The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has warned that car manufacturers are building high-tech distractions into their new vehicles and have made interiors so comfortable they are being turned into living rooms.

The warning came from IAM chief executive officer Sarah Sillars, who said efforts to reduce distraction factors for motorists are being undone by the relentless pace of technology and eagerness of car makers to pack more gadgets onto dashboards.

She said the main areas of concern were highly sophisticated satellite-navigation and GPS systems, smartphones that mirror tablets and easy connectivity of internet and social media.

The IAM has suggested the UK should adopt guidelines suggested by the US Department of Transportation and National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

They say drivers should be restricted from using certain non-essential forms of technology while the vehicle is in motion, and car makers should not introduce any technological development which takes the driver’s attention off the road for longer than two seconds (reference 1).

These voluntary guidelines are to be phased in over the next three years to address this large-scale problem in the USA.

US Federal data figures showed in 2011 that accidents involving a distracted driver killed 3,331 people and injured another 387,000 (reference 2).

And for younger drivers the problem is worse. Car accidents are the main cause of death of teenagers (as it is for all people aged between five and 34), and a quarter of all teen-driving crashes in the US are attributed to distracted driving (reference 3).

Sarah said: “We cannot allow the same trends in the USA to happen here. While car makers work constantly to incorporate active and passive safety features into vehicles, making us safer than ever before, they are also guilty of making us too comfortable and making us feel more cosseted – like we were in our own living rooms.”

The IAM says as technology constantly changes, continued education campaigns are required to reinforce and update the current laws (reference 4).

Sarah concluded: “Technology could be a great way of helping to cut the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on our roads. It would be a tragedy if technology became a reason why more, rather than less, people lose their lives.”

Bikers from across the country turned out in their thousands at the weekend, as they took part in one of the largest biking events in the country – the Bike4Life Ride Out and Festival (26 April 2015), raising money for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

In excess of 5,000 motorcyclists participated in the 23 mile ride, along the A5/ M54 from Meole Brace, Shrewsbury to the RAF Museum Cosford, home of the Bike4Life Festival. They filled the motorway as far as the eye could see, travelling en masse by police escort to the Museum.

It took 40 minutes for participants in the Ride Out to filter out of Shrewsbury and before the last few bikers had departed, the front riders had arrived at the Festival, filling the 23 mile route from start to finish.

Leading the 5,000 strong Ride Out this year was seven times World Superbike Champion and current ‘King of the Jungle’ Carl Fogarty, joined by TV Presenter Richard Hammond and Bike4Life competition winner Trev Tawn from Broseley, Shropshire. The lucky winner got to meet his idols and pose for photos before joining them at the front of Ride Out, along with TV’s Emergency Bikers Mark Hayes and Steve Forrest.   

Support for the event has grown each year, not just with the biking community, but with families and local residents alike. Thousands of members of the public lined the roads and every bridge along the route, waving as the bikers passed.

The event raised in excess of £45,000 thanks to the phenomenal turnout and support shown by the biking community, smashing last year’s total by 50 per cent. The day was a huge success, with more bikers taking part in this year’s ride out than ever before, with many bikers travelling some distance to be part of the day. In addition to the 5,000 bikers on the Ride Out, over 4,000 bikers and families headed straight to the Festival, with over 9,000 visitors on site throughout the day.

Upon arrival at the Museum, bikers were treated to an afternoon packed with entertainment which included a spectacular flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire and live music supplied by five rock bands on the Planet Rock stage.

Abi Betteridge, Museum Events Manager for the RAF Museum Cosford said:

“We were staggered with the number of bikers wanting to take part in the Ride Out this year - I’ve never seen so many bikes in one place! Looking back at the photos and videos posted online of the Ride Out shows just how big the event has become. It was fantastic to welcome so many bikers and families alike to the Museum and to see them enjoying the Festival atmosphere and everything the day had to offer. This event has been months in the planning and the staff and volunteers organising the event have worked hard to make Bike4Life 2015 the best yet.”

Two Midlands Air Ambulance helicopters were situated at the event and visitors were able to view on board as well as meet the aircrew. Fogarty took some time during his day to tour the helicopter and speak with the aircrew about their roles. Both helicopters were called out during the day, demonstrating the great need to continue to raise funds for the lifesaving service.

Jason Levy, Fundraising and Marketing Director for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity said:

“What an incredible day! We are blessed with immense support from the biking community and the number of motorcyclists and local people who joined us on the day was terrific. Each Midlands Air Ambulance mission costs £2,500, so the £45,000 raised will go towards 18 further life saving missions. Everyone who attended the Ride Out and Festival should be extremely proud of what they’ve helped us achieve, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their commitment to the charity.”

Bike4Life is also in collaboration with Safer Roads Partnership and West Mercia Police who work tirelessly to promote road safety and to help reduce the number of road traffic collisions across West Mercia. The event took months of planning and wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Central Motorway Police Group, the Highways Agency, West Mercia Police and Shropshire County Council, who ensured the safety of all of the bikers on the Ride Out. Organisers would also like to thank other road users for their patience and understanding during the Ride Out procession.

Vicki Bristow, Communications Manager, Safer Roads Partnership said:

“It's been great to be involved in such a worthwhile event and being able to engage with so many bikers not just across our region but from elsewhere. Helping to keep bikers as safe as possible whilst on the roads is one area we work really hard on and it was great to talk to so many bikers about the training opportunities that are available to them as well as talking about work we are doing on educating other road users about the importance of sharing our roads with bikers. The feedback we've had from the event has been fantastic and we can't wait to get involved again in 2016."

Find out more information about the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity by visiting www.midlandsairambulance.com or for more information on the RAF Museum Cosford visit www.rafmuseum.org.

Further details about the Safer Roads Partnership can be found at www.srpwestmercia.org.uk

www.bike4lifefest.com

On Sunday 24th May, where owners Martin Webb and Ray Waller will be revealing their new promotional vehicle – a 1951 Ford F1 truck restored by Wheeler Dealers’ Mike Brewer and Edd China.

Mike will be at the showroom and global distribution centre of the classic motorcycle specialist, to hand over the restored pick-up that featured in the second episode of the series currently being shown on the Discovery Channel.

Martin said: “We had been looking for a vehicle but wanted something in keeping with the period of the motorbikes we specialise in. When we saw the F1, we knew it was exactly what we were looking for.” Martin and Ray plan to use the F1 to transport their motorcycles to various events during show season.

The truck will also be joined at the company’s Emsworth base by the MGA that appeared in episode three. This classic 50s sportscar had just been finished when Martin was telling Ray about the vehicles Mike and his mechanic Edd China were working on.

Wheeler Dealer and classic bike fans are invited to join Martin and Ray at Comet Classics, bringing along their own classic bikes or cars for an informal open day, starting at 10am.  There you will be able to meet Mike and other like-minded enthusiasts and see the vehicles from the show as well as the current line-up of motorbikes on offer

Martin added: “We’re thrilled to have Mike join us for our inaugural event and hope classic motorcycle fans will come along and join us for what promises to be a fun event.”

Comet Classics was born out of two friend's enthusiasm for classic & vintage motorcycles and petrol pumps.  Between them, Martin and Ray have over 80 years of automotive and motorcycle experience. What started as a private collection is now a three-year-old business with over 100 classics motorcycles and petrol pumps in stock.  Many are appreciating classics and all represent excellent value for money.

‘Classics and Coffee’ will take place at Comet Classics, Windsor House, Clovelly Road, Southbourne, Esmworth, PO10 8PF, starting at 10am.

www.cometclassics.co.uk

For more information on Mike Brewer, visit www.mikebrewer.tv

Bautista and Melandri are keen to confirm the progress demonstrated during the last race in Argentina

Jerez (Spain), 28 April 2015 - Aprilia Racing Team Gresini comes to the first European round to confirm the initial progress demonstrated by the RS-GP bikes in the American rounds. At Austin the first point was earned thanks to Bautista's placement and in Argentina the gap behind the leaders and the central pack of bikes and riders was reduced significantly with Melandri almost catching his team mate up.

The classic round on the Jerez track is just around the corner to confirm and consolidate this growth process which is the primary goal of the 2015 season for the Italian team. The first set of European races should also allow the team to work more on the bikes and accelerate development.


ROMANO ALBESIANO (Aprilia Racing Manager)
"The first three races showed us just how big a challenge we accepted by entering MotoGP a year ahead of schedule. It's no surprise but rather it confirms that the level of bikes and riders, grown compared to recent seasons, is very high. For this reason we are looking at our initial progress as a positive and important sign. In particular in Argentina both riders crossed the wire, reduced the gap behind the leaders and finished just a few seconds (just over four) behind that central pack which is our goal at the moment. Marco has also come much closer to Alvaro in confirmation of his improved feeling with the bike. These are all important indications that we need to confirm. The next few weeks will also let us to speed up development on the RS-GP, an operation which is quite complex during non-European rounds, following the indications that can out of this first part of the season."

FAUSTO GRESINI (Team Manager)
“At Jerez the long European season of the Championship begins on a track where we have already tested. It would be nice to be able to take a few more steps forward. After all, in Argentina we already showed that we can fight for positions from twelfth on, which is in line with our expectations. We'll keep working to grow step by step, determined and strongly motivated.”

ALVARO BAUTISTA
"Like every year the Jerez round is a special occasion for me. There will be a lot of fans there to support me. We'll keep working hard on developing the bike like we did both in Austin and in Argentina, hoping to be able to identify new valid solutions. The track is very difficult with all kinds of turns so it will be important to work well on the setup and on power distribution as well because there are a lot of sections where the bikes restart at low speeds where good grip is needed.”

MARCO MELANDRI
“The Jerez track is really nice but it is also quite difficult and complete from a technical point of view with both slow turns and fast turns. Restarting after the slow curves is a particularly demanding situation where we need to improve but I'm counting a lot on the technical changes that Aprilia has prepared for this round. I hope that they will let us take another step forward. We'll be putting forth our best effort as always.”

When we spend our lives stuck at traffic lights, it’s easy to forget why we fell in love with riding in the first place.

The majestic ‘beauty’ of a Tesco Express just doesn’t evoke that ‘road trip’ feeling, and popping up to Loch Lomond for a quick spin isn’t exactly convenient when you live in central Manchester.

But we’re lucky enough to have beautiful strips of asphalt all around us - it’s just a case of knowing where to look! So, after conducting a study and sampling some of our customers’ favourite roads in Britain, we’ve come up with some indisputable winners.

Spanning Scotland, Wales, Northern England, The Midlands and the South, we’ve got a scenic route for everyone in the UK. Where possible, we’ve also listed the pubs and eateries along the way.

So, get kitted up and let’s bring Sunday rides back!

A57 – Snake Pass

This route is notoriously dangerous for bikers. A mix of sharp turns, steep drops and clowns who like to overtake makes this a road which takes serious wits. The pass is often shut during the winter months and it isn’t uncommon to encounter both black ice and sheep on the roads and verges!

But when you take it steady, the Snake Pass is a stunning run with a varied landscape. From peaking over Glossop and taking in the heathery moors, to descending to Lady Bower reservoir, you could be cruising through the Scottish Highlands, not the North West of England.

There’s a great bikers’ pub on route called the Ladybower Inn too. It’s popular and you’ll certainly have to get there early on a sunny Sunday, but the food is great, the atmosphere is friendly and there’s even rooms available. There’s numerous stops along Snake Pass too, so stop safely and take in the scenery where you can.

A4085 – Aberglaslyn Pass

Wales is brimming with great roads. The Brecon Beacons in general is a particular favourite of ours, but for scenery and camping you can’t beat this 20 mile stretch of road between Caernarfon and Penrhyndeudreath. It’s frequently used for test-drives and poses quite a challenging course for drivers and bikers.

Bikers will have to account for narrowing stretches of road, level crossings and tight corners, but the views are simply stunning. If you get the chance, head over the Menai Bridge into Anglesey too. With miles of open road, this little island is an (almost!) traffic-less gem.

Fosse Way – Lincoln to Exeter

If you jump on the Fosse way at Warwickshire (B4455) then you’re in prime Jaguar, Bentley, Land Rover and Aston Martin Country! With bases at Gaydon, this road is a popular route for staff commutes and test-drives, so it’s not uncommon to see a bit of camou on some beautiful new models down this way.

The Fosse Way was a Roman road and it started life as a marker for the Western Frontier of Roman rule. It’s possible that it was built as a ditch, with ‘Fosse’ meaning ditch in Latin. Nowadays it’s anything but a ditch, but for some stretches you’ll need good suspension!

While it spans 230 miles (Lincoln – Exeter), there’s numerous places to jump on and off. We’d particularly recommend joining via the B4455 and stopping off at Royal Leamington Spa for a bite to eat. There’s also some great gastro-pubs on route.

A9 from Stirling to Inverness

Not every scenic Scottish road has to snake around a Loch to be beautiful. As the longest road in Scotland (273 miles), the A9 was historically the main road between Edinburgh and John O’Groats.

Nowadays, riders should take the road between Stirling and Inverness to take in the best sights. If you’re looking to take a longer road trip around Scotland, then you can extend your route and visit villages such as Pitlochry, and take a short detour to Loch Ness.

A39 – Porlock to Lynmouth

This stretch has been used in numerous car adverts, but as the UK’s steepest main road, it’s not for the faint-hearted!

But with great heights come great views and the scenery over Lynmouth Bay is postcard perfect. On a summer’s day you could be relaxing in the med, while the grey, turbulent sea 1,400 ft below makes for a stunning ride on colder days.

Porlock has bagged itself a ‘best village’ in Somerset award and receives regular Trip Advisor accolades for its quaint beauty. Stop off at the coaching inn for a little light refreshment before heading down to the small shingle bay.

If we haven’t covered your favourite scenic road, please add them to the comments or get in touch on social media, we know that plenty of petrol heads have left their hearts in Cumbria too! It goes without saying, many of the roads mentioned here are accident hotspots, so always ride carefully when you’re exploring new routes.

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