2011 motorcyclist campaigns across the UK have started by highlighting their concerns regarding defective road surfaces, poor road design and maintenance.
With reports of Road Authorities having their budgets cut during this economic climate, the best product for the best cost will be even more crucial for maintenance and repairs.
The Motorcycle Action Groups (MAG) campaign “Get A Grip” for consistent grip levels on the roads is promoting non-slip overbanding and the use of composite non-slip manhole covers; the latter are produced by Structural Sciences Limited.
The claim for these composite covers is, as they are not made of metal, they are lightweight and have no value on the scrap market, so won’t be stolen; they cannot deteriorate with rust, with the manufacturers offering a 15 year in use guarantee.
Another solution for slippy manhole covers, which has been around for a few years and is specifically designed to meet the needs of motorcycle and scooter users is, “Grip Top”. Created by Saint-Gobain PAM UK the product is fully compliant to BS EN 124 standard, with a BSI Kitemark certificate and has received a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award.
These two products offer the Highway Agencies, Authorities and Roads Services safe motorcycle options to suit their needs and the needs of all road users including pedestrians and cyclists. These are money saving options for the long term.
Back to MAG’s “Get A Grip” campaign, there is a petition you can sign on their website and a ‘report it’ function, so that they can track down the owners of particularly badly sited, or damaged manhole covers.
The ‘report it’ function will soon be using a live Google map so that riders can pinpoint the exact location of the offending item.
Get A Grip is also presenting their campaign through a “Roadshow” at MAG local group meetings and motorcycle events in 2011 in England, Scotland and at the Isle of Man TT.
Meanwhile at Right To Ride, our focus is on the issues that motorcyclists face on the roads in Northern Ireland through our “Fix A Road – Report A Fault” and “Don’t Overfill – Diesel Spills” campaigns.
The “Fix A Road – Report A Fault” campaign uses an on-line Report Survey to help us to build a picture of the road hazards or faults, you can also tell us what in your opinion, should be done to affect a repair or to ensure that the Road Hazard or Fault is removed, so that it does not create any further danger to motorcyclists or to stop the fault occurring in the first place.
You can also send pictures of the Road Hazard or Fault through the on-line form.
The “Don’t Overfill – Diesel Spills” campaign highlights that the spillage of diesel fuel from heavy goods vehicles, vans and cars, is a danger to motorcyclists.
Adelaide Insurance Services www.adelaideinsurance.com have sponsored 20,000 stickers and thanks to their sponsorship we can offer the stickers free of charge.
The idea is that the sticker provides advisory warning on vehicles and at petrol stations for drivers, that prevention is better than a cure.
It also reminds drivers, both commercial and private, not to overfill their tanks and to refit the filler cap securely.
We have also produced a “Don’t Overfill” poster, both the poster and the “Don’t Overfill” sticker can be ordered free of charge on the Right To Ride website.
Right To Ride’s, Trevor Baird said, “No matter where these campaigns hail from, the simple science for motorcyclists is that poor road design and maintenance or, the thoughtlessness of others depositing diesel or mud on the road, can contribute to motorcycle crashes, injuries, and fatalities.”
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