Racers and spectators at Irish Road Race meetings will have rapid response medical support in the form of a 175hp KTM RC8 R as part of its “Travelling Doctor’” system in 2012.

Doctor John Hinds, 32, as a member of the Motorcycle Union of Ireland (MCUI) medical team, has chosen a RC8 R  - currently available for £12,995 with finance offers that include 0% interest with a £99 deposit - as his way of getting life saving care and triage to a rider quickly and safely.

The “Traveling Doctor" system has evolved over the years as a way of providing fast and lifesaving medical care to riders at Irish Road racing meetings. The environment which with the medical staff work in is unique and the circuits can vary from 3 to 9 miles in length; so are too long to staff with ground crews like at British Superbikes, but too short to use a helicopter effectively like at the Isle of Man TT. The nature of these courses also make it difficult to have a fast "first response" with a car or regular ambulance.

The motorcycle-mounted doctors – Dr. John Hinds and Dr. Fred MacSorley - chase the warm-up and opening lap of each race or practice session at each event as this is historically when most serious incidents tend to occur. During racing they are parked up strategically with radio contact, helmets on and ready to be scrambled immediately and can assess, triage and begin treatment, and are backed up by response vehicles staffed by experienced doctors and paramedics.

The bikes the traveling doctors use are their own and the road racing circuits are exceptionally hard on a motorcycle. The wear and tear of jumps, bumps and high speed runs each and every weekend mean maintenance is an ongoing battle of attrition - tyres, oil and filters every weekend; screens full of stone chips, suspension being put through it's full crashing strokes every lap on the jumps that make the Irish road circuits unique in what they are. On average, Dr. John will cover around 4000 race miles a year.

The consultant anesthetist and intensivist based at Antrim Area hospital said: “There was a number of reasons I chose to run an RC8 R this year. Firstly, I have had Japanese inline fours for 10 years and wanted something different. Secondly, and more importantly, I needed a bike that was reliable and had good dealer back-up as I know how many serviceable items I get though in a year.

“The job I use the bike for means that a machine that won't start on the button could mean the difference between life and death. Who better then to buy a bike off than Northern Ireland KTM dealer and road racing legend Phillip McCallen! If ever there was a man who knows if a bike will work on a road circuit, it's him; and the RC8 R came highly recommended from the man himself. The fact that Northern Ireland ex-MotoGP star Jeremy McWilliams owns one himself meant the decision was made!”

John will be on call at the 90th Cookstown 100 this weekend, April 27-28, 2012.

www.Mcui-uc.org.uk
www.facebook.com/mcuimedicalteam

IAM’s head of riding standards and advanced biker, Peter Rodger, is advising on filtering.

• Plan ahead when approaching long queues. Make a decision in advance for passing each vehicle, but be ready to change your plans if the traffic situation changes • Be prepared for vehicles to move out or change lanes, particularly approaching junctions • In bus lanes, watch for cars that want to turn left across your path • Be aware of cyclists wearing earphones – they may not know you are there • Watch side roads. Drivers waiting to emerge will be looking for larger vehicles – not necessarily a motorbike • When filtering give other vehicles time to notice you’re there – don’t arrive too quickly • Wait behind stationary vehicles unless you're sure you can get past them before they start to move – avoid sitting next to them where you can be in a blind spot.  

Rodger said: “One of the great things about riding a bike is that you can reduce your journey time by filtering through traffic and congestion. But be considerate to other road users, and bear in mind they may not know or expect you to be there.”  
For biking advice and tips, the IAM has launched a new website, www.bikingadvice.org.uk. As well as all our advice, it includes traffic updates, touring advice by country and biking events around the UK.   www.betterbiking.org.uk

The Heritage Motor Centre (HMC) has teamed up with ‘Parrys International Tours’ to offer visitors a unique ‘Downton Abbey’ tour.

The highly acclaimed period drama may have ended on TV but visitors can still see some of its locations including Highclere Castle plus the chance to view some of the superb motor vehicles dating back to the Downton period of 1912 - 1922 at the HMC.

The special three day/two night tour includes a tour of the Cotswolds on day one with stops at Cirencester and Marlborough. Day two includes a tour of Highclere Castle where visitors can view the interiors used in the filming of the scenes and the extensive Gardens along with a visit to Winchester. Day three includes a visit to the village of 'Downton' where the outdoor views of the Church and Hospital were recorded followed by a stop in Oxford before continuing to the HMC at Gaydon in Warwickshire.  Once at the HMC visitors can view a collection of vehicles from this period including a 1912 & 1922 Rover, a 1913 & 1921 Morris, a 1913 Standard, a 1911 & 1915 Rover Imperial Motorcycle, a 1919 Wolesley, a 1922 Austin Twenty and a 1922 Ford Model T.

These unique tours will take place on the 16 & 23 July and 19 August. Ticket prices cost £199.50 and include coach travel, two nights at the Hilton in Newbury, dinner on both evenings, English breakfasts, visits as on the itinerary, entry to Highclere Castle and the Heritage Motor Centre.

For more information on the vehicles of this period please visit www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk or call 01926 641188.

To book a tour please call Parrys International on 01922 414576 or visit the website at www.parrys-international.co.uk

Join in with Guy Martin’s Big Brew at Ace Cafe London on Friday 4th May 2012

Ride Out for Spinal Research is inviting motorcyclists to take part in their Big Brew event at Ace Cafe London to raise money for groundbreaking research into spinal cord repair. The Ride Out campaign is dedicated to motorcyclists and allows people who are passionate about motorcycling to give something back to those that have been injured.

Streetfighters Magazine is kindly supporting this event and will be there on the night.

Get involved by taking part in our:

Free prize draw to meet Guy Martin

Pin the sideburns on Mark Wilsmore competition!

Sideburn growing or creating competition

Silent auction to win Red Torpedo t-shirts signed by Guy Martin, plus other signed goodies.

www.spinal-research.org/guymartinbigbrew

In January this year the Minister of the Environment Alex Atwood replied to a question in the Northern Ireland Assembly from Mr Phil Flanagan Sinn Féin, whether his Department has considered requiring drivers to drive with dipped headlights on, at all times between October and March.
 
In his reply the Minister set out the requirements for drivers use of dipped headlights in addition to their use at night, “Drivers are required, under the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (NI) 2000, to use dipped headlights (in addition to their use at night) during daytime when visibility is seriously reduced, for example in adverse weather conditions or in dull daytime weather.”
 
As motorcyclists reading this, you may begin to wonder where this is heading as motorcycles already come fitted from the major motorcycle manufacturers with headlights hard wired (AHO – Automatic Headlights On).
 
However as the title of this article suggests we appear to have an “enlightened” minister.
 
In his response Mr Attwood said “In addition, the cycle and motorcycle lobbies are likely be concerned at the relative lack of conspicuity that would be imposed on them were such a requirement to be imposed and the possible increase in accidents as a consequence. Pedal cycles do not have dipped headlights and motorcycles currently rely on being brighter than other vehicles to improve their conspicuity.”
 
We couldn’t have given a more appropriate answer if the minister had asked us himself!
 
Northern Ireland Motorcycle Fatality Report 2012
 
In the recently published, Northern Ireland Motorcycle Fatality Report 2012, 79.5% (n.31) of the collisions occurred during daylight hours.
 
Out of the 39 cases, there were seventeen (43.6%) in which another vehicle was considered the primary cause of the collision, in thirteen of these cases the motorcycles all had their lights on.
 
In nine cases the other vehicle driver pulled out in front of the motorcycles and in four cases, performed a U turn across the path of the motorcycle.
 
The evidence highlighted that the other vehicle driver was in a position to see them.
 
However, there appears to be a problem of looking but not seeing which may be due to the size of the motorcycle or simply because the car/van driver is expecting to see another car or van and has difficulty coping with the unexpected.
 
Further investigation into the perception of lights on motorcycles by OV (Other Vehicle) drivers would be warranted.
 
Bright Idea?
 
In February 2010 we replied to a consultation on Daytime Running Lights (DRL) from Ireland’s Road Safety Authority (RSA). Although the consultation was mainly about DRLs the consultation contained a position that, “The Bright Way To Save Lives” – “It’s not just at night that you need to turn on your lights” – “Dipped headlights are an effective way to reduce the number of collisions on our road”.
 
To add to Mr Attwood’s answer, we replied then that, “The concern is that when all vehicles have their dipped beam lights on, motorcycles will lose any advantage in terms of conspicuity that there may have been. As mentioned above in relation to glare and for example intersections, there is considerable documented evidence of the inability of car drivers to “see” approaching motorcycles – in spite of the fact that these motorcycles have dipped headlights on. On the subject of headlight use, some motorcyclists will ride with their main beam on. This seems to be indicative of the opinion that “bright is always right” for all conditions in the belief that having brighter lights on will identify motorcycles from the rest of the traffic.”
 
In the words of rider organisations such as the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK), riders would be, “Lost In A Sea Of Lights” and “Bright Isn’t Always Right” as regards to all vehicles running with dipped beam on during daylight hours.
 
For the Ministers full answer and Links and Information at Right To Ride
 
Don’t Forget Right To Ride on Facebook