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FROM MAG’S CAMPAIGN MANAGER
My first full month as Campaigns Manager has been busy, still familiarising myself with MAG business but getting proactively involved in promoting MAG and broadening the network of contacts in order to maximise our campaign efforts for the future.
I have carried out a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, (SWOT) analysis which I will present to the board and NC meeting in early December.
 This will inform our business planning to give direction and security for the future of MAG.
As part of this process I have been looking at companies who are keen to help promote the image of MAG .
All will become clear after the board and National Committee have contributed their views.
I attended my first meeting Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Transport Safety, (PACTS).
Not a riveting event but I capitalised on finding myself sat next Professor Oliver Carsten from the Transport studies department at Leeds University. This is the gentleman behind EVSC!
The upshot is that I have a meeting arranged with him and his staff in December which I will use to good effect to gain as much information as I can which might help future campaigning on this issue.
I am not convinced that remote vehicle control has gone away. We need to be ever vigilant.
Trevor’s call to Brussels to deal with the 3rd driving licence directive saw me standing in at short notice for Trevor, giving a presentation and hosting a workshop for students at Chester University.
The title of my presentation was, ‘Motorcyclists, Hells Angels or Environmentalists, perception and reality’. It proved to be a thought provoking session.
I was teasing out from the students how stereotyping and prejudices are formed by the media and misinformed people in authority.
How some prejudices seem to be legitimate, e.g. perceptions about motorcyclists and other prejudices on issues such as race, gender and religion are not legitimate.
The University lecturers were pleased and are keen to establish a formal link with MAG. A result, further raising the organisational credibility of our organisation.
Staying with the academic theme I went to Huddersfield University this week. I am a visiting research fellow and have worked there for a number of years with Mr Geoff Crowther of the Motorcycle Research Unit.
They have a new Dean and I was keen to establish the link with MAG through my new roll as Campaigns Manager. The Dean, Monica Gibson-Sweet, was very keen to having a mutually advantageous partnership between MAG and the University.
This will give us access to infinite research material which Geoff has accumulated, in particular his work with rider protest groups throughout the world.
The evening of Tuesday 21st November saw me taking part as a panel member in a debate in Leeds on transport issues.
It was an interesting mix, including representatives from the Cycle Touring Club, the British Drivers Association, the head of Road Safety for Leeds and a lady from an initiative called ‘Whizz Go’, a car sharing enterprise.
I was grateful to Sheila McMahon, Yorkshire regional rep and MAG members who attended to give support.
I felt like a real chameleon, avoiding the ‘rabid’ demands from the cycling lobby to have all motor vehicles banned. Fortunately the British Drivers representative was taking most of the flack.
I think we got away with it and I got the feeling I promoted the ‘green ‘benefits of motorcycling together with their ability to reduce congestion and helping to keep people moving efficiently.
The event is to be covered in local media further raising the profile of MAG as a credible contributor to the integrated transport strategy debate and the positive benefits of motorcycling.
In relation to specific campaigns. I am putting the finishing touches to the Campaigns strategy that I mentioned in last month’s article.
I am also working with Val Taylor from Norfolk MAG on the potentially dangerous wooden posts the council have placed on the verges of some roads in the area. We have a strategy to deal with this and we will see how we get on.
I am also working on the Ethical policing of law enforcement in relation to motorcyclists.
An interesting point on this issue is the recently announced pilot study by a number of police forces into the roadside finger printing of offenders. I am keeping a close eye on this and liaising with ‘Liberty’ the civil rights organisation.
I know only too well that the transition from a pilot study to legislation can ‘seamless’ if we are not careful. Notwithstanding the safeguards that should be in place how long will it be before bikers are being required to provide roadside fingerprints for small plates and loud cans.
A step too far!
And finally, it is vitally important for regions to let me know who their political campaign officers are. This is the only way I can develop an effective coordinated Campaigns Team.
David Short
Campaigns Manager
MAG [UK]
0870 7743530 campaigns-manager@mag-uk.org
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