Get reflective
04 Feb 2016
Reflective clothing and strips help in low-light circumstances. Twice I’ve acted for people that probably would have died had they not had reflectives on.
Know your enemy
28 Jan 2016
Try to predict driver behaviour at junctions. You can actually be exuberant in filtering through London’s West End and the City because drivers expect bikes to be there and will look in their mirrors (they know that if they don’t they’ll probably get one torn off).
Don’t surprise people
21 Jan 2016
If you’re in an area where you’re likely to come into conflict with other road users then move at a speed that is not significantly greater than the flow of traffic. The last thing you want is to surprise people.
Twinkle like a fairy
14 Jan 2016
Fairy lights that modulate at 300-400 flashes per second will be perceived as twinkling. That’s important because the movement draws the eye, increasing your visibility, but it won’t look like it’s flashing.
AJP240 Prize Draw Number w/c 8 January 2016
08 Jan 2016
The winning number is displayed on our website from 5pm every Friday and changes each week. The number(s) for the week commencing 8 January 2016
You cannot be too colourful
07 Jan 2016
I’m not a big fan of day-glo green (the typical lime yellow colour of most hi-vis items) because it’s so common.
Master the art of reverse camouflage
31 Dec 2015
Don’t dress like a sniper hiding his form. Evolutionary we are programmed to recognise the human form so staying visible is a matter of mastering the exact reverse of camouflage.
Shine a light. Shine lots of lights
24 Dec 2015
LEDs draw very low power but can make you appear much bigger at night.
Make some lateral movements
17 Dec 2015
The human eye struggles to perceive a small object coming towards it in a straight line, whereas moving from side to side greatly increases the chance of the eye picking it up.
Don’t put your faith in day-glo
10 Dec 2015
Does day-glo clothing help your visibility? The jury is out on this. There is mild evidence to suggest it may, and it certainly can’t do any harm…
Foreign Roundabout Claim
03 Dec 2015
Some spoon drove straight into me while I was on a roundabout in Swindon and smashed my leg to bits. Looks like surgery, metal work and about 18 months of rehabilitation for me. Nice one! Not.
The Dog’s Danglies
26 Nov 2015
I hate insurers. I have always wanted a Ducati 916 since it came out. After saving for years I bought one last summer. To say I was chuffed was an understatement. I “tricked it up” with some carbon cans, a carbon mudguard and a custom paint job. It looked the dog’s danglies.
When Tarmac turns brown, who’s to blame in an accident?
19 Nov 2015
I was riding along a suburban road in damp conditions. The road was lit by street lights. I started braking for a roundabout that I knew was there when I literally just slid off my bike.
They look, but they do not see
12 Nov 2015
Doing my job gives me an unusual perspective on how motorcycle accidents happen and if there is a common thread, it is car drivers failing to perceive motorcyclists.
Scrap Happy? Not Likely…
05 Nov 2015
My son, as a 16 year old, used to have a scooter which was registered in my name for insurance reasons – and also because my son is a bit of a numpty who won’t deal with any paperwork.
Be clear and honest with insurers
29 Oct 2015
Why does the company that provides my motorcycle insurance ask me if I carry a pillion, but my car insurer never asks me if I carry a passenger?
Insurance Diversion
22 Oct 2015
I decided to be a good Samaritan and leant my old Diversion to a ‘mate’ as he had binned his GSXR1000 on a track day. My ‘mate’ told me that he had insurance and I took him on face value. No problems I thought.
Construction site calamity
15 Oct 2015
I was riding on my new R1 past a building site when the front wheel just washed out from underneath me. Thereafter, it was a shiny R1 down the road, trashed kit and a broken arm.
