Leisure time is important - use it to the full.
April 16 2009
See what you're missing!
Last weekend was a pretty busy weekend despite the weather. There were over 70 bikers seen at Carter Bar, not all eating burgers I might add, and a good number as usual at the Glen Cafe on the A708 and Kennedy's Cafe on the A7. However, on Sunday we had our first serious crash of the season when a biker failed to negotiate a left-hand bend and hit an on-coming car. You'll not be surprised to learn that left handers and overtakes are two of the most common instances when a biker comes a cropper. You may think that you're a good rider and know it all, but frequently we see that very many of you have a lot to learn. That's why we're committed to year three of our campaign of education and interaction with motorcyclist who use the roads in the Scottish Borders area for leisure time. I'm not going to use the website to lecture you all, but to draw to your attention what we can do and what we are doing to enhance your precious time on a bike. Leisure time is important to us all, it's what we look forward to at the end of the week and we want to get as much out of it as we can, whether you climb mountains, go sailing, play sports or whatever. We all want to get better at what we do and make sure we enjoy our free time to the full.
If you decide this weekend, or any other weekend over the summer season, to bring your bike to the Borders then there's a very good chance you'll meet up with myself or some of my motorcycle colleagues. We're out and about, not to give you a ticket but to increase your knowledge to help you become a better rider and enjoy your day out to the full. I'm not talking about hammering a safety message, but by us talking to you and passing on little nuggets of advice based on our training and experience then I think, even the most sceptical of you, will use that little bit of extra knowledge and build upon it. By doing so you'll see what you've been missing and begin to improve your skills, observations and anticipation. With practice you'll find yourself in a situation where you're thinking ahead, reading the road properly, positioning properly and anticipating what others will do, before they actually do it. By improving these skills you'll be giving yourself that advantage that helps you stay out of trouble.
