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AVOID THE DEADLY DIESEL The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) continues its full support of the Kill Spills campaign. The campaign is being run by a group of riders for the safety of all road users and was kick-started by the death of a fellow rider (Lee Conner, aged 31) caused by a diesel spill in North Wales in October 2003. The main aims of the campaign are to raise public awareness and eventually make a real difference with possible changes to legislation and fuel tank/cap design, together with a programme of educating drivers and riders as to the dangers of diesel. A petition is currently running which will be handed in to the Government at the end of the summer. MAG''s Director of Public Affairs, Trevor Baird , says, ''MAG came on board with the campaign from the very start. The campaign has reinforced our own long-standing position on diesel spillages and has led MAG to produce thousands of diesel awareness stickers which will be placed on lorry diesel tanks and diesel pumps.'' The Killspills Team have some advice on spotting and dealing with diesel on the road. They advise to look out for diesel spills on roundabouts, junctions and other tight corners that will cause uncapped fuel tanks to slosh over. Any wet patch on a dry road is suspect and long dark lines should be avoided. Diesel is deadly, even on a dry road, and it does not evaporate. In the wet, look for rainbow colour patches on the road and stay alert for diesel''s distinctive smell, it''s as lethal as black ice in the wet, but takes far longer to disappear. REMEMBER, you can usually smell diesel BEFORE you can see it! Keep your eyes open and be aware of diesel black spots when you are out riding, such as roundabouts, junctions, bus stops, your favourite corner and roads near petrol stations. Remember, diesel can have you and your bike sliding down the tarmac in seconds, so always look ahead and avoid any suspicious looking patches on the road. When dealing with diesel, firstly, always try to steer around it. If you hit it, keep the bike as upright as possible, maintain a constant throttle and do NOT apply your brakes. If you are cornering, stand the bike up and run a little wider to the other side of the slick. Do everything on the bike smoothly, as you would on ice, and you can ride out the other side safely. Remember that there are likely to be more spillages further up the road, so keep a look out. Inform your local council of any spillages, they should get it dealt with immediately. MAG would also advise riders to search out extra training on advanced riding or assessment courses such as Bikesafe. Notes: More information on the campaign, on line petition and other safety information can be found at www.killspills.org.uk For further information please contact Steve Edwards (07958-876144) on steve@killspills.org.uk or Darren Bourne on dazb@killspills.org.uk
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