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THE KILLSPILLS ROAD SAFETY RALLY The KillSpills anti diesel spills pressure group are holding what is expected to be the largest road safety motorcycle rally London has ever seen. Five hundred to 1,000 bikes are expected to take part in the demonstration run from the Ace Café to the Palace of Westminster on the 11th September, rousing a lot of interest as they ride through central London, complete with Metropolitan Police escort ensuring that the rally’s progress goes un-interrupted – How often do you see 1,000 motorcycles of all types riding down the Mall, and through Trafalgar Square? We have the backing of Lembit Öpik MP- Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Motorcycling, Sir Richard Branson, Carl Fogarty and Ken Livingstone. A great photo opportunity will be available as the bikes park up at Millbank and the KillSpills team hand in their 10,000-signature petition along with their report into diesel spills (which provides the Government with a 7 point action plan to combat this danger) to Number 10 at 14.00 hours. KillSpills demand diesel free roads for the benefit of all road users. As the rally is being held on the 11th September, at 15.00 hours, a minutes silence will be held in remembrance of the victims of 9/11 – again this must be worth covering, the Americans would certainly appreciate this gesture. The Government has set targets to reduce accidents on our roads; KillSpills have identified some simple quick wins which if adopted by Government will start the statistics ball rolling in the right direction. Between 2000 and 2002 there were 618 motorcycle accidents as a direct result of diesel on our road. 104 of these were serious and 2 were fatal. After wet / damp roads, diesel on the road accounts for the greatest number of motorcycle accidents. A motorcyclist is almost twice as likely to be involved in a serious or fatal accident as a result of diesel on the road compared to ice! A motorcyclist also has a 30% greater chance of being killed on the road compared to drivers! Motorcycle accidents between 2000 and 2002 have cost society over £21 million. Diesel deposited on the road: Road users are generally not aware of the dangers spilt diesel pose until it’s too late that is. Some diesel users cram every last drop of fuel into their tank, thinking they are saving time and money, only to spew diesel on the road when the fuel sloshes around in their tank as they negotiate junctions, roundabouts and bends. The KillSpills rally is designed to be a fun day for all riders, showing the general public the caring and responsible side to motorcycling whilst delivering an important road safety message to the Government Spilling diesel should be as socially unacceptable as drink driving, DIEsel spills KILL! More details are available from: Stephen Edwards Campaign Leader e-mail steve@killspills.org.uk Tel 07958-876144 or KillSpills Fact File “What do I do if I encounter diesel on the road?” This is a question that ALL riders ask at some point. The KillSpills team have the following advice: Firstly, try to steer the bike around the diesel. If you can’t do this, you have no option but to go over the slippery stuff. Keep the bike as upright as possible, maintain a constant throttle and don’t apply your brakes. You need to maintain the weight distribution between the wheels, so you don’t place either one under undue stress. If you are using your back brake and the rear wheel starts to slide, release the brake gradually. Release too quickly and you will highside, maintain the pressure and you will lowside. If you are using your front brake and have to change direction (e.g. you are on a bend) try hanging off the bike. That way, it stays more upright, maintaining a bigger contact patch with the road. How to spot diesel: When the road is dry, diesel is easy to identify. It’s that wet patch on the road. You know the ones: either spots of the stuff or big long lines where vehicles have spread it everywhere. Don’t be fooled, diesel is deadly even in the dry, and unlike petrol, it does not evaporate! In the wet, diesel’s much harder to identify. Look for the rainbow colours on the road, that’s an obvious sign of diesel (you can smell it too). It’s as lethal as black ice in the wet - and unlike black ice, diesel doesn’t melt, so it’s an all-year hazard! So keep your eyes open when you’re out riding. 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. More information on the campaign and other safety information can be found at www.killspills.org.uk.
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