Just a nod to my BB colleagues. I have it on good authority that a couple of police forces are looking in detail at BB riders who are using their own bikes for BB services. So check your details if you use your own bike. This follows a rider using blue lights when not on duty. They expect to prosecute on insurance issues. P.S. It was not one of ours in Manchester, we don't have blue lights fitted.
I think using your own bike steps into a very grey area. We dont allow our riders to have any markings on their own bikes and definately not blues. We do try to always have one of the charity marked bikes available for the duty riders.
The only blue light runs we do have to be clinically authorised and are only done by suitably qualified riders.
The last person reported for unauthorised use of blues was removed from riding.
Things seem to vary from area to area as we have recently had a guy join us from Scotland and he says that most of his runs were done on blues.
As a responder for the Ambulance service it is my experience that you make better progress on a marked bike without blues. People dont tend to do stupid things to get out of your way.
I have to use my own bike as we don't have enough marked ones, however obviously no blue lights on my bike. Also checked with my insurer's for BB use on my bike and told no problem. I have restricted my availability now, after doing lot's of calls and miles in my first week, also fuel cost's 😨
Do you guys get costs reimbursed in full ? , and on average how often are you called out and are you on call 24/7 ?
Speaking for myself, no cost's reimbursed at all, apparently if you are on a marked bike you can claim your fuel cost's.
Only been doing it a few weeks, in my first week I got a call every night, early evening, did about 250 miles, hence me restricting my availability now.
blimey that could prove costly, I'm not surprised you have restricted your availability
We pay the fuel costs for the marked bikes but if a rider "chooses" to use his own bike there is no reimbursement. We are on call from 17-00 until 07-00 Mon to Fri and 24 hours at weekends and bank holidays. How busy you are varies but last year in Devon we covered 2,700 jobs
In Norfolk we run 7 PM to 7 AM weekdays, and 24 hours weekends and bank holidays, but split in to 12 hour shifts.
Our service is entirely on marked bikes/cars supplied by the service, with fuel paid for by the service.
If a member chooses to use their own car due to weather conditions or that a service vehicle is a long way from the rider/driver for collection for use, we can claim our fuel costs. We do, but then make a gift aid donation of the fuel cost to the service and the service get the extra 20%.
We have four riders/drivers on call and I guess on average they will each do one run a night minimum.
Manchester are on call from 7 pm to 6am and 24 hours Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays. In my first month which was September I was on call 3 or 4 nights a week and was often called out 3 times a night.
After the initial learning period we have attracted more new recruits and I now offer my services 3 nights a month and attend 1 or 2 fund raising events a month. We often help with baby milk deliveries during the day when asked. All costs are covered by the service, using service bikes.
My original post was to warn riders who use their own vehicles to ensure they are fully insured. Be aware a bike with reflective stickers is often deemed as altered by insurance companies.
:eek: Firstly I have to take my hat off to you chaps as I am sure everyone else here will too ... very well done. I am amazed that anyone would want to do this on their own bike, not just for the lack of fuel refund costs but the risk of being involved in an RTA and or insurance issues when anything like that should occur. Who trains you and to what standard ? Blue light runs ? Really ? Don't get me wrong for one moment ... what you do is fantastic but keep it simple and safe ... use the job bikes and leave those blue lights alone.
:agree: :agree: :agree: :clap: :clap: :clap: for the work that you all do
All riders need to have passed an IAM or Rospa Advanced test. When they apply to volunteer they have a further extensive check ride in house. As a Rospa tutor I am one of 3 in the group that do check rides. Blue light riders are trained at Police level and as I posted earlier the runs have to be clinically authorised. They are few and far between and the general feeling is that we prefer not to use them. I don't know what other groups do.
We sometimes get people applying that start talking about blues and twos as soon as they walk through the door. They are there for the wrong reasons and the process ends for them at that point.
I've done a couple of Police Bike safe refresher's and my IAM and had an in house assessment ride by an instructor before starting.
I've done more than enough "Blues and Two's runs in a previous life to be gagging to do more :whistling:
:agree:
Quote from: GTRpilot on December 08, 2016, 10:35:59 AM
I've done a couple of Police Bike safe refresher's and my IAM and had an in house assessment ride by an instructor before starting.
I've done more than enough "Blues and Two's runs in a previous life to be gagging to do more :whistling:
I would agree with that, plus blues and twos do not make you go any faster, they are for warning people of your approach and help you to keep moving rather than stop start driving.
My instructor told me that blues and twos do not alter the laws of physics, you do not corner quicker, go faster, stop quicker or even get through smaller gaps.
When I was a volunteer fireman many years ago in VA, we could have flashing red lights and use them on the way to the firehouse. Even with ambulances and police, flashing red and blue lights are essentially asking for the right of way through. It wasn't a demand to make way. Now many states have changed the laws so that flashing reds and blues mean to get out of the way and if you don't you can get a ticket if an officer is so inclined. We've had too many policeman and emergency workers killed over here.
Quote from: doebag on December 08, 2016, 11:51:07 AM
I would agree with that, plus blues and twos do not make you go any faster, they are for warning people of your approach and help you to keep moving rather than stop start driving.
My instructor told me that blues and twos do not alter the laws of physics, you do not corner quicker, go faster, stop quicker or even get through smaller gaps.
Wise words
In a previous life I was a police advanced driver (cars).
A blues and twos run was certainly a means of pumping the adrenaline, but you had to be on the ball and concentrating 200%.
It didn't give you a 'right of way' as many believe. It was merely a warning that an emergency vehicle was approaching and would like to progress as quickly as possible.
The majority of road users were extremely polite and sensible, but it made some others panic and they were the dangerous ones.
A police driver, doing his utmost to do his job, put his own driving licence on the line and just like the armed members of the police service, split second decisions if made wrongly could have catastrophic results.
On the theme of blues and twos on a motorcycle, I would hesitate to conclude on their benefit bearing in mind the unpredictable panicking driver.
But as has been said before, I take my hat off to all those in the emergency services and to those who volunteer unpaid to do the blood runs.
I give blood as often as is possible but I'm not sure I'd deliver it too!
:agree: Good post Sir
I've driven with blues and twos on a mountain rescue vehicle and it can be a nightmare. The control vehicle was a VW T 45? and really big, it's amazing how many people fail to see a few ton of white van covered in hi vis battenburgs with everything flashing and making a lot of noise.
I've just passed my blood bike riders assessment and our bikes are fully marked up without blue lights.
I was Police advanced (Cars), on armed response. Sat behind a car in lane 3 M6 for 2.5 miles with all the bells and whistles going. When he did eventually see me he went lane 3 to the hard shoulder in one swerve.
Frightened the crap outta me 😊