Off Topic. 25th September Action Now ! EU Hands Off Biking Demo's
Sorry this is a long post , but will affect us on our old girls too....(most of them are coming up to 70 years old , never mind 7!)
On the 25th September you can make your voice heard. Starting from service areas across the country, we all ride at 1pm and vanish 20 minutes later. This is the first time.
All start points (inc interactive map) and more details can be found on Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/25th-Sept-2011-Action-Now-EU-Hands-Off-Biking/218514361530962?sk=wall
or
http://www.mag-uk.org/en/campaignsdetail/a6883
There's a raft of issues emanating from Europe that will have a profound effect on riders and the motorcycle industry generally and we must stand up. Some of them are driven by the EU Commission, like the new Type Approval and Market Surveillance Regulation that will see the introduction of compulsory ABS, the sealing of powertrains from airbox to the diameter and aspect ratio of the rear tyre, restrictions on the aftermarket industry, possible roadside checks by police or other Gov agencies to inspect emissions or for owner 'tuning' and more.
There's EU funded development of electronics to control and govern speeds either through warning systems or actual throttle control and the plans in Ireland for compulsory, full sleeve day-glo jackets for riders and pillions.
As with France, where reflective/day-glo clothing is being debated, the onus should not be on the victim. Will insurance companies start saying that because we weren't dressed in day-glo it's our own fault that an inattentive driver drove into us?
France also wants to ban bikes over 7 years old from urban areas for environmental reasons! Their congestion is already terrible and putting more riders into cars that pollute terribly when they are stationary, is bonkers.
Bikes are part of the urban transport solution, not problem.
Enough! There will be a vote by the MEP committee discussing the above Regulation, at the start of October (4th/5th or 6th). We need them to listen. They represent us. MAG and many others in the motorcycle community are negotiating hard with our own Government and our European representatives.
Join us to keep EU hands off biking.
We will be listing all the actual start points here, on the Riders Are Voters.org website and many other places. We've already got venues from Plymouth to Aberdeen on most M-ways and major trunk routes, but if you or your bike club would like to be a 'starter', contact us for co-ordinated action.
Re: Off Topic. 25th September Action Now ! EU Hands Off Biking Demo's
I just signed the online petition for this and also the dayglo jacket issue, I suggest that everyone does this! The petition can be accessed from http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DG_066327, then type in motorcycling in the search box, select the 2 petitions and fill the form in. Don't forget to open the email they send you to verify you signing it