KillSpills 2007 Needs You!

[cbrbiker]

This year, KillSpills is joining forces with Future Publishing and their BikeFest UK event.

All supporters are welcome to join us and in particular, we're looking for 617 riders to join us on this year's rally (due to 617 being the number of motorists killed or seriously injured by diesel related accidents from 2000-2005). It's all happening a lot earlier than last year though and everything kicks off in late May!

The 617 Rally

If you'd like to join our rally, we're starting at Westminster and we're riding around several national press locations in London before heading up the M1 to Donington for the BikeFest event. The ride will have a police escort as in previous years. Registration for the 617 riders will be open shortly, so keep an eye on www.killspills.org.uk for details. There will be a one-off charge of £27.50 for each of the 617 to cover our costs (£17.50 for pillions). In return, you'll be one of the few who get to take part in this year's rally. You'll get your own t-shirt and will be able to fill up for free at the scheduled petrol stop. This also covers your entry to BikeFest UK.

If you're not interested in joining the 617, join us at Donington for a great day of biking celebration including the KillSpills world record attempt for the largest number of motorcycles on-track at once!

For more info, see www.killspills.org.uk

Thanks for reading.
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My Bikepics page
www.trackdaypix.com

[.....]

Bad idea changing the format in my opinion

Done the last two but won't be doing this one - not for £20.

I thought the whole clogging up London for a day was a much better idea.

[cbrbiker]

[map]

[Wave2k]

Not cool so not cool
Wont be taking part this year.
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Dom]

Shame. After getting as far as Box Hill last year and finding out I had a puncture I was hoping I'd be all set with a fully working road bike to do the run again this year.
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Photos and that

[map]

[cbrbiker]

[ch70_uk]

Having attended the last 2 years events and also being aware of the amount of work that the KS team have done over the last 3 years I will be there to fully support them again this year! Yes there is a cost this year, but there is always a cost. Last year I still had to pay fuel, still bought my brekkie at the ACE, still bought a T-Shirt, still stopped for a coffee at the services on the way home etc... Just this year it's more organised.

I know that last years event was "massive" and the number of bikes far exceeded what was expected. I also know that if it grows by a similar amount this year and the same format was held it would probably do more to damage to biking reputation than good.

For whatever reason the press haven't latched on to the previous events, even 7500 bikes bringing London to grid lock didn't make the news. One reason I guess KS are going to the news this year to make sure they are listening. What it does show is that more doesn't always mean better.

I'm pretty sure the sight of 617 bikes for 140 miles will get noticed and I hope that along with the world record attempt will bring in publicity. Let's not forget that the KS events have made noise in the right places, the government and DFT have been listening and have listened to what us bikers have to say. The issue now is getting the "general public" aware of the hazards.

Just tonight I've come home and some lorry drivers working on road works around the corner have turned around outside my house and spilt diesel all over the bloody place. Lucky I missed it when I came home!
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the road is long, with many a winding turn.. and I'm still trying to work out how to get around them!
CBR600FX 99, Carbon Tank Protector, Dark tint Screen, Gold Dust Covers

[SaZook]

All,

Firstly, thank you for attending the London KillSpills rallies, your support is very much appreciated.

With regards to holding another KillSpills rally in the same format as previous years; it simply would not have worked. I understand your views, but they don’t address the harsh logistical reality of running the KS rally, or making continued progress in changing legislation for the benefit of road users. We would love to have done another London rally, but the cost of policing such an event is now wholly prohibitive. Without changing our activity this year, there would not have been a KillSpills event in 2007 at all.

We have made significant progress with the Government, and KillSpills now sits on several sub groups of the National Motorcycle Council, which are tasked with delivering the Government’s National Motorcycling Strategy. We have certainly 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.

The DfT support the cause wholly, and are now pressurising the United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA) to stop ‘ducking the issue’, and to do the same. Work is ongoing on the production and distribution of an anti diesel spill leaflet, which will be displayed in all UK petrol stations. These leaflets will be launched at BikeFest UK on the 26th of May.

We had planned to continue working on the campaign this year, without a further event, but BikeFest UK offered KillSpills a massive display area, and exclusive use of the Donington Park’s circuit for one hour – all at no cost. We have not paid BikeFest UK nor have BikeFest UK paid us to attend. We were made a simple offer with no strings attached, and it’s the perfect platform for reaching the largest audience possible.

We have organised the largest single display area at BikeFest UK. Training and safety organisations, all the emergency services, and the Highways Agency will be there, supporting KillSpills. The vast majority of these organisations would not, could not, and have not supported the KillSpills rally to Westminster in the past. This is a massive break through. Attendees in the KillSpills area include:
Highways Agency
IAM
Leicestershire Fire Service
Cheshire Fire Service
Ridesafe Backsafe
Handle it or loose it
Great North Air Ambulance and helicopter
Cheshire Police
Metropolitan Police
BMF
MAG
RAC Foundation
Road Haulage Association
TISS Anti Siphons
Truck Protect Lit
Ross Environmental

All are attending and displaying in this area at their own cost, because they want to support KillSpills, and reduce preventable road accidents.

I believe that the London rally has a strong resonance for Westminster though, hence the ‘617’ ride. We are asking each rider to pay for their fuel (which they always do anyway), and for entry to BikeFest UK. Each rider on the event will cost KillSpills and our sponsors £43. Our supporters, primarily the BMF, have subsidised the cost of this. As a result, the fee to be one of the ‘617’ is only £25. The BMF have also fully covered the significant costs of policing the event.

The Government is already listening, we now need to get the media on board and to reach a wider audience. Since our campaign launched we have seen KSI statistics for diesel related motorcycle accidents reduce by almost 68%. During the same time, diesel related KSI figures for other road users have increased by almost 67%. We need greater media involvement to publicise this danger. 5000 bikes in London did not attract that coverage, and it’s unlikely that 10,000 bikes will either.

The easy option would have been to do nothing, or to try and do another London rally. Instead we have organised something that has never been done before, including a police escorted ride from London to Donington, which necessitated a planned refuelling stop for which we have convinced Welcome Break to close part of their motorway services so that 617 bikes could refuel in less than an hour. Not an easy task.

If you think we are now lap dogs to the DfT, or have sold out to a corporate show, you are categorically mistaken. We are an independent group, who can, and do, ask difficult questions in powerful places. We are not doing this for pleasure; we want to make a difference.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and sometimes opinions will differ. However, when opinion is based so firmly on factual inaccuracies, it’s worthless and damaging. Please respect what we are trying to achieve. The job is hard enough without having to fight the very bikers whose lives we are trying to save.

Kind regards and thanks for your support over the years and your continued support in the future.

The killspills team


SaZook