Norwich Meeting - 14 October 2009
Iain Temperton - Team Manager, Norfolk County Council Casualty Reduction Education & Development.

Knowing that NNAM had just taken on the Fenriders, Iain came to give a talk about "Powered Two Wheelers"

Iain's talk was animated with a powerpoint presentation that started with Road Traffic Collision (RTC) Statistics:-

Motorcycle RTC's in Norfolk

2008 RTC's in Norfolk

Iain went on to explain that most serious and fatal Motorcycle collisions occur on bends, with statistically left hand bends being the cause of most fatal accidents, with Motorcyclists hitting oncoming vehicles.
The causes of most of these collisions are through:-

• Excess speed for the bend
• Inability of the rider to judge the severity of the bend
• The incorrect line into and through the bend
• The incorrect gear for the bend
• Excess accelleration or braking through the bend
• and Failing to observe or deal with road surface hazards
  

Iain then gave the most common cuases for collisions involving Motorcycles at junctions:-

• Careless driving on the part of the emerging car driver
• Eyesight issues on the part of the emerging car driver
• Misjudgement of the Motorcycles speed on the part of the emerging car driver
• Failure by the motorcyclist to anticipate the danger and being unprepared to deal with it
• Excess speed on the part of the Motorcyclist
  
  

Iain then explained that a 16 year old can buy a moped at 16 and ride it once they have obtained their provisional licence and completed a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) Course. (A CBT Course lasts around 8 hours and includes 2 hours on road driving with an instructor)

Mopeds should by law be restricted to 50km/ph (31mph) however many get de-resticted to enable them to go faster. Iain explained that a new scheme is being launched between the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), Norfolk Constabulary and Norfolk County Council (NCC) to check mopeds and remove and crush any de-restricted ones they find.

Iain then explained how they were trying to reduce the amount of accidents on Norfolks Roads involving Motorcyclists. He explained that Norfolk Constabulary offer a Safe Rider Course and NCC offer the Take The Hugger Challenge Course. NCC also survey roads and identify things such as manhole covers that are in the riders line and arrange for them to be moved. NCC are also working with a company to develop flashing warning signs that will flash up a "Motorcyclist Warning" on side roads as a vehicle approaches a junction. It will warn them when a motorcyclist (and only a motorcyclist) is on the main road they are about to enter.

Iain finally introduced "Hugger". Hugger was the brainchild of Iain and his colleagues in the NCC Casualty Reduction Unit and Hugger now appears on NCC "Think Bike" posters and stickers and has appeared on the back of the county's busses and will soon be seen in a brand new TV advert.

Iain concluded his talk by taking questions from the floor.