Hotspots;
It’s the time of the signs!
Comes the Spring and brighter weather and it’s the beginning of a new “season” for bikers!
The early morning air resounds to the howls of machines under full throttle as riders take to the roads! Jump on a bike it’s like no other thrill, a unique feeling that riders’ just love! Each year an increasing number of you love it so much that you could find yourself involved in fatal and serious crashes. So… it’s the time of the signs!
Big, bold and bright yellow, the signs pictured here supported, literally, by a local biker, can be seen at rider “hotspots”. These are places on popular riding routes where, too often, fatal and serious crashes occur. With these hard-to-miss signs we’ll remind you that going out for a blast, although a passion for most of you, may for some be a passion “To Die For…?
Initially the signs were only used on the roads of the East Midlands. Their success in spreading the message to bikers has prompted other counties in the UK to use the Shiny Side Up message. Also a result you will find signs in Cumbria, Lincolnshire, Lancashire and across many southern counties. The signs can be also be seen, thanks to the Highways Agency’s support for our campaign, on all trunk roads in England.
Our fame is spreading along with the message which we hope will save riders from coming to grief on the roads.
We’d like you all to be aware of the risks you take and the price of getting it wrong. To quote John Reynolds “the throttle works both ways”
At the same time we’ll also remind drivers to Think Bike! Lots of you said that drivers don’t see riders and, as drivers yourselves, you’d be prepared to display a Think Bike message in your vehicles. So - you got it!
Rear car window stickers, based on the Think Bike road signs, have been made available and we have distributed over 350,000 of them across the UK through our website and at racing venues, track days and other similar events.
Location of hotspots signs and main causes of crashes in Nottinghamshire.
A6097 Epperstone bypass between Ton Lane and Oxton Roundabout.
Crash factors - riders losing control on bends, overtaking and hitting oncoming traffic. Drivers turning right across riders
A6006 E to W across the county. Crash factors - riders losing control on bends, running into back of slow moving tractors etc. Drivers turning right across riders.
A620 Bole Fields to A631 roundabout.
Crash factors - riders losing control on bends on predominantly dry and uncontaminated surfaces.
A631 Beckingham bypass between A620 roundabout and A161 roundabout.
Crash factors -riders losing control at roundabouts and bends, predominantly due to irresponsible riding. Public complaints about riders behaviour.
A608 Junction 27 to A611 Derby Road Gyratory.
Crash factors - riders losing control on roundabouts and bends predominantly due to irresponsible riding. Drivers u-turning out of traffic queues across the path of motorcyclists filtering up the outside of the queue.
A616 Café north-west of A614 Ollerton roundabout.
Crash factors- drivers u-turning out of the lay-byes across path of motorcyclist.
A606 Melton Road between A52 and nether Broughton.
Crash factor- riders losing control on bends. Public complaints of high speeds by riders.
B6386 Southwell Road between Oxton and Southwell.
Crash factors - riders losing control on bends.
Location of hotspots signs and main causes of crashes in Nottingham City.
A609 Wollaton Road from A6514 Western Boulevard to A6002 Bilborough Road.
Crash factors – riders overtaking slow moving or stationary traffic hitting emerging traffic. Drivers turning right across riders.
Sellers Wood Drive, Bulwell. Crash factors – riders loss of control resulting in collisions or riders becoming unseated.
Crash factors – riders overtaking slow moving or stationary traffic hitting traffic emerging from the nearside. Drivers turning right across riders.
B686 Carlton Road from Bath Street to Lancaster Road.
Crash factors – riders overtaking slow moving or stationary traffic hitting traffic emerging from the nearside. Drivers turning right across riders.
NB. There is a trend of vehicles stopping to let drivers exit from side roads. Motorcyclists see this as an opportunity to overtake the vehicle then collide with emerging cars.
If vehicles are slowing or stopped without an obvious cause, expect emerging traffic from the nearside.
Location of hotspots signs and main causes of crashes in Derbyshire.
A57 Ladybower.
Crash factors - riders losing control on bends and overtaking predominantly due to irresponsible riding.
A624 Glossop to Hayfield.
Crash factors - riders losing control on bends predominantly due to irresponsible riding.
A615 Tansley to Wessington.
Crash factors - riders losing control on bends and overtaking.
A5004 Long Hill
Crash factors riders losing control and excessive speed
A623 Peak Forest to Stoney Middleton
Crash factors rider error due to excessive speed running into the back of other vehicle
A621 Baslow to Owler Bar
Crash factors riders losing control on bends
A54 & A537 Cat 7 Fiddle
Crash factors loss of control predominantly due to excessive speed
A6 Buxton to Bakewell
Seventy per cent of crashers involving motorcycles on this route were caused by rider error
A619 Bakewell to chesterfield
Crash factors careless behaviour by rider leading to loss of control
A515 Buxton to Newhaven
Crash factors driver failing to look rider loss of control
A515 Newhaven to Ashbourne
Crash factors riders lack of judgement rider failing to look properly
A515 Ashbourne to Sudbury
Crash factors 55% of crashers involving motorcycles on this route happened at junctions
A5012 Via Gellia
Crash factors rider loss of control excessive speed
Location of hotspot signs in Cheshire.
A537
Cat and Fiddle Road Macclesfield to the county border with Derbyshire.
A534 from the A41
Broxton Roundabout between Chester and Whitchurch to the junction with the A49 Ridley.
A54 from the A49
Sandybrow to the B5074 Roundabout at Winsford.
A534
Ridley to the crossroads with the A51 at Burford.
A556 from the A54
Delamere to the crossroads with the A49 near Sandiway.
A56
leaving Mickle Trafford near Chester to the A5117 Hapsford.
A536
from Pennington’s Lane, Macclesfield to the A34, Congleton.
Location of hotspot signs on Trunk roads in England
The Highways Agency are using the Think Bike and To die For signs on trunk roads in England particularly on roundabouts where the Think Bike type of collision is more common.
Area 7. A52, A453, A46, A38.
Area 10. A483, A5117, A55, A550, A570
Area 12. Planned for A64, A628
If you are concerned about the safety of any sign on a Trunk road see the Contacts page for details.
There are widespread public complaints about rider behaviour include knee sliding, excessive speed and other irresponsible riding. This doesn’t do much for the image of sports bikers. Save it for track days and remember when you are out on a run that the throttle works both ways!!
