Kill Spills 26 May 07

[Stu]

Originally Posted by Baph

Speaks volumes that does IMO.

You should make the effort?
OR even the organisers don't hold out much hope?

Originally Posted by Stu

You should make the effort?
OR even the organisers don't hold out much hope?

To me, that statement comes across that the organisor (well, more the author of that statement) thinks that their event is the be all & end all.

Attend & show your feelings, or don't attend if you don't care about the issue.

EDIT: From the limited information I have (ie, this thread) it appears they are charging for the event, and in return, you get fuel, because they can't wait for X bikers to fuel up at Y different places. You also get a ticket to the event (for which you've paid anyway).

The ticket, will have group discounts applied. It costs £15ea, but buying say, 500 tickets would drop the price by at least £5ea IMO.

Everyone could get their own fuel, hold a bigger protest rally outside on public roads. If it was deemed necessary to make leaflets, £5 (voluntary, not mandatory) from each biker. Again, assuming 500 bikes, that's £2500 on leaflets!!!

I just don't see why it can't be done on public roads, in the capital, like last year. I almost came down for that, I probably would of this year. But for an organised event that doesn't really raise awareness? No thanks.

[Lissa]

What no-one has mentioned is that suppose people DON'T pay and register, but just turn up at the Ace and follow the run? After all, they have posted the start time, and these are all public roads which everyone has a perfect right to use. I just don't see how they can stop that from happening!

Originally Posted by Lissa

What no-one has mentioned is that suppose people DON'T pay and register, but just turn up at the Ace and follow the run? After all, they have posted the start time, and these are all public roads which everyone has a perfect right to use. I just don't see how they can stop that from happening!

They can't, but they can try & stop you entering the gates.

That's why the t-shirts are issued. I just hope people are wearing the t-shirts over their normal bike gear.

[Spiderman]

Originally Posted by Lissa

What no-one has mentioned is that suppose people DON'T pay and register, but just turn up at the Ace and follow the run? After all, they have posted the start time, and these are all public roads which everyone has a perfect right to use. I just don't see how they can stop that from happening!

a great idea there Lissa, sadly tho we are talking about cops with too many laws to throw about. For those who dont think the police abuse their powers just remeber that little old fella, a labour party member who was forcibly removed from a labour party confrence for somply saying the word "rubbish" and promptly arrested under anti terrorism laws.
A pathetic abuse of power if i ever saw one but totally tolerated by this govt.

Imagine a bunch of bikers showing up at Parliament square, they'd find a whole heap of laws to throw at us. Bas***ds!

Credit to the organisers for trying to find a suitable alternative given the red tape associated with protests at Westminster these days.

However I won't be participating because, although it's an issue I do care about, i can't see a clear enough objective for what they have planned. tbh I feel similarly about the previous Westminster rides - most members of the public have no idea why so many bikes are descending on central london, and even if they did they can't do any more about it that we can. And in peeing off other drivers by blocking up roads, we're not really helping our cause either.

Personally I'd rather give my £25 to fund action with industry groups and lobbying on a year round basis (e.g. via MAG/BMF) as that's how you really make a difference.

HI all,
as a mashal for the event I would just like to post this message up. I hope it clears up any questions you have.

Firstly, thank you for attending all of our rallies, your support has been much appreciated.

With regards to holding another KillSpills rally, in the same format as previous years, this simply would not have worked. I understand your views, but you must understand ours. If it would have been possible, we would have done another London rally, but it sadly, if we had continued to do as we have done before, we would not have had an event in 2007.

We have made a lot of progress with Government, and KillSpills now sits on several sub groups of the National Motorcycle Council which are tasked with delivering the Governments National Motorcycling Strategy. We have not been nobbled. KillSpills sit on these groups to represent ordinary riders rights, and to work to remove the dangers of diesel spills from our roads. Before Christmas, the DfT undertook a survey of bikers, at our request, they prepared a web based version of the questionnaire, which we promoted via various biking forums.

At the last meeting I attended at the DfT only a couple of weeks ago, the United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association was invited to attend by the DfT at our request. At this meeting KillSpills tabled an anti diesel spill leaflet, which we would like to see displayed in all UK petrol stations. The UKPIA were very anti this, however the DfT backed us, saying to the UKPIA that they are ducking the issue. Again the DfT backed KillSpills when we asked the UKPIA to meet separately to discuss this issue. The DfT said that they will also attend this meeting, as they see this as a way of promoting this danger to the public.

When you are lobbying, there is a time to protest and a time to work. We are now in the work phase of the campaign, however, the DfT know, and I have told them this, that if necessary, we will bring 10,000 bikes to Parliament, but now is not the time.

We had planned to continue working on the campaign this year, without a further event. BikeFest UK offered KillSpills exclusive use of Donington Parks track for one hour, and we thought what could we do with this? Perhaps we should hold the rally at Donington and go for the world record of the most bikes riding around the world famous track. The 2007 event has grown from this. You will appreciate that the safety of our riders is of paramount importance, and to have an off road event is significantly safer than an event in Central London. Furthermore, we have pulled together the largest display area within the Bikefest UK event, with training and safety organisations, the emergency services and Highways Agency being present.

However, I believe, that it is still important to have a presence in London, hence the 617 ride. There are cost implications of delivering such an event. We have obtained a significant amount of funding for this, primarily from the BMF (our major sponsor) , however, we are asking each rider to pay for their fuel (which they always do), entry to BikeFest UK and make a contribution towards their breakfast and t shirt. The logistics of what we are undertaking, mean that we have to pre buy all the fuel and the breakfasts. Given the nature of the ride, all riders must have a KillSpills T shirt, and at the end of the event, we need to get you all into BikeFest UK. The fee, £27.50, has been discounted by £15.50, by our sponsors. Our main sponsor the BMF have also covered the cost of policing the event, which is not insignificant.

The aim of this years event, is not to lobby Government, they are listening, but to get the general media on board, so as to promote the dangers of diesel spills. Interestingly, whilst we have been campaigning, we have seen KSI statistics for diesel related motorcycle accidents reduce by almost 60%. During the same time, diesel related KSI accidents for other road users have INCREASED by almost 50%. Hence we want greater media involvement to publicise this danger. Hence also promoting the anti diesel spill leaflet.

A lot of work is continuing on the campaign, this year, yes, we have designed a fun filled day. Yes we have taken up the offer of BikeFest UK. I hope that you can understand where we are coming from. We have to do something different, we just can not continue to do what we have done before. The doors are now open to KillSpills, we want them to remain open. If you think that this means that we will become lap dogs to the DfT, you are wrong. We have the biking community behind us, the last three rallies have proven that. We are an independent group, who can and do ask the difficult questions. We are not doing this for pleasure, we want to make a difference.

Kind regards and tanks for your support over the years

I have been on the all 3 of the previous rallies (can't go this year away with family).Even though it had grown to a sizeable number with a conservative 7000 bikes last year yet virtually no news coverage at all because it doesn't affect Joe Public.The organisers who incidentally get no payment for their time have got into talks with the Dft no mean feat.Personally I think the protest needs to be even bigger so that a lot more people are disrupted so the issue is brought to a larger audience.I remember the anti helmet protests of the 70's certainly got tv coverage even though the protests failed to stop the law being passed.Same old story not many MP's ride motorcycles.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by ninja bobw

I have been on the all 3 of the previous rallies (can't go this year away with family).Even though it had grown to a sizeable number with a conservative 7000 bikes last year yet virtually no news coverage at all because it doesn't affect Joe Public.The organisers who incidentally get no payment for their time have got into talks with the Dft no mean feat.Personally I think the protest needs to be even bigger so that a lot more people are disrupted so the issue is brought to a larger audience.I remember the anti helmet protests of the 70's certainly got tv coverage even though the protests failed to stop the law being passed.Same old story not many MP's ride motorcycles.

Did you bother reading the above post from the organisers? A large protest is not what they're after at the mo.
I think focusing on the number 617 could be very powerful (& attactive to the media). Just hope they make it.

I've signed up for this its a shame but it looks like the number of bikes looks likely to be nearer 300 than 617. I'm afraid that having to put your hand in your pocket this year seems to have put off the 7000 bikers that were there last year. which IMO sucks.

spudnuts.