   The 2BeSafe survey asks motorcyclists about their personal details, family, riding experience, accidents, strategies, motivation and habits, as well as perception of assistance technology systems, including advanced braking systems, navigation units, air bags and other riding equipment.

   The control of the motorcycle other than by the rider has crept into the 2BeSafe survey with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA). According to the description in the survey “These systems adapt the distance to the vehicle ahead automatically either by slowing the motorcycle if following too closely, or accelerating the motorcycle to maintain a preset following distance when traffic allows”.

   The questions on technology seem to intertwine with the previous SAFERIDER project survey carried out in 2008. However the objectives of the 2BeSafe project do not mention the development of the SAFERIDER IT systems, so there is no clear reason why the survey should ask these questions, because this is not the remit of the project.

   Is the 2BeSafe project really just SAFERIDER2 in another guise?

   Attitude

   The last part of the survey prompts riders to reply not just about their attitude to riding but their attitude to breaking the law.

   Even sex is in the survey!  They want to know if riders, “Ride fast because the opposite sex enjoys it” but unfortunately they forgot to consider that there are motorcyclists who may want to attract the same sex!

   Right To Ride Opinion - Comments

   Right To Ride comments, “This is yet another EU survey wanting to know if you like speeding; If you take risks; if you break the law - and - if you want technology such as Intelligent Speed Adaptations (ISA) on your motorcycle. It is in our view, another attempt to identify motorcyclists as “bad boys” and to foist technology on motorcyclists as the solution to reduce motorcycle casualties.

   The FP7 EU funded project 2BeSafe has gathered researchers from 10 European countries, Australia and Israel. The researchers who put the survey together claim to aim to improve the general knowledge of rider behaviour, but instead demonstrate a lack of understanding of what is after all, a form of transport, not belonging to any one group of society.

   We believe that the survey is flawed.

   If, as FEMA suggests, the results of the survey are designed to help with the identification of positive measures for motorcyclist safety in the form of recommendations for traffic authorities, trainers, manufacturers, and infrastructure operators, then we are in big trouble.

   We at Right To Ride also believe that the outcome of the survey is already a foregone conclusion. We base this opinion on comments made in the first document published by the consortium Rider / Driver behaviours and road safety for PTW in which they state

   “Risk taking, as well as sensation seeking is a typical behaviour of PTWs (motorcyclists). This behaviour is usually reflected in activities such as disobeying traffic signal, give way or stop sign, non compliance to double white lines or pedestrian crossing, making illegal turns or speeding, maintaining low gaps with the following vehicles and so on. (…) because motorcycle riding is well known to be a dangerous activity, it ‘may tend to attract risk-seeking individuals, in all age and socio-economic categories’, which would have a corresponding effect on the total motorcycle accident figures )”.

   For the full article – link to survey – links – information or to leave a comment:

   Visit the Right To Ride EU website.

3. CBT Launched

   Posted on 12:00am Thursday 17th Feb 2011

   Right To Ride’s Trevor Baird attended the official launch of Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) by the Environment Minister Edwin Poots at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on the 16th February 2011.

   CBT will be officially introduced on Monday 21st February 2011 and will fundamentally change training requirements for those wishing to ride a motorcycle as a learner rider on public roads.

   Mr Poots said the new training scheme was essential to improve safety for all road users and that, "Road safety is my top priority, and I believe that this initiative will help us to further drive down deaths and serious injuries on the roads. Biking can be a great experience, but ridden inappropriately, a motorcycle becomes a lethal weapon.”

   The minister added that, "The introduction of CBT will improve learners’ riding skills because they will receive training in a safe environment before proceeding to ride on public roads. The evidence shows that the scheme will improve safety for both motorcyclists and other road users."

   The introduction of CBT will mean that new moped and motorcycle riders will not be permitted to ride unaccompanied on public roads without valid CBT certificates. CBT can only be delivered by a registered Approved Motorcycle Instructor (AMI).

   “However those with provisional motorcycle or moped licences issued prior to 21 February 2011 will have 12 months to either complete a CBT course or obtain a full motorcycle licence.”

    “If they choose the CBT course option they will be entitled to ride with L-plates for a period of two years or until they have passed their practical test.”

   The CBT course has three modules:

   • introduction and practical training, for example touch and feel
   • practical riding (either off-road or on-road in a safe environment) and preparation for on-road riding (theory)
   • practical on-road riding

   Right To Ride also welcomed the continued recognition by the department that, “It should be noted that half of all motorcyclist casualties are caused by other drivers.” The department has also encouraged motorists to give extra consideration to motorcyclists through campaigns such as the 'Underneath' campaign where drivers are reminded to look out for bikes when overtaking, at junctions, when turning right and when emerging onto main roads.

   At Right To Ride we have been reporting over the last year on the proposals for CBT and along with the British Motorcyclists Federation have had our views represented on the stakeholder group that has delivered the CBT scheme by David McMcGuckin from Ballymena Rider Training.

   We believe that initial rider training in whatever form it is presented, is crucial for novice riders. CBT will provide “off road” and “on road” training elements, giving new riders the basic instruction of how to handle a motorcycle on public roads.

   There will be a cost to this of course, but we would expect that this cost will be kept to a level that is affordable. 

   For more information see Right To Ride on CBT
   

4. Lowest Road Deaths

   Posted on 12:00am Tuesday 11th Jan 2011

   The Department of The Environment (DOE) reports that the number of people killed on Northern Ireland's roads last year was the lowest since records began in 1931.

   The figures reported show the number of people killed in accidents in NI fell from 115 in 2009 to 55 in 2010, representing a 50% fall in fatalities and a 20% reduction in serious injuries. Of the 55 people killed in 2010, 10 were pedestrians, 10 on motorcycles and the rest in other vehicles.

   Regarding motorcycling, Right To Ride reports based on figures provided that there has been a 60% reduction in motorcycle fatalities since 2004 (24) and 2010 (8 + 2 pillion).

   The Environment Minister Edwin Poots said the 50% reduction in fatalities was welcome, but warned against complacency.

   "We cannot dwell on our achievements and we cannot be satisfied by 55 deaths and hundreds of seriously injured people. Even one life is one too many. There is a greater prize to be had - zero road casualties," he said.

   A number of reasons have been put forward by PSNI spokespersons and Road Safety organisations which include:

   • The recession and bad weather - less traffic on the road.
     
   • People are a lot more careful.
     
   • Higher cost of fuel - people use other means of transport which is more cost-effective - made people slow down.
     
   • Road safety mechanisms in cars such as anti-lock braking systems (ABS), air bags, better design of cars and increased wearing of seatbelts - people were surviving accidents at 60mph when previously they were dying.
     
   • Increased, focused and structured advertising campaigns throughout the year.
     
   • PSNI - robustly targeting dangerous and inappropriate driving.

   These explanations all combined may be a reason for the overall reduction for all vehicles and motorcyclists.  

   Our own thoughts at Right To Ride are that the local communities especially in rural areas, have become more involved in dialogue with drivers and riders.  Engagement through local safety events with all agencies delivering face to face safety messages through 2010 especially to young people, have, in our opinion, had a far greater effect than the sporadic shock, horror ads on TV.

   For motorcycling there are initiatives such as the PSNI Bikesafe scheme with its basic assessment of rider skills.  Ride It Right, a road safety initiative by riders for riders with the support of the UnLtd Road Safety Challenge programme, funded by the DOE.  

   Right To Ride’s Trevor Baird said, “There does not seem to be a “silver bullet” to explain the reduction of motorcyclists killed on our roads, we can only guess at the reasons and hope this reduction in fatalities continues.  Our aim is continue to promote responsible motorcycling and the pleasure that this form of transport offers, whether riders use their motorcycles purely for leisure or in combination with rural and urban commuting.”

   For information, links and details of the UnLtd Road Safety Challenge Programme Award Winners visit the Right To Ride website
   

5. Traffic Light Loop Sensors

   Posted on 12:00am Wednesday 27th Oct 2010

   Riders on the NI Bikers Forum have highlighted an issue on our roads regarding motorcycles.

   This time it considers certain Traffic Light Loop Sensors which are embedded in the road surface. Riders report that the sensors are not triggering the traffic lights during time periods when traffic is light or late at night & early in the morning.

   This is forcing riders to either “take a chance” to go through the red light; use various means of approach to traffic lights to try and activate the sensors or wait for a car to turn up to trigger the sensors.

   Previously, advice was sought from the PSNI and although sympathetic that it was frustrating to be stuck at traffic lights for long periods while they remain red, stated that it would be illegal to jump the lights and the rider could be liable for prosecution.

   However at Right To Ride we say don’t get frustrated, there is a way to solve this and that is to report the fault on the Roads Service “Report A Fault” online.

   Does reporting a fault work?  Well one rider reports, “I used this link you provided last night and got this response: “The sensitivity of the detection has been increased. This problem should now be resolved. If you are still having difficulties please let us know. Thanks for passing on this information.”

   The rider also received a separate pdf format response from a different person in the roads service saying they will issue a reply by 10th Nov.

   The rider reports that, “For the first time ever, the lights changed for me this morning, so top job Mr Roads Service.”

   www.righttoride.co.uk