Date: Sunday 4th September 2005
Venue: The Ace Café, Ace Corner, North Circular Road,
Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD (car parking available)
Fifteen Deaf Bikers will enhance their riding skills this
weekend as BikeSafe-London extends its road safety initiative
to the Deaf Biker community of London.
The BikeSafe-London initiative, run in partnership by the
Metropolitan Police Service Traffic Unit, the City of London
Police and Transport for London, aims to reduce motorcycle,
moped and scooter rider fatalities and serious injuries.
This is done through Rider Skills Days that raise rider
awareness of the major causes of motorcycle collisions in
London. During the course of the day, riders are observed
by qualified police motorcyclists who assess their riding
and offer advice on how to improve their riding skills.
The London scheme is the first in the country to extend
its service to Deaf Bikers and the development came after
Sergeant Paul Mostyn of the Met’s Traffic Unit met
with a group of Deaf Bikers at the Ace Café, north
London.
He said: “During my meeting with the group it became
clear that they were keen to enhance their rider skills
and increase their safety but had always felt excluded from
further development opportunities. The day will consist
of exactly the same as a standard BikeSafe-London day but
with the support of signers to aid communication. The 4th
September is fully booked and if it proves a success we
hope to hold more in the future as part of BikeSafe-London’s
continued commitment to casualty reduction and to help better
meet the needs of London’s diverse community.”
Vice Chair of Deaf Bikers UK and motorcycle rider of 20
years Paul Pycroft, will be attending the day on his BMW
1150GS. He said: “As a profoundly Deaf rider I rely
completely on my vision to monitor the traffic conditions
on the road. Any guidance that improves my knowledge and
ability to judge situations when I am out riding will help
to keep me riding safely long into the future. It is also
great that the Metropolitan Police Service / BikeSafe-London
has been positive in its approach to developing us Deaf
Bikers as a separate group. Meeting our access needs via
BSL (British Sign Language) shows a level of awareness rarely
seen in most training providers. Well done to BikeSafe-London.”
