It is with a feeling of deep sadness that I open my regular Slipstream column with a tribute and goodbye to Chris Arnold following his tragic death while motorcycling in the French Mountains. Chris was leading his final tour with a group of friends from TVAM when his motorcycle left the road and he was killed instantly.
By the time you read this, Chris’s funeral will have taken place on the 12th of October. It was the wish of his wife and three daughters that the funeral be a small personal affair with just family and close friends present.
I know that many of us who have ridden with Chris on his regular social runs and European tours would like to pay our respects so the book of condolences started last month, will be left at the Green Team desk for the next couple of St. Crispin’s meetings. Please take the time to drop by and record your thoughts. We will present the book to Chris’s family in due course.
The Committee arranged a floral tribute sent on behalf of all TVAM members.This sad news highlights both the risks that we are all exposed to and the value of the training we offer at TVAM.
On the subject of training, one of the areas that has perhaps been overlooked by all of the advanced training bodies is the major effect that we as humans have in the causation factors relating to Road Traffic Incidents. This is known as ‘human factors’ and has been the subject of much research in the Road Safety and Aviation worlds. The IAM’s new Advanced Riding Course has a prominent section on this, and we will be running a workshop session on this subject at next year’s Observer Training Day on the 11th February at the Coppid Beech in Bracknell.
Don’t forget the Autumn Seminar Series is starting with an evening with Rapid Training on the 2nd November at the Masonic Hall in Wokingham. Many of you will recall Gary Baldwin’s irreverent take on crash investigation and advanced riding. It will be both entertaining and politically incorrect – a not to be missed event for all members! Gary heads up Rapid Training who conduct the bi-annual riding skills check on all TVAM Observers. (See page 24).
Ride Safe and enjoy the last few days of Autumn sunshine before the clocks go back.
Pat Coneley
Chief Observer
