The Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership (TVSRP) has revealed that it was behind a viral video about a ‘Crashproof motorbike’, which has attracted more than four million online views.
The viral film was created as part of the Safer Rider campaign to get more riders to take part in advanced training, in particular men in their mid 30s to early 40s due to high casualty rates in this age group.
Craig McAlpine, of TVSRP, said: “Our aim was to produce a video that encouraged people to discuss the attitudes and ability involved when riding a motorcycle, and for it to spread virally within the motorcycle community.
“Crashproof Motorbike achieved this and the comments we have seen on motorcycle forums demonstrate that the underlying message has been clear.
“Encouraging people to look into advanced riding skills is the key message we would like to push out via the Safer Rider website, and of course ultimately to reduce the number of casualties.”
TVSRP says the key message in the video is: “It doesn’t matter how good your bike is, a well trained rider is paramount.”
Inspector Bob Jarret, of Thames Valley Police, said: “Motorcyclists are still massively over represented in the casualty figures. Time and time again we are seeing the same mistakes as contributory factors in these collisions which could so easily be avoided.
“That’s why we are encouraging riders to get extra training and learn additional skills. Ultimately people will get more out of their riding and it will help them to stay safe.”
Click here to view the video, or for more information contact Dan Campsall on 01295 731812.
An excellent thought provoking video with a clear message that all the technology in the world will not save you unless you compliment it with roadcraft, hazard awareness and a good dose of self preservation. Well done TVSRP. Hard hitting and to the point.
David Short, Calderdale Road Safety team
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The message that TVSRP have purported to send has been negated by the inference that ‘technology’ can make us safer. It has little if anything to do with the bike, but everything to do with the reliance upon man made devices to make road users safer. Whilst seat belts and allegedly (it has never been proven over time) crash helmets save lives as their effects are to deaden the vital senses so necessary in assessing situations, we have become used to a culture that breeds the dumbing down of human intelligence, in exchange for the ‘intelligence’ of technology, and relying on ‘it’ to keep us safe. In this video it show a motorcyclist failing to do the very basic requirement of checking to see if the road is clear to enter. Would you allow your child to step into a busy road without looking? Yet tens of thousands of people do this very thing every day, often with narrow escapes. Parents pushing push-chairs; crossing unsafely; and drivers behaving inconsiderately.
Education is foremost in road safety, however, if this is an example of the TVSRP thinking, we might be safer without them.
Derek Reynolds, St Albans
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