ianstone
08-06-2010, 06:55 AM
Police Spyder Trikes On Track For Safety
Comments (3) (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Can-Am-Spyder-Trikes-Speed-Up-Road-Safety-Campaign-For-Sussex-Police-Force/Article/201008115677587?lpos=UK_News_Second_Home_Page_Feat ure_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15677587_Can_Am_Spyder_Trikes_Speed_Up _#comments)
10:58am UK, Friday August 06, 2010
Lulu Sinclair, Sky News Online
Sussex police are using a trike capable of 125mph to get their road safety message across to the public.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2010/Aug/Week1/15677956.jpg It is hoped young people will talk to officers out of interest in the Can-Am trike
The trikes are part of a "think bike, think biker" campaign aimed at encouraging drivers and bikers to accept and accommodate each other on the road, Sergeant Paul Masterston told Sky News Online.
The idea for the trikes came when he was approached at the Festival of Speed Show at Goodwood.
Sgt Masterson said: "Usually, we use local businesses but the firm that imports the Can-Am Spyder suggested we might want to try one out."
The trike is the latest of unusual vehicles to be used publicly by the force as a way of attracting attention to their long-running road safety campaign.
"We're keen to engage with the 16-to-25-year-old age group who have the highest accident casualty rate so we were concerned about trying to find ways to get involved with these younger people," said Sgt Masterson.
"Over the years, we've come up with a few different ideas, including a customised Lotus.
"At that time we had quite a few kids who were spending time in car parks at 2am in the morning.
"If we'd turned up in a Volvo estate, they'd have decided we were too like their parents and taken no notice.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2010/Aug/Week1/15677960.jpg Police have bought Fiat 500s and a Lotus
"So we took the Lotus, parked up and said nothing. The kids initially thought we were out to get them and said we weren't being fair - our car was too fast - but we explained we just wanted them to learn a little more about safety.
"The campaign took off from there and it's been so successful that we've moved on to other interesting machines.
"We've had a couple of Fiat 500s - which drew a lot of attention from female drivers - and now we have the trikes and they've caused a sensation - even more than the Lotus."
The trikes are taken all over the county and used on routine patrol as well as on display.
They can be driven on a car licence - another key link with biker and driver - and, according to Sergeant Masterton, are a great success.
"There are six of us on the team and sometimes we'll go off to a show at the weekend to get our message across and engage with as many as 3,000 people.
"If we were in our usual cars, we'd be struggling."
The campaign costs nothing to the police force because the vehicles are on loan and are customised by local firm Blue Lite for free.
"All we pay for is the petrol. It's a good deal for us, and it's a good deal for the companies that supply us."
Comments (3) (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Can-Am-Spyder-Trikes-Speed-Up-Road-Safety-Campaign-For-Sussex-Police-Force/Article/201008115677587?lpos=UK_News_Second_Home_Page_Feat ure_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15677587_Can_Am_Spyder_Trikes_Speed_Up _#comments)
10:58am UK, Friday August 06, 2010
Lulu Sinclair, Sky News Online
Sussex police are using a trike capable of 125mph to get their road safety message across to the public.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2010/Aug/Week1/15677956.jpg It is hoped young people will talk to officers out of interest in the Can-Am trike
The trikes are part of a "think bike, think biker" campaign aimed at encouraging drivers and bikers to accept and accommodate each other on the road, Sergeant Paul Masterston told Sky News Online.
The idea for the trikes came when he was approached at the Festival of Speed Show at Goodwood.
Sgt Masterson said: "Usually, we use local businesses but the firm that imports the Can-Am Spyder suggested we might want to try one out."
The trike is the latest of unusual vehicles to be used publicly by the force as a way of attracting attention to their long-running road safety campaign.
"We're keen to engage with the 16-to-25-year-old age group who have the highest accident casualty rate so we were concerned about trying to find ways to get involved with these younger people," said Sgt Masterson.
"Over the years, we've come up with a few different ideas, including a customised Lotus.
"At that time we had quite a few kids who were spending time in car parks at 2am in the morning.
"If we'd turned up in a Volvo estate, they'd have decided we were too like their parents and taken no notice.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2010/Aug/Week1/15677960.jpg Police have bought Fiat 500s and a Lotus
"So we took the Lotus, parked up and said nothing. The kids initially thought we were out to get them and said we weren't being fair - our car was too fast - but we explained we just wanted them to learn a little more about safety.
"The campaign took off from there and it's been so successful that we've moved on to other interesting machines.
"We've had a couple of Fiat 500s - which drew a lot of attention from female drivers - and now we have the trikes and they've caused a sensation - even more than the Lotus."
The trikes are taken all over the county and used on routine patrol as well as on display.
They can be driven on a car licence - another key link with biker and driver - and, according to Sergeant Masterton, are a great success.
"There are six of us on the team and sometimes we'll go off to a show at the weekend to get our message across and engage with as many as 3,000 people.
"If we were in our usual cars, we'd be struggling."
The campaign costs nothing to the police force because the vehicles are on loan and are customised by local firm Blue Lite for free.
"All we pay for is the petrol. It's a good deal for us, and it's a good deal for the companies that supply us."