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Motorcyclists warned of two key hazards
As Britain enjoys intermittent spells of good weather, motorcyclists have been reminded of two serious dangers they may face.
The first, as outlined by road safety champion GEM Motoring Assist, is "filtering", the technical term for passing other vehicles caught in a traffic jam. Group riding is the second danger outlined by GEM Motoring Assist, as part of a free leaflet for motorcycle enthusiasts in the UK.
"More and more motorcyclists filter routinely to save sitting in queues, but everyone has his or her preferred speed and there are too many drivers and pedestrians who may simply not be expecting a rider to be anywhere near them when they change lanes suddenly," said David Williams, chief executive of GEM Motoring Assist.
"We believe the leaflet will assist riders in balancing the relative risks and benefits of filtering."
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According to Mr Williams, group riding is especially popular when the weather is pleasant and it brings with it a number of quite unique hazards.
"Group riding on a sunny day is one of life's true pleasures for most motorcyclists, but all the usual hazards of the open road apply when you're in a group, with the potential added danger of other riders in close proximity. We hope this leaflet will help riders of all skill levels to stay as safe as possible in a group riding environment," he said.
Motorcycle fatalities are currently around 22 per cent above the 1994-98 figure that the government set as its baseline, which suggests a great deal can still be done to make biking safer.
Recently, locals relaunched a speed safety campaign in Powys after accidents increased by 50 per cent in just two years.
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