Dates For Your Diary
Group Meeting
January 2023 - No Meeting
SkillShare
That's it for this year!
April 2023 we start again.
Bike Ride-Outs on the 3rd Saturday of every even numbered month and the 3rd Sunday of every odd numbered Month. Email will be sent out to Bikers and added to the Forum.
Next ride out Saturday 17 December Details will be forthcoming via email to all bike members. It looks like a good day out too!
|
Do you have a topic you would like discussed, or know of an interesting speaker? Please contact speaker at speakers@wiltshireroadar.co.uk |
Congratulations
Congratulations to the following members who have passed their Advanced Tests recently:
Welcome
Please welcome the following to the Group:
|
Don’t forget that we have a range of clothing available to purchase. We also offer a range of books, such as Roadcraft, Motorcycle Roadcraft and the Highway Code, and these are available at discounted prices.
For more information visit the Merchandise page of our web site |
We are always looking for more articles, ideas and news for the newsletter. Have you been somewhere interesting recently that would make a good story? If you attend any group events then take a camera and send us your pictures!
Please forward all contributions to newsletter@wiltshireroadar.co.uk |
|
We're now on
Facebook
AND
Twitter! |
| |
Thank you for your support and continued membership over the last 12 months; the Committee and others who are managing the coordination of the Group work hard for your benefit and please do thank them whenever you engage. I trust you had a good festive season and were able to meet up with those who mean the most to you and to have some time to relax.
What impact does our advanced training have on us and others? I find it makes me more relaxed and accepting of others’ mistakes but on the other hand it makes me more critical (without getting angry) of others’ actions on the roads. The main impact for me personally is safety. I feel more confident on the road both driving and riding and am much better at anticipating the actions of those with whom I share the roads. I have to admit this is a constant learning process and I still am surprised!
I think it also makes us better decision makers. I had to attend a family funeral in Derby during the recent cold spell. My request to use the family car instead of the bike was met with some surprise by my wife who announced, “but you have just bought the heated jacket for such occasions”. I politely pointed out the forecast temperature of -6 degrees and as most of my journey will be in the dark it is safer for me to use the car. Fortunately logic won through, and I had the car for the day – Motorcycle Roadcraft advises us to check if the journey is really necessary and I felt I made the right decision – it was freezing all day!
So what? I ask you all to promote the Group at every opportunity and we need to think about how we do this. I suggest it is not highbrow or superior – look at me I am an advanced driver or rider and here are all my qualifications – but better to talk about the benefits to ourselves and other road users. I ask you in the next year to talk about this to some of your friends or colleagues and see if this helps to promote the Group and swell our membership. There is, of course, the added benefit of making new friends from a wide vanity of backgrounds all of which enriches our lives!
I wish you and yours all the very best for 2023 and hope to catch up with you during the year.
Bob
|
|
Dear Chair and Secretary,
I would like to take this opportunity in wishing both yourselves and your respective groups a very merry festive period from myself, Becki, Jacqui and Tracey.
We really do appreciate all the hard work your members have put into the running of your groups over the last 12 months, and the tireless amount of your own time and effort spent in teaching associates the art of Advanced driving/motorcycling, you are all ambassadors for RoADAR and we thank you very much.
Have a safe and peaceful festive period,
Happy Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year.
Andy Nixon
RoADAR Manager
M:+44 (0)7880 785 056
|
|
Dear Chairman and Secretary,
Season's greetings from all at RoSPA!
Our stay safe message is as important today as it's ever been.
Wishing you an enjoyable festive season and a Happy New Year.
Kind regards,
The RoADAR Team
T: +44 (0)121 248 2099
|
SkillShare
The next SkillShare will start again in April, location to be announced. This is the opportunity for non-members to come and meet us and have a free taster session before committing to joining.
Dates to be added for April 2023 but we will plan on the first Saturday of each month Apr - Oct.
|
Have you been up to anything to do with Riding or Driving lately? If so, then please let us know as we would love to include it here; photos would be great too!
| Phill Colbourne's off-roading adventure
On Sunday 11th December I headed out on my CRF300L Rally to try some off-roading on Salisbury plain.
I met another rider at Market Square in Devizes at 13:30 and we headed South on the A360 through Potterne and turned off to Market Lavington to reach a single-track road called “The Clay” which leads up onto the Plain.
Temperature was around -5 degrees when I left Calne, so I needed the heated grips I had fitted, once on the plains the physicality of standing on the pegs and controlling the bike, kept me very warm.
The ride around the plain was good fun with the standard tyres doing well on the snowy climb up onto the plain.
Once we reached the top of the plain the main perimeter track was unusable due to the sheet ice, which made it hard to walk on let alone ride. So, we chose to use the single-track trail that runs parallel to the main perimeter road.
We met a couple of 4x4’s, who were very friendly and moved to the side to let us through, we also saw a couple of walkers and a lone mountain biker. The weather on the west side of the plain was misty with some light snow flurries.
In the middle of the plain there was no snow and improved visibility, so you could actually see the targets on the live firing range.
I’m looking forward to returning when the visibility is much better, as I’m sure the views must be stunning.
Phill Colbourne
|
Call for Bikers from Severn Freewheelers
Many of you will be aware of Severn Freewheelers, the blood bike charity
that provides its free service to the NHS and specifically the Great
Western Trust (GWH) at Swindon. Partly as a result of the Trust’s
response to COVID and the service being better understood by the Trust,
the workload now means we have two bikes serving the area. Last year we
undertook over 2000 jobs for the Swindon Trust. Overall Severn
Freewheelers did over 7000 tasks.
This is a request primarily seeking riders to help support our
operation going forward. Naturally over time people fall away as their
circumstances change, they move away or indeed decide this is no longer
for them.
The service runs 1900hrs to 0700hrs weekdays and 24 hrs at weekends
and public holidays. A typical duty is Wednesday evening till Saturday
evening or Saturday until the Wednesday. You would keep the bike at home
until you handover to the next rider. The bikes are the latest BMW RTs.
A new rider needs to have undertaken his or her advanced test in
the last three years and is required to be retested every three years.
In addition, there would be a check ride undertaken on joining and
further periodic check rides with a nominated assessor. Managing the
risks within the operation is a core value of the charity. There are of
course other roles as coordinators and fund raisers and riders are
expected to contribute beyond simply riding which is vital to maintain
the service. From a response basis, riders need to live within 25 miles
of the Great Western Hospital. Training is provided for all
new members.
If this is of interest, please feel free to get in touch.
Geoff
Geoff Brown
Severn Freewheelers
Mob 07399 457703
|
Promotional activities
SkillShare - 2023 - dates to be advertised!
If you have any ideas for events, then please get in touch with the committee using the committee email address :
Look forward to hearing and discussing your ideas.
Presentation material
A generic set of slides has been created for use if you are asked about Wiltshire RoADAR and have the opportunity to present. This could be at a local club, workplace etc. Please send a mail to committee@wiltshireroadar.co.uk and the slides will be sent over to you.
We also have flyers and business cards so ask for these via the same means.
|
Covid protocol
The protocols are for reference only and will be maintained by the Committee. Tutors and Associates must agree on the levels of protection they are prepared to accept.
There is no compulsion to go against personal risk assessments and if there is a need to change tutors due to a disagreement then please discuss with the relevant tutor coordinator.
Any questions please refer to the Committee who will issue more guidance should it be necessary.
Good idea to get your flu and COVID jabs done though and also be careful of spreading seasonal flu!
|
Media coordinator - Help us to broaden our reach
To help promote the group we have a variety of online media platforms, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter. To help make the most out of the opportunities that these outlets provide, we could use some help from someone who has experience of using such tools. Drop me a line at secretary@wiltshireroadar.co.uk if you would be interested in helping promote our group.
|
Committee minutes
These are available from the Group Secretary if any member wishes to see them. If you are interested in reading the minutes, then please send a mail to the Group Secretary whom will promptly forward them onto you.
Forum
Please could all Members use the Forum on the Website which can be used for any purpose but particularly coordinating events, hints, tips and general conversation. It is easy to register on the website so please do log on and chat away.
Test results
Reminder to let the Membership Secretary and your tutor know when you have taken your Advanced Driving/Riding Test and result. This is so our database is kept up to date; there is no need or pressure at all to have the result published on the website or in this newsletter if you wish to keep your result confidential.
Gloucester RoADAR Newsletter
If you are interested in the Gloucester Group newsletter here it is.
|
| |
