3rd EU Motorcyclists Forum

Intelligent Transport Systems: Can powered two wheelers benefit from new technologies deployment?

eumcforumFEMA the Federation of European Motorcyclists Association have annouced the dates of the 3rd European Motorcyclists’ Forum.

FEMA says that the 2014 Forum will focus on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in the context of the Horizon 2020 initiative.

Powered Two Wheeler (PTW) users are market consumers using new technology to improve their riding experience or to increase their safety.

But, as Vulnerable Road Users, they are also impacted by ITS deployment. The specificities of this transport mode need to be carefully understood and integrated into ITS deployment activities to guarantee that PTW use is rightly integrated into tomorrow’s transport system.

The Forum – organized under the umbrella of the RIDERSCAN project – will discuss the safety challenges faced by powered two wheelers (PTWs) in an ever more connected transport system and exchange over:

EU transport/mobility challenges, safety strategies and the role of ITS – EU policy orientations and motorcycling integration;

Motorcycling and ITS challenges, addressing research and deployment issues; practical considerations related to the use of PTWs in Europe;

Priorities and challenges faced by the motorcycling sector both at EU and national level;

Recommendations for optimal integration of PTWs into ITS-driven policies.

The event, kindly hosted by MEP Bernd Lange, will open in the European Parliament premises on March 5th 2014 (from 3 to 6pm).

Discussions will continue on March 6th, all day, at the Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre.

Links & Information

For more information and to follow the preparation of the event – access the website – European Motorcyclists’ Forum – or Twitter page (#EMF2014).

Draft programme – pdf – Click Here

For sponsoring opportunities and the possibility to expose, please contact Aline Delhaye

Closing date for registration is 21 February 2014.

Seats are limited.

Read our report from the 1st International Motorcyclists’ Conference – Click Here

Vision Zero For Motorcycling – 2nd European Motorcyclists’ Forum in Cologne – 2012

For motorcyclists the suggestion of a vision of zero fatalities, “Vision Zero” harks back to 1997. Sweden’s, Claes Tingvall, one of the authors of the 1999 Vision Zero road safety document, stated back then that, “Motorcycles are incompatible with Vision Zero… It will never work to combine motorcycles with our ambitious road safety.”

However since then and as recently as 2012 at the European Motorcyclists’ Forum in Cologne, organised by the Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations (FEMA), Claes Tingvall in his presentation at the forum clarified the statement that was picked up by rider organisations as anti-motorcycling.

Mr Tingvall has said at various times in the last few years – “he no longer saw motorcycles as incompatible with Vision Zero and that progress toward zero motorcycle deaths needed to focus on rider behaviour rather than vehicle or road design. The motorcycle community work on road safety in Sweden is forward thinking and the results achieved are very possible the best in the world.

The truth is the motorcycle community is probably more safety orientated than any other user group in the community when it comes to the road transport system it actually cares more about safety.

Riding a motorcycle is not unsafe but it can be, there are user groups within the motorcycle community who ride with extremely low risks there are motorcyclists who ride with extremely high risks, it gave us the insight that if it can be so safe to riding a motorcycle then it must be possible to do it for all”.

In 2008 the Roads Authority in Norway in collaboration with the riders Group NMCU produced a “Vision Zero Motorcycle Road” showing that motorcyclists can not only fit into Vision Zero but can lead the way for the benefit of motorcycling.

We as motorcyclists must claim Vision Zero as our own and as mentioned by a motorcycling colleague recently we must also redefine it so that it is positive for motorcyclists.

Claes Tingvall – Vision Zero

Hear what Tingvall said of motorcyclists and road safety at a conference in Sweden in April 2011

Audio of Claes Tingvall presentation at the FEMA Motorcycle Forum 2012 – it is well worth listening to this all the way through – Click Here

Norway’s Vision Zero Motorcycle Road 2008 – pdf – 3.4mb – Click Here

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