Sorry for taking so long to get back on this... I don't disagree that "what if...?" is the way to go. I don't know whether you have seen it but the DSA (as was) produced an excellent video of exactly that name back in the mid-90s, featuring Suzy Perry as presenter.
Two problems with "what...
Direct link to their page is London Fire Brigade - Motorcycle safety
They seem to be running them twice a month, which is good.
In Kent, we'll be shifting to the new purpose-built unit at Medway in the new year, as far as I know.
We have to be realistic. Not every crash can be predicted but it's true that most bike crashes are in entirely predictable locations and the rider and the other road user (if there is one) make entirely predictable errors. There are a few 'Black Swan' events that genuinely are so unlikely they...
Damn, my cover's blown... I'm Spin Doc on several forums, since Visordown and 2001...
I understand what you're saying very clearly because I'm aware of it with my FB page and even more so with my own training - the people who book up a session are a minority, and with a few exceptions almost...
The problem is we're creatures of habit, and our habits tend to narrow down to "what worked yesterday will work today".
Let's try to explain how that works. Here in the UK we have a couple of million motorcycle licence holders. Something under 5000 were killed or seriously injured in 2013. Or...
Thanks for the mention!
Our group (myself, Duncan MacKillop who is the chap who brought Motogymkhana to the UK, and air ambulance pilot and founder of Helibikes Alf Gasparro) have all come together from different directions but we all firmly believe that a new direction is needed when it...
Shame. As we're all volunteers running the course, it has to fit in with our day jobs (I'm usually out instructing during the day time and most weekends) and the shift pattern at the fire station. That's why the course is weekday evenings.
But it does move from day to day, so if you have a...
PS... not sure the "half of riders are killed at junctions" is actually correct.
Junctions certainly account for the majority of COLLISIONS particularly in urban areas, but the major killers are cornering and overtaking going wrong out on the open road. I'm a bit busy right now but will see...
And the depressing fact is that it won't change a thing, because it doesn't attempt to understand junction collisions. What does "failing to look properly" actually mean? We've a pretty good idea, having extensively researched the problem for our 'conspicuity' talk for Biker Down.
Urban...
No worries - the plan is to keep the courses going as long as there's funding. Here's a link to the Biker Down UK Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/bikerdownuk
Thanks for highlighting the Biker Down courses, Martin :)
As Martin explained, they were started by Kent Fire and Rescue, and my own post-test rider training company www.survivalskills.co.uk was asked to get involved on a volunteer basis. The module I deliver is entitled 'The Science of Being...
It's not exactly London, but if you have transport it's not too difficult to get, I'd recommend these people:
Helmet City - Free UK Delivery on all items, Free European Delivery over £150
HUGE range, very helpful.
Helmet City Tatsfield
(London & Home Counties)
Waylands Farm
(on...
The sportier the bike, the more important it is to try to keep weight off the arms... I had a trainee out just recently who was totally astonished at the way the bike he was riding would steer once he'd been told to keep his weight off the bars.
He'd spent a lot of money on all sorts of tweaks...
Thanks to Martin for sharing this with the forum... good to see some positive reception so thanks for the nice words guys!
As Martin says, a lot of the info is available elsewhere (after all, there aren't that many different ways we can accelerate, steer and stop a bike!) but I've found that...
Some good stuff there...
But arguably, the best rider also has a fully developed accident evasion strategy mapped out and practiced, ready to unzip as needed... however good your avoidance skills, evasion will be necessary sooner or later. No rider is perfect either.
I was witness to an...
I prefer not to think of drivers as morons, because it has very negative connotations and sets up a "them and us" divide, and also leads to stress and anger* when something does happen. I'm a bit prone to losing my rag so it definitely helps me to remember that drivers are just ordinary people...