MAGLink, October 2001
A monthly update from
the Irish Motorcyclists Action Group. MAG is not a bike club it's a lobbying
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
National Campaigns :. 1
New Campaigns Officer...... 1
Local Group Update......... 1
MAG Kerry 1
Membership discount. Three months free................ 2
International Update......... 2
The Danger of Crash Barriers for Motorcyclists................ 2
MAG UK challenge London Parking zealots..... 3
Main Actions and Decisions 3
NEC(Board) October 3th,17th... 3
National Council.... 3
MAG Calendar...................... 3
NEC meetings.. 3
National Council meetings (All local groups to attend)..... 3
Annual Group Conference (AGC):..... 3
MAG Local Group meetings.. 4
MAG Events..... 5
Publication Deadlines 5
MAG Ireland's Events Calendar, 2001.......... 5
MAG Benefits 6
Member Benefits... 6
Affiliated Club Benefits... 6
Information Sheets & Reps Resource Kit (October 2001)........ 6
MAG Products...................... 7
MAG Contacts...................... 7
National Executive Council.... 7
National Council and Local MAG Group Contact Details..... 7
MAG Office.................. 8
General News Items............. 9
M&P difficulties 9
Getting MAGLink and passing it on 9
Disclaimer.... 9
After the major update
in the September MAGLink the national campaign update is much lighter for October
as our Campaigs Officer has taken a well-earned holiday.
Karen Kiely has now
taken up the post of MAG Campaigns Officer. Herb Finnegan will be assisting
with the handover.
Motorcyclists living
in Kerry are encouraged to support the local group meetings. MAG Kerry is
currently without an email address so any help with that also appreciated. Ring
Baerbel at (087) 297 7992 for further info.
Local Groups: Please
advise the Group & Clubs Liaison Officer of your activities and events.
There is a report template in the Reps Resource Kit. Contact Catherine Donnelly
at (01) 457 0634, maglink@magireland.iol.ie
MAG members paying by
standing order now receive three months free membership. Paying membership by
standing order ensures you always have a current membership. Current membership
is necessary to claim MAG discount, to participate in insurance or other
special deals or if you want to vote in elections to your local group or at the
AGC. Please contact the office for a standing order form or download from the
MAG website.
Commissioner Loyola De
Palacio wants actions in Spain and Europe
PRESS RELEASE : 28th
September 2001
"The continuous
work starts now to show very positive results. Finally, the European Commission
admitted that crash barriers are very dangerous for motorcyclists. Now we start
seeing adequate lateral protections for "every" road user. Besides,
the sector is aware of the problematic and seems to be supporting our
initiative. This feeling gives us energy to continue our work. From now on,
let's open the throttle towards a design standard and the fitting of crash
barrier protectors on European roads." This declaration from Mr Carlos
Bautista Ojeda MEP followed a meeting held with the Vice-President for
Transport and Energy last July.
This meeting was
organised at the initiative of Mr Carlos Bautista in order to express the
widespread concerns of motorcyclists about the danger of existing crash
barriers. This was organised following a demonstration held last June in
Madrid, and supported by thousands of riders, in protest against these
dangerous devices.
In the course of the
meeting, FEMA reminded the Commissioner of the project that had been undertaken
by FEMA with the support of the European Commission in 1999 "Crash
Barriers and Motorcyclists". The final report of this project proposes
alternatives to existing devices that could be promoted in all countries of
Europe.
Mrs De Palacio was
concerned about the problem and assured that immediate actions would be advised
to the Spanish authorities. A correspondence would also be sent to all Member
States. FEMA offered its assistance in the drafting of these letters.
On the European front,
the Commissioner declared that a point referring to the need of improving the
safety of crash barriers would be included in the EU Road Safety Programme
2002-2010. Another commitment made by Mrs De Palacio was that, during the Spanish
Presidency of the European Union, particular attention would be given to the
matter, by setting up a Working Group (WG) with all interested parties,
including representatives of the European Commission, FEMA representing
European Motorcyclists and the CEN (Committee of European Standardisation). One
of the main objectives of this WG will be to define a crash barriers' standard
in order to make them safer for all road users, motorcyclists included!
FEMA welcomes this
commitment and sees it as a very good opportunity to continue with its work on
making crash barriers safer for riders.
Campaigns are already
underway in Austria, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Portugal where FEMA's
national organisations are promoting and fixing protectors to make crash barriers
safer for riders.
FEMA is looking
forward to the beginning of next year, when Spain will hold the EU Presidency,
and to the co-operation with the European authorities to coordinate actions all
over Europe.
Issued by FEMA
Note: MAG Ireland is a
founding member of FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations)
MAG in London is
pursuing a test case to challenge Westminster Council's zealous ticketing of
parked motorcycles.
London MAG rep Cathy
Philpotts has deliberately parked on a private forecourt in the borough where
work colleagues' motorcycles were being ticketed and duly received three
tickets in one day.
Cathy is challenging
the legitimacy of the tickets on the grounds that the pavement area is
privately owned as indicated by clearly visible notices to that effect.
Parking where she and
her colleagues do, does not impede the public footpath and the inference drawn
by those who have been issued with tickets, is that Westminster Council's
enthusiasm for ticketing is driven by profit rather than the public interest.
Parking attendants had
told PTW (motorcycle) users that they (the attendants) had been specifically
instructed by Westminster Council to ticket bikes in that area. Some property
owners have been threatened that their own bikes on their ownforecourts will be
towed away.
nb: MAG has been
campaigning strenuously for increased parking allocation for motorcycles to accommodate the increasing numbers of
motorcycles now commuting to Central London.
(omitted due to lack
of space, copy available to members from MAG office or from the MAGLink
compiler)
(none since previous
MAGLink)
=============================================
1st Wednesday every
month, 7pm
27th
October, Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh 5.30 – 6.30 pm
Annual General
Conference will be held on 27th October in the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh, Co.
Tipperary from 12.30 to 5.30pm. Registration starts at 11:30
See the MAG website http://www.iol.ie/~maglink/ for
directions and further details.
Agenda:
Annual Group Conference 27/10/01.
12.30pm-5.30pm.
Venue: Abbey Court
Hotel, Nenagh, Tipperary.
Organisation: MAG Office and MAG Limerick.
Registration: 11.30am onwards:
Hospitality: Abbey Court Hotel.
Marshalls: MAG Limerick.
Chairperson of
Meeting: Catherine Donnelly
Top Table: NEC Members
Agenda:
12.30pm-5.30pm: Formal
sessions and Elections.
Approximate running
times:
11.30 onwards: Registration.
12.20-12.30: Delegates assemble
12.30-12.45: Chairperson’s Welcome
12.45-01.15: Treasurers Report
01.15-02.15: Officer Reports
02.15-02.30: Nominations for NEC.
02.30-03.00: Elections.
03.00-03.30: Refreshment break. Soup/Sandwiches.
03.30-04.00: Election Results.
04.30-05.30: Chairperson’s
address/Plans/Proposals from floor.
05.30: Conference
Closes.
Order of speakers
& timings can change.
05.30-06.30: NC Meeting with Chairperson
& newly elected NEC.
(Seperate
Agenda)
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 Catherine Donnelly at (01) 457 0634, 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: November
15th, February 15th, May 15th. August 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.
OCTOBER
20,21, Locked Solid
Rally (Woodstown, W'fd), Falcon MCC, Patrick Moran, 087 - 289 5425
27,28, Autumn Run,
Blackchurch RA, 01 - 837 4752
27,28, Dolmen Rally,
(Aherne’s, Newport) Banner MCC, Mark,
086 - 824 5630
28, Rock Night, Slippy
Clutch MCC, Joe Higginbotham, 045 - 529 022
29,Poker Run
(O’Driscoll’s, Corbally), MAG Limerick, Karl, 087 – 617 9931
NOVEMBER,
17, Taney Autojumble
& Show, IVVMCC, 01 - 298 0045
DECEMBER
1st, Toy Run, (Kildare - Kilkenny), Druids &
Rooters MCC's, Pat Conlon, 087 - 959 8430
16, Toy Run (Dublin),
Clondalkin MCC, Martin Convery, 01 624 6113
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
Catherine Donnelly,
Clubs Liaison Officer at (01) 457 0634, <maglink@magireland.iol.ie> as
soon as possible.
MAG UK events can be
seen online at the MAG UK website http://www.mag-uk.org .
BMF events http://www.bmf.co.uk
* RoadRunner Magazine
* BikeShop Discounts,
Contact office for list or http://www.iol.ie/~maglink
* Motorcycle Insurance
* Local Groups -
Social Activity and Local Representation
* Information Service,
(Info sheets, MAGLink and advice)
* Products
* Route Planning
Service
* Discounts on VHI
Health Insurance, Ferries, Accident Insurance and Breakdown Cover.
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.
* 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 Colour - IR 250, Full
Page B&W - IR 200, Half Page
Colour - IR 125, Half Page B&W - IR 100, Quarter Page Colour - IR 63,
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.
---------------------------------------------------
(Composed of elected
officers and responsible for the day to day running of MAG)
Catherine Donnelly:
Chairwoman, Group&Clubs Liaison,01 4570634 maglink@magireland.iol.ie
David French: European
Liaison,+49 711 5590511 davidfrench@bikerider.com
Jimmy Kenny: Rider
Security & Safety, 01 4502330
Eoin Kirwan:
Transport: 087 6166207 eoin@bikerider.com
Co-opted NEC members:
Gearóid O Byrne: geobyrne@indigo.ie
Co-opted NEC Working
Group Members:
Rose Burns: Safety,
Transport W.G. rose_burns66@hotmail.com
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
Catherine Donnelly at (01) 457 0634, maglink@magireland.iol.ie
Karen Kiely: National Campaign’s Officer -
086 8632444
Herb Finnegan: RoadRunner Editor - 087
6790908 herb@iol.ie
Maeve Roche Administration
Officer
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 a 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
MAG UK have been
informed that retail store outlet and mail order specialists M&P Motorcycle Accessories Limited have been
taken into Administration. MAG's understanding is that the administrators are
currently looking for a potential new owner for the retail giant. Further
developments will be posted on MAG UK's website www.mag-uk.org
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 October
2001, compiled by David French, (davidfrench@bikerider.com )
© Copyright : MAG Ireland