EU Motorcyclists Forum

fema-forum-2014 The Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations has released a press release about the European Motorcyclists Forum, taking place on 5th and 6th March 2014.

Is the Forum on ITS as FEMA claims, a logical step towards better integration of motorcycling in European transport policies?

Do riders really want to accept Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to enhance their motorcycles or is the debate far more complex in relation to attitude, riding ability, other road users, performance and safety?

At Right To Ride, we certainly believe that performance improving technology can be beneficial, we do however query “safety” enhancing technology.

Our reason is simple.

The “Safety” lobby in Brussels and elsewhere is big business and is frequently based on dubious data from which vote seeking politicians, business and individuals base their own self serving publicity.

In the case of RIDERSCAN, we question its purpose, intent and outcome.

What was supposed to be a European wide project to provide information throughout the Member states has instead become yet another chat shop for the privileged “same ole” faces in Brussels.

The same debates, same outcome, same logic, which is that we – Europe’s riders, need to be saved from ourselves.

However, because we are of the opinion that anything motorcycle related deserves attention and publicity, we are happy to share FEMA’s press release with our supporters and look forward to hearing about the outcome of the forum and the potential positive aspects that it can offer for the motorcycling community.

Right To Ride EU – www.righttoride.eu

Can motorcycles benefit from new technologies?

26th February 2014

fema_logo_circle180whiteThis year’s European Motorcyclists Forum will discuss the impact of new technologies on motorcycling and related issues from a motorcycle specific angle. To prepare the debate, discussions on social media are being launched by RIDERSCAN media partners at national level.

For the second time, the European Motorcyclists’ Forum is hosting the RIDERSCAN project discussions.

RIDERSCAN is an EU co-funded project aiming at gathering all relevant knowledge and information about motorcycle safety in Europe and provide guidance to road authorities.

The event, taking place on March 5th and 6th, is hosted in the European Parliament premises 2 months before EU elections, thanks to the support of MEP Bernd Lange (S&D), also Chair of the FIA’s Forum for Automobile and Society.

Mr Lange said: “Powered two-wheelers will play a crucial role for our future mobility, especially in urban areas. They are however often overlooked in the discussion. It is therefore all the more important to put them into focus, especially in the context of the integration of intelligent transport systems (ITS).”

This year’s Forum will discuss the European Commission’s work on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and deployment efforts.

This is in the context of EU initiatives including the Cars2020 Action Plan, the ITS Directive and Action Plan and Horizon2020, but from a motorcycle specific angle.

Four working sessions will structure the debate around ITS and motorcycle specific related issues including: user needs and acceptance, research and development (R&D) roadmap, human factors and impacts of new technologies on the riding tasks, data collection and privacy (with the support of the FIA), aiming at identifying priorities for the motorcycling sector.

To prepare the discussions, the RIDERSCAN project launched a new survey.

Currently available in English, French, German, Italian, Dutch, and Danish (more languages to come), the ITS User Survey will help to draw a European map of rider awareness and acceptance of new technologies applied to transport systems.

Preliminary results on the willingness of riders to test, use, and buy systems, will be discussed at the Forum.

In parallel, FEMA is launching a debate over new technologies and motorcycling on three social media channels (Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter). Comments from the public will be conveyed all throughout the Forum discussions.

As the Forum on ITS is a logical step towards a better integration of motorcycling in European transport policies, the Forum will be recorded and videos will be made available on YouTube for further sharing, comments and coming discussions.

FEMA and the RIDERSCAN project team kindly invites all European riders to make use of this opportunity to generate fruitful inputs to feed discussions between the motorcycling community, EU authorities, researchers and experts.

Original Source – Click Here

Links Information

Right To Ride EU – On Riderscan – Click Here

Right To Ride EU – On Reducing Motorcyclists Injuries – Click Here

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  1. Steve Rowe says

    I’m with you Elaine – a lot of our data is being stored and used without our knowledge – look at the latest development to prevent it – the Blackphone – and the USA are legislating as reported by Motorcycles Rider Foundation:

    ‘U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-ND) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) have introduced legislation, S.1925, to make the data recorder the sole property of the vehicle owner. Anyone else would need a subpoena to access the data. The data would also be available should the vehicle owner consent to data retrieval or for traffic safety research.’

    Maybe we should be lobbying our Euro MPs to ensure we get the same rights.

    Original Source: http://www.mrf.org/2014/news_release/14NR02.htm

    With reference to Chak Motors and their PEBS, LDWS built in gyroscope and other safety features – these devices may possibly reduce accidents but they can also generate their own problems in a similar way to ABS and in particular I refer to Steve Makohin’s article ‘The Low-Down on Bike ABS, Linked and EVO Brakes’ in which he states:

    “..you get into the habit of riding in closer proximity to other vehicles, or at higher speeds because of the belief that ABS will be able to rescue you when you call upon it, then the additional safety margin offered by ABS may be insufficient to overcome the higher risks you have introduced through your change in riding style.”

    Which I believe is also applicable to these devices as well and we haven’t even touched on what happens if they do not work.

    Original Source: http://www.righttoride.co.uk/virtuallibrary/technical/ABSbrakesprosandcons2006.pdf

  2. “Every single piece of data is stored in the so called black box, similar of what you would find in a plane”…

    My question – who owns the data?

    My guess is that in Europe there does not appear to be any interest in this extremely important debate within the motorcycling community.

    Whereas on the other side of the pond our brothers and sisters have a very clear understanding of data protection and their rights.

    Right To Ride EU – ITS Wired World

  3. Is this what ITS and motorcycle integration really means?

    Chak Motors

    Chak Motors is a Russian motorcycle company based in St. Petersburg, specializing in designing, producing custom, handmade motorcycles.

    Predictive Emergency Braking System (PEBS) has been around on cars for a while, now it’s on a Molot. The system is specifically set up for a motorcycle, in those situations where a millisecond matters in braking. PEBS works in three types of common situations. Let’s say a car in front of you is coming to a stop, and for some reason you are not paying attention to that. First, once you get in to a minimum range zone, PEBS will send you out a warning, this will be a flashing light on your dash and a light vibration in the handle bars. If you fail to react, PEBS will send a maximum vibration and apply a small amount of pressure to your breaks, if you fail, PEBS will take control of your brakes and apply full pressure to stop the vehicle to avoid a collision. Giving that Molot has ABS you would not lose control of the bike. PEBS will also work in a situation where you do not have any time to react, if a car suddenly breaks in front of you, PEBS will apply full pressure to avoid collision. PEBS works with two radars up front, one short range and long range and an HD camera that is mounted in the headlight.

    In Addition to PEBS, Molot is equipped with blind spot monitoring, There are two sensors located in the rear cowl of the bike, one on each side, once you are ready to make a turn, a blind spot sensor will detect that there is an object and will send you a warning which is a light on a side mirror and a vibrating pulse in the handle bars.

    Then there is a lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), let’s say you are distracted from the road ahead and your bike stars to swerve to the left, LDWS will detect that you are departing from your lane by giving you a pulse vibration to the handle bars. The system is disabled when you turn on your turn signal.

    There is also a safety cut off feature, Molot has a built in gyroscope, it detects any anomaly in vibration and control, which means when you enter an uncontrolled situation, Molot will disable throttle. (This feature can be disabled)

    Another safety is a build in HD cameras in the front and in the rear, weather you are on the track or your bike is just sitting in a garage, cameras will record everything that will move, 24/7.

    Every single piece of data is stored in the so called black box, similar of what you would find in a plane. The box itself is enclosed in a damage resistant material making it tough, water and heat resistant.

    http://www.chakmotors.com

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