Riding Tips With Rob Cooper Eastham Ferry Hotel Ferry Road Eastham CH62 0AU
Issue No 204
April 2015
W I R R A L A D VA N C E D M O TO R C Y C L I S T S Group Council 2015-2016 Web Site
IAM Group 5115 http://www.w-a-m.co.uk
Chairman
Tim Brown
chairman@w-a-m.co.uk
Vice Chairman
Ken Smith
vicechairman@w-a-m.co.uk
Honorary Treasurer
Lindsay Boston
treasurer@w-a-m.co.uk
Membership
Nina Jeffries
membership@w-a-m.co.uk
Associate Coordinator
Rob D’Cruze
associatecoordinator@w-a-m.co.uk
Chief Observer
Mike Boston
chiefobserver@w-a-m.co.uk
Honorary Secretary
Rob Cooper 0151 648 4503
secretary@w-a-m.co.uk
Events Organiser
Dave Spotswood events@w-a-m.co.uk
Newsletter Editor & WebMeister
Peter Lovatt
Minute Secretary
position vacant
Group Shop
Martin Titley 0151 632 3570
groupshop@w-a-m.co.uk
Gift Aid Coordinator
Rob D’Cruze
giftaid@w-a-m.co.uk
Ride Out Coordinator
Rob Tutchings
rideouts@w-a-m.co.uk
newsletter@w-a-m.co.uk
Other Council members Nicole Rigby Carl Mason Cliff Evans Derek Jeffries Graeme Thow Steve Lord
MAGAZINE TEAM:
CONTACT WAM
Editor: Peter Lovatt
Rob Cooper Coopers Upholstery The Old Bank Everton Valley Liverpool L5 0RH
Duplication: C3 Imaging, Liverpool Distribution: The Post Office! 2
It’s been a bit busy in the last few weeks, The FLC’s have started up for 2015, with the fist one kicking off in March. There has also been a WAM Observer Day - see pic in back of the mag - and there have been the March Club Night with IAM Examiner, and Dragon Moto Tour specialist, Geraint Hughes with wife Jan. The March club night was the busiest one I have ever seen, with the room being packed out with WAM people and also guests from other bike groups, most notably South Cheshire Adv. m/c group, where a few weeks earlier, a small group of us had attended their club night
at Winsford, where Geraint had shown the ‘part 1’ of his reading the road talks. As usual, it was a very interesting and informative talk, and as the adage goes, you never stop learning. Really some good tips where picked up on the night. Geraint also presented the IAM Test Pass certificate to Richard Lee on the night. Also if you haven’t renewed your WAM membership, there is the renewal form in this magazine. See you all out and about Pete 3
WIRRAL ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS
Diary of Events www.w-a-m.co.uk *************************
April
14th Club Night - Rob Cooper - riding tips and tricks *************************
May 12th Club Night - to be confirmed *************************
This is the link for the WAM Official Forum, set up for Members of Wirral Advanced Motorcyclists ONLY. It is a forum for Associates, Observers, and members of WAM to discuss Official Group Rides out, riding techniques, FLC matters, and similar topics. To join you MUST give your name and Postcode when you Subscribe. Group name: WAMOfficialForum Group home page: http:// uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/WAMOfficialForum Subscribe: to subscribe to the group send a BLANK email to WAMOfficialForum-subscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk Unsubscribe: to UNsubscribe to the group send a BLANK email to WAMOfficialForum-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk Once your submission has been approved, you can then post emails.
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Snowdonia / Criccieth Sunday 12th April 2015, 9.30am. IAM Wirral Group (5115) are organising an official Club Ride Out in accordance with IAM Policy, (Medium Pace) starting at the Tudor Rose Car Park, Two Mills, Parkgate Rd, Wirral CH66 9PD.
The Briefing will be at 9.30am fuel.
Please be prompt with a full tank of
Wirral –Criccieth: TR, A540, TR A550, TR A494, and follow the A494 to Mold, TR A541 towards Denbigh, forking left onto A543 thro Denbigh & continue on A543 over the Moors to the A5, TR into Betws-y-Coed for morning coffee. Continue on the A5 to Capel Curig. TL A4086, TL A498 to Beddgelert, TR A4085, TL B4418, TL A487, TR B4411 into Cricciethby-the-Sea. Criccieth – Wirral: Exit east on the A497 onto A498, TR B4410, TL A487, TL A496, TR onto B4391 & cont through Ffestiniog to the B4407 & TL, then TR A5, TL B5105 to Ruthin and follow the A494 to Wirral. Having past Mold and Queensferry TL A550 and A540 to Two Mills and The Tudor Rose, Wirral for a head count. Please note: This a long distance ride. Each section taking 90 - 120 minutes. For I.A.M. Insurance reasons this Ride Out is for full members and Associates. This is also a great opportunity for non members wishing to join WAM. They are permitted one Official Group Organised ride out per year following an initial assessment, provided they are considering joining the IAM group to complete the Skills For Life Course! Anyone requiring to be Observed please bring it to the attention of one of the ride out team on the day. If numbers are large we may have to have more than one group in which case there will be one further group with a leader and sweeper. If the Snowdonia Winter snow arrives late we may consider changing the route on the day. The tail rider, nominated on the day by means of a short straw will be riding at the back looking after the rear of the group! If any other Full members are interested in leading another Group Organised Ride Out or have good ideas for future ride outs please contact: WAM Ride out co-ordinator: Rob Tutchings 07950 626622. Lead Rider. ©RT 1/15. 5
Congratulations!! At the recent WAM Observer Day at Cheshire Lines, Tim presented Observer Certificates to
George Pearson
Patrice Bodenes
Tim Holme
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Shiverpool - Liverpool Ghost Tour Back in February, some od WAM did one of the Ghost tours of Liverpool. We did the Hope Street and Cathedrals area. It turned out to be a cracking night with lots of humour. Some of the WAM members were up for a bit of fun, and Derek was ‘Degsy’ and Ken became ‘Dave’ when a volunteer was called for part way through the tour as Dave Spotswood decided to hang at the back of the group. Below, ‘Degsy’ helps out ‘Chilla Black’ - our tour guide in one of the many stops along the way. Scary!!! Thanks to Dave S for sorting it out.
Future Events 10th May, RAF Cosford. 14th June, Carsington Water and the Peak District. 19th July: destination to be confirmed. 23rd August: Elan Valley and Mid West Wales. 27th September, destination to be confirmed. 25th October, ditto. If there is enough interest in the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and Whitby then a route can be arranged !!
Bikesafe: Observers Day: Sunday 8th March, at Emergency Training Centre, East Street, Seacombe, CH41 1BY, as are all Bikesafe dates. 25th/26th April. 30th/31st May. 27th/28th June. 11th/12th July. 8th/9th August. 19th/20th September. 17th/18th October.
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2014 Official WAM Rides Revue: 23rd March Lake Vyrnwy, mid central Wales: The season kicked off with about a dozen WAM riders blowing out the winter cobwebs via Cheshire and North Shropshire into Central East Wales and into the hilly region to Lake Vyrnwy for lunch and then over the mountains to Bala and back to Wirral before it got dark. 27th April: RAF Cosford: This was a popular day out with lovely weather as we rode south past Shrewsbury to join the Telford equivalent of the Egg Run, and so we managed to mingle in with the 100’s of bikes all being escorted onto the RAF Airfield and Museum car park. One fantastic place for a wander round all the displays, and then the thundery rain was on cue as we left. One of the Museum’s attractions is this 1960’s English Electric Rolls Royce powered RAF Lightning Supersonic jet fighter pictured .
18th May: Brecon Beacons via Eppynt Ranges: This was a fairly long distance ride for my fellow Wirral riders, heading so far south over the normally deserted super smooth twisty tarmac roads of Eppynt, as pictured where I once navigated in many a car rally. The photo shows us admiring the views across Eppynt. We then went onto the Brecon Beacons National Park visitor centre near Brecon before heading back to Wirral. Again the weather was superb.
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22nd June: Carsington Water, via The Peak District and Chatsworth House. Over the hills and far away via The Cat and Fiddle and Buxton. The sun certainly shone down on this lovely midsummer ride. The picture says it all.
20th July: The Lake District: Rob d’Cruz led this ride from the meeting point on the M6. I had a plumbing emergency at home but I do understand those that went got a little wet !! 17th August: Yorkshire Dales: for the half a dozen or so of us that went, as always a thoroughly good days riding, albeit a little windy at the top of Hartside Summit on the A686 north east of Penrith, which as you all know is within sight of the Scottish border, but unlike last year we then headed south and eventually home. 28th September: The Elan Valley: This is always my favourite ride of the year, starting with a gentle sedate ride down into mid Wales and the A483 south of Newtown always gets everyone going. Then after lunch at the visitor centre near Rhayader, the valley roads we took over the mountains to Machynlleth via Devil’s Bridge are fantastic. After a late afternoon ice cream at Bala we all got back to Wirral by 9pm ish ! 19th October: Snowdonia and Criccieth: I was laid up with the lurgy and so the other lead riders of WAM helped out with a trip into North Wales and I think it rained. Never mind, it does usually do that in Wales. See you all in 2015, and we’ll do a lot of this again. Robin Tutchings. WAM Ride out co-ordinator.
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February 2015.
Social Ride Etiquette The WAM social ride etiquette is a set of rules that allows us to ride together in a group safely, without anyone getting lost, while allowing all members of the group to ride at their own pace. The following description may sound a bit complicated, but when you join a ride, you'll find that it is really easy to use. Removing all of the worry of keeping up, not getting lost, remembering the route, etc. really does allow you to relax, and helps to make our social rides so enjoyable.
First of all, remember the golden rule: RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE. Never do something you feel to be unsafe or inappropriate, no matter what other people may be doing. The person ahead of you may be a better rider, on a better bike or on better tyres. Conversely, they may be a worse rider, taking risks and making misjudgements. Always make your own decisions, don't just blindly follow the person ahead of you. It's your neck! The key to a good, safe social ride is two simple rules: No overtaking the leader When a junction isn't marked by a rider, follow the main road There are then three people in the convoy who keep things running smoothly: The leader The number two Tail-end Charlie The leader is responsible for route finding, and obviously goes at the front of the convoy. The number two stops at junctions where we turn off the main road and marks the turn for all the following riders. Tail-end Charlie stays at the back and 14
lets the number two rider know that everyone is through the junction. The person who is now behind the leader becomes the new number two. Nobody can get left behind because the leader will stop at a turn-off and wait for the next rider. The number two rider will wait for tail-end Charlie to make sure that everyone is still together. Nobody can get lost provided that they always stick to the main road except where otherwise directed. There's no need to ride close together because it doesn't matter if you lose sight of the person ahead of you.
You won't get stuck behind a slower rider because you can overtake anyone (providing you are safe & courteous) except the leader. Example: The convoy sets out down an A-road. The leader reaches a roundabout and indicates left onto a B-road. The leader will also signal for the number two rider to mark the junction. This signal is pointing to the ground. The leader makes the turn and the number two rider finds a safe, visible place to stop at the roundabout. All the other riders spot the number two and make the turn as indicated. The tail-end Charlie, who will be distinctively dressed (in pink), appears and the number two sets off, now second from the back.
WAM Observer Roll Call Here are most of the WAM Observers on the Observer Day at Cheshire Lines All say ‘Cheese!’
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DISCLAIMER:-
The articles published herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Institute of Advanced Motorists Ltd, or the Wirral Group of Advanced Motorcyclists. They are the opinions of individual contributors and are published with the view that free expression promotes discussion and interests. So you have been warned. Interested in doing the Advanced Car Test? Wirral Advanced Motorists are the people to see. Go to www.wirraliam.co.uk