The Lurker

I hope that this shows a genuine desire by IOMG to actually make positive steps towards making the Island as green as it could possibly be but I’m afraid I have to agree with my fellow cynics that this smacks of a green-washing job creation scheme. There are plenty of passionate individuals who would happily volunteer their time to make the recommendations that are required and with the funding that this post will hoover up they could make a real difference. As others have said the IOM is blessed with natural energy resources but there is too much vested interest in maintaining the status quo. I believe that wealthy first-word countries have a duty to lead the way in the fight on climate change; even if their contribution is globally insignificant. After all, we led the way in industrialisation and consumerism that got us into this mess in the first place.

I may be wrong but I think they still need actual evidence.

Bragging? Or keeping the public informed? The Police were recently heavily criticised on these pages and further afield for not providing information following a violent incident; now that they’re doing that you think they’re bragging.

You were certain enough to try and deflect the blame for someone being incorrectly charged away from your legal colleagues onto the Police. Is this just the typical MF anti-Police sentiment or Manx Advocates circling the wagons whenever one of their number is criticised?

So in the instance of the chap at the Manx Museum would it have been the Police or their legal advisors that made the decision to charge?

So it isn't the Police that make the decision whether or not to charge?

Doesn't the ultimate decision to charge lie with the AG though?

If a potential five year sentence doesn't deter someone from carrying a knife I can't see doubling it having an effect. Perhaps revising the sentencing guidelines for those caught in possession of a knife might have an effect but I doubt it.

Your classic car is far more likely to cause serious injury though should you hit someone. Your classic car will cause significant damage to another vehicle you may hit. Your classic car will cause significant damage to any property you hit. Your classic car emits emissions. Your classic car causes wear on the road network. Your classic car adds to congestion. Etc. I have third party only because it’s a very cheap add on to my policy that I took out years ago in case my bike was damaged or stolen; it’s costs me less per month than I save in fuel costs of one single day’s commuting by riding instead of driving. Third party cover is not and never has been a consideration for me. For both health and environmental reasons cycling should be being promoted and encouraged by IOMG. Adding bureaucracy will put off too many people and cost far more than it generates.

It does; but my last lot of bike repairs following a spill cost about £250; I've had an £800 bike stolen and several crash repairs over the years. I reckon I've had the better end of the deal. ETA: The third party add-on only costs a few quid which I think shows how little risk the insurance companies see in cyclists causing serious accidents.

I call it road tax, always have. I know it’s not actually a road tax. It really doesn’t matter. But I also get annoyed when people talk about the new ‘season’ of a telly programme instead of saying ‘series’ so I’m probably a hypocrite. Either way; feel free to count the shits I don’t give whether people call it road tax or VED. In a futile attempt to un-derail the thread. I ensure my bike; have done for nearly twenty five years; it costs me thirty quid a year and gives about one and a half million quid liability cover, never needed that though thankfully. More importantly it pays to fix my bike when I crash it.

Interestingly I’ve just had a chat with a mate who is a bit more knowledgeable than I am about road racing; apparently at the Irish races people are allowed to cross but only after a marshal has blown a whistle to show it’s safe which sort of sinks his defence really as I’m sure no marshals were blowing whistles. There has been a general rise in issues with spectators over the last few years; I can’t help but wonder if this is related to no longer having the Police (auto predict just put police in as Power Lice!!) dotted around the course for the duration of the closure.

The issue is that you may stop, look and listen but your everyday road sense is attuned to normal road conditions; a road that appears empty and safe to cross may not be when vehicles are hooning around at speed expecting an empty road. I agree that some of the punishments are too much for honest mistakes by people who are apologetic; I have a growing sense from my own experiences and anecdotal evidence that there are an increasing number of marshals who seem to be hell bent on exercising their authority but people shouldn’t go on the closed roads under any circumstances.

The issue in your example isn’t the consumption of alcohol but the irresponsible disposal of empties and the lack of action taken by marshals to prevent the empty going onto the track; early intervention by the marshals would’ve prevented that; maybe it’s a training issue? With a track the size of the TT course you cannot have ifs, buts and maybes. No one is allowed on the track without authority from someone who knows what is moving on the course at that time; that’s who we ended up with a head-on between bikes and a course car last year.

It isn’t really a fair comparison though; the Irish road circuits are very short in comparison to the TT course and it’s far easier to know with certainty that there’s nothing moving on the track over there; I believe there was one instance of an Irish visitor going on closed roads this year because ‘that’s what we do at the North West.’ It is far safer to have a blanket ban on entering a closed road than to risk it; travelling marshals, course cars and those VIP cars all travel significantly faster than everyday traffic and without any warning so a road that appears clear and would be safe to cross under normal road conditions is not safe when closed.