Perth and Kinross issue hazard maps to reduce biker accidents

[Bob]

Scotland, UK: Special maps highlighting potential hazards for motorcyclists in the Perth and Kinross area have been issued. A collaboration between police, the local safety camera partnership, fire service and Perth & Kinross Council created the maps, which also contain information on petrol stations, rest stops and speed cameras.

The maps cover the ‘Strathray’ and ‘Strathearn’ routes.

Dave Black, community safety officer with Tayside Fire and Rescue, said "Riding through the beautiful countryside in nice weather must be one of the best ways to travel. Having the knowledge from the route maps to enhance the safety of this experience can only be a good thing."

Good to see positive action taken - issuing maps so visiting bikers know of the black spots etc has to be a good thing, doesn't lose tourist income etc.

[p.dath]

Wow, this is great. Maps actually designed for a specific form of transport.

[CookMySock]

I submit they will cause a false sense of security. Ie, if the map says my route is "all good" then I might pay less attention to the road surface by eye.

Also it would be nearly impossible to have the information "dynamic" - it will age much too quickly to be in printed form. Even running the same thing as a live database on the internet will be slow.

It would be different if a small part of the route could be "black flagged" in real time, ie danger triangle, sticker or tag affixed to an existing signpost.

Steve

[Bob]

I submit they will cause a false sense of security. Ie, if the map says my route is "all good" then I might pay less attention to the road surface by eye.

Also it would be nearly impossible to have the information "dynamic" - it will age much too quickly to be in printed form. Even running the same thing as a live database on the internet will be slow.

It would be different if a small part of the route could be "black flagged" in real time, ie danger triangle, sticker or tag affixed to an existing signpost.

Steve

I see what you are getting at - but surely a map that highlights known accident blackspots has to be a good thing? At least then you're aware that you are heading into a region with a known accident history.

Not knowing the area, I'd assume there are road signs in place and also cameras (rules allowing - you have to have had 8 serious (ie injuries or deaths) incidents over a 3 year period to be allowed to put a speed camera in place). But people can and do ignore these.

The flipside of your argument is that you are made aware of the danger zones, so highten awareness and back off when approaching them, rather than arriving into the area without prior knowledge.

[Disco Dan]

I submit they will cause a false sense of security... blah blah blah...

Yes yes we've heard it all before...

I think you'll find it covers things like particularly nasty blind corners, DR turns, known high accident spots (for whatever reason).

They are hardly going to put Farmer Jack is driving is combine bloody harvester along road x and at just the right place on corner #123 to smack straight into him with your bike...

Time you had an exorcism with all this advocate lark.

[Okey Dokey]

Well, I think it sounds like a good idea. Nice to think somebody wants to help keep bikers a little safer.

There are always "knockers", who will find a turd in a scoop of ice cream.

[CookMySock]

I see what you are getting at - but surely a map that highlights known accident blackspots has to be a good thing? At least then you're aware that you are heading into a region with a known accident history.

Perhaps. I don't mean to shout it down. Sometimes even the best intentions come out bad.

Not knowing the area, I'd assume there are road signs in place and also cameras (rules allowing - you have to have had 8 serious (ie injuries or deaths) incidents over a 3 year period to be allowed to put a speed camera in place). But people can and do ignore these.

But they have eyes on the front of their head to achieve that. Human nature is such, that any responsibility that you assume for them, they will delegate to you.

The flipside of your argument is that you are made aware of the danger zones, so highten awareness and back off when approaching them, rather than arriving into the area without prior knowledge.

I agree. But the primary responsibility must always lie with the rider, not anyone else.

Steve

[Bob]

Perhaps. I don't mean to shout it down. Sometimes even the best intentions come out bad.

But they have eyes on the front of their head to achieve that. Human nature is such, that any responsibility that you assume for them, they will delegate to you.

I agree. But the primary responsibility must always lie with the rider, not anyone else.

Steve

Sorry, but I cannot go with you on this; if you take your stance to its logical endpoint, then there should be no warning signs - after all, human nature says "ignore them" by your credo. So give no warnings at all, forcing you to ride at 5kph, in case something nasty is round the next bend.

Warning signs are there for a reason - to warn of impending potential problems. Likewise, a map that shows known accident areas, petrol stations and so on has to be an aid to safe riding, as it hightens awareness that known problems exist. Which is a laudable aim which should be celebrated, not put down.