MAGLink, December 2001
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.
Download MAGLink in Microsoft Word RTF format
from the MAG website: http://www.iol.ie/~maglink
New Benefit: MAG Credit Card.............. 1
NOTE to Local Groups and Affiliated Clubs:........... 1
Special deal for MAG members going to Donington Park in July.. 2
International Update......... 2
EU Governments want Daytime Running Lights for Cars out of ACEA
Agreement 2
Bikes exempt from London congestion charging.. 2
Bikes in M4 Buslane in UK............ 3
New guidance on street works safety published in UK takes rider safety
into account.................. 3
Main Actions and Decisions 4
Board December 5th, 2001 (summarised)................ 4
MAG Calendar...................... 5
Board meetings.. 5
National Council meetings (All local groups to attend)..... 5
2002 Annual Group Conference (AGC):..... 5
MAG Local Group meetings.. 5
MAG Events..... 5
Publication Deadlines 6
MAG Ireland's Events Calendar, 2001.......... 6
Overseas events...... 6
MAG Benefits 6
Member Benefits... 6
Affiliated Club Benefits... 7
Information Sheets & Reps Resource Kit (December 2001)........ 7
MAG Products...................... 7
MAG Advertising. 8
Shops...... 8
Discounts: 8
Clubs....... 8
MAG Contacts...................... 9
Board....... 9
National Council and Local MAG Group Contact Details..... 9
MAG Office................ 10
General News Items........... 10
Australia researches headgear for car drivers 10
Getting MAGLink and passing it on 10
Disclaimer.. 10
By now all members
will have received application forms for a MAG credit card. This new benefit provides MAG members with
exclusive access to a competitive credit card facility. (Compare the terms with
your current credit card.) Each use of these cards also results in a small
donation (at no cost to the card user) towards promoting and protecting Irish
motorcycling.
Underwriting
difficulties with Irish insurance are affecting the MAG Ireland events
insurance benefit. Please contact the MAG office for the current details if you
are planning to hold an event under MAG Public Liability cover in the near
future. MAG Ireland is currently looking at the insurance market place and
welcomes any recommendations from clubs or other groups.
MAG UK's done it again
- all the excitement of the British Grand Prix plus two days of practice, live
bands and party Friday and Saturday night, exclusive MAG campsite and bar all
for an amazing £25 sterling and this offer is available to MAG UK members.
Donington Park 12th
13th & 14th July Ticket Hotline call 00 44 8701 696805 and quote your
membership number. (MAG UK or MAG Ireland). Tickets £25 in advance only (closes
June 30th - no ticket sales on gate) subject to a booking fee
Further details of
this and other MAG events at http://mag-uk.org/events
PRESS RELEASE 5th
December 2001
The EU Governments are
opposed to Daytime Running Lights (DRL) being fitted on all new cars produced
from 2002. This unanimous vote was taken by the Internal Market Council of
Ministers at their meeting of last week (26th November 2001). The exclusion of DRL
was the condition for the Member States accepting this self-commitment
presented by the European Car Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) to the
Commission as an alternative to a Directive intended to make car fronts safer
for vulnerable road users.
FEMA welcomes the
position of the Council of Ministers on DRL. EU countries have already set
their own national requirements on the use of lights depending on various
aspects such as weather and light conditions, experience and public consensus.
EU goverments also said that the introduction of a harmonised legislation on
DRL needs to be
carefully and
thoroughly investigated before considering any harmonised application in
Europe. FEMA states clearly that there is simply no room for harmonisation on
this matter.
The FEMA campaign
against the inclusion of DRL measures in the ACEA Commitment, undertaken
jointly with the other European federations of vulnerable road users -cyclists
(ECF), pedestrians (IPF) and accident victims (FEVR)- has already produced very
positive results: FEMA met with both parties behind this agreement, ACEA and
Commissioner for Enterprise Mr Liikanen, to state the position of European
vulnerable users against EU harmonisation on DRL. FEMA also provided the
Commission with research evidence supporting that there was no positive benefit
in accident reduction through DRL.
FEMA Campaigns'
Officer Antonio Perlot said: "It is important that organisations
representing vulnerable road users are consulted and that their views are
carefully considered, since at the end of the day they are the ones whose
safety is going to be directly affected by these measures".
FEMA is now going to
concentrate its efforts on the next steps of the procedure, including
representations by the Members of the European Parliament who have already been
informed of the position of European motorcyclists. The opinion of the EP
should be made public by next Spring.
The news that
exemption from congestion charging for motorcycles has been officially ratified
has been greeted by MAG UK with jubilation.
Further information
Ian Mutch Tel: +44 208 556 6495
In the wake of
sustained campaigning by MAG UK, the M4 bus lane will be opened to motorcycles
under proposals announced by Transport Minister John Spellar.
Furthermore the speed
limit for the bus lane section will be increased from 50mph to 60mph. The
increased speed limit will improve road users' journey times on the stretch
which runs from junction four to the elevated section of the M4 near Chiswick.
The speed limit on the elevated section will remain at 40mph.
Mr Spellar told MPs in
a written reply to a Parliamentary Question: "The effectiveness of the bus
lane is closely monitored by the Highways Agency. They report that it continues
to alleviate peak congestion on this busy section of the motorway but they
recommend that the scheme could be improved by raising the speed limit between
junction 4 and the elevated section to 60mph and the use by motorcycles of the
lane designated for buses and taxis. I have agreed that the Highways Agency
should consult on these changes and this consultation will be launched
today."
Highways Agency
Project Manager Paul Harwood said: "Allowing motorcyclists to use the lane
would help to make their journeys safer by keeping them clear of lane changes
by other vehicles. The Agency will be monitoring this change carefully and the
results will help inform decisions on whether there is a wider case for
motorcyclists to be
allowed to use bus
lanes."
The Highways Agency
will now consult road users, local authorities and other interested parties. If
the proposals are accepted the Agency will make the necessary alterations to
the metal and electronic signs and the changes will come into affect next
summer.
MAG Spokesman Ian
Mutch: 'This is great news and shows that persistent lobbying does work, London
& Home Counties MAG and MAG UK's employed lobbyists are to be congratulated
on this result.'
With the growing
success of bikes in buslanes in the UK, it will be harder for the Irish
government to maintain their position against it. MAG Ireland will continue to
campaign on this issue.
The UK government has
published the second edition of a code of practice aimed at ensuring consistent
and safe signing, lighting and guarding of street and road works.
QUOTE: Road Plates must be made of suitable
material with an appropriate skid resistant surface. Their installation must
not present a hazard to cyclists or motorcyclists. UNQUOTE
Safety at Street Works
and Road Works sets out detailed safety measures on a national basis for the
guidance of all those carrying out works in the road both to ensure the safety
of those working and all road users, including in particular people with a
disability.
The new edition of the
code, which is available in electronic form on the DTLR website at
www.street-works.dtlr.gov.uk, will enter into force on Friday 1st February
2002.
MAG Ireland will be
urging the government to update the Irish code of practice in this area, to enforce existing measures and to ban the
use of slippery iron road plates.
Direct Access - Irish
riders, unlike riders in almost all other EU countries, do not have the option
of taking a Direct Access test and immediately obtaining an unrestricted
licence. The Board will look for a
legal opinion on the validity of Ireland’s interpretation of the EU Licensing Directive. Also a formal complaint is being made to the
European Commission, in conjunction with FEMA.
Life Memberships - The
Board decided at the November meeting to cease to offer Life Memberships. At the December meeting it was decided to
make an analysis of the future cost to MAG of looking after our existing Life
Members, and a fund will be built up to provide for this as the financial
position allows.
RoadRunner - The
decision has been made to do the RoadRunner layout in-house instead of paying a
printing firm. This will save money
which is needed elsewhere. The newly
upgraded office PC will make this possible.
Local Group
Fundraising - It has been decided to ask each local group, where possible, to
hold at least one MAG fundraising event in the coming year in aid of Riders’
Rights.
Clubs Liaison Officer
- We are still seeking someone with a ‘club’ background willing to volunteer as
Clubs Liaison officer. In the meantime
our Local Group liaison officer, Gearoid O’Byrne, is acting as Clubs Liaison.
Office PC - The old,
obsolete PC in the office has been upgraded (by volunteers) with new
components, in effect giving us a brand new PC for less than £500. This PC will be used for Campaigns work and
for RoadRunner.
Events Insurance -
Efforts are continuing to obtain a replacement underwriter, as the existing one
is not accepting renewals or new policies.
Current policies are still valid.
Insurance is very important for anyone organising a rally, run or other
event. We have approached several
brokers and they tell us they have difficulty getting insurance at present for
many shops, businesses etc. We will
continue to approach brokers and insurance companies to obtain a replacement
insurer as a matter of urgency.
IVVMCC Vintage and
Veteran Show, 17/11/01 - MAG had a stand at this event, which was successful,
taking in over £250 in memberships and products, and promoting awareness of
MAG. We did not have a stand at the
Motorsports Show in the RDS this year, due to the very high cost demanded by
the organisers.
Toll Roads - Decided
to make this one of our priority campaigns in advance of the election. A campaign strategy document is being
finalised.
Insurance - Among the
issues our members are reporting are wildly inconsistent quotes, large
increases for particular bikes (e.g. NSR125), difficulty in new riders
obtaining cover on larger bikes even when restricted, and the lack of discounts
for rider training. Karen Kiely, MAG’s
Campaigns Officer will be raising these issues in meetings with Carole Nash and
Hibernian in the near future.
Particular attention will be given to the issues still outstanding from
the Independent Insurance collapse - such as the delay in obtaining refunds;
transfer fees; and the position of riders who paid by credit card for insurance
underwritten by Independent.
Daytime Running Lights
(DRL) - MAG is opposed to DRL on cars and other large vehicles, as this will
make riders, cyclists, and pedestrians less visible. In relation to motorcycles and scooters, we say “Let the rider
decide”. The proposal from the European
car industry association to fit DRL to all cars (that cannot be turned off!)
has now been withdrawn, but there is still the possibility that the use of DRL
on all vehicles could be made compulsory in Ireland. We will be campaigning against this as we feel it is certain that
compulsory DRL on large vehicles will reduce the safety of vulnerable road
users.
Next Board meeting -
January 9th, 2002
(Minutes are
summarised or omitted depending on resources, copy available to members from
MAG office or from the MAGLink compiler)
=============================================
1st Wednesday every
month, 7:30pm (January 9th 2002 is an exception)
February 2002: Venue
and Date to be announced
This is planned for
the last weekend in October 2002, Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh,Co. Tipperary
Watch the MAG website http://www.iol.ie/~maglink/ for
directions and further details.
MAG Cork: Every
Tuesday at 8.30pm, Cruiscin Lan, Douglas Street
MAG Carlow: 3rd Monday
of the month, Sherrif O'Hara's, Brown St.
MAG Donegal: 1st
Monday 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 Kerry: 1st Tuesday
of each month 9.00pm alternating between Flaherty’s in Ardfert,
Katie Nolan’s in
Lissleton and the Golden Nugget in Killarney.
Ring Baerbel Ott to
get the correct venue (087) 297 7992
MAG Kildare: Last
Wednesday of the month, Grand Hotel, Newbridge.
MAG Limerick: Every
2nd Wednesday starting 30th May in Gus O'Driscolls pub Corbally.
For June July August:
13/6, 27/6, 11/7, 25/7, 8/8, 22/8
MAG Sligo: Contact
Sligo rep (see below) for new venue details.
MAG Cavan, Galway,
Kildare, Innishowen, Longford, Mayo, Westmeath
Venue changes. To be
confirmed. Ring rep for correct details.
E&OE. Changes
should be advised to the MAG office or Gearoid O’Byrne at 087-2607747, maglink@magireland.iol.ie
For further details of
anything on the MAG calendar contact maglink@magireland.iol.ie
( or during office
hours MAG Office at magsupport@magireland.iol.ie
)
-----------------------------------------------------------
RoadRunner: February
15th, May 15th. August 15th, November 15th,
Letters and articles
welcome, articles with pictures very welcome.
Send submissions to herb@iol.ie or to RoadRunner c/o MAG Office
MAGLink: Second
Wednesday in the month.
2002
August 16th/17th
Stop the Rot, Venue to be announced.
FOR FREE LISTING OF
YOUR EVENT SEND IN DETAIL ASAP.
12th 13th & 14th
July Donington Park, Special deal for MAG members, campsite, bands,
practice (for 25 pounds in advance).
Ring +44 8701 696805 with your membership number.
Welsh National
Motorcycle Show
Due to the change in
the 2002 bank holiday weekend the hugely successful Welsh National Motorcycle
Show will now take place on the 31st May - 3rd June 2002 at the
Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells, Mid Wales.
FEMA festival :
Koksijde Belgian Coast. weekend of 20/21/22 september 2002
FOR FREE LISTING
PLEASE SEND IN YOUR 2002 EVENT DETAILS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
All Events in italics
have been notified by the Vintage & Veteran Committee.
The above information
is correct to our knowledge and belief as we got to press but MAG Ireland
cannot guarantee
its accuracy. The next update will be issued along with
the next issue of RoadRunner, due out soon.
The Events Calendar is
also sent out monthly to all local MAG Groups and affiliated clubs and is
posted on our web-site.
Details of any
additional /revised events should be advised to the MAG office or directly to
maglink@magireland.iol.ie.
MAG UK events can be
seen online at the MAG UK website http://www.mag-uk.org .
BMF events http://www.bmf.co.uk
* A nationwide
organisation representing your interests as a rider
* RoadRunner Magazine
* BikeShop Discounts,
Full list in RoadRunner or on website http://www.iol.ie/~maglink
* Motorcycle Insurance
* Local Groups -
Social Activity and Local Representation
* Information Service,
(Info sheets, MAGLink and advice)
* Products
* Training discounts
* Route Planning
Service
* Discounts on VHI
Health Insurance, Ferries, Accident Insurance and Breakdown Cover.
* MAG Credit Card
The discounts alone
will save you much more than the membership fee every year.
Membership costs £20
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 Insurance
Public Liability Cover for your rally or event. Currently cover stands at under
IR 60 for a one-off event of up to 5 days such as a rally. Please contact
office for the information sheet on events insurance.
NOTE: Underwriting difficulties with Irish insurance are affecting the events
insurance benefit. Please contact the MAG office for current details.
* Monthly MAG Events
Calendar Update by Post
* 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 5000 Irish
motorcyclists every quarter. The
reduced rates for one issue are as follows:, Full Page B&W - IR 200, Half Page B&W - IR 100,
Quarter Page B&W - IR 50
Club affiliation costs
IR 20 per annum.
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, IrishTouring, 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 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.
------------------------------------------------
ZIPPO lighters = IR 20.00 ea (Brass with MAG LOGO)
Hooded
Sweatshirts = IR 20.00 each
(Black,Zipped,MAG logo)
Premium T- shirts = IR 10.00 each (Black with MAG logo)
Nectectors = IR 10.00 each (Red or Black
tubular neckwarmers)
Baseball Caps = IR 10.00 each (Black cloth, with MAG
logo)
MAG Ireland Yellow
Visibility Waistcoats = IR 12.00 each
MAG EIRE, RIDE FREE
Patches = IR 3.00 each
RIDE FREE Adhesive
stickers = IR 1.50 each
1999,2000 Members’
Metal Badges = IR 2.00 each
2001 Blue Enamel
badge = IR 3.00 each
MAG embossed Leather
Keyfob = IR 2.00 each
BOOKS
Pass Your Advanced
Driving Test = IR 10.00 each
Motorcycle
Roadcraft = IR 13.40 each
There is a Mail Order
packing & postage charge of IR 3.00 on the Hooded Sweatshirts & of IR
1.00 on the waistcoats. All other items are including postage by ordinary post.
These exclusive products are available from your local Group, direct from the
MAG Office, or from our new 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.
---------------------------------------------------
Roadrunner
is Ireland's largest circulation motorcycle magazine and is mailed directly to
over 5000 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.
Single
Colour Advertising Rates -
Full Page,
Front Inner Cover £375 (euro 481)
Full Page,
Rear Inner Cover £375 (euro 481)
Full Page,
Back Cover £390 (euro
500)
TWO CENTRE
PAGES £553 (euro 709)
Full Page
(8" x 11.5") £350
(euro 448.71)
¾ Page (8" x 8") £263 (euro 337.17)
½ Page (8" x 5.75") £175 (euro 224.36)
¼ Page (3.75" x 5.75") £88 (euro 112.82)
1/8 Page (3.75" x 2.75") £44 (euro 56.41)
Two issues
10%, three issues 15%, four issues 20%
MAG
Discount shops: additional 10% discount.
More than
four issues, contact RoadRunner for special rates.
* Events
Advertising
As an additional benefit to affiliated clubs only, MAG are offering substantial
discounts to advertise their rally in Roadrunner. The reduced rates for one
issue are as follows:
Full Page IR£
200, (euro 256.41)
Half Page
B&W - IR£ 100, (euro
128.20)
Quarter Page B&W IR£ 50 (euro 61.10)
---------------------------------------------------
(Composed of elected
officers and responsible for the day to day running of MAG)
Eoin Kirwan: Chairman,
IT Officer, Transport: 087 6166207 eoin@bikerider.com
Linda O’Loideoin:
Treasurer, Member Queries/Consumer Issues
Jimmy Kenny: Product
and Process Officer 01 4502330
Gearóid O Byrne: Local
Groups Liaison geobyrne@indigo.ie
David French: European
Liaison, Safety Officer +49 711 5590511 davidfrench@bikerider.com
Herb Finnegan:
RoadRunner Liaison herb@iol.ie
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 Carlow:
Ger FitzGibbons 087
6781688 sner@oceanfree.net
MAG Cavan
Chair: Declan
Brady 049 8640031
MAG Cork
Chair: Ger
Donnelly 087 2354820 donely@esatclear.ie
Treasurer: Martin
O'Driscoll
Committee member:
David Robinson
MAG Donegal
Contact: Marty Boyle martyboyle@unison.ie
MAG Innishowen (region within Donegal)
Chair: Andy
Robinson 077 76 054
MAG Dublin
Chair: Jimmy
Kenny 01 4502330
MAG Galway
Chair:John Brinn 093
24694 (JJ Finn 086 8182188)
MAG Kerry
Chair: Baerbel
Ott 087 2977992
MAG Kildare
Chair: Joe Swords 086 8974259 joeswords@tattoos.com
Secretary: BJ Martin
086 4006279 thedok@cyberdude.com
Treasurer: Dave Browne
087 6523582
Information Officer Dave
Keeley 087 2692180 davkee@esatclear.ie
Events Secretary: Ivor
Hemmingway 086 8150410
Road Hazards Officer:
Karen Kiely 086 8632444
MAG Limerick
Chair: John
Suckling 061 384342
NC Rep: Don Moloney moz@iol.ie
MAG Mayo
Chair: Robert
Gibbons 094 22118 smartart@iol.ie
MAG Sligo
Chair: Eoin
Lappin 071 43758
e_lappin@hotmail.com
AGM: February
MAG Westmeath
Chair: Greg
Lennon 0902 72578
The remaining counties
are currently not represented on the National Council. If you are interested in
assisting please contact the MAG Office or the Local Group & Clubs Liaison
Gearoid O’Byrne at 087-2607747, maglink@magireland.iol.ie
Karen Kiely: National Campaign’s Officer and
RoadRunner Editor- 086 8632444 karenkiely@eircom.net
Herb Finnegan: RoadRunner Editor - 087
6790908 herb@iol.ie
Liz Keane Office
Assistant
1b Ring Terrace,
Inchicore, Dublin 8.
Tel: 01 453 0797 Fax: 01 453 3643
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: http://www.iol.ie/~maglink
Researchers in
Australia are working on a protective headband for car drivers. Further
information at:
http://www.atsb.gov.au/road/rpts/cr205/index.cfm
To receive MAGLink
every month by email (free) send a blank message to imag_info-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
It costs MAG almost 10
pounds a year of member's money to have someone on the postal list and that
money can be better spent fighting for riders rights. If you can get MAGLink by
email instead then please do so and tell us.
Please forward your
copy of MAGLink to other motorcyclists and please print out a few copies to
drop into your local dealer / pub / friends without email.
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 December
2001, compiled by David French, (davidfrench@bikerider.com )
© Copyright : MAG Ireland