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National & Regional News 2008 Updated news can be found on the main MAG UK website at www.mag-uk.org News Headlines 2008
Issued 13th March 2008 Salary Negotiable - Office Based
Job Description, Personal Specification and Presentation Task for interview are available from MAG Central Office
Issued 12th March 2008 Original Source www.mag-uk.org
Issued 5th March 2008
Issued 4th March 2008 The Motorcycle Action Group safeguards the future of motorcycling with practical recommendations to the Parliamentary Transport Select Committee. The Parliamentary Transport Select Committee, chaired by the Honourable Gwyneth Dunwoody MP, is to hold a review of road safety and has invited interested parties to submit evidence. The review is likely to take place in either March or April and will consider what more can be done between now and 2010 when the current targets end, and what considerations should be made for beyond 2010. MAG Campaigns Manager, David Short, says, "It is vitally important for motorcycling interests to be represented at the committee. We are vulnerable road users and feature too highly in the casualty rates but we must ensure that measures to promote safety do not disadvantage motorcyclists based on misinformation." Original Source www.mag-uk.org
Issued 3rd March 2008
10 Lucky winners will receive a pair of tickets for, Into the Valley - Farmyard Party - Ganton Gathering and last but not least the Yorkshire Pudding Rally All you have to do is answer one easy question about MAG’s premier event and Europe’s largest motorcycle only rally, the one and only Farmyard Party. The other excellent bike only events are Into the Valley, Ganton Gathering and the Yorkshire Pudding Rally. Any of you Farmyard mentalists may well know the answer but for those of you that don’t, it can be found on the Farmyard website History Page @ www.farmyardparty.com The competition kicks off on the 3rd of March and all competition entries must be received by the end of the 31st of March 2008. All 10 winners will be notified personally by the 5th of April 2008. Anyone can enter the competition but all winners must be aware that our events are strictly bike and trike only. All tickets issued will be subject to the usual terms and conditions of entry. Now the good bit! At which of the following venues has the Farmyard Party NOT been held. a) Castle Howard b) Cat Babbleton Farm c) Pickering Show Ground d) Sledmere House Answer a,b,c or d To enter the competition Click Here Original Source www.mag-uk.org February
Issued 19th February 2008
It is well known that over time some manhole cover surfaces become smooth and polished and if wet, very slippery, but thanks to the work undertaken by the National Motorcycle Council i.e. The British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF), Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers (IHIE), Motor Cycle Industry Association MCIA, Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) RAC Foundation and Devon County Council, the UK committee working on the revision of European Standard EN124 have agreed unanimously to recommend a minimum ‘polished skid resistance value for manhole covers'. Original Source www.mag-uk.org
Issued 14th February 2008 The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) challenged figures released in a recent Parliamentary Committee of Public Accounts report which suggested that motorcycle VED evasion rates were as high as 40%. This headline grabbing figure was picked up by the national media which portrayed motorcyclists as habitual law breakers and VED duty evaders. MAG challenge the claim which it describes as irresponsible in stereotyping motorcyclists as law breakers. Original Source www.mag-uk.org
Issued 14th February 2008 MAG members seeking a mortgage in the current credit squeeze can now benefit from a blinding new offer. West Riding Personal Financial Solutions Limited - Motto "Honest Advice in Plain English" - is totally waiving its normal £295 mortgage arrangement fee for MAG members and MAG members only. Based in Castleford, West Yorkshire, Independent Financial Adviser West Riding offers advice on mortgages, life assurance, pensions and investments throughout the UK. Whether you are a first time buyer trying to get on the property ladder, or need to remortgage to save money and buy that Blackbird you’d promised yourself, ring West Riding on 01977 808600 or email advisors@wrpfs.com and quote your MAG Membership Number. Not a MAG member yet? Ring FREE 0800 988 3190, tell them you’d always meant to join and now you’ve seen the light. Individual membership is just £20pa. On line joining facility www.mag-uk.org Original Source www.mag-uk.org
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) are proud to have helped negotiate free passage for bikers at the Dartford Crossing, an arrangement that has been in place for a number of years now. However, bikers still encounter problems through a lack of understanding of how to negotiate the toll barriers. In some instances bikers have narrowly missed injury and sustained damage to their machines by going through at the wrong time. On other occasions following car drivers have had barriers drop on their vehicles. South East MAG Rep Stu Chivers heard about the problem when he attended a Dartford Tunnel user group forum and decided to take it on as a local campaign. Stu, supported by MAG campaigns manager David Short, worked with the Dartford Tunnel and the Highways Agency to produce the leaflet. 1. View the leaflet 2. Lis Seymour, Highways Agency can be contacted on 01306 878436 Original Source www.mag-uk.org
Book now for the Empire Leicester Square Now at the Empire Leicester Square for a second week - 15th - 16th February at 10.45pm. You can also catch Freebird at cinemas across the UK as it goes into its 2nd week of release. More cinemas to be announced soon. www.freebirdmovie.com for cinema listings and info. Spread the Word, Freebird. Original Source www.mag-uk.org
Issued 5th February 2008
Hans Petter replaces Kees Meijer, who after five successful years (2003-2008) as FEMA’s President decided to step down from the position. He leaves with the belief that FEMA is evolving in the right direction and is confident regarding FEMA’s future. He has a clear vision for FEMA’s future: “I see FEMA as a strong, economically independent and highly respected organization not only recognized by its professionalism - as is already the case - but also with a strong support from European motorcyclists. Strong national associations are the best foundation onto which FEMA must be further built. I hope - in short - that FEMA will further prosper through strong national organizations.” 1. The full interview of Hans Petter Strifeldt is available at the following link: Here 2. Please also note that the second part of "FEMA History" is now online: Here Original Source www.fema.ridersrights.org
Issued 4th February 2008 The Motorcycle Action Group, (MAG UK), is very concerned that the safety of vulnerable road users is being put at risk by the procrastination of London’s Mayor Ken Livingstone and the blocking by the Mayor’s office of the publication of the ‘Transport for London PTW in Bus Lane Study’. The report was completed in April 2007 and was first due to be published in October 2007, then January 2008. It has still to be released. The study looked in detail at the effects of allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes on certain streets in the Capital and has proved conclusively that there are significant net road safety benefits for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and bus passengers. The study showed that despite concerns by cycling groups that cyclists would be put in danger the results showed that cyclist collisions reduced by 39%, motorcycle collisions reduced by 44% and pedestrians by 24%. David Short, MAG Campaigns Manager says," The blocking of this report and the subsequent delays in introducing proven road safety measures for vulnerable road users is inexcusable." Original Source www.mag-uk.org January
Issued 25th January 2008 The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) have expressed their serious concerns to the Home Office regarding their proposals to increase, by almost 300%, the statutory charges for the removal, storage and disposal of motorcycles by the police. Under the current arrangements the police can charge £105 for the recovery of a motorcycle considered to be abandoned illegally, dangerously or obstructively parked, or broken down. They can then charge up to £12 a day for storage until the motorcycle is reclaimed by its rightful owner. Under new Home Office proposals bikers would be charged £300 for the recovery of the machine and £15 per day storage. This will not only affect riders involved in road crashes but will also affect those who have had their motorcycle stolen and subsequently recovered, adding to the misery, cost and inconvenience to the owner. This also applies to bikers who have been involved in road crashes and who have not had the opportunity to make their own arrangements to recover their crashed bike" MAG will be making the strongest representations to have these proposed rip off charges consigned to the bin Original Source www.mag-uk.org
FREEBIRD – riding into cinemas on Friday, 1st February ‘The best biker movie since Easy Rider’ (The Sun) Freebird, the new British comedy from the makers of Layer Cake and starring Phil Daniels (Quadrophenia), opens up and down the country on Friday, 1st February and we promise you,
Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) believes motorcycling is about freedom of expression, camaraderie, friendship and fun. For all these reasons, MAG is promoting Freebird and urges all its members to show their support for the film and join their nearest Hein Gericke rideout on Saturday, 2nd February. To find out where the film is showing near you, visit: www.freebirdmovie.com Download details as a pdf Here View MAG's review of Freebird Here Original Source www.mag-uk.org
Issued 23rd January 2008 The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) remain sceptical of the claim in a recent report that 40% of bikers evade paying VED. Anecdotal visual studies carried out by the group at motorcycle events do not reflect anything remotely like this level of non compliance. Unfortunately the media has jumped on this unreliable and suspect headline figure to brand motorcyclists as law breakers. The report, from the House of Commons, Committee of Public Accounts, itself acknowledges that the methodology used to capture the data is suspect. Original Source www.mag-uk.org
Issued 16th January 2008
Nowhere in the world has anyone made such exceptional sacrifices in the name of bikers' freedoms. A former army dispatch rider fighting for freedom in WW2, Fred was incensed by the compulsory helmet law. He rode everywhere in an old beret, collecting hundreds of tickets. Fred's refusal to pay the fines for helmet-less riding led to 31 jail sentences. Whether the helmet issue is important to you or not, we all owe it, not only to Fred but to ourselves, to sustain a ceaseless call for the reform of this outrageous legislation MAG is not and never has been anti-helmet. List of Fred Hill Runs Here Original Source www.mag-uk.org
Issued 15th January 2008
Does this film show bikers in a positive light as responsible citizens employing a socially acceptable transport mode in a manner designed to address 21st century congestion and mobility issues? Errr not quite. Actually it parodies every negative stereotype from the worst of the 70s New English Library catalogue of conflict and excess. There's even a seven foot simpleton in a wrestler mask and a thug with a four clawed mace who rides his Triumph without a helmet, it's anarchy Jim and just how we love it. This ain't a serious movie. If that hasn't sunk in by the time the mushroom-induced slow riding contest unfolds then you've missed the point. On release from 1st February 2008. Original review by Ian Mutch - The Road MAG Members magazine Click Here View the Freebird trailer and find out about the film - includes: behind the scenes trailer - cast & crew - film synopsis - news - where you can see the film at www.freebirdmovie.com Original Source www.mag-uk.org
Issued 10th January 2008
The Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations is very proud to announce its 20th Anniversary. 2008 marks 20 years of pro-active lobbying in Brussels and in Geneva and will be celebrated with a series of events throughout the year. Reducing congestion, pollution and accidents while at the same time increasing mobility is one of Europe's main challenges. The use of Powered Two-Wheelers clearly offers major advantages to the transport mix as well as solutions to many of the transport problems faced by EU Member States. Recognition of their positive contribution has been one of FEMA members' main reasons for creating the Federation in 1988. 20 years later, promoting fairer and appropriate legislation for motorcyclists remains FEMA's main task. The detailed programme and additional information are available on FEMA 20th Anniversary dedicated web space www.fema.ridersrights.org/20years Original Source www.fema.ridersrights.org
Issued 9th January 2008 Original Source www.mag-uk.org |
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As crazy as it may sound we are giving away nearly £2000 worth of tickets to our 4 events!
Carriageway manhole covers, especially on bends, can present a potentially lethal danger to motorcyclists but this could all change if revisions to the European Standard for them, proposed by the UK, is agreed. 
Issued 13th February 2008
Issued 7th February 2008 
The Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations (FEMA) warmly welcomes Hans Petter Strifeldt as its new President. The former Chairman of the Norsk Motorcykkel Union (NMCU) was unanimously elected by FEMA’s national members at their Annual General Meeting on Saturday 2 February.
KEEP YOUR SATURDAY (2nd FEB) AFTERNOON FREE!
Hein Gericke, Europe's leading motorcycle clothing and accessories retailer and the number one supporter of Freebird, has teamed up with the movie to organise rideouts from stores to cinemas and is offering all riders present the chance to win a signed movie poster.
