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Category: Random
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Weather forecasts of freezing air to sweep over the UK by the end of October could prove to be bad news for those local roads that have not be well-maintained believes the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA).
Weather forecasters WXCHARTS are predicting that Artic air from a north-westerly direction will sweep over the UK and see temperatures drop to freezing lows of 0C by the end of this month. Meanwhile, the Met Office has also predicted that north-western parts of the UK could see snow falling by the end October.
This is bad news for those highway authorities who have failed to properly maintain their road networks and for the motorists who use them as the freezing temperatures could result in more potholes.
Potholes are caused by water or snow freezing in cracks in the road surface. The expansion of ice results in damage and breaking up of the road surface which is made worse by repeated freeze-thaw cycles. The late start to the preventative maintenance season in some authorities due to Covid-19 led to smaller programmes being completed this year, with many unable to carry out all their planned, preventative maintenance. This is likely to lead to more expensive reactive patching over the winter.
“Cold icy weather has a detrimental impact upon roads resulting in more potholes where planned proactive maintenance has not been carried out, particularly where budget has meant smaller programmes than required by carriageway asset lifecycles over a number of years ” warned Paul Boss RSTA chief executive.
Boss called upon the government and local authorities to work together and invest the necessary funding to carry out planned programmes of road maintenance rather than expensive reactive pothole repair: “Patch-and-mend defies economic logic”, said Boss. “It costs only £3 to £5 per m2 to surface dress and maintain a road but costs on average over £50 per m2 to repair potholes. The expensive, emergency patch and mend repair of potholes is not a sensible use of highway budgets unlike the implementation of planned programmes of maintenance.”
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At first sight gamers and bikers have almost nothing in common other than the odd video game title that channeled Sons of Anarchy, like the woefully bad Ride to Hell: Retribution, to the far more playable Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned.
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Anyone who wants a true biking experience
in the form of a game should check out
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned
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The reasons for this divide are obvious. Gamers are required to be in front of a screen in order to do their thing, while bike enthusiasts are out on the open road, with the wind in their beards and the smell of glory in their nostrils as they head to their regular Sunday meet or ride out.
However, despite all this, there are some pointers bikers can take from online gamers, many of which, if taken seriously, can help prevent riders getting into one too many unwanted scrapes.
'Tilting' While Gaming or Biking Can Be Bad News
Tilting is not good. No, we are not talking about leaning into a corner or dropping your bike in the parking lot. Tilt is the technical term used by gamers to describe someone who has lost their cool, to the detriment of the atmosphere within the game and equally to their chances of winning.
In many online games, where the slightest lapse in concentration can lead to victory slipping through a player’s fingers, there are many reasons as to why keeping your cool is so key. Some games that come to mind include chess, Call of Duty and poker, with the latter especially being an arena where letting emotions take over leads to exits from tournaments of all ability levels.
The takeaway for bikers is that riding with a level head is always the way to go. This means ignoring that idiot car driver revving his engine for attention at a set of traffic lights, or the boasts of a fellow rider who is egging you on to go faster.
As is the case in the world of gaming, it is the thinking man’s rider who will always come out on top in the end.
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Gamers have to remain calm and
collected at all times, just as the
best riders in the world do on race day
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Going Up a Level Before You Are Ready
Newcomers to any pastime or hobby always fall into the same trap of wanting to run before they can walk or, in the case of wannabe riders, wanting to ride a Harley before they even know how to mount a 50cc scooter.
The same occurs in gaming, with poker players often playing high stakes before they are ready, and battle royale players trying to enter expert gaming lobbies before they even know how all the buttons on their controller or keyboard work.
When it comes to this issue, the plight of inexperienced gamers should act as a reminder to riders that nothing can replace experience, aside from a fully accredited training course.
Knowing When to Take a Break
Gaming can be an all-consuming affair, with many players only too happy to dedicate huge portions of their life to contest the games they love.
However, there comes a time during a long gaming session that the body begins sending messages, telling the person in question that it is ready to head out for a breath of fresh air or let some steam off with a quick jog.
More and more, gamers are beginning to heed the warnings of experts who say they should partake in things like yoga or meditation in order to relax their minds and bodies.
The same applies to those men and women who spend long hours in the saddle. Road and engine vibrations, as well as temperature fluctuations take their toll, and when fatigue hits on a long road trip, it's always best to take a rest.
Every rider, no matter how hardened they are, should take a note from a gamer’s book, and get themselves practicing their downwards dog position.
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The British Motor Museum is delighted to announce it has been awarded £707,000 as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure it has a sustainable future.
The British Motor Museum is one of 588 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support – with £76 million of investment announced on Saturday. This follows £257 million awarded earlier in the week to 1,385 organisations, also from the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Stephen Laing, Head of Collections said "We are delighted that the Government has given the British Motor Museum a generous award from the Culture Recovery Fund. It will enable us to continue to look after our amazing collections, support the talented team of people that work at the Museum and plan for the future. It will also help us to keep welcoming visitors through the doors of the Museum in the coming months and to share our wonderful stories with them."
Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden said “This is more vital funding to protect cultural gems across the country, save jobs and prepare the arts to bounce back. Through Arts Council England we are delivering the biggest ever investment in the arts in record time. Hundreds of millions of pounds are already making their way to thousands of organisations. These awards build on our commitment to be here for culture in every part of the country.”
Chair, Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, said “Culture is an essential part of life across the country, helping to support people’s wellbeing through creativity and self-expression, bringing communities together, and fuelling our world class creative industries.
This latest set of awards from the Culture Recovery Fund builds on those announced recently and will help hundreds of organisations to survive the next few months, ensuring that the cultural sector can bounce back after the crisis. We will continue doing everything we can to support artists and cultural and creative organisations, with further funding to be announced in the coming weeks.”
The British Motor Museum is currently open Friday to Monday but will be open daily throughout half term from 24 October – 1 November and will be running a fun range of family activities including the 'Where's Wally?' Spooky Museum Search and Rocket Science. To find out more about the British Motor Museum please visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk
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Heading out for a ride is our favourite way to spend some time on a sunny day. However, as we all know, it’s not always possible because of the weather, especially if you live somewhere like the United Kingdom. Therefore, if you can’t get out for a ride, you need something else to keep you occupied, and we have some exciting games to play until the sun comes out again.
Harley-Davidson Slot
Everyone, especially those who own a motorbike, will be aware of the Harley-Davidson name. Therefore, it’s the ideal combination to when you bring motorbikes, gaming and the potential to win into the mix. If you can’t get out for a ride, is there anything to better than playing a slot which stars motorbikes? The Harley-Davidson branded game is made by IGT and features stunning visuals. There are four games in one, so punters will have access to a lot of content all in the one place, with each coming with its individual qualities, gameplay and effects.
Fall Guys
This game might seem like an odd choice for this list at first, but Fall Guys is the video game of the moment right now, and bang on-trend. Try it out and you will see what we mean by this. The title, which is available to play on PC and PlayStation 4, has quickly become the must-play video game of 2020, with its simplicity very much the key to its success and continued growth in popularity. If you can’t get out on your bike, Fall Guys is the perfect pick up and play title, with gamers tasked with making their way through epic rounds which feature obstacle courses and challenges to be the last one standing.
F1 2020
It may not be a game starring motorbikes, but F1 2020 is one of the most popular driving games around right now. In recent years, Formula One has grown in popularity, thanks to the likes of Lewis Hamilton coming onto the scene. And, in Codemasters F1 2020, players can hit the track as their favourite driver. It’s the first time in a Formula One game where gamers can build their own team, which means creating a driver, signing a deal with a sponsor and so on. It takes players closer to the action than ever before, as they embark on an authentic career in Formula One.
Call of Duty: Mobile
If you have never heard of the Call of Duty game series, you must have been living under a rock for a long time. It’s one of the most successful game franchises of all time, and Call of Duty: Mobile is the top port Activision has ever come up with. We live in a world where mobile gaming is rapidly growing in popularity, and when content looks and plays as well as COD: Mobile, you can see why. Call of Duty is known for its success as a first-person shooter, but the 100-player battle royale mode is excellent as well.
article supplied
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Buying a motorcycle is great, but after you have spent a few hundred hours gazing at it lovingly, you might start to feel like you want to put your own stamp on it. You might want to alter the way it looks, the way it rides, or both, but very few people have an unlimited budget which allows them to make all the changes they want to. A lot of the most popular modifications come with a hefty price tag and it is likely you have already spent most of your money on the bike itself.
If this sounds familiar, here are 7 ways to mod your bike when you are on budget.
1. Take out a loan
The first way around a small budget is to take out a small loan which will enable you to make the mods you want to without having to compromise or save up for a long time. It is important to ensure you can make all the repayments, but you may be adding value to the bike itself through the improvements.
2. Add a new exhaust
A new exhaust is a great way to turn heads thanks to the incredible noise it can create as you tear down the street. It can also improve safety as you will alert other road users to your presence way before you pass them.
3. Install flush mount lights
A flush mounted set of lights makes a bike sleeker in appearance as they do not stick out. Obviously, they do not improve a bike’s performance, but they make a big difference to the bike’s appearance.
4. Upgrade the tyres
The tires which come with a stock car tend not to be the best, and they may need replacing sooner rather than later. A new set of tyres will be more attractive, but the main benefit is the improved handling and grip they deliver.
5. Customize the windscreen
The windscreen on stock motorbikes tends to be less than ideal. By investing in a customized windscreen, you can improve the look of the bike and the driving experience, and the best part is that it is not an expensive modification as many will cost less than £50.
6. Improve the brake pads
When trying to improve a bike’s speed, most people will not give much thought to the brakes. However, the quality is vital when cornering in terms of efficiency and safety. Failing brakes can be lethal, so improving them is one of the best investments you can make. Click here for more information on parts and accessories for your bike.
7. LED Lights
An LED light kit is another mod which improves the look and safety of a bike. Other road users will be much more likely to see you on the road if the body of the bike is decorated with bright lights. This is particularly important at night. Light kits are available in a wide range of different colours and strobing patterns and you can play around with their placement depending on the look you are after. Visit The Drive for the best LED light kits of 2020.
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