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Survival Skills Newsletter – 18th November 2021

Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists - Survival Skills Newsletter - Kevin Williams

OK, so I said no more newsletter. But then I got several supportive emails. So I have had another think (again) and I’ve decided to point the links to posts on Ko-Fi rather than on Facebook. Frankly, it makes more sense – you might decide to support my work directly when you’re over there, rather than support FB without choice by having their ads deployed on your screen.
I was going to make this announcement last Thursday but in the time it took to brew a cuppa, the rather expensive SSD on the PC decided to have a meltdown and give up the ghost completely. Fortunately everything important was backed up, but I did lose a few things I was working on, and obviously installing a replacement drive and restoring the backup took a while – so no newsletter last week, and no Thursday post either.
So as of today, you’ll get links to this week’s posts that have appeared on Ko-Fi.
Just to clarify something, Ko-Fi is NOT a subscription-only site, though there is content that is available only to SUPPORTERS and SUBSCRIBERS. Everything in this newsletter is FREE TO READ for at least seven days. All you have to do is click the link, and read the post.
There will be other posts added to Ko-Fi – if you want to get updates on those as they go up, become a FOLLOWER and that won’t cost a penny.
Yes, there are posts that are pay-to-view but I’m positive you get your money’s worth. I’m still migrating the HUGE FB archive over there. Currently there are over SIX HUNDRED posts and over 100 more to go! Not bad for £3.
I’d welcome your feedback, as always, and if you feel able to support my work – either with a one-off payment or a regular subscription – I’d be more than grateful.


WHAT’S ON IN THE SURVIVAL SKILLS UNIVERSE

NEXT LIVE PRESENTATIONSCIENCE OF BEING SEEN (SOBS) – SOBS is an in-depth investigation of the most common motorcycle crash of all – the ‘Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You’ or ‘SMIDSY’ collision at junctions. We’ll look at why drivers don’t see motorcycles, why day-riding lights and hi-vis clothing are often ineffective and suggest some pro-active riding strategies for staying out of trouble… all based on REAL SCIENCE.
Tickets cost £5 – get yours here:
WEDNESDAY 1 DECEMBER 2021 AT 20:00
DECEMBER’S TALK: Filtering – what’s legal, what’s illegal and what’s common sense – in this webcast, I’ll use my background as a courier to offer not just sound advice for staying out of trouble, but also explain how the law determines responsibility for filtering collisions. 
Tickets cost £5 – get yours here:
WEDNESDAY 5 JANUARY 2022 AT 20:00
CLUB & GROUP TALKS – I’ve delivered one more group talk and added another to the diary for some weeks ahead, and if you’d like me to arrange something for your own group or club, get in touch. As well as ‘Science Of Being Seen’‘Crash Course (in how not to…) and my latest ‘Fewer skills, more Insight’ presentations, I have a selection of others on various riding issues. Available weekday evenings and weekends. Drop me a line to sort something out.


*** ELEVENSES *** Elevenses 189 Wed 17 Nov
F1 organisers FIA produce a $10 motorcycle helmet for Mexico… average speed cameras for the Isle of Wight… and the A32 / A272 in the Meon Valley… hydrogen power project by Kawasaki… Rossi’s last ride… young rider age limit set to be increased in MotoGP… today’s discussion point – do we really need to buy ‘the best kit you can afford’.
*** TIPS ON TUESDAY *** “How do I approach a roundabout?”
If you asked me “what kind of junction causes you the most problems as a rider” I wouldn’t say sideroads as I expect many of you would guess, my answer would actually be “roundabouts”. Why? There are several reasons.
*** MYTHBUSTING MONDAY *** Tyres #4 – the ‘right’ pressure
Here are five questions for you to answer. The first you should know; what are the recommended tyre pressures for your road bike? The second is simple; how much does your bike weigh? The third is also easy; what size tyres does your bike use? The fourth is straightforward; what tyres are fitted to your bike? And the fifth is a little more delicate; what do you weigh?
*** ELEVENSES *** Elevenses 188 Sun 14 Nov
Former Norton boss Stuart Garner’s court date put back… Stroud police seize brand new bike from rider… Benda debut a pair of V4 motors… is a lithium-carbon battery the electric breakthrough we’ve been waiting for… why there is a microchip shortage… today’s better biking tip – riding psychology: cognitive biases and the ‘illusion of control’…
SoS November 13 (Too) close to the edge Pt 3
“Done right, overtaking is perfectly safe”. That was a statement on a well-known bike forum some years back. It was made by a retired police rider and former member of the Met’s Special Escort Group, who was at the time working for a training school run by another ex-police rider (NOT Rapid Training, before you jump to conclusions). I’m sure regulars here will know me well enough to have a fair idea of my opinion of that statement. 
FoF November 12 Who’s talking when you ride?
Last week, I was talking about the change of thinking in sports psychology, and how Tim Gallwey moved tennis coaching away from being drilled to technical excellence (“be so good no-one can beat you”) towards a coaching style which focused on the trainee’s awareness of what was happening to themselves and around them. 


TRAINING – I’m still training but bookings are now short notice only to take advantage of dry days – there’s no benefit to working in wet, windy and freezing weather – and in case the weather doesn’t look promising, on the day the Survival Skills WET WEATHER GUARANTEE will kick in.
Visit www.survivalskills.co.uk for more info on training courses – it’s had a bit of a makeover.
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER – Survival Skills is all about helping you improve your knowledge, your skills, and your understanding of riding and the newsletter goes out on Thursdays with links to ‘better biking’ posts on my Ko-Fi page.
THAT’S IT FOR THIS WEEK – so finally SHARE THE NEWS!
Please Please PLEASE pass on the newsletter to biking family and friends. If everyone who reads it shares it to one other rider, that’s another hundred riders who have a chance to read something potentially useful to them. Let’s get everyone we know ‘better biking’.

See you all next week

Kevin Williams
Survival Skills Rider Training

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