This post is a shortened, updated version of one that appeared in July 2007
Update 8 June 2008: a fine Sunday today and many bikers zipping around, letting rip
Dry and indeed sunny weather this spring, including over much of the late spring bank holiday, has once again brought the English bikers out in force. With them comes the anticipated noise, injudicious manoeuvres, unsafe speed and lack of consideration we sadly come to expect. You'd think petrol increases of over 30 per cent since last year might put them off, but no.
Rhuthun sees its unfair share of weekend and holiday bikers screaming around the area, usually from England, treating the area like a lethal playground. Popular biker routes include the A525 over the Nant-y-Garth pass to the Ponderosa and Bwlch-yr-Oernant/Horeshoe Pass; and the twists and turns of the B5105 westwards to Cerrig and on to the A5 and Den’s Diner in Betws-y-Coed. Readers may recall the B5105 was the road along which a biker was decapitated at Llanfihagel-glyn-Myfyr in 2003, when he seriously injured a motorist, while doing 95 mph with neither licence nor insurance and with a false number plate.
True, not all bikers are like this and Rhuthun should welcome *careful* bikers. Like any visitor, they spend the tourist pound and may just decide to come back with their families. It is sad that many, though, have only one thing on their mind and the misery they can cause to themselves, to others and in particular the untold bereavement and loss that comes with a premature death or serious injury can cost up to £1.6mil per incident, if last summer's Daily Post is to be believed. Not that you can put a price on a life.
How often have you noticed bikers taking risks on substandard roads? Overtaking while facing on-coming traffic? Overtaking where there is limited vision? Ignoring speed limits in urban and rural situations? Tailgating? Over-revving & causing unnecessary noise? If you live in or around Rhuthun, this is sadly all too common, especially between late April and the end of September.
Update 8 June 2008: a fine Sunday today and many bikers zipping around, letting rip
Dry and indeed sunny weather this spring, including over much of the late spring bank holiday, has once again brought the English bikers out in force. With them comes the anticipated noise, injudicious manoeuvres, unsafe speed and lack of consideration we sadly come to expect. You'd think petrol increases of over 30 per cent since last year might put them off, but no.Rhuthun sees its unfair share of weekend and holiday bikers screaming around the area, usually from England, treating the area like a lethal playground. Popular biker routes include the A525 over the Nant-y-Garth pass to the Ponderosa and Bwlch-yr-Oernant/Horeshoe Pass; and the twists and turns of the B5105 westwards to Cerrig and on to the A5 and Den’s Diner in Betws-y-Coed. Readers may recall the B5105 was the road along which a biker was decapitated at Llanfihagel-glyn-Myfyr in 2003, when he seriously injured a motorist, while doing 95 mph with neither licence nor insurance and with a false number plate.
True, not all bikers are like this and Rhuthun should welcome *careful* bikers. Like any visitor, they spend the tourist pound and may just decide to come back with their families. It is sad that many, though, have only one thing on their mind and the misery they can cause to themselves, to others and in particular the untold bereavement and loss that comes with a premature death or serious injury can cost up to £1.6mil per incident, if last summer's Daily Post is to be believed. Not that you can put a price on a life.
How often have you noticed bikers taking risks on substandard roads? Overtaking while facing on-coming traffic? Overtaking where there is limited vision? Ignoring speed limits in urban and rural situations? Tailgating? Over-revving & causing unnecessary noise? If you live in or around Rhuthun, this is sadly all too common, especially between late April and the end of September.