Scotland – A series of short films showcasing Scotland’s breath-taking motorcycle routes, has been unveiled as part of a new campaign. The campaign is highlighting the top risk areas for riders, in a bid to help reduce fatalities on Scotland’s roads. Its focus is on Scottish riders and those visitors from beyond Scotland’s borders.
We first picked up this new campaign on Social Media through what are described as two “the incredible films”. The films capture the thrill of riding in Scotland and showcase coastal rides, scenic forest roads with an epic mountain journey to follow and carry the poignant message – “Be aware on breath-taking roads. Don’t let them take your breath away for good.”
Backed by Police Scotland and a number of Scottish biking groups, the Breath-taking Roads campaign from The Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland (part of Transport Scotland), highlights top risk areas for riders – bends, junctions and overtaking – when enjoying Scotland’s roads.
A dedicated microsite and engaging Facebook page (Live Fast, Die Old) highlights the greatest biking experiences, along with hints and tips from carefully selected local biking experts – Route Ambassadors – who have first-hand experience of Scotland’s roads.
Minister for Transport Humza Yousaf said: “As a biker myself, I love the thrill of riding on Scotland’s breath-taking roads but, as Transport Minister, I am also acutely aware that motorcyclists make up less than one per cent of Scotland’s traffic, but account for 20 per cent of fatalities.”
“No matter what your level of experience is, this campaign will remind us as bikers of the importance of staying safe and riding appropriately. We hope the biking community from across our country and beyond will enjoy and engage with the helpful tips to ride these roads safely.”
Inspector Ian Paul, who leads Police Scotland’s national motorcycle unit said: “At this time of year many bikers are planning weekend ride outs and trips with their friends, to enjoy the magnificent scenery Scotland has to offer.
“We understand the thrill of motorcycling and why people want to do it, but we also want bikers to keep themselves safe especially when overtaking, approaching junctions and negotiating bends.
“This campaign encourages the biking community to enjoy Scotland’s roads, while following best practice too.”
O
utdoor posters will also be used to highlight the top risk areas for riders – displayed at key locations on Scotland’s most popular motorcycle routes, to encourage riders to consider their actions before riding.
Jayne Tollan, representative from the Clyde Valley Curvy Riders and Coastal Road Ambassador said: “Safety and best practice are at the heart of the Curvy Riders philosophy and our members are always looking for fresh guidance and advice for getting the most out of Scotland’s roads.”
“We’re delighted to back the Breath-taking Roads campaign and we’re looking forward to offering some top tips and advice from our community.”
Some Stats
The campaign has thrown out some statistics which can be related to the focus in the videos in videos concentrating on rural Scotland –
- Forty per cent of fatalities take place on left-hand bends
- A fifth (21%) occur during an overtake
- Latest figures show that over a three-year period, 2,271 motorcycle casualties were recorded.
- Of these 851 were seriously injured and 87 killed
- Over half of these fatalities happened at the weekend
The Campaign – What We Think!
We like these videos, not just because of the high production value, although that does get you engaged with videos.
We love the music – and wouldn’t it be great to have a drone to capture our own riding moments!
The underlying message in the videos is something we believe riders will understand and relate too, reminiscent of the DfT THINK! Bike – Perfect Day Video
The video is really self-explanatory, to watch a video that shows riding on a road and engages you to think!
There is no authoritative person speaking, nor or there hard-hitting images and gore which are not necessary or effective. It’s an intelligent video with a simple, clever message, meaning the vast majority of riders will be more likely to take notice of the video.
The website for the videos – Breathtaking roads for Scotland’s bikers – continues that theme with Route Ambassadors – riders themselves from the riding community – giving their experiences and offering advice, there is no big push that riders “must” get further training, with recommendations and detours along the routes.
For us a picture or in this case the videos paint a thousand words.
The videos and the campaign are inviting in inviting riders to ride Scotland’s stunning scenery!
Original Source – Issued by Smarts Communicate on behalf of the Scottish Government
Information
LiveFastDieOld – Breathtaking Routes
On Facebook – Live Fast Die Old – Scottish Motorbiking
Breathtaking Roads Coastal – Live Fast Die Old
Breathtaking Roads Forest – Live Fast Die Old
Breathtaking Roads Mountains – Live fast Die Old
The latest from the Scottish motorcycle campaign – also highlighting their mountain midges – Breathtaking Roads Mountains – Live fast Die Old
We would disagree with your take and analysis of the videos.
Especially when you say, “That was over the rise and down towards a straight.” the view is from behind the rider and left of them and perhaps slightly lower, so it looks like the rider had the view over the crest to make the overtake. Bearing also in mind the camera angle/lens can give a flase perception and we are sure these films just weren’t a rider and a drone out to take a few shots, there would have been expert advice involved.
The message of the videos is not to slow “bikers” down but to be aware on these breath taking roads.
As we said about the videos, “There is no authoritative person speaking, nor or there hard-hitting images and gore which are not necessary or effective. It’s an intelligent video with a simple, clever message, meaning the vast majority of riders will be more likely to take notice of the video.”
Inspector Ian Paul, who leads Police Scotland’s national motorcycle unit, has said, “After the campaign finishes later this year, independent evaluation will measure awareness, recall of best rider practices and claimed behaviour change. Social media engagement, click-through rates, Google analytics and Police Scotland incident statistics will also be used to measure its impact.”
That is something we rarely hear regarding safety campaigns.
Page 8-9 – Direction – Road Safety Scotland
On the coastal run it appears to me that no matter what the obvious or hidden danger may be, identified or not as a biker we kept on at the same speed and don’t slow at all. Is that the message that we want to give. I dont think so and at the overtake well judging by the hazard lines prior to the crest of the rise the rider would be about and no more than 50 ft from the rear of the vehicle and waiting for an opportunity to overtake if and when the road vision allowed. That was over the rise and down towards a straight. The speed of the vehicles in front one assumes was less than the speed limit otherwise an overtake could have broken the law and assuming it was the default speed limit of 60 mph one can assume he was travelling at say about 50 mph. In those circumstances the safe following distance behind should have been about 175 ft. but he was the contact distance or overtaking distance of maybe only 50 ft behind the vehicle to be overtaken.
He should not have been there at all being on a rise and blind crest with hazard markings and absolutely no vision of the road ahead and definitely no opportunity to overtake until he was over the crest of the rise and his vision was improved. First of all he should not have placed himself in that position in the first place and secondly having found himself in that position with no opportunity at that time to overtake he should immediately have pulled back to the safer following position.
Otherwise not bad to see a fast ride cos that what it looked like. Being made even faster by the music, Could only have been faster if it was ‘Bat out of Hell’ and when he overtook well Weeeeeeeeee I ask you.
If that’s going to slow the bikers down then good luck you will need it.
Enough said.