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PROTECTING CABLE BARRIERS
 The issue of Wire-Rope and motorcycle friendly crash barriers has moved up a notch in Europe.
Two of the riders organisations in Europe that were part of the FEMA working group on crash barriers, MAG Netherlands and NMCU in Norway, have both held demos and NMCU have been given promises by their government that no more wire-rope barriers will be fitted in Norway.
A resounding success for NMCU while MAG Netherlands continue their fight against wire -rope barriers by organising a protest ride in September to underline motorcyclists' objections to the use of cable barriers (or wire rope fences) along Dutch roads.
To visualize the dangers of cable barriers the riders took it upon themselves to make the barrier 'motorcyclist friendly' by covering it with straw bales.
The protest was attended by hundreds of riders in the north of the Netherlands, where a cable barrier has recently been placed.
This particular cable barrier was placed alongside a canal, because this barrier is easy to remove when large ships are launched from the shipyard on the other side of the canal.
According to the authorities a 'normal' crash barrier would be washed away by the wave caused by the ships launch. Removing and then re-installing a normal barrier for every ship launch would be too expensive.
Dutch riders of course do not accept this ludicrous excuse and will not accept that motorcycle safety is sacrificed in order to protect the financial interest of a shipyard.
The protest was supported by the Dutch foundation 'Mobility for the Handicapped' and they joined the ride on their (often specially modified) bikes and trikes. The foundation defends the rights of handicapped riders, including a number of riders that have lost a limb to road side furniture.
Spokesman for the foundation, Erik Paskamp was interviewed numerous times and helped MAG NL to get the message across.
During the protest run there was great interest by the media for the riders' protest and this turned out to be a perfect opportunity to get national exposure for riders' wishes. MAG NL also used the media interest to focus on the recent FEMA report on crash barriers, 'The Road to Success'.
As a direct result of the protest run MAG NL has been able to win the support of regional politicians and talks are ongoing to try and have the cable barrier in Groningen removed.
If you haven't already used the MAG lobby document at www.network.maguk.org/crashbarriers2005/MAGactioncrashbarriers.pdf to lobby your MP,MEP and Minister for State for Transport then now is the time.
Simply ask that where steel beam barriers pose a danger to motorcyclists that these be fitted to be fitted with a 'motorcycle-friendly' secondary rail, to have wire rope barriers removed from the road and that no more wire rope barriers be fitted to the UK road infrastructure.
Anybody know where we can get a trailer load of straw bales or even some bubble wrap.......................
Trevor Baird public-affairs@mag-uk.org
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