MAG Scotland - Scottish Road Safety Strategy Consultation

Index News Local Groups Clubs Businesses Biker Friendly Contacts Web Directory Events Calendar

Scottish Road Safety Strategy Consultation
Background to MAG's response to the Scottish Road Safety Strategy Consultation Some might ask why MAG, which essentially exists to promote riders rights and their freedom, should be looking to get involved with yet another safety initiative. The simple answer is burying our heads in the sand and hoping that safety initiatives will just go away without threatening our freedom to enjoy our bikes is not an option. Failing to address the issues and engage by putting forward measures that can make a difference to our safety record, without succumbing to the more radical and draconian measures that are almost sure to be suggested, without our involvement, would simply ensure that defeating or amending these proposals was much more difficult in the future. We need to be involved from the outset to provide constructive and considered proposals which are acceptable to riders and offer the genuine prospect of casualty reduction. Fortunately we are well placed to put forward suggestions that can make a difference having had to deal with the safety issue in a variety of debates, forums and other discussions, where biking and particularly its safety record have been under scrutiny. In urban areas accidents are frequently primarily the fault of other drivers failing to look out for bikes and while it’s possible to mitigate against this by riding defensively the onus on reducing these accidents lies in improved driver awareness of bikes, improved highway design and paradoxically by increasing expectation of encountering bikes, through increased usage. Councils have a role to play here in providing facilities, which make it easier for us to use our bikes for more journeys On rural roads though poor driver awareness, diesel spills and other hazards all contribute to accident statistics, many accidents result from a loss of control and do not involve or do not result from the actions of other road users. As bikers these single vehicle accidents are, perhaps surprisingly, slightly less likely to happen to us than to car drivers, though of course without all the safety benefit of the modern car our injuries tend to be worse. Measures which could improve our safety record include promotion of the IHIE guidelines for Motorcycling which gives best practice for highway design and maintenance, with adequate support for bikesafe, bike plus schemes for novices and rider improvement schemes for those most at risk. Employers can also play a role in providing support for riders seeking advanced training as suggested by RoSPA. What we of course don’t want is speed limiters, road bans or other such measures which could impinge on our freedom. You can help ensure that our freedom is preserved and only sensible initiatives get serious attention, by taking part in the consultation as individuals before the 25th April 2008. Please feel free to use some of the points or recomendations from the MAG response, but as ever it will carry more weight if you use your own words, as otherwise twenty or thirty identical replies would probably be treated with the same level of consideration as one reply. Full details of MAG's official response here and the Scottish Goverment's background information on the consultation here. Steve Wykes Regional Rep MAG Scotland

Scottish Road Safety Strategy Consultation

Some might ask why MAG, which essentially exists to promote riders rights and their freedom, should be looking to get involved with yet another safety initiative. The simple answer is burying our heads in the sand and hoping that safety initiatives will just go away without threatening our freedom to enjoy our bikes is not an option.

Failing to address the issues and engage by putting forward measures that can make a difference to our safety record, without succumbing to the more radical and draconian measures that are almost sure to be suggested, without our involvement, would simply ensure that defeating or amending these proposals was much more difficult in the future. We need to be involved from the outset to provide constructive and considered proposals which are acceptable to riders and offer the genuine prospect of casualty reduction.

Fortunately we are well placed to put forward suggestions that can make a difference having had to deal with the safety issue in a variety of debates, forums and other discussions, where biking and particularly its safety record have been under scrutiny.

In urban areas accidents are frequently primarily the fault of other drivers failing to look out for bikes and while it’s possible to mitigate against this by riding defensively the onus on reducing these accidents lies in improved driver awareness of bikes, improved highway design and paradoxically by increasing expectation of encountering bikes, through increased usage. Councils have a role to play here in providing facilities, which make it easier for us to use our bikes for more journeys

On rural roads though poor driver awareness, diesel spills and other hazards all contribute to accident statistics, many accidents result from a loss of control and do not involve or do not result from the actions of other road users. As bikers these single vehicle accidents are, perhaps surprisingly, slightly less likely to happen to us than to car drivers, though of course without all the safety benefit of the modern car our injuries tend to be worse.

Measures which could improve our safety record include promotion of the IHIE guidelines for Motorcycling which gives best practice for highway design and maintenance, with adequate support for bikesafe, bike plus schemes for novices and rider improvement schemes for those most at risk. Employers can also play a role in providing support for riders seeking advanced training as suggested by RoSPA.

What we of course don’t want is speed limiters, road bans or other such measures which could impinge on our freedom. You can help ensure that our freedom is preserved and only sensible initiatives get serious attention, by taking part in the consultation as individuals before the 25th April 2008. Please feel free to use some of the points or recomendations from the MAG response, but as ever it will carry more weight if you use your own words, as otherwise twenty or thirty identical replies would probably be treated with the same level of consideration as one reply.

Full details of MAG's official response here and the Scottish Goverment's background information on the consultation here.

Steve Wykes
Regional Rep
MAG Scotland