Emergency Services Day at the Route 1066 Cafe

[The Spin Doctor]

made the moderately long trip from NW London to Robertsbridge for the Emergency Services day at the Route 1066 Cafe.
https://www.facebook.com/1066cafe

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I was there along with Sussex Police, DocBike, Mental Health Bike, East Sussex Fire and Rescue and some of the Biker Down team from ESFS, and the local IAM group.

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There were police vehicles in including a bike on display and ESFR brought along their own 'fire bike'. There as also the Battle pump on site - I half expected some kind of steam punk vehicle festooned with water cannon, but it turned out to be the regular kind, just hosted at Battle.

Anyway we got there about 9:30 and were set up by about 10:15. We weren't run-off-our feet busy but there was a steady steam of people wandering through to browse the stands so I was able to deliver quite a few three minute 'mini-SOBS' explanations which just looked at the contrast and disruptive camouflage problems of conventional high vis.

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One of my former trainees turned up with her husband, and was very pleased to tell me how my slow riding and tight turns training had helped her to perform a U-turn at a mini-roundabout (GPS routing error) a few days previously - a manoeuvre that would previously terrified.

And of course, I was able to do a bit of networking.

And the good news is that I've been invited to a similar event which is provisionally scheduled for September 24 at Rye - that's a Saturday so hopefully we'll get a bit more foot-fall. More details when I'm informed about how that will run.

I was also able to talk to John Allsopp, the man behind Moto Gusto Bike Magazine, who helped organise the event.
www.motogusto.co.uk

John has recently become involved with the DocBike initiative, set up by helicopter doctor Ian Mew from Dorset. I met Ian myself a few years back when he came along to the Biker Down course being run by Kent Fire & Rescue Service where he was very complimentary about the course generally, but also my SOBS presentation, and we've stayed in touch generally - since one of DocBike's aims is to reduce rider deaths and injuries via education, I've always felt we're a good fit.

DocBike have recently started delivering Biker Down themselves. This was always the intent when the accident management, first aid and crash prevention course was set up by KFRS; that any suitably qualified team could run the courses.
https://docbike.org/

And John is now in the final stages of launching a local Biker Down course under the DocBike banner.

As you probably know, my own involvement with Biker Down ran from the first pilot course in autumn 2011, right through to 2020 when COVID shut us down. Sadly, my services were no longer required when a year later, courses resumed.

Although I'm still out and about delivering SOBS to groups and clubs, in person and online, I do miss not being part of a team delivering what I think is the best road safety course going.

So although I can't say too much yet but look out for an announcement. I am very happy to say that I could be back running SOBS as part of a Biker Down team in the near future. More on that when I know more myself.


And finally, a big thanks to the staff at the Route 1066 Cafe who kept a steady stream of cuppas flowing - the tea was very welcome on another hot day in the sun.

[Hot_Air]

It looks like a great event, but I’m curious how (if?) they advertised it.

[slowsider]

Anyone called Norman got a free pass

[The Spin Doctor]

It looks like a great event, but I’m curious how (if?) they advertised it.

TBH, advertising isn't the strong point of events like this. I've been putting the word out on FB for the last 4-5 weeks but if you don't visit my FB page you won't have seen it. Ditto the MotoGusto page and DocBike sites. It was more people visiting the cafe as normal and popping into the garden to see what was going on than folk who knew and came deliberately like my trainee Sue

I attended one set up by Oxfordshire FRS and hardly anyone turned up. Turned out that no-one had thought to put the word out to local cafes. H's was just up the road, so someone jumped on a bike and handed out some leaflets up there - we got a few more ride over during the afternoon.

[Horse]

Contrary to certain well-known statements, just because you build it doesn't mean they will come.

Same for events as for websites.

And, sadly, this type of event is likely to attract the Dayglo Dereks. I know, I went to enough of them (both sides of the counter)

[The Spin Doctor]

No, I appreciate that just because it's there doesn't mean people will visit. But putting it where bikers naturally congregate makes sense.

[Horse]

But putting it where bikers naturally congregate makes sense.

Indeed. Sounds like the wrong day though?

[The Spin Doctor]

But putting it where bikers naturally congregate makes sense.

Indeed. Sounds like the wrong day though?

Like many things to do with the emergency services, I suspect it had to fit in around shift patterns and availability.