Category: Organisations

1. BMF Cautious over Historic Vehicles MOT Exemption

   Posted on 12:01am Wednesday 30th May 2012

   The announcement by the Government that vehicles manufactured before 1960 will no longer have to pass an MOT, has received a cautious welcome from the British Motorcyclists Federation.

   While pleased that the Government is trying to cut down on regulation, the fact that thousands of cars and motorcycles will from 18th November no longer require an annual test of any sort is a concern say the BMF.

   At the time of the consultation the BMF pointed out that there was still a lot of support from the classic world for some form of an MOT as an annual check of basic roadworthiness. The BMF’s response, while recognising that modern test standards were not suitable for 50 year old vehicles, also went on to acknowledge   that there was a problem finding testers who were knowledgeable on the limitations of older vehicles. 

   The BMF also points out that owners of pre-1960 machines will still be legally required to ensure that they are safe and in a proper condition to be on the road, the problem now being though, who decides?

   The Government have also said that it is allowing voluntary MOT tests and it might well mean that motor insurance providers will require historic vehicles to have been tested as proof of road worthiness, something that could also assist owners following road traffic accidents.

   BMF Government Relations Executive Chris Hodder said: “Broadly speaking, the BMF is generally in favour of less legislation and regulation for motorcycle owners, but there is a very large degree of support for the MOT system and we did question whether exemptions should be made at all. We will now have to watch how the system pans out.”

   A summary of response to the consultation is available here: 

2. Roll up, roll up... to the best BMF Show in years!

   Posted on 12:01am Wednesday 16th May 2012

   Firstly, we've arranged for a Big Screen to be at the Show. This means footy fans can watch Chelsea’s game live on Saturday evening AND it will show the Moto GP practice sessions and the race live on Sunday. Remember, to have access to the evening entertainment or the sports screening you will need a Weekend ticket.

   Secondly, the BMF have offered a further incentive to BMF Members - you will now be given a £2 discount off the ‘On Gate’ ticket prices – this will include camping and day tickets. You MUST produce your membership card to get the discount - so pop it in your wallet now! Affiliated club members also entitled to this discount (with membership card).

   Rain, rain, go away...!

   We are keeping a watch on the weather and forecasts indicate that there will be an improvement and even the chance of sunshine again – so the show most definitely will be ON!

   We have put a number of measures in place to dry the ground as much as possible and minimise the disruption should the heavens open (this is the UK summer after all!) and there are a lot of people working in the background to ensure everyone has a great time. In addition, campers who decide the weather isn’t up to a weekend in a tent will be able to buy a camper van ticket on the gate on arrival, so you can leave that decision until the last minute and check how the sky looks on the day…

   And finally...

   You can meet one of the BSB riders from Team Savage Squirrel we have visiting the the show, together with a few other biking characters such as globe-trotting round the world record breaker Nick Saunders.

   Tell us what you think of the show! – In the FREE show programme you’ll find a short questionnaire, simply fill it in, hand it in and you could win £75 voucher to spend at Mick Byrne.

   Show us what you think of the show! – Upload your video to You Tube  and you could win the use of Ducati Monster 1100 for a weekend. Thanks to the lovely people at Sycamore Ducati for putting up this prize. Terms & conditions apply.

   Remember, if you want to take a bike out on a demo ride you will need both parts of your licence, so put the paper part in your packing pile now (good bit of illiteration there me thinks!).

3. BMF Calls For Justice

   Posted on 12:01am Tuesday 15th May 2012

   The BMF have written to Justice Minister Kenneth Clarke MP, QC, after the Court of Appeal last Friday overturned a judgement that had been made in favour of a motorcyclist seriously injured in a collision with a lorry.

   At a hearing at Cambridge County Court last year, motorcyclist Robert Whiteford of Soham, Cambridgeshire, who lost his right leg in the collision in April 2009, had won his case against a Lithuanian transport company, Kubas UAB, but now, despite what the BMF say is accepted as undisputed evidence that the lorry was over the central white line, the motorcyclist, while still on his side of the road, has been held to be riding ‘too close to the centre of the road’ and was therefore the one at fault.

   It has also been accepted by all parties that the lorry was too wide for its side of the road and when cornering at the time of the collision was over the white centre line, but simply because motorcyclist Robert Whiteford had agreed with the defence that he should have been riding nearer the centre of his own lane (something experienced motorcyclists know is not necessarily the case), he was held to blame.

   Jonathan Watt-Pringle, QC for the lorry firm, therefore argued that the judge ‘was wrong to impose so high a standard of driving on the lorry driver’ adding that: “The collision occurred for one reason and one reason only, and that is because the claimant was driving right close to the centre when he accepted that the course should have been a very different one.”

   Allowing the appeal, Lord Justice Richards said of the lorry driver: “A finding of negligence in this case would, to my mind, be to impose an unacceptably high standard on the driver.”

   In the letter to Mr Clarke, the BMF complains that the appeal judges in the case had decided bizarrely that the lower court was in error because it was “an unacceptably high standard” for the driver to stay on his own side of the road!

   In the light of the judgement, the BMF have asked Mr Clark 'how it can possibly be right that a driver licensed to drive the largest and most dangerous vehicles on the road is not expected to stay on his own side of the road?' 

   BMF spokesman Jeff Stone said: “There are far too many of these instances where justice for the motorcyclist is hard to come by. It’s a sort of bikeism where it seems merely riding a motorcycle is taken as a contributory factor! This case especially really does beggar belief.”

   The report of the appeal case can be read on the Cambridge-News website:

4. ABS In Report ‘Flawed’ FIA

   Posted on 12:01am Saturday 31st Mar 2012

   The March edition of InMotion, the International magazine of the FIA – Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile – carries an article in which one of their Regions (1) is disappointed and brands as “Flawed” a report on the cost-benefit analysis of Anti-Lock Braking Systems for motorcycles.
    
   We assume that the article refers to the Impact Assessment conducted for the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) committee. This Impact Assessment looked at three measures contained in the European Commission’s proposal for a “Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of two- or three-wheeled vehicles and quadricycles”.
    
   This was relevant to three compromise amendments to these measures which were submitted by MEPs to the IMCO Rapporteur, Mr van de Camp’s report in February 2012.
    
   The FIA article appears to focus on the amendment concerning the mandatory fitting of Advanced Brake Systems (Combined Brake System (CBS) and/or Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS)), moving the ABS introduction date forward by a year and extending Advanced Brake Systems cover to Powered Two Wheelers of more than 50cc.
    
   At Right To Ride, we agree with the FIA comment that, “the report is disappointing as the evidence of all key stakeholders, in particular users and suppliers, has not been included.”
    
   As previously reported, ETRA the European Twowheel Retailers’ Association also commented on the shortcomings of the Impact Assessment, stating “the Committee rejected the conclusions of the impact assessment study. (…)  due to the limited amount of time to draft it and to the unclear mandate given to London Economics.”
    
   ETRA’s press release continued with the comment, “The Conference of Presidents that followed the discussions, decided to give more time to London Economics to come up with a final and more thorough version of the study that, for instance, would take into consideration also the point of view of the parts suppliers as regards the cost of ABS.”
    
   However, the tag line on the picture accompanying the FIA article is as follows:
    
   “The FIA says that the EU failed to listen to suppliers such as Bosch, whose ABS 9 system is shown here.”
    
   At Right To Ride, we wonder if this is a “veiled” promotion of one ABS manufacturer over others?  The reason we wonder, is because there appears to be a comprehensive and systematic lobby by one ABS manufacturer.
    
   Our opinion at Right To Ride is that mandatory ABS will not be the panacea that will “save” the proportion of riders lives in collisions that is being reported by various sources, because there are just too many variables when considering the cause of motorcycle collisions.
    
   It would appear that FIA have tempered their views and recognised that ABS on its own will not automatically enhance road safety.
    
   Read the article at Right To Ride EU

5. BMF Warns of Cinderella Roads

   Posted on 12:01am Monday 26th Mar 2012

   News that the Government is considering plans to privatise sections of the UK’s road network poses a real threat to the rural road network warns the 80,000 strong British Motorcyclists Federation.
    
   Commenting on the plans, the BMF say that motorcyclists are far more aware of poorly maintained road surfaces than most car drivers and because private investors will only be interested in high returns from major trunk roads and motorways, the lesser used rural roads favoured by motorcyclists will suffer.

   Privatisation will result in a two-tier roads system say the BMF with the most lucrative roads creamed off and the others becoming ‘Cinderella roads’ deprived of investment and left to deteriorate.

   While many local authorities already contract out their roads maintenance, their maintenance programme is still under council control. Taking financial control away from them will mean that private profits will take precedence over service say the BMF.
    
   Tolling will also be an issue for motorcyclists. The BMF have always maintained that motorcycles make little demands on road construction and inflict negligible damage on road surfaces. In fact say the BMF, motorcycles already incur a disproportionate amount of road tax for their size (£74 pa for a 600cc machine as against £95 for a five seater 1600cc car) and motorcyclists see any additional charges as being grossly unfair.

   The UK needs a sound roads infrastructure but the road network is far too important to be privatised say the BMF.

   www.bmf.co.uk