Svein Karlsen (65) has ridden a motorcycle every season since he turned 16. Up to several motorcycles have been in the garage at any given time. Even with family life on the side. He has therefore not had time to fully prepare. But he admits that age is showing. – The body, perhaps also the brain, is not as flexible when you get older, he says. Parks the bike when the children arrive Karlsen was one of the more dedicated in the group of friends. – We also started with mopeds a little before we turned 16. I haven’t gone a year without a motorcycle since then, but some of us had layovers. According to Karlsen, these stays are a regular occurrence in MC environments. Several “choose” to hang up the leather suit when they have children and a wife in their 20s and 30s. – Then they suddenly turn 50 years old. Finally, they can ride a motorbike again. Then they can also afford something a little more expensive. They can buy the bike of their dreams, the “big one” they wanted as a youth. And even though 20 years have passed, no one can stop them from driving straight into traffic. It also shows in the statistics. Downhill driving on a bend In the last ten years, 177 people have died in motorcycle-related accidents on Norwegian roads. The number of seriously injured for the same period is 1,070 people. Men between the ages of 40 and 60 are the ones who most often die in traffic. The same applies to motorcycle accidents. In more than half of the fatal accidents on motorbikes, the driver/passenger is between 40 and 60 years old. The most serious accidents are caused by driving downhill on a bend. According to Trygg Trafikk, motorcyclists have not seen the same positive decrease in the number of fatal accidents as the other groups of road users. In a study collaboration with Nord University and Sintef, they have concluded that ordinary motorcyclists often have poor judgment skills in intersections and turning situations. Senior adviser in Trygg Trafikk Bård Johansen out with the motorcycle he rides on his home track. Photo: Privat – We compare their eye movements with professional motorcycle drivers, i.e. those who drive emergency services or conduct training at a high level, says Bård Morten Johansen in Trygg Trafikk. The organization therefore wants refresher courses to be introduced for motorcycle drivers of mature age. – Yes, I mean that. You are so vulnerable when you ride a motorcycle. But what that course requires is something else, says Johansen. He believes that more requirements must be placed on the course itself. It must be able to measure progress before and after, it cannot be too expensive, or require a new driver’s training or test. The course leader must have the necessary competence. – It is not certain that we have the right course for this today, he says. State Secretary Tom Kalsås (Ap) says that the Ministry of Transport is aware of the problem. – Basic driving skills are provided through driver training, which is quality assured in the driving test. But this is fresh produce, and many people drive on “old” driving licences, often with outdated knowledge and weak practical skills after having had no regular driving experience. The Ministry of Transport is familiar with the accident statistics for motorcyclists. Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news Kalsås nevertheless says that they have no plans to introduce compulsory refresher courses. – But work is being done widely to give motorcyclists a better and simpler basis for finding and choosing skills-enhancing offers that are just right for them – in this case designed exclusively to give them increased safety on the road. Rust in the system Svein Karlsen thinks a mandatory refresher course is logical. But he also points out that as an adult with a certificate you must be able to think for yourself. – From what I see on the news, there is mostly talk of downhill driving. It’s probably a matter of stiffening up a bit more. Then you drive too fast. Of course, it’s all about speed, because if you drive slower, you can make the turn, says Karlsen. Svein Karlsen and his friends on a drive in Troms. Photo: Private – The statistics show that there are quite a few motorcycle accidents involving well-grown men. What do you think it comes from? – Without having researched it, I think it’s about us being rusty. We don’t drive enough. Motorcycles are pure entertainment when you have time. It is not the same as the car you use every day. – The winter in Norway is also quite long. Then you get a long break from the end of September to the beginning of May – and up here in the north it often doesn’t become summer until Sankthans. I’m guessing it has something to do with it, that we are rusty. Jan Harry Svendsen from NAF MC explains how to get through the left turn. Published 23.06.2024, at 10.07 Updated 23.06.2024, at 11.25
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Well-grown and rusty motorbike drivers extra exposed in traffic – news Troms and Finnmark
