email the road here – theroad@mag-uk.org The editor reserves the right to edit for length and clarity


What is the progress and is there any chance in the near future of this menace being made illegal? Chris and Paul


Ed, Diesel spillages have always been illegal and MAG’s campaigning over many years has not only focussed attention on the issue but led to changes in law. The EU regulations controlling the construction of venting pipes on commercial vehicles were amended at our behest to reduce the chances of overflows from tanks where the contents expanded in warm weather after filling. There remains an issue of unfastened filler


caps and MAG continues to campaign for ignition cut out switches to prevent engines from being started while caps are undone.


Hi Viz advice Hi-viz makes little difference. Vehicles must show lights after dark but I see little point in daytime light. Hi-viz may be visible a mile away, but it is impossible to collide with a vehicle a mile away. What matters is that a bike is seen by drivers close enough to collide.


Modern cars have wide front pillars to support the roof, while the driver’s view to the side is often restricted by the centre pillars and head restraints. Restrictions on vision from vans and HGVs is even worse. In addition, bikes are often concealed by other vehicles, with only riders’ heads being visible above car roofs. Lots of riders complain of drivers turning


right without looking when referring to cars they have been trying to overtake. That’s as maybe but accepted good practice is to look at mirrors every ten seconds. In ten seconds a bike could travel 400 ft at around 30mph. So follow the Highway Code (editions pre


2007 said do not overtake near a side road – advice that has now been dropped for some reason). If about to overtake, look into the mirror of


the vehicle you plan to overtake. If you can’t see the driver's eyes, he can’t see you. Mike Baker


Sexual equality in insurance In reply to your star letter from Richy Freeman; I have no problem flying in the face of hundreds of years of anything. Sometimes change is needed. It just isn’t acceptable in the 21st century for a commercial company to charge me more for the same product because I’m male. While Richy’s experience in Qatar is


interesting, (in Qatar premiums are dependent only on the vehicle not the driver’s record), I don’t see it as particularly relevant nor would I support such measures in the UK. I really hope my insurance company does


take my experience, lack of claims, MAG membership and excellent riding skills into consideration when I get my renewal quote. I also hope those considerations won’t be wiped out completely because I am male. That is all I’m wishing for and I was very careful when I wished it. Simon Way, IOWMAG


Ed, Yet you don’t want insurance companies to take a woman’s gender into account, even though it is an important factor in assessing the probability of a claim. Insurance companies base pemiums on experience. Tail gating Reading Martyn Boyd’s account of the bus driver so close to his rear wheel sent shivers down my spine. Two weeks ago we were riding along a similar 40mph dual carriageway when the rear suspension collapsed, providing a stopping distance even the best bike braking system would struggle to achieve. Had that bus been on our tail we’d have now been in hospital or an urn. Graham Russell


MAG’s teaching role Does MAG see itself as having a teaching role?


Almost all pupils at secondary schools will


learn to drive either while still at school or soon after leaving.There is no provision in schools for teaching the joys and dangers of driving or riding in traffic. As far as I am aware, in driving instruction


and the tests, the necessity for showing consideration to others is not covered. I wonder if an illustrated talk along the following lines might improve things?


l What the difference is between passing the test and driving/riding on the road. l The exhilaration and satisfaction in driving/riding well. lThe dangers of showing off to passengers. l The likelihood of young folks having an accident.


Is this an area of any interest to MAG? Peter Bolton


Ed, MAG has long since assumed a role for enhancing road safety through education as


an alternative to legislation. MAG helped launch Bikesafe and has been involved in countless discussions on road safety via meetings with the Department for Transport and associated bodies. Kevin Williams’ column, ‘Staying Alive,’ in this magazine illustrates our commitment to reducing accidents. Road safety is not MAG’s prime role however. We are a rights organisation committed to protecting the freedom of motorcycling but we take road safety seriously and promote tactics to enhance rider safety that do not conflict with our core philosophy.


Double whammy of pain I was glad to read of the improvement to the MAG recovery deal reported in The ROAD. I have used MAG’s worldwide travel insurance for a number of years now, as it has proved to be the most competitive and can cover unlimited mileage trips of up to 62 days duration. Unfortunately I can no longer get this


policy as Rock Insurance Services, who administer the policy, will not cover anyone who has made a claim in the last three years. I had my locked bike stolen from a locked


garage in February and so am not eligible. Not only have I suffered a great loss with


the bike and had to fork out more money for a replacement but I cannot benefit from a decent travel insurance policy. Would you look into negotiating a better


travel insurance policy that will enable those of us who, for no fault of our own, have had to make a claim in recent years. It would be much appreciated. Chris Thistlethwaite


Reply from Rock Insurance Services Rock Insurance Services Limited strives to offer products that are tailored to meet the needs of our customers. MAG Travel’s speciality is motorcycles and therefore it is important that the motorcycle upgrade offered within our travel insurance policy meets the needs of these customers. We are aware that some MAG Travel


members have found it difficult to take out the motorcycle upgrade because they have had a motor claim within the last 3 years. We understand that in some instances the claim does not arise from the fault of the member but of a third party. We agree that where the fault is confirmed to be with a third party, it does not seem fair to penalise our customers. Rock Insurance is always looking to improve our products and provide fairness


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