New meeting place -
Last night we had a vote and decided to move pub. From Tuesday 29th January
we'll be meeting at The Maypole pub (was The Dedworth Arms) in Dedworth
Windsor. Directions and map at http://www.wadmag.freeuk.com/wadmag.htm
New rep -
Rich kindly offered to be the rep!
Visit from Rick -
Rick visited us and I can remember two things he told us. Firstly, we've got
a new MAG group starting in Oxford. Secondly, there's actually going to be
the option to vote in a new MAG chairman/woman this year at the AGC.
First, it's the Fred Hill run this Saturday. Meet at the Maypole (our new meeting place) in Windsor between 10.30 and 11.00 for an 11 clock departure on this Saturday (9th Feb). We'll be going up to Oxford after meeting up with other groups near Newbury.
And, something I keep forgetting to send out. Luckily someone else sent it on a MAG mailing list so I can just cut & paste the message! -
Andy Suter,
Branch Rep,
Southampton MAG.
Latest News.
Motorcycle VED.
Please take the time to follow the link to http://www.mag-uk.org/action/ved_2001-12.html . DO THIS NOW!
The government had deigned to ask out opinion on Motorcycle VED (that's Road
Tax to you and me).
However, the way the questions are worded requires a bit of thought (the
sneaky sods). Have a read of the document on the MAG website and please make
a response. If you don't have web access, please mail me at
ved@southamptonmag.com and I will let you have a copy directly. Also feel
free to pass the above web link to all and sundry - the more people who know
about this the better. Thanks for you time.
Cheers
Peter
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter Smithson
> Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2002 9:45 PM
> To: Unlisted-recipients
> Subject: WADMAG newsletter 86
>
> Coming events:
>
> 19th February : vote on joining the TVC.
>
> ---
>
> Recent events:
>
> Some of us went on the Fred Hill run last weekend and a few of us went to the party afterwards.
>
> A few pics from the run here -
> http://www.wadmag.freeuk.com/reviews/misc2002.htm
>
> --
>
> Rich and I went to the Thames Valley Coalition meeting. We've really got to decide on this next
> week as they're going to start charging the 5 quid a month fee next time. So next Tuesday it will
> be put to the vote.
>
> ---
>
> Something from http://www.bikersweb.co.uk -
>
> MP ASKS POLICE TO HARASS BIKERS
> 12/2 - Michael Meacher Oldham MP and Environment Minister is angering bikers from all over the
> country as they are learning about a letter he has sent to Chief Police Officers in rural areas.
> Meacher wants to use the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to ban bikes from National Parks and
> Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. However he realises the difficulty of banning all bikes on a
> particular road and is therefore asking the police to use the existing legislation to harass bikers
> using these areas to the point where they won't bother going there.
>
> Meacher urges police chiefs in his letter "It therefore falls to you to continue to deal with the
> problems through enforcement of the legislation on speeding and dangerous driving, and I am writing
> to urge you to do so. I know that effective action has already been taken by some police forces and
> hope that the national roll-out of the new scheme for funding speed cameras in high-risk areas will
> help."
>
> Bikers agree that there is always minority that spoil it for the majority but the actual amount of
> bikers using the countryside in the summer who ride dangerously are extremely few and that we have
> every right to travel through there as have car drivers. Any irresponsible driver or biker should be
> dealt with appropriately but to single out one mode of transport for a blanket campaign is wrong. Mr
> Meacher is 61 years old and lists his hobbies as reading, sport and music, no-one knows where his
> hatred and biased opinion towards motorcycles has come from.
>
> Meacher is also pressing for the areas to be saturated with speed cameras using the new funding
> scheme. Confusing isn't it? On the one hand we have the Labour Government supposedly supporting
> bikes as a means of combating the traffic chaos in the cities. On the other we have them wanting to
> ban us from the countryside. What's it all about? Well Mr Meacher has been lobbied for some time now
> by groups such as the The United Kingdom Noise Association (UKNA), the National Society for Clean
> Air and Environmental Protection (NSCA) and the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE).
> Interestingly though a survey published by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) found car stereos to be
> the most hated source of noise among motorists. Of course it would be impossible to police car
> drivers with PA sized stereos in the boot of their souped-up escort so he's decided to pick on us as
> an easier target.
>
> What can we do about it? For a start let as many people as possible know what's going on, use our
> own pressure groups such as MAG and the BMF, write to your local MP, Council, Chief Police Officer
> and protest against this attempt to restrict our freedom of movement. Mr Meacher's contact details
> have also been printed below his letter at the bottom of this article for you to reply to him.
> The other thing we can do though is not to give people such as these fuel for their argument by
> having consideration for others when riding - don't cut car drivers up even if they are wobbling
> their caravan over the white line, throwing litter at you out of their windows or driving at 20 mph>
> on a straight piece of road especially if your endcan is noisier than their screaming brats or car
> stereo! To end on a brighter note at least some police forces do not agree with the approach being
> suggested by Mr Meacher and believe in a policy of education rather than exclusion.
>
> This is the letter that Michael Meacher sent to the police in January -
> "I am writing to you and to other Chief Police Officers with responsibility for all or parts of a
> National Park or Area of Outstanding Beauty (AONB), to seek your help in dealing with the growing
> problem of motorcycling on roads in these areas.
>
> The number of motorcyclists appears to be increasing and they are using ever more powerful machines
> at greater speeds. Road safety is the responsibility of the Department for Transport, Local
> Government and the Regions, but this Department is concerned about rural issues generally, and, in
> this case, about the impact not only on people living along the routes but also on visitors.
> National Parks and AONB's have been designated because of their importance for the nation as a whole
> and the activities of irresponsible motorcyclists can interfere with people's enjoyment of their
> beauty and other special qualities.
>
> While I recognise that motorcyclists cause problems elsewhere too, I am especially concerned about
> the designated areas because of their national importance and because their special qualities can
> make them particularly attractive to motorcyclists. I have looked at whether any action specific to
> National Parks and AONB's might be taken. Under s.22 of the 1984 Road Traffic Regulation Act (as
> amended by s.66 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000), local authorities can regulate
> traffic by means of traffic regulation orders in special areas of the countryside. Such an order
> could be used to prevent the use of roads by certain types of vehicle where they cause damage or
> danger. However, I am advised that local authorities would need to justify their proposals and it is
> highly improbable that they could defend a ban on all motorcycles on a particular road.
>
> It therefore falls to you to continue to deal with the problems through enforcement of the
> legislation on speeding and dangerous driving, and I am writing to urge you to do so. I know that
> effective action has already been taken by some police forces and hope that the national roll-out of
> the new scheme for funding speed cameras in high-risk areas will help. National Park Authorities are
> those local authorities with responsibility for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty may be able to
> advise on the worst trouble-spots.
>
> I am copying this letter to David Jamieson, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Transport, and to Sue
> Essex, Environment Minister at the National Assembly for Wales, who has responsibility for National
> Parks and AONB's in Wales. Copies also go to Martin Fitton, Chief Executive of the Association of
> National Park Authorities and Mike Taylor, Secretary of the Association of Areas of Outstanding
> Natural Beauty.
>
> Yours sincerely
>
> Michael Meacher"
>
> If you would like to write to Mr Meacher to tell him that you do not approve of his course of action
> then please e-mail (helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk) the Dept of the Environment here. Alternatively you
> can write to him here - Michael Meacher, Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
> Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR or telephone: 020 7238 6000.
>
> If you live in Mr Meacher's consituency of Oldham even better as he is supposed to represent the
> views of his constituents and not his own personal agenda! e-mail (massonm@parliament.uk) his
> secretary Monica here. Or you can visit his offices at 110 Union Street, Oldham OL1 1DU or telephone
> 0161 626 5779.
>
> --
> http://www.wadmag.org.uk
>
Coming Events:
5th March : Thames Valley Coalition meeting. It's possible that Rich won't
attend our MAG meeting so that he can attend the TVC meeting.
12th March : Windsor MAG AGM.
---
Recent Events:
At a recent meeting we voted to join the Thames Valley coalition. Names of
MAG members have been collected so we can get membership cards soon.
