TC1474

You have missed the point of what I was saying. Even cheap kit is going to be better than jeans and T shirt or shorts and T shirt I am not disputing that. The comment that was made was about quality gear and this is what is subjective. It is unfortunate that the majority of the stuff I did for the BBC on Fake Britain got edited out (because it did not fit in with what they wanted to put out) but the point I made then was that even a rally cheap leather is going to be better than some of the clothing you see some riders wear, and having had an involvement in the PPE testing and standards for the CE mark, there are a lot of brand names which are no better than some cheaper non branded items because of the way that the system can be cheated. That is why I said the term quality is subjective. amd I ave 25 years of case studies in respect of kit , which started when I was still a serving plod motorcyclist to fall back on to give good examples as well as my invovement as a consultant to the manufacturers, helmet companies and BSI.

I agree. How do you define quality? I can give you numerous examples where the expensive branded kit has caused major problems and where cheaper kit has prevented problems. On top of which I can testify to the expensive is not always quality argument. I was wearing a £300 pair of boots when I had my crash. I am now a cripple and disabled because of them. I might have come off better injury wise had I been wearing my oen boots which cost a fraction of the price. It is all subjective.

My first car was a Renault 10 that was given to me by my mother. That would be around 1976 when I passed my car test. I remember going down a hill and rolling it flat out at about 30MPH with the wind in my favour so I was travelling far too fast Anyway car cam to a halt lying on its side, I climbed out unhurt, pushed it back onto its wheels and carried on with my journey. You couldn't do that now. There was a vehicle parked up on the Police OP on the M4 one night. Windows were steamed up, so we investigated. Couple were going at it hammer and tong Banged on the window and said "Hey, you can only stop on the Motorway in an emercency!" "This was an emergency " he replied. I didn't have the heart to spoil his fun, although I think that had already happened when I banged on the window Another night got an call from the Ambulance service to say that they were attending an incident with a car and our assistance was requested. Long story short, Sugar Daddy was out in his E-Type with his bimbo when she got horny and started doing rude things across the gear tunnel. Gear lever got stuck somewhere unexpected. Anyway, Fire service had to cut said gear lever and young bimbo complete with gear lever and gear knob were removed to Hospital whlst embarrased sgar Daddy arranged recovery on his beloved E-Type (which was immaculate A1 condition) and tried to explain why he could not drive it and why it needed recovery. So yes, there were a few incidents which caused humour

Now that is really worrying. I was only 25 when that picture was taken

15th September 1975, I joined the Police service and started my first day of training. 41 years ago today. I remember it like it was yesterday and I am still in touch with a few who joined the same day as me (who went onto much higher ranks I hasten to add), but makes you wonder where all the time has gone. Different service now to the one I joined though.

Can you believe the ignorance and stupidity of the man? Shame he was not reported and made an example of. http://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/middle-lane-hogger-driving-at-55mph-called-999-to-report-police-car-flashing-him-to-move/ar-AAiAMuL?li=BBoPOOl" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I was not suggesting that you were buying from Fowlers. I was making the point that Weise is made for Fowlers who are themselves a distributor/wholesaler, so the brand can be found at various locations around the country not just in Bristol. Sorry to dissappoint, but neither do they exceed EU PPE spec. But as I tried to make the point when I did the Fake Britain item on the BBC a while back (but which got edited out) even the cheapest quality well fitting leather is better than some of the alternatives.

Are you aware that contrary to what many people would have you believe, Weise is not German or some fancy continental brand, it is designed amnd produced by Fowlers themselves and made in Pakistan. When they first came up with the idea, they wanted a name synonymous with quality, hence the the german sounding name. Not particularly good quality, but have been a good earner for Fowlers for quite a few years. Cost price direct from the factory is about £12 for a leather jacket. It is quite good for someone buying their first kit.

Nobody I know of (and I know most of the visor and helmet manufacturers) will do it post manufacturing, in other words, you would have to purchase a gold iridium visor if you can find one. You could get gold ones about 10 years ago, but I have not seen one for a long time. Apart from the fact that a gold or silver tint scratches extra easily, which is why sales dropped dramatically against the high cost compared with a black visor, it will not comply with BS4110 ZA and the manufacturers are not going to leave themselves open to prosecution by Trading Standards.

No it won't. Helmets do not degrade like they did back in the 60's and 70's. BSI actually put a whole load of helmets on the roof of their building for about 3 years exposed to the elements 24/7. They had a combination of top end and cheap helmets and they were tested every three months. At the end of 3 years there was no noticable degredation. What causes a helmet liner to degrade is sweat from the rider. So a helmet that has been stored in a reasonable cool place in its box will not have suffered any problems other than it may have been tried on by several people and this can start the process of mishaping the styrofoam liner, but not significantly.

Stringent test..... What stringent tests would those be then? The ACU do not conduct tests, the importers/manufacturers simply pay a fee to carry the ACU accreditation. The ACU gold is not worth a dime as far as road riding is concerned, it is just the way the ACU make additional money EC22/05 is the important mark

Of course it is... Simples

Yesterday, I went to the funeral of my old boss. He was my first base Inspector when I was posted onto Traffic division and was a real decent nice guy. His funeral is not the point of this post, because although any funeral is a sad occasion, in his case he was suffering parkinsons and cancer and was 79 and had been in a hospice for a while, and sometimes it is kinder to let them go so that you can remember people as they were in their prime not as they were at the end. I was fortunate that the best 2 Inspectors I ever served under were both Traffic inspectors. The one who passed away and Terry, my second base inspector. No, the point I was going to make, is that, when you have many years in the same job, you develop friendships and comaraderie that goes well beyond any working relationship, and as a Traffic Policeman, that was certainly very true. We were a close knit team who would back each other up at a drop of a hat, unlike many Policemen these days who have no real interest other than to be authoritarian power junkies (No offence inferred or intended against you Martin) although there are exceptions to the rule. Anyway, what brought the time issue home, was that when I attended my first funeral after I retired, there were about 50 of us (serving and retired) from the Southern Traffic Area of Thames Valley Police. We always consider ourselves family, and even those of us who had retired were still considered part of the family. Yesterday, there were about 20 of us, and it was at this point you realise that time is catching up as the group gets smaller. I still remember many as younger men in their 30's, 40's maybe 50's, just as they remember me as a young 20 something, and then the penny drops, they are nw in their 70's and 80's and I am late 50's. We are no longer the young people we remember, we are middle aged or old men and then you start wondering whose funeral we will be attending next. Then yesterday, there I was talking to someone thinking to myself, the face looks familiar, I recognise the voice, but who the f@ck are you? And then the penny drops. In the cae of yesterday, it was my old Traffic Admin Sgt. I have not seen hom for over 10 years. I can still remember incidents, people and dates like it was yesterday. But the memories and pictures in my head don't match the reality. Hence my title, isn't time weird. Maybe it is just a sign that we are all getting older.... On the plus side, a funeral is always a good opportunity to catch up and have a good natter.

I have about 10,000 case studies of crashes, but just relating to how the clothing behaved in a crash ranging from the catastrophic and fatal worst case scenario to minor cuts and grazes caused by a slow speed off. You have to bear in mind that no 2 crashes are the same, and if it is that serious, no matter what you have on, it will not stop you being killed or seriously injured, in the same way as buying an expensive crash helmet will not prevent you from suffering a broken neck, which is what most riders die of (apart from multiple internal catastrophic injuries) 1 piece suits are designed for use on the track where everyone travels in the same direction, with nice large run off areas and, importantly, none of the road side furniture that you get on your average A class road. In the event of an accident on the track, medical help is usually with the fallen rider before they have stopped sliding, and everything is contained within a tightly controlled environment. On the road however we are not afforded that luxury. In the event of a serious crash we could be waiting for a considerable time before medical help arrives. This is where the main issue arises between wearing a 2 piece and 1 piece. A well fitting leather (and this can apply equally to jacket and trouser combination) will, in the event of serious injury, act as a splint for broken bones and, in some cases, reduce blood loss. With a 2 piece, if the rider is suffering from lower body injuries the trousers can be removed quite easily allowing medical personnel quick and easy access to the injury and minimizing the amount of discomfort suffered by the rider. If there is a combination of lower and upper body injuries and it is obvious that, for example, the rider has broken his collar bone, then the jacket can be left alone as it will be supportive leaving the paramedics to concentrate on the area most in need of attention. Put the rider into the same scenario but this time wearing a 1 piece. The leathers will not be able to be easily removed without great discomfort or the risk of further injury to the rider. Although the paramedics may be able to eventually cut through the leather to gain access to the injured part of the body, this will be time consuming and, in the golden hour, could prove to be critical. Then there is the issue of practicality. How many times have you been to an event on a hot or even just a warm day, and seen riders walking about with their 1 piece race suits tied in a knot by the arms around their waists, while those who choose to stay covered up tend to look like they are carrying a couple of kilos in their underpants? This is due to the different stress panels on a 1 piece compared to a 2 piece since the 1 piece is designed for the racing/sports bike crouch. 2 piece leathers actually keeps their shape better for longer, not to mention the fact that when you are off the bike you can remove your jacket and remain more comfortable. The issue of 1 piece versus 2 piece leathers has kicked off many lengthy discussions during presentations I have made to motorcycling clubs up and down the country, and I could take up another two or three pages going into the pro’s and cons of the two styles, but the last point I will make is that a 1 piece is designed for the racing crouch. How many riders have you seen walking around in their race replica suits who look ike they are in desperate need for a poo? 2 piece suits keep their shape better because of the way they are designed. I see more serious inuries caused to riders in 1 piece suits where the suit has been contributory than I ever do with those in a two piece of jacket/trouser combo. The choice is down to the individual at the end of the day, but hopefully I have given you a bit of food for thought and prevented you from becoming brain washed into believing that if it is used on track it must offer the utimate protection on the road.

Additionally on the road it is a safer option.

I have been an examiner for both for over 30 years, does that count? I also wrote and delivered the RoSPA diploma for advanced instructors, does that count as well? I am also car qualified for both......

I was not trying to be a hypocritical ex smoker or anything like that. My daughter is a smoker. But I suppose the question is, is vaping a genuine and viable alternative to smoking a real weed? I was lucky in that I was able to give up cold turkey in one hit and without difficulty (my ilness probably helped in that respect), but having tried an e-cig once and was not overly impressed, I have always assumed that vaping would have a similar affect in that it is no substitute for the real thing other than it is probably/possibly a healthier alternative. I ask, because I am interested and I have not come across many who do vape, and I always assumed that you just purchased a vape machine/puffer (whatever they are called) and that the vaping mixture was pre-set at a factory or something like that. I honestly never realised that you can mix your own concoctions. Which goes to prove what I know (Not a lot )

What a palava just to have a smoke Makes me glad that after 35 years of smoking I was able to give up cold turkey 15 months ago without the need to ween myself off anything. How long does it take to make a days worth of smoking/vaping? Is it cheaper than smoking? When I quite, I joined a Quit smoking forum (and made many friends around the world) and set up a quit smoking ticker. As of this morning, based on me having smoked 20 a day, I have so far not smoked 8947 ciggies since I quit and I have saved around £3,000 minimum in 15 months. Really puts it in perspective when I think how much I have spent over the years.

The instructor was quite right not to allow you to continue with your CBT. He is not qualified to test your eyes, (only an optician can do that) all he can do legally is check your ability to read a number plate at a set distance. If you are unable to read that number plate not only do you commit the offence when you go out on road of riding with impaired vision, the instructor comits the offence of aid and abet, and this is before you take into consideration the safety aspect to both yourself and other road users. It may seem like a pain at the moment, but in the longer term it will be to your benefit of both your physicall health, your licence health and the health of other road users. In 35+ years of instructing I have had a few students (especially at advanced level) who have turned up for either training or thir test with eyesight that is not up to par, and whilst they were unhappy at the time we could not continue, in hindsight they came to realise that the instructor (well most of them anyway) only have your best interests at heart.

I had a bit of an issue. But after they drained 28kg of fluid off my lungs, legs, ankles and feet, got me breathing better and filled me full of meds, I did feel a whole lot better. I will never make a full recovery. The condition is with me for life. Had I suffered just the heart attack (which I did not even know I had had) then I am told it would have been full recovery mode, but heart failure (or dilated cardio myopathy to give it its correct name) will be with me for life.

It is hard to believe that on this day 12 months ago, I had arrived home from holiday to be taken straight to our local A & E where I was immidiately put onto oxygen and admitted into the cardio ward having been diagnosed with heart failure. There were times in that first 5 weeks where I wondered if I would ever get any sort of life back. Strange how I now feel better and fitter than I have done since I was about 30 years old. But that day of 12 months ago seems only like yesterday Just noticed that it was 7 years ago yesterday I became a member of TMBF. Now that really is a case of where has the time gone?

And this is what I do for a living (motorcycle crash investigation) and I am not even prepared to make comment. Insufficient information and facts

If you ever get the chance to go to the BMW museum in Munich, they have a TVP 5 series on display. It was the last one on our fleet dating back to about 1980/81 and at 350,000 miles, without major work. In those days we had personal issue, and the crew whose car it was refused to change it for a new SD1. However, on a shout one night dwn the M4, the back end started to overtake the front end... The chassis cracked and then broke because of all the weight and equipment we carried in our Motorway cars. Anyway, car was decommisioned, but BMW were impressed because the head had never been off, and it was worked out that running costs over its life came out at something like 0.005p a mile to run compared with something like about 22p a mile on the Rover, Jaguar and Grandada fleet we were running. BMW took it back to Germany and did a complete refurb. The crew whose car it was had an open invitation to drive it wenever they were able to get to the Museum. Unfortunately, one of the crew and a good friend of mine is no longer with us, but he did go out once just to drive it again.

That is why I suggested Marmalade. Did you look at it? You do not cancel your current policy, this is a bolt on policy

Might be worth trying these guys. When my daughter was learning, we took a policy out with them and they tagged it onto the main policy for blocks of 3 months at a time. We retained the normal policy, this was an add on, but remained legal and was tailored for learners wanting to learn in a private vehicle. It cost about £30 a month when we did it about 4 years ago, so it may have increased a bit, but it was affordable, sensible and did not affect the main policy. I have recommended them to a few friends since and it has worked for them as well http://www.wearemarmalade.co.uk/learner-driver-insurance?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=LDI%20-%20Brand%20-%20Marmalade%20-%20Exact&utm_term=marmalade%20insurance&utm_content=Brand%20-%20Insurance%20-%20Exact" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; If that doesn't work cost wise then try https://www.insurelearnerdriver.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;