Enfield Council has launched a campaign in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police to tackle an 18% increase in the number of motorcycle and scooter riders injured on the borough’s roads.
The campaign poster features motorcycle instructor Rick Amos, who died in an accident in Luton in 2004, on his motorcycle.
Cllr Chris Bond, Enfield Council’s cabinet member for environment, said: "85 motorcycle or scooter riders were injured or killed in Enfield in 2010, an increase of nearly a fifth. The sad fact is that most of these accidents could have been avoided and we want to make our roads safer by encouraging motorists to take a closer look around them before carrying out a manoeuvre.”
I love you dad (Gary Normile). I have just seen this comment when typing in my dad’s name and it made me very emotional. This amazing dad passed away 2 years ago and seeing this, seeing his comment, just reminded what a caring, loving, selfless man he was and I am so proud to call him my dad. I remember my dad telling me about Rick and he had his picture on his wall and everytime I would see it my dad used to always remind me to look out for bikers that they can see you but you can’t always seen then. R.I.P to two very special people. I love you dad! Mupp xxx
Kirsty-Ann Normile Milton Keynes
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I just want to say that I can’t believe it’s 9 years since Rick left us. I am also a motorcycle instructor and knew him quite well. If this could happen to Rick who was a very careful, safe rider who had passed his knowledge on to many people it can happen to any one of us bikers. Please keep an eye out for bikers before you pull out or overtake as while I know there are a lot of idiot bikers giving us a bad name, do you really want a preventable death on your conscience? I will never forget Rick and I quietly say hi every time I pass the cemetery in Houghton Regis where he was laid to rest. If Mary’s THINK BIKE campaign saves just one life then I am sure that will help a tiny bit towards her grief. RIP Rick, you will never be forgotten.
Gary Normile. Dunstable
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Richard (Rick) Amos was a motorbike instructor direct access qualified returning from a successful test with a pupil on the Vandyke Rd Leighton Buzzard on his “right of way”, when a motorist pulled out turned right, then stopped across the road. Richard died at the collision site, the CPS prosecuted the motorist, the judge dismissed the case. Later on the family lawyer took out a civil case, it was settled out of court by the motorist’s insurers. Since then we have been involved in promoting road safety with “think bike” roundabouts, and “seeing bikers”and “take another look” with the help of Beds police and highways and local councils and road safety partnerships and press, tv and radio, everyone has been so good to us.
Since that awful day when our hearts were broken, how do you mend a broken heart, you can’t, you just have to carry on the best way you can, anyone that says it gets easier ,sadly we know it doesn’t.
So please look out for the bikers, they are someone’s loved one, just give them a chance to overtake, pull over a little to the left, it takes a few seconds out of your life but it saves theirs, by not forcing them to cross the white line, called white lining, into the oncoming traffic’s path. Bikers face a lot of hazards us motorists don’t, such potholes don’t hurt us but they can throw a biker off into the road, diesel another hazard, things being thrown into the biker’s way from motorist not intentionally to hurt anyone but it can. Please remember to indicate and check brake lights so bikers know which way your going and when you’re stopping, and when turning onto a right of way, please check once and then again, nobody would want to go through what we are going through. How do you mend a broken heart, you can’t…
Richard(Rick) was only 39 with 3 sons, and a motorbike instructor, it can happen to anyone on our roads so always “think bike” and “take another look “and be “seeing bikers” please.
Thank you, Richard’s(Rick’s) muvva.
mary amos cole.
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The Highway code does tell motorcyclists to look for vehicles emerging from junctions when in traffic queues and common sense would dictate not to overtake at, and on the approach to, junctions. Road users need to take primary responsibility for their own safety first and everyone else’s after that. The SMIDSY phenomenon is not new and it’s something riders should account for in their riding plan.
Dave, Leeds
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The Highway Code tells drivers at junctions to look to the nearside of approaching vehicles to make sure there are no bicycles or twv approaching. What it fails to do in respect of twv is to say further that one should, before pulling out, make sure it is safe by viewing what may be approaching on the offside of such vehicles and then to pull out slowly maintaining that view and to stop if a twv was approaching and give way to it. That should be included in the Highway Code it is not at present. A further one second stopped and to look again and actually see what is approaching and to mentally make note of same would stop a lot of accidents happening [ smidsy]. A lot of driver look but don’t see, I know I have done it myself.
bob craven Lancs
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