Somerset Road Safety and Avon and Somerset Police are urging all road users to take longer to look for bikes during Ride to Work Week.
The Council’s road safety team and the police will be talking to motorcyclists in Cheddar on Sunday 24th June to offer advice, discuss further training opportunities, and havefor a cup of tea and a chat as part of Ride to Work Week.
Ride to Work Week (18th to 24th June) is an annual event aimed at promoting the benefits of riding a motorcycle or moped to work instead of using the car. Some of those benefits include:
- A stress free commute: commuting surveys show that in general motorcyclists report a higher level of happiness about their commute than other road user types.
- Spending less time stuck in traffic: on average drivers in the UK spend 32 hours a year stuck in traffic, whereas riders, who are able to filter through traffic, don’t!
- Easier to park: due to their small size it’s easier to find a parking spot.
The benefits of riding to work are advantageous to all road users, not just bikers. It’s been estimated that if just 10% of drivers switched to a motorcycle or bicycle then congestion would be reduced by a massive 40%, and parking spaces would increase by 20% as 3 motorcycles/scooters can fit in to the same size parking space as 1 car.
If you’re planning on commuting to work by bike or if it’s something you already do on a regular basis, wearing a good quality set of leathers and a SHARP rated helmet will go a long way to help keep you safe. It’s also worth doing some basic safety checks to ensure your bike is fit to ride before starting your journey.
Drivers should remember to look out for more vulnerable road users, like bikers, our top tips for keeping bikers safe are as follows:
- Always check mirrors/blind spots on your vehicle before manoeuvring: don’t be another SMIDSY ‘sorry mate I didn’t see you’!
- Remember bikers will filter between vehicles, a perfectly legal manoeuvre, so check carefully if you’re stuck in slow moving traffic.
- Take a second glance before pulling out at a junction.
- Think bike!
Councillor John Woodman, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “The County Council works in partnership with the emergency services to offer training and advice to road users, such as motorcyclists, on how to stay safe on the roads. Whether you’re an experienced rider or have only just passed your test I would recommend speaking with a member of the road safety team to find out what advice and training they have to offer. Remember that a trained rider is a safer rider.”
For more information and advice on road safety visit: www.somersetroadsafety.org
For more information on ride to work week visit: www.ridetoworkweek.co.uk
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