MAGLink, April 2003

A monthly update from the Irish Motorcyclists Action Group.

The progress reported below in promoting and protecting motorcycling has been possible because of your support.

MAG Ireland : Representing Riders

1. Updates                                         

2. MAG Calendar 2003                    

3. National Events Calendar, 2003  

4. MAG Benefits                              

5. MAG Products                              

6. MAG Advertising                         

7. MAG Contacts                              

8. Disclaimer                                     

To receive MAGLink every month by email (free) send a blank message to imag_info-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

1. Updates

I don’t have a campaigns update as I am doing this so  full campaigns report will be included in next months MAGLink.

Bus lanes:

Transport for London (Tfl) is introducing a pilot scheme to allow motorcycles into bus lanes

TfL is looking at all aspects of motorcycle use in London. The Mayor's Transport strategy recognises that motorcycles take up little space and are relatively low cost, but it also notes concern at the high number of accidents involving motorcycles. Tfl has set up a Motorcycle Working Group, which includes representatives from TfL, the Department for Transport , the Association of London Government, the Metropolitan and City Police and motorcycle lobby groups. The group aims to improve motorcycle facilities and safety in London. A key issue that is being considered is to allow motorcycles into bus lanes. Tfl have been in discussions with the motorcycle organisations and while we understand their reasons for wanting motorcyclists to use bus lanes, there are concerns over the safety of other  vulnerable road users. These include cyclists, who are allowed to use bus lanes at present and over the impact on bus services. This pilot study will help Tfl to understand the issues and monitor its effects.

Pilot study

Three pilot schemes are being introduced that will help to inform the London and national debate on whether or not to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes. The first trial, on the A41, goes live on 9 September and the others should start before the end of the year. Monitoring will assess the impact of allowing motorcycles into bus lanes on:

1. safety (of all road users)

2. speeds

3. journey times (especially buses)

4. usage.

 

Tfl have collected many hours of survey data, mainly by the use of roadside and on-board bus cameras. Monitoring will continue and will include attitudinal surveys of all user groups. The pilot study will be reviewed within two years, but could be amended or withdrawn earlier if circumstances demand it.

Daytime Running Lights:-

February 19th - the European Commission published a proposal to the Council and Parliament for a Directive on the Protection of Pedestrians which includes a commitment to fit ABS and DRL daytime lighting to all new vehicles from 1st October 2003. It's only a proposal but we will be monitoring it......

Monday 10th March 2003 - Former world motorcycling champion Barry Sheene has died after a long battle against cancer.

The 52-year-old, who was awarded the MBE in 1978, had cancer of the throat and stomach. He died in a hospital on Australia's Gold Coast on Monday. Sheene won the World 500cc Motorcycle Championships twice in 1976 and 1977 but was equally famous for overcoming his numerous crashes on the track. And like his contemporary James Hunt, the Formula One Grand Prix driver, he also attracted headlines for his playboy lifestyle. At one stage in his career he had metal plates in both knees, 28 screws in his legs and a bolt in his left wrist. Carl Fogarty, four-time World Superbike champion, said Sheene had been "an inspiration to millions". "He was the guy who made motorbike racing famous," Fogarty told BBC Radio Five Live. "There were other world champions from Britain who achieved more on the track but he brought it to the public attention."

Sheene began racing motorbikes at the age of five and remains the last British racer to win a 500cc GP in 1981. He won 19 in all and is also still the last British rider to have won the world title. Sheene moved to the warmer climes of Australia in the early 1990s to ease the pain caused by arthritis from numerous broken bones suffered in crashes. He worked as a motorsport television commentator Down Under, where he also had business interests. Sheene was diagnosed with cancer in July last year just days after competing in a legends race during the British Grand Prix at Donington. But he shunned chemotherapy treatment, opting to fight the disease with a natural diet regime and other therapies. Sheene is survived by his wife Stephanie and two children, Freddie and Sidonie.

VIETNAM: Now this is something to cause an old fashioned feud.  We are told a minor motorcycle crash in a village near Hanoi sparked a riot that involved over a thousand people from two villages.  The thing lasted about three hours and it took the local police nearly an hour to bring the festivities to a halt.  Nearly 17 people were hurt and 20 houses were damaged in the melee. 

"ODD" ACCIDENTS OUTNUMBER MOTORCYCLE FATALITIES  According to the U.S. National Safety Council, more people were killed in "odd" accidents than on motorcycles in 1999, points out Joe "Cowboy" Dickey.  "Of those who might have survived with a helmet, stair walkers led the list," stated Cowboy, former State Coordinator for ABATE of Pennsylvania and a member of the NCOM Board of Directors.

Check these killers out:

* Bitten by a dog (25)

* Stung by a hornet, wasp, or bee (43)

* Scalded to death by hot tap water (51)

* Struck by lightning (64)

* Occupant of commercial bus or train (116)

* Drowned in a bathtub (320)

* Accidentally suffocated or strangled in bed (330)

* Fell off of a ladder (375)

* Fell down stairs or steps (1,421)US

WEIRD NEWS OF THE MONTH:  PETA Tries to Whip Leather Fetishists Into Shape -- The fur flew at the annual "Leather Weekend" last January in Washington, D.C., as activists with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sought to persuade the slaves of fashion and their biker buddies gathered for the fetish convention to give up black leather - studs and all.

"Why would I?" demanded Norman Wagner of Scottsdale, Ariz. "I'm 6-foot-3, and 230 pounds, and I can wear anything I want to." Wagner told reporter Lance Gay of The Knoxville News Sentinel that he is not harming anything by wearing his black leather biker duds, and he questioned the sanity of activists picking on those who chose to wear animal skins.  "It's been around for a thousand years, it's durable, and I'm not wasting resources by using it," he said. "Why would someone wear burlap?"

Kayla Rae Worden, a trans-gendered PETA activist from Asheville, N.C., who showed up to leaflet the event decked out in skimpy dominatrix hot pants in spite of freezing Washington weather, sought to persuade the fetishists that synthetics are just as erotic. Worden, who said she used to wear leather and eat meat when she was a boy 15 years ago, contended the synthetic lifestyle provides even more protection than leather, and can be much more comfortable to wear.  Besides, she said, leather smells.

 

Glen Sams, a 50-year-old member of the Centaur Motorcycle Club of Virginia, said the only requirement for those attending 33rd annual Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend was to have "a pronounced interest in leather" and he was not pleased that PETA is picking on the gathering. When a mistake or accident causes a biker to put his motorcycle down on the pavement, nothing protects the skin from being scraped off on the asphalt like leather, Sams said.  He dismissed the PETA protest.  "We were here before PETA, and I imagine we will be here a long time after," he said.

2. MAG Calendar 2003

Board meetings

1st Wednesday every month, 7:30pm MAG Office, Dublin.

National Council meetings

Confirmed - Saturday 17th May 2003 Crank House Hostel, Banagher, Co. Offaly 1.00pm -

Provisional - Saturday 9th August 2003.

Annual General Meeting

Provisional date - Saturday 18th October 2003.

Watch the MAG website www.magireland.org  for further details.

MAG Local Group meetings

MAG Carlow: 3rd Tuesday of the month, Sherrif O'Hara's, Brown St. Carlow.

MAG Donegal: 1st Tuesday of each month at 8pm, Road House Bar, Ballybofey

MAG Dublin: 1st Tuesday of each month 8.30pm Strawberry Hall, Lucan, 

(contact Jimmy Kenny, 01  4502330)

MAG Dublin: 3rd Tuesday of each month 8.30pm Four Provinces, Ranelagh,

(contact Mark Newman 086 847 2746. mnewman@tramway.ie )

MAG Kildare: Last Wednesday of the month, The Railway Bar, Eyre Street, Newbridge

MAG Limerick: Meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month in Gus O'Driscolls Pub, Corbally.

http://maglimerick.pitas.com/

MAG Tipperary North/South Offaly. Every last Thursday of the month at 'The Mill House', Birr Road, Roscrea. Contact Keith Leaver at kleaver@gofree.indigo.ie  for further details.

MAG Cork: Tuesday nights in an Cruiscin Lan, on Douglas Street at 8.30pm. We are usually in the snug!

MAG Wexford - last Tuesday of every month at Freddy's Bar, Screen, Co. Wexford 8.30pm.

E&OE. Changes should be advised to the MAG office office@magireland.org

 or Gearoid O'Byrne at 087-2607747, maglink@magireland.org

Publication Deadlines - RoadRunner: February 15th, May 15th. August 15th, November 15th,

Letters and articles welcome, articles with pictures very welcome.

Send submissions roadrunner@magireland.org  or to RoadRunner c/o MAG Office.

3. National Events Calendar, 2003

MAG Ireland encourages event organisers to support motorcycling by offering a discount of one euro to holders of current MAG membership cards at their events in 2003.

May

9/10/11th          Devils Disciples MC Ireland Presents 5th annual The Gathering
Phelans, The Gap Bar, Ballythomas, Gorey wexford 9th, 10th, & 11th May
Usual Show Categories And Cash Prizes, Admission €15, Alliance Supporters € 10
Further Infomation Phone 086 4049367, E-mail : devilsdeciplesmcireland@hotmail.com
Or check out the Alliance Website at:-
www.allianceireland.com

back patch clubs by prior arrangement only <------ very important

24th     Irish Custom and Classic Bike Show is on at Tramore Race Course. Fantastic new  site - New date is a week earlier than previous years - for further information contact hoghill@eircom.net

June

14th     Chopper Club Ireland, Annual Custom and Classic Bike Show..Castlelyons, Co. Cork. Top live bands, Trophies to be proud of, tattooist, all the usual stuff with an excellent atmosphere. E-mail: ireland@chopperclub.org  for more details

15th     The Third 'Great Red Ribbon Ride Out' A Sponsored Ride out event for a Limerick based HIV/AIDS Charity.. All riders must raise 100 euro per-bike on sponsor cards which will be available beginning of April. Thats 100 per bike not riders, so pillions do not raise the same (unless they want too!) Places are limited so register early Contact: John Simons @ 061-314354. Run will be around Limerick and Mid West Limerick - see further details at end of MAGLINK..........

21st      Phoenix MCC Rally. Landscape, Clonlara, Co. Clare. Same

venue as last year. 2 Live bands and DJ. Hot food and camp site available. 086-3903977 or 087-7651300

27/29th             Trixxxters MCC welcome you to our 3rd XXX-Rated Rally on 27th - 29th June 2003..Just six miles from Castlederg on the Killeter Rd, Co. Tyrone. N. Ireland. Wet T-Shirt competition is sponsored by Esprit Magazine with a Cash Prize and an optional glamour modelling contract available to the winner. Spot prizes for Best Fetish Outfits. Bands, Disco, Hot food, Stalls, T-shirts, Tattoo Show, Tattooing, Body Piercing. Custom Show and trophies on Sunday Morning. Shower Facilities. Secure campsite with disabled facilities.Weekend price with bike is £10.00 first 500 recieve a free badge. No Bike / No Badge. ADULT FUN AND LOTS LOTS MORE.Come on, You know it's Dirty and you Want it!To find out more and check out last years fun go to www.trixxxters.com

Tel: Terry on 07761723943 for more info or e-mail: ginsin_trixxxters@yahoo.co.uk

July

9/10th   Superbike School (Keith Code) is coming to Mondello on the 9th/10th July - cost 369 per day to book contact www.californiansuperbikeschool.com

 - European page

12/13th             Rogues MCC, yearly bash. Traynors Pub, Lisnagear, Cootehill. Co.Cavan 3 Live Rock Bands, Marquee, Camp site, Hot Food, Bonfire. Usual Prizes. After Live Bands have finished, All nite DJ starts. Phone: 086-6041949, Chris Monahan

19/20th            The BSB series will debut at the County Kildare venue on July 19th & 20th 2003 for what should be the biggest motorcycle event of the 2003 Irish calendar. The hugely popular British series has been long awaited by the legions of Irish motorcycle racing fans and is sure to set new attendance records for Mondello Park.

See http://www.mondello.ie/online_book/online_book.cfm

for more details

19th     Slippy Clutch MCC Savage Session Rally 19th July 2003

The Cush Inn (Kildangan House), Kildangan, Co Kildare.

Contact Joe at 045 529022 or 086 8431576

25/27th            Druids M.C.C. Farmyard Rally 12, in O'Brien's Pub, Nurney, Co. Kildare, Ireland. Music Friday, Saturday and Sunday with bike show on Sunday morning. 45min from Dublin. Phone 045/432710 or 045/86456

August

2nd        Unlimited Club, Castlebar, Darby's Carrowkennedy, Westport, Co. Mayo.
UNLIMITED 8th FRENZY August Bank Holiday Weekend, Damian Murphy 0872326390

2/3rd    Vikings M.C. Ireland present The 18th Irish Custom Classic and Vintage Motorcycle Show, The Kilkenny Arena, Wallslough Village, Bennetsbridge, Co Kilkenny. August Bank Holiday Weekend, Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd.

Website www.alliancemcireland.com

10th      Two Ton Run, Enjoy a 200-mile ride through some of the most beautiful countryside in Munster, and raise money for Crumlin Children’s Hospital, while you are having fun. See http://twotonrun.pitas.com/ for more details

15/16th             Harley Davidson Club of Ireland Rally. Date: 15th & 16th August 2003 Venue: Stradbally G.A.C. Stradbally, Co Waterford. (Near Dungarvan). Contact: Carlo Ustiani, Tel: 0877 626262, Email: secretaryhdci@ireland.com

16/17th            MAG Ireland presents the Stop The Rot Rally at The Portlick Inn, Glasson, Athlone, Co. Westmeath - camping, bands, disco, hot food, all the usual fun! The poster is attached at the end of this MAGLink……

23rd      Exiles MCC, 2nd annual rock night, food, drink, craic, camping, security, and top rock bands 23 of August 2003, in Beehive, Mountbolus Co.Offaly, Chris 086 377479 & Aidan 086 8041555

September

6th       Clondalkin Motor Cycle Club are having their annual rally. Contact Martin Convery at 0868598960 for more details

October

November

December

13th     Clondalkin Motor Cycle Club are having their annual Toy Run, meeting Pheonix Park 12.30. All Welcome. Contact Martin Convery - 0868598960

14th     Middleton to Cork city Toy run, Details to follow closer to said date. Contact Stevo at 0868895472

FOR FREE LISTING OF YOUR EVENT SEND IN DETAILS ASAP.

The above information is correct to our knowledge and belief as we got to press but MAG Ireland cannot guarantee

its accuracy.  Details of any additional /revised events should be advised to the MAG office office@magireland.org  or directly to maglink@magireland.org

MAG UK events can be seen online at the MAG UK website www.mag-uk.org

BMF events www.bmf.co.uk

4. MAG Benefits

Member Benefits

* A nationwide organisation representing your interests as a rider

* RoadRunner Magazine

* BikeShop Discounts, Full list in RoadRunner or on website  www.magireland.org

* Motorcycle Insurance

* Local Groups - Social Activity and Local Representation

* Information Service, (Info sheets, MAGLink and advice)

* MAG Products

* Training discounts

* Discounts on the entry fee to participating motorcyclist events

* Route Planning Service

* Discounts on VHI Health Insurance, Ferries, Accident Insurance and Breakdown Cover.

* MAG Credit Card. Competitive credit facility which also makes a small donation to MAG with each transaction.

The discounts alone will save you much more than the membership fee every year.

Membership costs € 30 per annum, with reductions for young riders, partners and for payment by standing order. To join now ring the MAG Office on (01) 4530797. Credit cards accepted.

* Events Advertising

As an additional benefit to affiliated clubs only, MAG are offering substantial discounts to advertise their rally in Roadrunner. Roadrunner is Ireland's largest circulation motorcycle magazine and goes out to over 4000 Irish motorcyclists every quarter.  See below for details

Club affiliation costs €30 per annum.

Information Sheets & Reps Resource Kit

MAG currently has information sheets on:

Accidents a Legal Perspective, Anti Theft, Member Benefits, Bike Promotion, Bike Rental, Discount Shops, Drink Driving, Driving Test, Events Insurance, FEMA, Group Riding, Importing a Bike, Irish Touring, Licence Regulations, Long Distance Riding, MAG History, New Member, Ride Safely, Local Groups, European Lobbying. Training, Motorcycle Awareness, Type Approval, MAG Structure, What is MAG, Perception of Motorcycles as Unsafe, Consumer Rights for Motorcyclists

MAG's Information Sheets can be found at the MAG website.

MAG also issues a computer CD which contains the reps handbooks, info sheets, local group report template and useful forms such as road hazard reporting and membership. There's also a very wide selection of research and motorcycle promotion material useful when lobbying and for background information. Copy one from your local group or contact the MAG Office.

5. MAG Products

ZIPPO lighters      = € 25.40   (Brass with MAG LOGO) LAST FEW LEFT!!!!

Premium T- shirts   = € 12.70 each (Black with MAG logo)

Nectectors          = € 12.70 each (Red or Black tubular neckwarmers)

Baseball Caps       = € 12.70 each (Black cloth, with MAG logo)

MAG EIRE, RIDE FREE Patches     = € 3.80 each

Flourescent "Do Not Remove This Helmet" sticker = €1.00

RIDE FREE Adhesive stickers     = € 1.80 each

1999,2000, 2001,2002 Members' Metal Badges = € 2.56 each

2003 Saffron (?!) Green Enamel badge          = € 3.80 each

MAG embossed Leather Keyfob     =  € 2.56 each

BOOKS

Motorcycle Roadcraft            = € 17.00 each

All items are including postage by ordinary post. These exclusive products are available from your local Group, direct from the MAG Office, or from our MAG Products Outlet Shop, Kilkenny Camping & Water-sports Centre, U24 The Arcade, High Street, Kilkenny. Save postage by shopping locally.

Profits from the sale of MAG Products goes directly to campaigning for Riders Rights.

6. MAG Advertising

Roadrunner is Ireland's largest circulation motorcycle magazine and is mailed directly to over 4000 Irish motorcyclists every quarter. If you want the Irish motorcycling world to know about something (your shop, your sale, your club, your product, your event.....) then advertising in RoadRunner is the way to tell them.

Contact the MAG Office for details of our advertising rates.

7. MAG Contacts

MAG Board (Composed of elected officers and responsible for the day to day running of MAG)

Eoin Kirwan: Chairman, IT Officer, Transport: 087 6166207  mailto:chair@magireland.org

Linda O'Loideoin: Treasurer, Roadrunner Editor mailto:roadrunner@magireland.org

Jimmy Kenny: Product and Process Officer 01 4502330

Gearóid O Byrne: Local Groups Liaison & MAGlink mailto:maglink@magireland.org

David French: European Liaison, Safety Officer mailto:davidfrench@magireland.org

National Council and Local MAG Group Contact Details

The National Council (NC) is composed of elected county representatives and responsible for the overall running of MAG. Unless a county position of "NC representative" is elected, the county chairperson is on the NC.

MAG County Groups

MAG Carlow:

Chair: Eric Geaney (086-3091138) eric.geaney@oceanfree.net

MAG Donegal    

Chair: Marty Boyle 087 - 6557414 martyboyle@unison.ie

 or  magdonegal@yahoo.com

Or Michael McNulty mnulty@mcmenaminsteel.com

MAG Dublin     

Chair: Jimmy Kenny 01 - 4502330 (South Dublin contact Mark Newman 086 8472746)

MAG Kildare

Chair: Dave Keeley 087 2692180  davkee@esatclear.ie

Secretary: BJ Martin 086 4006279 thedok@cyberdude.com

thedok@bastardbrothers.org

Treasurer: Joe Kerwin

Events Secretary: Ivor Hemmingway 086 8150410

MAG Limerick   

Chairman - Don Moloney. moz@iol.ie  086-8123858

Secretary - Alec Quinn. ajquinn@eircom.net

Treasurer - Mark Hackett. haket@hotmail.com

NC Rep - Vinny White. vwhite@eircom.net

PRO - Sharon Curtin. yamxv250@hotmail.com

Clubs liason officer - Karl Murphy. crashtestdummy@oceanfree.net

Local Authority liason officer - John Mullin.

MAG North Tipperary and South Offaly

Paul O'Dwyer 086-2686091 froggieod@yahoo.com

Keith Lever kleaver@gofree.indigo.ie

MAG Cork

Chair - Ger Donnolly

Treasurer - Martin O'Driscoll martdris@gofree.indigo.ie

MAG Wexford

Chair - Martin Sills  087 - 6628595

Secretary - John le Roche

 

Unelected local representatives invited by MAG Board

Leitrim

Christine Cann christinecann@eircom.net

Longford

Pat & Debbie mbike@eircom.net

Louth

Lenny McManus leonard@netscape.com

Mayo

John Bourke john.bourke@cedar.com

The remaining counties are currently not represented on the National Council. If you are interested in assisting, either as volunteering as a local representative or in relation to founding a MAG Group in your area,  please contact the MAG Office or the Local Group & Clubs Liaison Gearoid O'Byrne at 087-2607747, maglink@magireland.org

MAG Office

1b Ring Terrace, Inchicore, Dublin 8. 

Tel: 01 453 0797 

Fax: 01 453 3643

Karen Kiely:     National Campaigns Officer - 086 8632444 roadrunner@magireland.org

Liz Keane         Office Assistant office@magireland.org

Before ringing the MAG office please consider if it wouldn't be better ringing your MAG representative, the DOE Driver Testing Section, your local motorcycle dealer or the Yellow Pages first. The MAG Office will help with your queries where possible but doing so reduces the time available to administer MAG for everyone's benefit.

Website: www.magireland.org

Webmaster: Joe Lennon webmaster@magireland.org

Cash for MAG Recruiters

Bank  Standing orders are by far the easiest way for MAG members to pay their subscription. They are also much cheaper and quicker for the MAG office to process.  MAG is now passing these savings onto its members. As well as offering three months free membership for members who take out a standing order, MAG has decided to introduce a "fiver back" promotion - any MAG member who gets a friend to sign up for a standing order will get a fiver (€6.35) back in cash.

 

This means that if all the members of a club of twenty people decide to support MAG with bank standing orders and name their treasurer as recruiter then the club will receive one hundred pounds (128 Euro) from MAG.

Full details, conditions and bank standing order forms are available from the MAG office.

8. Disclaimer

MAGLink  is provided free of charge as a service to motorcycling. 

MAG Ireland cannot accept any responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions

MAGLink March 2003,  compiled by Gearóid O Byrne maglink@magireland.org

(c) Copyright : MAG Ireland

The Third 'Great Red Ribbon Ride Out'

The third annual 'Great Red Ribbon Ride Out' 2003 will take place this year on Sunday 15th June 2003 in Limerick. This date is actually the official Irish AIDS Day and we therefore want to make it somewhat special. To this end we are planning not only the Ride Out itself, but we are going to hold a street festival with stalls, music, food and give aways , so we hope for good weather !

The details are as follow : Riders can begin to assemble and register from 11.00 in Cecil Street, Limerick city centre, there will be entertainment on an on-going basis. The Mayor of Limerick will officially launch the ride out at 14.00 and we then head on to Nenagh, Roscrea, Birr, where there will be a one hour 'splash and dash' stop. Then on to Portumna, Mountshannon, Scarriff, Killaloe, Birdhill and back along the N7 to where it all began and hopefully will be continuing !. After our arrival there will be refreshments, live entertainment etc to complete the day in style. Total distance is just over 130 miles, around Lough Derg and some beautiful scenery.

There are some differences this year. Due to the Limerick City Council and the Gardai, places are STRICTLY Limited to the first 125 riders who register in advance. Also we have to,  for the first time set a mandatory minimum amount for sponsorship in order to participate on the day and that amount is €100 per bike, not per person as this would be unfair to riders with pillions. Some people have complained already about this amount, but that cannot be helped, the purpose of this event is to raise awareness of the issue of HIV/AIDS, which has not gone away, but also to raise funds for our project to continue working with those affected by the virus in the our area, so, No Apologies.This is of course a minimum amount, there is no maximum !. Sponsor cards are available now from the Red Ribbon Project. 9 Cecil St. Limerick. contact John Simons, Event Organiser at 061-314354 or 086-31430249 or e-mail at assagai1@hotmail.com

 Come and help us celebrate the day !!!!!!!!!