Dates For Your Diary
Group Meeting
9 October 2023 - 7.30pm AGM plus Paul Prictor will tell us about his motorcycle tour of Mongolia
SkillShare
7 October 2023 meeting at the Dandy Highwayman Cafe Cherhill. 9.30 am for 10 am start
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 21 October. Details will be forthcoming via email to all bike members.
|
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:
Please welcome the following to the Group:
Trevor Lee
|
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 on
Facebook
and
Twitter! |
| |
I trust you are well and avoided any flooding after the heavy downpours this month.
I just caught the start of some torrential rain on my way back from our monthly ride out. We had a fantastic trip through the Cotswolds led by Peter Genet. Most of it on minor roads and through very attractive countryside and past expensive looking houses. We did not cover many miles but soaked up a very English scene stopping regularly to savour the view and idiosyncrasies of the Cotswolds. It reminded me how good it was to really appreciate the surroundings and not just looking for the next limit point or overtaking opportunity. The system of motorcycle/car control still needs to be applied as some of the roads were challenging; hazards still exist I just enjoyed the more sedate pace.
We are days away from the AGM and there is some important business to do. Please try and come to Liddington Village Hall but if you cannot please do give your proxy vote to someone who is. If you have no friends, then please email the Secretary who will hold your proxy vote for you.
A reminder also it is time for annual subscriptions so please do pay your £17 to be a member of the Group. Best way to do this is via Bank transfer and use your name as the reference. Our bank details are here: Sort Code 20-84-58, Account Number 80006998 The team will pick up on the payment and renew your membership.
I note we have lost several car members over the last year. I wonder why this is. What are we not offering to attract and retain advanced car drivers? Please do let me know and even if you want to remain anonymous, I will respect your views. We will try and adjust in order to improve our offer to drivers.
Stay safe.
Bob
|
AGM
Our AGM will take place at Liddington Village hall on Monday 9th October 2023 at 7.30pm. Please make every effort to attend to give your input to the group's operation for the next year.
Liddington Village Hall Liddington, Swindon SN4 0HB
This is also the time when annual renewals are due (£17) which the membership secretary will be reminding you of.
The agenda is:
- Chairman’s Welcome and Introduction
- Apologies for absence
- Minutes of last AGM (Mon 10th October 2022)
- Chairman’s Report
- Membership Secretary’s Report
- Treasurer’s Report
- Sponsorship of Driven OHM Racing
- Election of Committee
- Any Other Business
- Car tutor coordination
Followed by a talk from Paul Prictor and his motorcycle tour of Mongolia.
If you cannot attend, please provide a proxy vote to one of the committee so that we can make the decisions required on the night.
|
Booking a Retest
Please be aware you need to book your 3 yearly retest directly with RoSPA via their website. Sadly we cannot book it for you as it is all done electronically. You may also need to check when your re-test is due if you have not been paying your subscriptions to RoADAR as they will not remind you.
Tutors will be happy to conduct a refresh should you wish one prior to a re test.
|
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!
|
100th Running of the Arbuthnot trial
The Arbuthnot trial is run by the Salisbury Motorcycle and Light car club and is for pre 1965 British bikes. The route starts and finishes at the Barford Inn at Barford St Martin on the A30 and takes in minor roads and some long off-road routes and test sections. Some of the off-road bits are on private land so use lanes not open to the public. This was the 100th running of the event.
Bob Fram helped mark the course prior to the event and take in the markers behind the last bikes on the day. This was done as a team so we could leapfrog each other and ensure all the signs were in the right place and then collected (so as not to annoy the locals). This was great fun and I found some of the off-road bits challenging (had a lie down in some mud near the Salisbury racecourse!)
Bob Fram as an Official overlooking the Dorset countryside – It was very hot!
It was great to see all of the British Bikes lining up for the stat. Many were immaculately prepared and there was a smell of Castrol R in the air – quite a bit of Castrol R made its way onto the car park as well!
The start which used the pedestrian entrance to the Barford Inn
The sections were not too technical but on some heavy British bikes they were a challenge and not everyone finished (we passed the first retirement within 3 miles of the start). There was a meet and greet in Salisbury Town centre with the Mayor to celebrate the 100th anniversary.
Bikes at the finish – including some oil on the carpark!
The route took in some fantastic scenery overlooking Wiltshire and Dorset. Some quintessentially English scenes as we overlooked villages with trees and a variety of houses and even a cricket match being played. A great time to be out on a bike helping to run an historic event.
Bob Fram
Cotswold Bimble
The monthly rideout saw a nice little bimble through the Cotswolds with two riders, Peter Genet and Bob Fram. This was a repeat of a ride made last year and this year no-one got lost!
Bob at Bibury; Peter at Eastleach
Departing from the service station at the Burford road junction on the A419, we sped along leafy country lanes through the sleepy village of Barnsley, onto Bibury for a photo stop; out to Coln St Aldwyn, Hatherop, Eastleach Turville, onto Burford along the A40 towards Bibury turning left to Coln St Aldwyn and Quenington. Out to Poulton for our coffee at the Gilbertine kitchen.
Donkeywell Forge
A nice short ride covering some narrow leafy lanes, riding through Cotswold villages – not a fast ride, but a bimble instead.
We met around 100 or so Dachshunds at a local meet at the Gilbertine kitchen! So, coffee and a sausage roll were eaten!
Nice ride with good company!
Peter
1928 Raleigh rebuild
A friend of Bob Fram was gifted a 1928 Raleigh motorcycle which had laid in a hedge for 70 years. After 1000 hours of work he has managed to get it back on the road.
Please do take a look at the controls (sorry for dodgy picture) can you name all the levers? Answers below the picture.
Ignition Advanced and retard
Gear change (hand lever)
Throttle and choke
Front brake lever (just out of shot)
The clutch lever and decompression lever (left of the handlebar)
Riding it takes a great deal of activity and thought but it will happily run along at 50 mph – a bit diffident to the fly by wire machines we now enjoy.
Bob Fram
|
Highway Code App
The Stationery Office has launched a new Highway Code app.
The app is for all road users and makes it even easier - and more fun - to keep up to date with the rules of the road.
What's new?
- Instant access to the very latest version of the Official Highway Code while on the move, on tablets and mobile devices
- Quizzes and timed challenge features, that help users check their knowledge of the Highway Code and track their progress.
- A voice over option enabling users to listen as well as read.
The app costs £3.99 and is available to download on both Android and iOS platforms. |
Castle Combe Bike Night 27 September
Unfortunately due to inclement weather this event was cancelled! There's always next time!
|
Membership and GDPR
Due to GDPR we are required to remove an individual's details from our Group database when they are no longer required by us. We remove a lapsed member's details if they have not paid a subscription by the 31 Dec following the AGM (3 months after the subscriptions are due). If a member has forgotten to pay their subs and pays after 31 Dec we will require a joining form to be completed so we can replace them on the database.
It all seems a bit strange, but we do not want to get on the wrong side of the Government's Information Commissioner. We understand if members forget or are late with their subscriptions, but please help us to keep our database accurate and compliant.
This is, of course, separate to those of you who maintain a membership with RoADAR HQ.
|
Promotional activities
7 October - final one of the year
Supported by Wiltshire RoADAR motorcycle tutors and WABAM Observers. Final confirmed date for the year is:
8 October
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.
|
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
|
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.
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.
If you have read this far, thanks! If you have any feedback or suggestions about content for your newsletter, then drop us a line at newsletter@wiltshireroadar.co.uk If you can't leave constructive feedback though, then we don't want to hear from you!
|
| |
