Ban congestion busting transport

November 19th, 2008 § 2 comments

I saw the headline “Police want to ban motorcycles” on the front page of the MCN this morning.
I can’t remember the exact wording of the subheader, but it made me think that a copper had called for the banning of minimoto bikes. I was going to write a little post about minimotos already being illegal unless on private property with permission and the MCN exaggerating its’ arse off like it’s the Sun but then I did a little googling this is what I found…

The Telegraph:

Ban motorcycles, safety expert says

Motorbikes should be banned as part of a plan to eliminate road deaths, a safety expert has claimed.

The goal of stopping deaths on the roads has been set by a number of countries including Norway, Australia and Sweden, where the programme has been called “Vision Zero”.

But Norwegian safety expert Rune Elvik said for it to happen, policy makers should consider the radical step of banning motorbikes.

He’s not much of an expert, if he thinks that banning motorcycles will stop road deaths. He forgot about pedal cycles, horses, pedestrains, cars it’s even been known for aeroplanes to land on roads in emergencies. Should those be banned as well? That would have the added bonus of radically reducing fatalities in aircraft crashes too.

And also this from the MCN:

Is three-time convicted speeder behind ban motorcycles proposal?

A proposal from the Association of Chief Police Officers to ban motorcycles was written under the direction of a three-time convicted speeder, MCN can reveal.

Meredydd Hughes, who was last year banned from driving for his latest offence, has “overall” responsibility for the department that produced the memo, the association confirmed.

A spokesman said the South Yorkshire chief constable was “head of business area for uniformed operations including road policing”.

Hughes publicly stepped down as ‘head of road policing, business area’ after receiving a 42-day ban for reaching 90mph in a 60mph zone. The revelation he is still performing the same role suggests this was nothing more than a smoke-and-mirrors face-saving exercise.

Also:

ACPO had made an official policy recommendation to MPs in the influential Commons Transport Committee stating: ‘Production machines are readily available for use on our roads with top speeds in excess of 200mph. Motorcycles are seen in the UK to be, in the majority of instances, vehicles of choice rather than necessity and one might consider if our congested roads are any longer fit for purpose for these motorised toys.’

ACPO has since tried to play down its proposal. The association issued a statement claiming it was not seeking to ban motorcycles but adding: ‘Alongside a range of other road safety bodies in the UK and Europe, ACPO believes it may be appropriate in future to consider restriction on high-powered machines with extraordinarily high top speed capabilities.’

It claimed the proposal had ‘referred to consideration of restrictions on the use of off-road motorcycles’ – even though the memo had specifically asked whether high-powered bikes belonged on roads.

So, a form of transport that uses more efficient engines than cars or buses, takes up less space on the roads that any other vehicle and does less damage to the road itself is seen as a toy, just because some of them can reach over 200mph.
Actually for some years now there as been a gentlemans agreement between the manufacturers to limit the bikes to 185mph, as this is exactly the sort of thing they want to avoid.
But then for ACPO, to go back on what its’ said and statet hat it applies to off road bikes, is just astounding.
If they are off road, then as long as the user has permission from the land owner, it is nobodies business.

I’ll leave the last word to someone in the Readers News section of the MCN:

Just recently hundreds of hedonistic persons went joy walking across the lake district. They were people acting selfishly, without a thought for other persons that would have to pay for rescue services to help them out when their irresponsible activities caused them to get into great difficulties.

Is it not time ACPO suggested that persons wishing to access the fells held a full mountaineers licence and only used approved low level routes. Furthermore that any person rambling in an inconsiderate manner should be subject to stop checks to ensure hat they were in full possesion of all safety gear.

Also we need to look at women on horseback. Horses are the single greatest cause of death in young females. That horses can be used unlicensed on a highway is ridiculous. Furthermore are horses tested for their fitness to be on a road, a spooked horse careering down the road is dangerous to all not just the rider.

Then we have sports car drivers, these irresponsible persons drive machines weighing hundreds of kilograms which can travel at speeds, in some cases, at over 200 mph. ACPO surely should be looking to have such cars fitted with speed limiters that are connected to sat-nav to ensure that they always comply with the speed limit. However, it is a fact that a minority interest with a high percentage of working class and young males is a much easier target.

Oh and these people can just fuck right off, too.

§ 2 Responses to Ban congestion busting transport"

  • Dungeekin says:

    *Applauds*

    Ban bikes? I should coco. I mean, my 125 is capable of 60mph! Won’t somebody think of the children?

    Nanny-statism at its totalitarian worst.

    D

  • Sim-O says:

    What it needs is more people getting on scooters and stuff for the short trip to work or the shops. That’d sort the rush hour out.
    Biking needs to be encouraged, not banned.

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