Better roads for motorcycling

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Eamonn Townsend

Better roads for motorcycling

Post by Eamonn Townsend »

The road is for motorcyclists too: French Government sets example to follow.

The French Ministry of Transport has just published (September 2000) a new guide. Aimed at road maintenance authorities, the guide lists the risks that are caused to motorcycle users by the road infrastructure, and makes recommendations how to prevent them.

The guide also treats other issues of interest to motorcyclists: changes in the consideration that engineers and road authorities should give to motorcycles, specific road safety aspects of motorcycling (accident research, actions in favour of motorcycling), and the place that motorcycles should occupy in the overall transportation system.

Easy to read and richly illustrated, the 80 page booklet covers common problems like slippery road paint, the exposed guard rails of crash barriers, road humps, loose gravel, and roundabouts [Now being widely introduced in France]. It gives very practical advice to engineers and road authorities what measures they can adopt to enhance motorcyclists' safety when designing a road, or reviewing an existing infrastructure. It covers motorcycling in both the urban and the non-urban environment.

Eric Thiollier of FEMA welcolmed the new French guide: "This publication is a great achievement for the motorcycling community.

"French FEMA member, the FFMC first heard of the project of the guide in 1996, when it was campaigning against the hazard to riders from exposed guard rails; but many in the FFMC doubted that it would ever become reality.

"One might carp at the 'self-congratulatory' tone of the list of actions that the French Government now proposes in favour of motorcyclists. But the guide promises nevertheless to make a significant contribution to riders' safety in regard to the road infrastructure. It is, from the point of view of FEMA, a useful guide indeed."

The guide is obtainable from:

Service d'Etude Technique des Routes et Autoroutes (SETRA)46 avenue A.Briand - 92225 Bagneux - FranceTel : 01 46 11 31 53Fax : 01 46 11 33 55http://www.setra.equipement.gouv.fr
or:
Centre d'Etudes sur les Réseaux, les Transports, l'Urbanisme et
les constructions publiques (CERTU)9, rue Juliette Récamier69456 Lyon - FranceTel : 04 72 74 58 00Fax : 04 72 74 59 00http://www.certu.fr

(Cost : 80 F (12,20 euros))
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