Anyone been recently?

I went along to the 'lecture' last night in Irvine.  Pretty
much as I expected. Traffic cop advising on observation,
cornering and overtaking. Advice on how to react if you
do get pulled.
Do not use "My bike overheats below 70 guv" or
"My mate got done for 120 here. Have I beat him?" or
"I was trying to get home before the drink took effect".

Seems those excuses don't work.  Neither does grovelling.

Paramedic with the horror pictures from accidents where
folk had been wearing the wrong kit (trainers, shorts, jeans
that sort of stuff).

They had a guy along who lost a leg in an accident in
'84 in Killie.  Well mangled during the accident, left leg
ripped off (but put back on and rebuilt using muscle
from his shoulders) right leg unsavable.  He a right go
at folk in the audience who were wearing jeans.

His smash was on the Bellfield roundabout while he was
pillion with his mate.  A speeding lorry ran into the back
of them, both flung off.  When he landed he realised he was
unhurt and started to get up the the lorry hit him again and
he attached to the underside of the lorry.

Must admit that this mornings ride was even more sedate
than usual.  

Signed up for the assessed ride too.  They even had a free
prize draw;

1st prize - a day's advanced training with CAM
2nd prize - £60 Argos vouchers
3rd prize - £40 Argos vouchers
4th price - Skid control course (in the cage-duh!) at Knockhill.

AND free biccies and juice.  

Barra

I haven't been along this year but I enjoyed last year's ride out with the coppers.

Is that bloke still using the joke about his hair in the picture.  :O

Yes indeedee.  I would guess the script hasn't changed in a long time  :buttrock:

B

you got to give them credit-they live on those bikes down here!
I know what T.C. means tho-when pressed by one of my team, the officer "instructing"  said just shut the f*ck up & do as you're told .
BTW i was passed last night (whilst observing an associate) by a bike cop with the blues n twos going-he was on a bloody harley ferchrist sake.we actually had to slow down to 70 so he could overtake-he maintained a steady 80 all the way to the accident-flat out no doubt.
i just hope they give them to all the traffic section in Northumbria-all our birthdays at once, they'l never catch us on those things  :D

I went for an observed run a while ago and it was a great morning out. The police knew what he was talking about and didn't make me feel like a prat when I got it wrong, which unfortunately, I did.  :blush:

Nice bloke as well. Its good to see the other side of the law for a while. It gave me a new respect for the police riders.

I suppose there are some who are better at explaining things than others and maybe I was just lucky.  :buttrock:

seems we're back to the practical/technical thing here again.
some folks are good at doing things but can't teach for toffee.
Others can do both
I've recently been asked to teach a few guys how to do computer artwork and tbh i'm sh***ting myself  about it.
I can do artwork nay bother but when it comes to teaching i haven't a clue where to start.
I'm sure the same applies to police riders it's one thing to live and breath bikes but a whole other story to try to put into words what comes as second nature.

Touch wood my experience of police bikers has always been good.  They tell you off or nick you but generally when you are being a tit.
As for matey getting his leg torn off - OUCH!!!!

Some police annoy me though.  This week at bentley bike meet they had their mobile ridesafe thing out and were siigning people up for assesed rides.  Trouble was that they had brought an unmarked mondeo with them which they parked right on top of the main crossroads and caused a blind spot to two of the three roads.  Cars and sh!t were being forced blindly out on the wrong side of the road with several near misses happening.  If that was my car or your car they'd have spat the dummy.  After some overloud moaning they moved it.  Funnily enough they moved along several bikes earlier for parking in a similar position saying it was dangerous.

Its the same down Butt road.  Everytime there's a police social on at the fortress they park their personal cars wherever they feel like - half on the kerb in the traffic light junction - fully on the pavement - in the slip road to the southway - all things they would nick me or you for.

Anyhoo, most traffic cops and especially the bike cops seem really sensible people to me and generally have a good atitude.

Im all for getting people to ride safer but Im in two minds over the whole wheeling out the injured to tell horror stories. My missus is an orthopaedic nurse and she has seen many many horrors involving car drivers/passengers and the number of footballers with horrendous breaks outnumbers injured bikers.  On the subject of that bloke with the horrendous leg injuries, from what you say Im not sure i can see how wearing leathers would have made much of a difference.

Talk about grisly - I helped lift a bloke into an ambulance once and his lower jaw and nose were missing due to him wearing a half face helmet and sliding up the road.  Another bloke I saw in ITU had only a stump at the ankle and no foot.  He'd been wearing trainers and the ambulance bloke told me there was a hundred yard long red 'skidmark' leading from the crash site to this blokes tattered stump.  Worst ive seen though was some unfortuneate geezer brought in dead to the mortuary ( i was portering at the time) and we had to help lift him onto a tray.  He had fork stanchions and bits of bike wheel and bits of speedo and chain sticking out from all over his body.
None of this seems to put me off riding though but it does make think before I go getting the 'red mist' and taking chances I know I needn't.

Nasty.

You're correct Zombie. I don't think anybody has asked that question straight out but one person sort of prodded at that suggestion the last time I was there.

The bloke did admit that leathers wouldn't have made a difference but that its important that folk realise that its important to wear them. He also gives a good and interesting presentation, so folk listen to what he says.

What happened to that bloke, could have happened to any pedestrian or even somebody getting out to check their car after a shunt. It hasn't put me off biking anyway.  As with others, I assume that'll never happen to me. So ignorance is bliss.