11th INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOTORCYCLE STUDIES CONFERENCE
University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD
25–28 July, 2024
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Keynote Speakers
Shel Silva / PhD researcher for DocBike UK
Applying Research to Prevent Motorcycle Collisions and Motorcyclist Injuries
DocBike is a charity solely dedicated to the prevention of motorcycle collisions, motorcyclist deaths, and serious injuries. The charity started in Dorset when an Air Ambulance Critical Care Consultant and a Police Advanced Motorcycling Instructor joined forces to engage with motorcyclists to explain how to avoid becoming a crash statistic. DocBike has since expanded to several regions across the UK. DocBike has evolved to provide 4 key functions:
- Emergency medical response on a fully equipped motorcycle.
- Engagement with motorcyclists at local and national events to promote better biking skills to avoid collisions.
- Delivery of the Biker Down course.
- Use and invest in research to underpin the functions and aims of DocBike.
In 2019 Shel Silva became the first PhD Researcher for DocBike, in collaboration with Bournemouth University. Shel has ridden motorcycles since age 4, starting on a Honda Z50R and progressing to become a motorcycle instructor as soon as she was 21. Shel’s academic interests are grounded in behavioural and cognitive neuropsychology. Shel’s research utilises mixed methodology, quantitative eye-tracking, and qualitative semi-structured interviews to investigate whether motorcyclists’ identification and knowledge of risk changes according to their qualifications and experience. Motorcyclist participants were either standard-trained DVSA motorcyclists or Advanced IAM/RoSPA qualified, and standard-trained DVSA car drivers were used as a control group. Eye-tracking results indicate that standard-trained motorcyclists look at some features, such as poor road surface, for a longer duration than both advanced motorcyclists and car drivers. The qualitative themes integrate well with the eye-tracking results; for example, all motorcyclists include poor road surfaces in their explanations of hazards. Moreover, the qualitative interviews provide great insight into the dynamics of riding in a group, with clear indication that cognitive capacity is stretched due to several influential factors such as increased observations to monitor the behaviour of fellow riders.
Furthermore, Shel has co-created road signage that targets both motorcyclists and motorists to prevent collisions at junctions. This road signage is still in the trial phase; however, early results are promising.
DocBike UK is keen to share its research and ethos with allied organisations both locally and nationally with the belief that we all can contribute to the eradication of motorcyclist deaths and serious injuries.
Roy Pratt MBE / Founder & Team Director of the IMPS Motorcycle Display Team
The IMPS Motorcycle Display Team
The IMPS Motorcycle Display Team, founded in 1970, is an East London-based youth motorcycle display team. The team is now recognised worldwide and performs at local UK shows as well as major international events. They travel to various locations, including Singapore, Bermuda, Nova Scotia in Canada, and the Basel Military Tattoo in Switzerland.
The team consists of boys and girls aged five to seventeen years old, with a total of up to thirty members. They are supported by a team of entirely voluntary adults from various professions, including teaching, police, and mechanics. Additionally, a Chief Executive of the Chase Manhattan Bank at Canary Wharf volunteered as a chaperone, caring for the children’s specific needs.
The organisation, like many successful ventures, was not planned but grew out of a small charity established in the 1960s. The charity’s original purpose was to provide country holidays for underprivileged children during the long summer break. Initially known as the Hackney Adventure Holiday Project, the organisation operated camps for one hundred children each week in the Cotswolds using borrowed property. Despite limited resources, we had to be creative in organising activities such as fossil hunting on Bredon Hill, orienteering, horse riding at a local stable, and raft building to be tested later on the pond. This allowed us to create enriching week-long courses throughout the summer without significant funds.
Under some hay in the barn at the property, some children discovered two old BSA Bantam Motorcycles; the owners donated them to us, they were restored, and motorcycling became a popular project activity.
I established the IMPS from humble beginnings. We required assistance from trustees and parents, a funding source, and a legal riding location. After serving in the Army for seven years and riding with the ‘Red Caps’ Horse and Motorcycle Display Team, I had the expertise to lay the groundwork for a Display Team.
We unashamedly based our display on the famous White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team of the Royal Signals and the Metropolitan Police Precision Riding Team, both of whom had input into the IMPS development.
In the 1980s, we organised two major expeditions in the Algerian Sahara. We successfully completed the first motorised east-west crossing of the Grand Erg Oriental, using six 250cc Big Reds. A documentary film called ‘Duneriders’ was made as part of the Assignment Adventure series.
The IMPS name was chosen as a unique marketing name for our team since we didn’t want to imitate others. The term IMPS also signifies mischievous children, perfectly describing our team.
In 2002, I was honoured with an MBE for my work with young people, especially the IMPS. The IMPS were once again honoured in 2020 with ‘The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service’.
The team has made regular appearances at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle, leading to participation in numerous international events. Those who work with the children feel that the team’s greatest achievements stem from the impact of team life on the children’s development. This has been particularly significant in helping many children from deprived backgrounds and special needs children succeed in life by using the motorcycle as a therapeutic tool.