MAG (Motorcycle Action Group) – FLASH MOB MOTORWAY MAYHEM - 25th September 1pm

[Aidlin37]

Well Said Ryan :)

[ryan2305]

Well Said Ryan :)

lol.  I know.   I couldn't resist.

[Skippy]

Too Right Ryan you got it spot On I'l be at the Cardiff meet if there is one.

[Ninja Warrior]

Will there be any looting involved!

[blueracer]

 

Will there be any looting involved!

Oooh Oooh Can i come too need a new lap top 

[Foody]

 Hi My Biking Chums. At the MAG meeting last night it was decided to stage the Flash Mob Event from Cardiff West Services at junction 33 of the M4.  This is the services at the top of Ely Link Road (A4232).

Spread the word if you are attending. To be there about 12.30 for a 1pm moving off.

Check out the MAG Website for full details and start locations in other areas.  This is a UK wide event so wherever you find yourself (and we all need to find ourself) on Sunday the 25th you'll be able to take part.

The good thing about this start point is that if any one riding on L plates wants to take part they can use the link road down towards Cardiff Bay ( or the docks as it used to be called before they flooded it!).

So we can all get involved. Come on.... You know you want to...

[pricey]

not wanting to put a damper on this but the last time bikers tried a protest of this sort the old bill were waiting for us and all but put a stop to it,with threats of action, i will be there for the mass ride,but you can bet youre life on it that the boy,s in blue have read these forums and will probably try and stop it 

[Foody]

They don't need to read the forums as MAG are going to make it as public as they can. What they are planning is quite legal. Have a look at the MAG website for their preferred ground rules to avoid any accusation that the action is illegal etc. That's not what this is about.

[pricey]

i know what you are saying keeping it all legal,and above board,but as soon as a few members of joe public realise they may get held up for one day of the year when takeing grandma out for lunch the local police phones will be red hot for day,s before the protest

[Bloke]

Damn tapatalk. Deleted a nice long well-written reply.

Gist:
1. Your post illustrates my point perfectly.
2. Godwins law - I win.
3. Ad hominem attacks are idiotic. (irony ;))
4. The MAG have managed to pray on the euro paranoia that the typical daily mail reader has.
5. The legislation will not affect us in the way the MAG portray, the mag are effectively lying to the british public in line with point 4.
6. I'm an easy-going person as most who've met me from here will hopefully agree, this topic has just fired off one too many BS alerts of late due to ability of MAG to publish their spin, everywhere I read, even taking over the damn MUG meetings at work.
7. You're entitled to your opinion. Mine is that MAG is spreading anti-euro fear (nazi's & anti-semitic...some similarities there perhaps) rather than looking out for whats important to its members.

Do I care if frenchie has to wear a yellow jacket to ride? No...
Do I care I have to if I visit? It's their country, they make the rules so that'll be a no.
Has our country been a pushover and accepted the legislation fully? No.
So am I concerned about this particular piece of european legislation? No.

So will I be attending this protest? Nope, i've cited my reasons why, twice over.

Maybe we'll catch each other at a rideout someday soon and you can bring this up again but until then i'm done explaining my reasons, peace!

Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk

[Bloke]

i know what you are saying keeping it all legal,and above board,but as soon as a few members of joe public realise they may get held up for one day of the year when takeing grandma out for lunch the local police phones will be red hot for day,s before the protest

You'll have to make sure everything is in order, small plates, etc... If plod want to hassle you, they will :(

Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk

[Foody]

Hi Bloke.
The fact that you don't care about the new proposals is fine.  That's what having a freedom of choice is all about.  I'm not a MAG organiser or activist in any way.  I am just a rider and now work in the motorcycle industry.  But whether you care or not, these proposals may affect you nevertheless, and more than you may realise.  It's not just about the French wearing Day Glo - or not.

Take recent Euro imposed changes.  Since the new two part motorcycle test was introduced motorcycle tests have become more expensive and consequently so has the training to prepare for these new tests.  Since it was implemented motorcycle tests dropped by 55 thousand.

So what this means is less bikers taking up riding which will ultimately affect bike sales.  Followed then by a consequential drop in servicing, tyre sales, clothing etc etc.  This will affect many small independant businesses in the motorcycle trade.

Already some training schools have closed due to this drop, or the inpracticalities of travelling up to 200 miles round trip to take the part 1, ten minute test. And then repeat the trip for the second part of the test.

You may already have your licence so wouldn't care about this either I guess.

So either people are not taking up biking or it has driven it underground and people are simply not taking the test.  This means that there could be a lot of riders out there (or extra riders) who are not licensed or trained or insured as a result.

Ultimately this will have an impact on all those of us who do insure our bikes, as we all know that our premiums are loaded to cater for the uninsured among us.

The new licensing regs due to be imposed in 2013 will see another hurdle (or hurdles) for potential bikers as the licencing system will become tiered requiring time to be served on smaller bikes, with a incremental rise (with the possibility of additional testing at each stage) and an increase in the minimum age to be able to ride a 'big bike'.  This again will incur more expense and will more than likely see a drop in the numbers taking up the option.

You may well be above that minimum age already so I guess wouldn't care as it won't affect you, but again the knock on effect will still seek you out whether you care or not.

There are major changes proposed in the 'Anti Tampering' legislation, where even changing the profile of your tyres, or the choice of air filter that you put in your bike, can render you the wrong side of the law.  ABS on your bike whether you want it or not (at your expense) is another proposal.

Day running lights, whether you want them or not - the case for them hasn't been proved to improve your safety and in fact research shows that it may compromise your safety, - but you won't have a choice. 

Its not about whether you care if Pierre has to wear a yellow jacket but the affect that it will have on thousands of UK bikers if it creeps in here. If both of our direct neighbours, Ireland and France, are doing it, then whether it is legislation here or not if your insurance company think its a good idea and good practice, then it may become required here by default.

For example, insurance companies are already seeking to reduce bikers injury claims if you are (for example) wearing a helmet of a colour different to that recommended in the highway code.  Anyone who doesn't wear a 'white or brightly coloured' helmet runs that risk now.

The day glo rules for Ireland prevent a rider from carrying a ruck sack as it will obscure the jacket - so what about a rear top box.  You may not have a ruck sack or a top box, so you may not care.

But that is what MAG and groups like it are about.  They don't care, if you don't care, they are defending our rights to have the freedom of choice.

It is your freedom of choice not to turn out at an event on the 25th and you won't be condemed for it.  Also it is the freedom of choice for those that do decide to turn out, and they should not be condemed for that either.

Some wear Hi viz already by choice.  I have been required to for my job for many years so it wouldn't have a big affect on me, so  guess I could be excused if I didn't care.

But there are many who it will affect, and for that I do care.

Cheers Bloke.  Stay safe.

[ryan2305]

Foody,  don't worry about bloke.  He just thinks he's a little more intelligent and a lot more politically educated than the rest of us and has his head so far up his own arse he won't be able to hear your opinion if he wanted to.   
It's just my opinion that's all.

He just seems over keen to voice an opposing opinion.

Maybe I've misunderstood or misread him.

[LordElpus]

Okay for the benefit of the sceptics and the 'nay sayers' let's summarise all the proposals going on at the moment.

Firstly we need to remember the UK is a members of the EU, and for many, many years the EU have been intent in getting 'harmonisation' across the whole EU membership for various reasons.

So, if the EU bureaucrats decide it is in the interests of 'harmonisation' then it will become law which all the EU countries will be required to follow.  And this is by people we did not vote into office and have no way of removing from office.  At the moment, the French and Irish are going their own way with some proposals, BUT, if the EU thinks it is a good idea in the interest of 'harmonisation' it will be imposed elsewhere in the EU as well.

So, you may not care much about French or Irish proposals, but you ignore it at your peril.

All the EU proposals incidentally are being considered by individuals who largely do not ride motorcycles and have no idea what its like to ride one, and whose perceptions are pretty much the same as 'the general public' who also have no clue.

1)  The EU:

Compulsory ABS on all motorcycles over 125cc.
Even the EU Commission’s internal Impact Assessment admits that the data on the effectiveness and costs of compulsory ABS is weak.  The cost of adding this to motorcycles will be born by the purchaser, making many entry level and 'commuter' motorcycles more expensive and not cost effective. But they have this idea that ABS will reduce accidents and save lives as it has with cars.  You won't have a choice.

Mandatory Automatic Headlight-On
The Commission’s internal Impact Assessment admits that the data on the effectiveness of AHO is also weak. With the introduction of compulsory DRL for cars, any benefit that motorcyclists would have from having their headlight on will be lost.

Tough-line on ‘Anti-Tampering’ -
the Commission is trying to prevent anyone from modifying any component in the ‘powertrain’, ie; engine, engine management systems and control modules, pollution control device, transmission, belt/chain, differentials. (incl. power mapping chip).  The Commission argues this is to;  - prevent unsafe tampering, in particular to increase torque/power/speed as declared by the manufacturer during type-approval - prevent damage to the environment.  It appears the details may be defined by the Commission itself, and that the intention is to prevent modification of any bike. This would restrict riders choice of air filters, engine management systems, internal parts, exhausts, sprockets, tyres etc.  If the use of any of these 'components' is said to affect the performance of the machine, e.g. a K&N Filter, it will be unlawful to fit it!  The very worrying article 52 states: "If systems, components or separate technical units on a list in a delegated act to this regulation, have a dual use, for vehicles intended exclusively for racing on roads and for vehicles intended for use on public roads, they may not be sold or offered for sale to consumers."
The perceived problem is said to be that in other EU countries young riders tune low-power bikes beyond the performance limits allowed by their driving license. This is an issue about enforcement of licensing, but instead it will affect all motorcyclists.
The riders’ ability to make modifications to suit their own situation is also to be regulated.  NB: enforcement through a new Europe-wide super-MoT (see below) is being proposed separately.  Riders are to be detained for random checks of emissions and modifications.  Regular random spot-checks at road side of motorcycles only!

Mandatory On-Board Diagnostic equipment
OBD systems currently used in larger vehicles have an ability to dramatically cut power to the engine when an emissions defect is detected. Cutting power to a motorcycle engine, especially in mid-turn, has the potential to cause catastrophic loss of stability illustrating that it is not a simple matter to transpose technology from one type of vehicle to another.  OBD technology can present obvious barriers to home maintenance and modification and in addition can act like a 'tachograph' giving detailed information of past riding style! (Fancy being done for speeding two weeks ago?)

EU Wide Super MOT
The European Commission has launched the idea of a standardised EU MOT which might be far more demanding than the British one.  They are also considering increasing the frequency of inspections and a requirement to have vehicles re-inspected if they have been modified since being tested or if the vehicle is sold.  Road-side spot-checks specifically for motorcycles are also under consideration.  Harmonisation to the harshest test conditions currently found in any member state is an option being considered. Currently the most severe test regime is endured by Germany where riders face a far more stringent regime of testing and restriction than the UK enforces. Some EU countries do not have an annual MOT at all, yet their 'vehicle defects' implicated in accidents are no worse than other EU countries that have them.
Since vehicle defects are implicated in less than1% of motorcycle crashes in Great Britain (0.7% actually) and many of that 0.7% are simply down to under-inflated tyres this whole plan has the look of an expensive red herring.

2)  The French Government proposals;

Compulsory day-glo;  immediate jail terms for those breaking the speed limit by 30mph;  the removal of speed camera/radar warning signs;  bigger number plates for bikes so that owners can be identified;  confiscation of any gadget that has the ability to map the location of speed cameras (i-phones, gps); removing the right to filter through traffic; the banning of all vehicles over 7 years of age from city centres.

3)  The Irish Government proposals

Compulsory full sleeved day-glo for rider and pillion. The Road Safety authority in its report also mentions " In addition the surveys have identified that, on average, almost 50% of high visibility clothing is obscured, for example by a “back-pack”.  So it would seem the intention will be to ban back packs too, and one would ask, what about a top box?

So, if this is of no concern to you, fine, but you'll only have yourselves to blame when motorcycles are literally legislated off the road, as has been proposed by Norway for example, or the machine you ride will be so strangled and 'regulated' it won't be worth owning and riding.

[ryan2305]

Well Explained LordElpus,  people can decide to participate in a peaceful demonstration which is our democratic right (for now) or not, that is the benefit of freedom of choice.
These eurocrats are strangling motorcycling slowly but surely.   I will be attending to demonstrate my view as a motorcyclist and hope the British gov realise we are demonstrating for the benefit of future motorcycling and don't see it as defiance for names sake.
The way the gov is cutting back on funding for policing this country I can't see how they could police such enforcements without making motorcyclists their main target for criminal activity.
There are many cars on the road with air filter and exhaust modifications that are much more of a disturbance my neighbours without bikes have told me.  I see quite a few high performance cars that no longer bother displaying front reg plates and they seem to get away with it. 

As motorcyclists we are a minority group and it is always easy to get the masses to accept propaganda against a minority with little efforts put into convincing them.

The band wagon to ban hunting with dogs was a prime example.  It was not against fox hunting in anyway, it was against hunting with dogs.   You can still legally shoot foxes,  poison foxes, dig fox holes and kill everything inside with spades by smashing their heads in , which will cost at least twice as many foxes their lives than organized fox hunts. The  gov say this is acceptable as it's more humane and you could receive a jail term if your dogs attack any sort of prey (including ratting) not just foxes .   I am not trying to be pro-hunter here just trying to explain how easy it is for ministers to get the public to accept propaganda and ignore the facts to help oppress a minority groups lifestyle. 
This is what I have learned through people I know who go lamping and what I have read.  I cannot testify to this being knowledge of fact but realise there is always another side.

Sorry Bloke for my slightly aggressive replies,  I will be demonstrating my opinion on the 25th as it's my opinion and freedom of choice and I should be respectful of yours.   Maybe you could have been more respectful too by not dissing  people who's opinion differs to yours.  I know how hard it is to accept others opinions as we 9 times out of 10 can't be persuaded from our own opinion.
No hard feelings, just been trying to get my opinion across just like you were.