MAGLink, End September 2004
A monthly update from the Irish Motorcyclists Action Group.
MAG Ireland : Representing Riders
The progress reported below in promoting and protecting motorcycling
has been possible because of your support.
Index:
1. Campaign Updates
2. National Motorcycle Events Calendar, *LISTING FOR OCTOBER 2004*
3. MAG details and contact numbers
4. Disclaimer
To receive MAGLink every month by email (free) send a blank message
to imag_info-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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SPECIAL EVENTS
MAG Ireland's Annual Group Conference will be held this year at the
Commercial Rowing Club, Islandbridge, Dublin on Saturday the 9th of
October 2004 starting 1.30pm - we welcome as many members as are
able to attend - this is your organisation and we need your input,
please attend if you can.
A Bike Insurance Demonstration was held in Dublin on Saturday the 25th
of September last calling to the offices of HIbernian, Carol Nash and
the Ministry of Transport complaining about the ridiculous premiums
charged to motorcyclists. Many thanks to those who attended - we
intend to repeat the exercise in a few months time.
Martin Cullen has taken over from Seamus Brennan in the Ministry of
Transport following the recent reshuffle. We will be writing to him to
request a meeting as soon as possible.
1. CAMPAIGNS
CAMPAIGNS REPORT
The following is a brief summary of some of the work undertaken
within the Campaigns portfolio during SEptember 2004. Regular reports
on the topics mentioned are also available on the MAG website
www.magireland.org and in Roadrunner. Any comments or questions to
campaigns@m... or telephone 01 453 07 97 (MAG Office).
BUS LANES
After several months delay Northern Ireland's motorcyclists were
finally granted access to many of the country's bus lanes on an
experimental basis. The eighteen month experimental period started on
Tuesday 1st June 04 and will be reviewed at six months, twelve months
and eighteen months at which time it will either be made permanent or
abolished.
MAG Ireland has made a submission to the Quality Bus Network Project
on allowing access to bus lanes for bikers - (letter atached at end of
Maglink)
HIBERNIAN
In regard to a number of queries raised by members having problems
with cover for multiple bikes, George Ketteringham of Hibernian
confirmed recently that there has been no change to Hibernian policy,
i.e. it is not the case that a full premium has to be paid for each
bike.
We have contacted AON Bike Care to arrange a meeting to discuss the
entry of AXA to the motorcycle insurance sector here and the
possibility of extending their client base beyond the dealer network
as at present.
A reply was received from IFSRA in response to request for inclusion
of motorcycle insurance in next insurance cost survey:
(i) Fieldwork has been completed for next cost survey.
(ii) ISFRA will consider including motorcycle insurance on next
survey, but due to small number of insurers they question the consumer
benefits of inclusion and would like our views on same.
(iii) Competition Authority currently examining non-life insurance
market including measures to improve market transparency.
In response to the article in Irish Times (07/07/2004) in which it was
reported that the IFSRA are seeking members for
consumer panels to replace the MIAB later this year, Eoin Kirwan MAG
Chairman emailed the IFSRA to request MAG's inclusion on any such
panels. At time of writing, I am not aware if he has received a reply
to this request.
Mary Harney's Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment have
contacted us in response to our correspondence urging the Tánaiste
to
ensure that the motorcycle sector is not overlooked during her current
efforts to encourage competition in the Irish motor insurance market.
They assure us that the Tánaiste is aware of the limited number of
companies currently offering motorcycle insurance in the State. The
letter also refers to the joint DETE/Competition Authority study set
up to examine barriers to entry and limitations on rivalry in the
insurance marketplace.
RIDER & DRIVER TRAINING
Linda O'Loideoin continues to represent MAG Ireland on the Working
Group to discuss the introduction of Compulsory Basic Training.
Eastlink
A complaint was received that bollards had been installed on the
motorcycle/bicycle toll free laneway at the East Link Toll Plaza.
However, when MAG visited the site on Thursday 12th August to
establish the exact nature of the hazard no bollards were in place on
the lanes in either direction and we observed motorcycles using the
lanes without problems over some time. These included some tourists
with full luggage including side panniers. We were able to talk to
some of the bikers using the plaza - including some couriers who use
the laneways regularly and none of them could recall bollards in
place. Some traffic cones were in place marking the boundaries
between the car lanes but these were not in the vicinity of the
motorcycle/bicycle laneway. Despite the fact that no hazard was
observed, the visit was a useful one from a PR point of view as the
bikers I spoke to were interested to hear about MAG Ireland's work!
Non-Slip Manhole Covers
I have provided information on Marotech, manufacturers and suppliers
of the non-slip manhole covers mentioned in a previous report to
Cavanagh Foundries, who are considering providing such a product in
Ireland. Cavanagh have been made aware that this does not constitute
an endorsement or recommendation of this product. They will keep me
informed of developments. It would be great to see a non-slip
alternative installed in place of the traditional metal-type cover
-
which as we all know can cause havoc particularly in wet or icy
conditions.
Luas
We have contacted Ger Hannon (Luas) and Hamid Foroughi (Design
Manager, RPA) regarding the design of the Luas stop at the Naas
Road/Bluebell junction. Copies of my letter to the RPA have also been
sent to Gay Mitchell, TD and David Maher of the Dublin Cycling
Campaign who may support us on this issue.
Road Hazards
When reporting a hazard involving debris, mud, oil etc on the road it
may be helpful to be aware of the appropriate legislation:
Roads Act, 1993
II 13 (10)
(a) A person who, without lawful authority or consent of a road
authority -
(iv) (I) places or deposits any material or thing on a public road,
(II) permits dung or urine from any animal owned by him or any
material or thing which falls from a vehicle owned or used by him, to
be left on a public road, or
(III) does any other thing such that the material, thing, dung or
urine or the doing of such thing is a hazard or potential hazard to
persons using a public road or obstructs or interferes with the safe
use of a public road or the maintenance of a public road, shall be
guilty of an offence.
VI 67 (2) (b)
"It shall be the duty of a person using a public road to take all
reasonable measures to avoid damage to property owned or used by him
or by any other person using the public road."
According to this same piece of legislation, the Local Authority may
remove the hazard and recover costs from the offending party.
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2. NATIONAL MOTORCYCLING EVENTS CALENDAR, 2004
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 2004.
October 2004
9th MAG Ireland's Annual Group Conference will be held this year at
the Commercial Rowing Club, Islandbridge, Dublin on Saturday the 9th
of October 2004 starting 1.30pm - we welcome as many members as are
able to attend - this is your organisation and we need your input,
please attend if you can.
16th - Falcon MCC - 9th Locked Solid Session to be held on Saturday
16th of October 2004 at the Saratoga Inn, Woodstown, Co. Waterford.
Contact Ted (087) 7927672 for more details. Thanking you in advance
19th Locality: Carrick on Shannon Contact Phone: Danny 086-6017449 or
Kenny 086-1531193Event Location: Leitrim / DonegalOther Information:
All welcome, EUR10 per person. All proceeds to Ann Marie and KynaEvent
Date: 19th September, 2004Event Description: Memorial Motorbike Run
for the late CONAN DUIGNANmeet 12.pm at Coffeys, Carrick on Shannon,
Co Leitrimvia. Drumshanbo, Enniskillen, Bundoran, Dromahair, approx.
100 miles
24th Name: mick rice Club: MAG WEXFORDLocality: WEXFORD Contact Phone:
08698173845 Event Location: WEXFORD Other Information: REGISTRATION
@9AM @WEXFORD GENERAL HOSPITAL VALID INSURANCE MUST BE PRODUCED.ALL
WELCOME AND TELL A FRIEND min.fee 20.00euro per person sponsorship
cards available Event Date: 24.october 2004 Event Description:
sponsored rideout in aid of childrens ward wexford hospital covering
120 miles all around wexford county. various stops and coffee breaks
finishing in farmers kitchen with music and fingerfood
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. Thanks
also to Aggie for information from the Bikers Bible. Details of any
additional /revised events should be advised to the MAG office
office@m... or directly to maglink@m...
MAG UK events can be seen online at the MAG UK website www.mag-
uk.org
BMF events www.bmf.co.uk
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3. MAG Calendar 2004
Board meetings
1st Wednesday every month, 7:30pm MAG Office, Dublin.
MAG Local Group meetings:-
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 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@g... 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 Ballycarney Inn,
Ballycarney, Co, Wexford, Co. Wexford from 8.30pm. A second meeting
also takes place on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, at a venue
announced at the previous Ballycarney meeting.
E&OE. Changes should be advised to the MAG office
office@m...
or Groad O'Byrne maglink@m...
Publication Deadlines - RoadRunner: February 15th, May 15th. August
15th, November 15th,
Letters and articles welcome, articles with pictures very welcome.
Send submissions roadrunner@m... or to RoadRunner c/o MAG
Office.
MAG 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.
MAG Products
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, 2001,2002,2003 Members' Metal Badges = ? 2.56 each
2004 MAG Enamel badge = ? 3.80 each
MAG embossed Leather Keyfob = ? 2.56 each
MAG Fleecies - ?35 - heavy gauge, navy, with "MAG Ireland"
embroidered on front.
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.
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.
MAG Contacts
MAG Board (Composed of elected and co-opted officers and responsible
for the day to day running of MAG)
Eoin Kirwan: Chairman, IT & Transport: 087 6166207 Mailto:
chair@m...
Linda O'Loideoin: Treasurer, Roadrunner Editor
mailto:roadrunner@m...
Jimmy Kenny: Product and Process Officer 01 4502330
Gearóid O Byrne: Local Groups Liaison & MAGlink
mailto:maglink@m...
David French: European Liaison, Safety Officer
mailto:davidfrench@m...
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 Donegal
Chair: Marty Boyle 087 - 6557414 martyboyle@u...
or magdonegal@y...
Or Michael McNulty mnulty@m...
MAG Dublin
Chair: Jimmy Kenny 01 - 4502330
MAG Limerick
Secretary - Alec Quinn. ajquinn@e...
Treasurer - Mark Hackett. haket@h...
NC Rep - Vinny White. vwhite@e...
PRO - Sharon Curtin. yamxv250@h...
Clubs liason officer - Karl Murphy. crashtestdummy@o...
Local Authority liason officer - John Mullin.
MAG North Tipperary and South Offaly
Paul O'Dwyer 086-2686091 froggieod@y...
Keith Lever kleaver@g...
MAG Cork
Chair - Ger Donnolly
Treasurer - Martin O'Driscoll martdris@g...
MAG Wexford
Chair - Martin Sills 087 - 6628595
Treasurer - Mick Rice sago@o...
Unelected local representatives invited to National Council meetings
by MAG Board - Leitrim - Christine Cann christinecann@e...
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 Liaison
Gearóid O'Byrne at maglink@m...
MAG Office
1b Ring Terrace, Inchicore, Dublin 8.
Tel: 01 453 0797
Fax: 01 453 3643
Karen Kiely: National Campaigns Officer - 086 8632444
roadrunner@m...
Liz Keane Office Assistant office@m...
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@m...
4. Disclaimer
MAGLink is provided free of charge as a service to motorcycling in
Ireland.
MAG Ireland cannot accept any responsibility or liability for any
errors or omissions
MAGLink end September 2004, compiled by Groad O Byrne
maglink@m...
(c) Copyright : MAG Ireland
LETTER RE BUSLANE ACCESS:
Attn: Project Manager
Quality Bus Network Project Office
4th Floor, MCI Worldcom Building
Erne Street Lower
Dublin 2
27th August 2004
Proposals for South Clondalkin Quality Bus Corridor
Dear Sir/Madam,
MAG Ireland (Irish Motorcyclist's Action Group) was set up in 1985 and
represents the interests of Ireland's almost 40,000 motorcyclists,
scooter and moped users. MAG Ireland is involved with various issues
of concern to Irish motorcyclists including road safety, training,
road conditions, technical harmonisation, motor tax, consumer issues
affecting riders, licensing and insurance.
For some time we have been making representations to government to
allow access by motorcyclists to bus lanes, in common with taxis and
cyclists. In a meeting last year, the Minister for Transport has told
us that we have made a strong case for this measure on both safety and
traffic management grounds and that he is considering the possibility
of such access being allowed when additional QBCs are opened.
As you may already be aware, mopeds, scooters and motorcycles (Powered
Two Wheelers or PTWs) are currently successfully sharing bus lanes in
European cities such Barcelona, Rome and Stockholm. In the UK, since
Bristol first introduced PTW access to bus lanes in 1995, Reading,
Bath, Birmingham, Colchester, Hull, Swindon, and the M4 have followed
suit. Trials are currently underway on London's A41 with two
further
pilot schemes to follow on the Brixton Road and on the A13.
Nearer to home, the Department of Regional Development Northern
Ireland opened a large number of bus lanes to PTWs on 1st June this
year. The scheme will take place on an experimental basis for a
period of eighteen months and will be reviewed at six months, twelve
months and again at the end of the eighteen month period when the
scheme will either be made permanent or discontinued.
The recently published report of the Motorcycle Accidents in Depth
Study (MAIDS) says that "PTWs continue to provide a valuable
contribution to mobility in Europe. Their relatively small size and
low cost enable them to blend efficiently into the traffic flow while
needing less space compared to other vehicles. However, PTW riders
form one of the most vulnerable groups of road users and road
accidents involving injuries to them are a major social concern. It
is therefore essential that all parties work together to understand
and further improve the safety of this valuable mode of
transport."
To summarise MAG Ireland's position on allowing motorcyclists to
share
bus lanes:
1. Safety
Motorcyclists, like cyclists and pedestrians have been identified as
vulnerable road users. In 75% of accidents involving a PTW and
another vehicle, the other vehicle is at fault. Motorcycle riders,
like cyclists are currently competing for road space in an
increasingly busy environment with much larger vehicles and are
further disadvantaged in adverse weather conditions or when road
surfaces are compromised.
2. Sharing Bus Lanes
Motorcycles, unlike other vehicles, can much more easily and
efficiently leave the bus lane and re-enter the traffic flow in other
lanes to allow emergency vehicles or buses to pass. Motorcyclists
share many of the problems experienced by cyclists, such as other
vehicles failure to give sufficient room when passing, vulnerability
to poor or slippery road surfaces and are usually more aware of the
vulnerabilities of this road user group than other road users may be.
3. Traffic Management & Environmental Issues.
Motorcycles are more energy efficient than single occupancy cars and
take up less roadspace and less parking space. In conjunction with an
integrated public transport system, they can make a valuable
contribution to reducing traffic congestion and should be encouraged
as an alternative to the private car.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the above,
Yours sincerely,
Karen Kiely
National Campaigns Officer.
MAG Ireland website: http://www.magireland.org