March2015

IAM Examiner Talk Reading the Road Eastham Ferry Hotel Ferry Road Eastham CH62 0AU

Issue No 203

March 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!

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Welcome to the March edition of the WAM newsletter and we are now post WAM AGM, if you look at the list of council members on the list there are some subtle changes. Rob D’Cruze is now taking over from Derek, and two member are new to the group council Graeme Thow and Steve Lord.

Also after about 25 years of taking the WAM minutes’ I’m retiring from the post of Minute Secretary, for a sabbatical. I just feel like a break. So inside this issue we have some pictures from the WAM AGM and some awards.

Tim and Rob on the top table at the AGM

So to this Month - we have Geraint Hughes doing his Reading the Road (part 2) presentation, which should be good. These talks are always very informative and educational, and sometimes an eye opener! So please attend if you can!

And before I forget, ‘Thank You’ for those WAM associates who acted as stooges to help the Observers doing the IMI tests in 2014. now to Rob Tutchings ride outs and Bikesafe details:Rideouts from The Tudor Rose : 22nd March, Lake Vyrnwy.

12th April, Cricceith.

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.

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.

And we have the renewal form for 2015 in this issue, if you have not already done so. See you out and about!

Pete

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WIRRAL ADVANCED MOTORCYCLISTS

Diary of Events www.w-a-m.co.uk *************************

March

10th Club Night - Geraint Hughes - Reading the Road *************************

April

14th 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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WAM OFFICIAL RIDE OUT Lake Vyrnwy, Mid Wales, Sunday 22nd March 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

Please be prompt with a full tank of fuel.

Route: Wirral – Lake Vyrnwy: TR, A540, TL A5117, TR A41 & cont to Waverton, TR towards Saighton and Aldford, TL B5130 via Farndon to A528, through Overton and then TR B5069 past Gobowen to the A5, TL A5, fork right A483, TR A495, TR B4396 to Abertridwr and the shores of Lake Vyrnwy for lunch.

Lake Vyrnwy – Wirral: Exit from the Café / lunch halt area and follow the lakeside road to left turn onto unclassified road over the hills to Pandy / Lake Bala.

Turn right onto A494 through Bala with the option of afternoon tea at the Rhug Café on the A5 and then A5, A494, A5104, A55, A494 to 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 Winter snow outstays it’s welcome the route may be changed 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.

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Accidents

No matter how hard you work at your riding, no matter how hard you concentrate, you are still a road user and by virtue of the fact, you may have an accident one day. There are some simple steps you can take to ensure that, if you do have an accident you will protect your interests.

First your protection. By definition an accident scene is a dangerous location! The most important person in the world is you, therefore protect yourself by protecting the scene. This can be by directing someone else to warn the approaching traffic, or by using what ever comes to hand to provide some early warning. Remember that the longer drivers have you in view then the less likely emergency action will be required by them. If you have lost control on a bend you have just found the exact location that people end up in when they have lost control. Don't worry about congested traffic, leave everything where it is, the more congested then the slower the traffic will be going past you. Your bike with headlight on parked facing the oncoming traffic is a good way of warning the traffic, if some elses car is available use it (think of it as an expensive road cone!). Ensure if you are in the road that you are wearing something that a myopic driver will see.

Once the scene is secure then think of the casualties. Assess what assistance you need numbers and severity of casualties. But most important of all where are you!

It sounds daft but under pressure people forget where they are, which towns they are between or which Motorway they are on. If you are not local ask some one who is, to summon the ambulance. First aid is a subject in itself, now is the time when you regret not learning more.

Once the dust has settled its time to think about the law. There are certain things which you MUST do when involved in an accident. You must stop. How long for?

Well, this is where it gets a bit like estimating the length of a piece of string. You are obliged to stop long enough for any interested parties to take your name, index number, the name and address of the owner of the bike and insurance details. If you have an accident and don't give any of the above you must report to the Police as soon as possible, and in any case within 24 hrs. The importance of making notes at the time cannot be over estimated. Let's take the usual scenario. You approach a junction and a car pulls out on you forcing you to drop the bike. Your first thought must be, "why the hell didn't I remember what those wonderful chaps at Rapid Training told me about the safety position." Here are some very important points: Exact location.

If you don't know where you are, then ask somebody. If you've got a map, then note the location. If you are out on a day run in the middle of nowhere there is a good chance that you won't be back this way for a long time, especially if the bike is in a heap on the verge.

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Time and date. Details of the other vehicle and driver. If he/she admits liability, make a record of what is said, word for word. That counts for a lot. The damage to the other vehicle. Even if you didn't hit him, he may use your accident to get some old damage fixed.

Witnesses.

A good witness is worth their weight in gold. If the accident is indeed the other driver's fault, get the witness details and be nice to them. If the unmentionable occurs and the accident is your fault, wave the witnesses on as quickly as possible before the other driver gets a chance to get their names and addresses!!!

Marks on the road.

These are very important. They show all sorts about the accident. If the road surface is in some way defective, record the fact. Pace out the lengths of any tyre marks or scratches.

Photographs.

Once again, a simple thing like a few snaps of the scene and the damage to the vehicles is worth a great deal. If the old idiot in the cloth cap has indeed pulled out of you from a junction, then simply take a picture of what he would have seen as he emerged. If there are road signs which he has ignored then lets have a picture. Likewise, if there are signs which are obscured by hedgerows then we need to have that recorded.

Groups.

If you are a Rapid 'graduate' then there is a good chance that you may be riding as a group on a day out, or "jolly" to use the full technical term. If one of the team falls off then make sure that one of the group takes the initiative and looks after the evidence gathering process. If the Police attend and its your fault then be careful what you say. Don't be rude but you shouldn't make statements when you are shocked. Seek some advice as soon as possible.

If you were to believe the press over the last year or two, then riding a motorcycle is as dangerous as juggling Roman Candles in a gunpowder factory. Yet intelligent people still buy and ride motorcycles despite the life expectancy of a mayfly! Well I have yet to see the press or TV run a story with a happy ending if they don't have to. So is at bad as that? Well yes and No but mainly NO. Yes of course bikes are dangerous but that is part of the appeal, do you see a sudden rise in the popularity of crochet or flower arranging? Fun! Yes that word that given the chance the powers that be would ban. Bikes are fun! There I have said it and the sky hasn't crashed down on me. We are into fun big style but we also want to live long and prosper, so reducing our risk while increasing the fun factor is the name of our game.

Reproduced from Rapid Training Web 11 Site www.rapidtraining.co.uk

Congratulations!

Dave Rees accepts his Qualified Observer Test certificate from Chairman Tim

Miles Seagar receives his IAM Test Pass Certificate from Chairman Tim

Paul Quinn also received his IAM Test Pass Certificate from Tim

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Additionally, Miles also received on the night a special award for being the best Associate in 2014 Tim awards the trophy to Miles

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Finally, last, but not least, Derek receives the special Gary Clarke Memorial Trophy from Rob in appreciation of all his hard work done in being the Associate Coordinator for the last three years.

As WAM is all about people passing the IAM Advanced Test, the Associate Coordinator roll is the vital core process of the club. So well done Derek!

And on the right is a Certificate of Appreciation which came to light at the AGM. It is a Thank You from IAM HQ for 30 years of dedicated service in the promotion and commitment in preparing people to the standard of the IAM test.

Very nice, so no slacking now, lets keep it up!

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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