Hi everyone, just a short piece from me this time as I’m busy trying to get ready for a trip to Germany and Austria with some of TVAM’s more ‘mature’ members. I like to think of this as my contribution to Care in the Community (good job they won’t get to read this until we’re back at home!).
Work commitments have meant my planning for this trip has resembled a dodgy overtake – all last minute and a bit of a rush – and so I set out this morning to get some new tyres fitted. It was rush hour so there was plenty of opportunity for filtering practice. I was quite enjoying the ride until my route took in the Hogs Back between Farnham and Guildford. For those that don’t know this stretch, it’s on one of the highest pieces of ground around and is known for having its own weather system. Today was no exception, with mist and fog, and visibility down to 50m in places, a sign that autumn is approaching perhaps?
What struck me most was just how few cars had their lights on while driving in fog. Years ago, you may have seen a few without lights but today it was almost everyone. Why is that I wonder? Lights set to come on automatically in the dark? But it wasn’t dark, it was just foggy – outcome – no lights. All those cars traveling so close together in the fog with no lights, there’ll be a big accident one day. Oh wait – a 130 car pile-up in Kent – no surprise there then!
Just an extra bit of info that came my way the other day – I’ve been thinking about getting a tracker fitted to my bike. I’m leaning towards the BikeTrac from Road Angel at the moment so I looked up a list of resellers and installers on their website. A couple of local resellers I contacted insisted they also had to fit the unit (for an appropriate charge of course) to ensure the warranty was OK. This did not appear to match what was on the website, so I contacted Road Angel direct. “Not at all” was the reply. So, if you are capable of fitting one yourself, or know someone who is, you can save yourself some cash and order one from Road Angel direct, see www.roadangelgroup.com/biketrac.aspx
Ride safe everyone.
Andy Wedge
Chief Observer
