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release date: 4th August 2004 | number: PR136 |
PR136: Wide Support for
Windscreen Pillar Revelations
News: for immediate release.
A joint press release between Bike Magazine
and Safe Speed.
Recently Safe Speed and Bike magazine joined
forces to highlight a forgotten road safety issue. In an article published
in the September 2004 issue of Bike magazine it is revealed that many road
accidents may be caused when drivers fail to see other road users who are
momentarily obscured by windscreen pillars.
Rich Beach, news editor of Bike magazine said: "Before the magazine had even hit the shelves, we started receiving responses, from bikers, from car drivers who recognise the problem and from safety experts who support our work. We've started something big here, but we must ensure the public - not just motorcyclists - learn about the dangers of screen pillar blind spots immediately - every road user is at risk. The next step is to get the Department for Transport to air an educational campaign on television and get the message out there. There is greater potential to cut road deaths and pedestrian casualties by making drivers aware of their reduced vision, than by making us all watch our speedos."
"It was great working with Bike Magazine to highlight this important issue. The most important thing we can do is to ensure that all road users understand the danger."
"Car manufacturers should do all they can to minimise blind spots caused by A-pillars. But drivers must also take the time to look properly at junctions and move their heads so they can see into any blind spot created by the A-pillar to make sure there isn't another vehicle or two wheeler hidden from their first glance."
"Bike's article is timely given increased motorcycle safety concerns. MCI has long suspected that the screen pillar issue is one which needs attention drawn to it and are glad that PACTS and others share the same view. Jeff Stone, Spokesman for the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) said: "'Looked but failed to see' has been shown to be a major cause of car/bike collisions and BIKE's investigation has unearthed what is probably a major part of the problem.
Notes for editors
See earlier press release:
See much more detail on this web site:
See the bike magazine article:
Covershot of Bike Magazine September issue:
SMIDSY.ORG.UK is a web site within Safe
Speed set up some time ago to highlight this specific problem. http://www.smidsy.org.uk
For more information contact:
Paul Smith, of Safe Speed is available for interview, telephone 01862 832000/07799 045553 email psmith@safespeed.org.uk For more information on Safe Speed log on to www.safespeed.org.uk Genevieve Potter, PR Manager, emap Automotive 01733 468524/07703 128108 email genevieve.potter@emap.com Adam Duckworth, publisher for Bike magazine
is available for interview, telephone 01733 468862 mobile 07881 500506
/ mobile email adam.duckworth@emap.com
About Bike magazine:- Bike magazine is the UK's biggest selling motorcycle monthly magazine with a circulation of 100,093 (abc Jan-Dec 2003) Bike magazine is published by emap Automotive emap Automotive is the UK's leading car and bike media company and aspires to be the world's biggest and best. The business encompasses magazines, websites, major shows and conferences, across consumer and business to business markets. emap Consumer Media comprises the majority of the company's consumer magazine portfolio in the UK and overseas, with the exception of France. Over 70 titles in the UK, many with market leading positions serve the motoring (emap Automotive), special interest (emap Active), women's and youth (emap Elan), women's weeklies (emap Entertainment) and men's lifestyle and style (emap East) markets. FHM and all its businesses - UK and International - is now a division in its own right within eCM and publishes editions in 20 countries, including the UK, France, Australia and the US. emap plc is one of the UK's leading media companies. emap plc leads the marketplace with a strong portfolio of over 400 products including FHM, Kiss, Heat, Nursing Times, Health Service Journal, Spring Fair, MaxPower, Kerrang! and Smash Hits!. It owns and develops leading edge brands in radio, TV, consumer magazines and B2B (magazines, conferences and exhibitions) in the UK, France and around the world. If you want more information about emap
log onto http://www.emap.com
About Safe Speed The Safe Speed road safety campaign is primarily the work of engineer-turned road safety analyst Paul Smith. Since setting up Safe Speed in 2001, Paul Smith, 49, an advanced motorist and road safety enthusiast, and a professional engineer of 25 years UK experience, has carried out about 5,000 hours of research into the overall effects of speed camera policy on UK road safety. We believe that this is more work in more detail than anything carried out by any other organisation. Paul's surprising conclusion is that overall speed cameras make our roads more dangerous. Paul has identified and reported a number of major flaws and false assumptions in the claims made for speed cameras, and the whole "speed kills" system of road safety. The inescapable conclusion is that we should urgently return to the excellent road safety policies that gave us in the UK the safest roads in the World in the first place. Safe Speed does not campaign against speed
limits or appropriate enforcement of motoring laws, but argues vigorously
that automated speed enforcement is neither safe nor appropriate.
Contact Safe Speed: web: http://www.safespeed.org.uk
We are available for press and media interviews. |