| NEWS |  | | | | | | | | | | | WEST HAM | | | SOUTHEND UNITED | |
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Go easy, riders
A NEW campaign has been launched by Essex Police to keep bikers safe on the roads this summer.
Officers from the Rayleigh road policing unit visited the regular biker haunt at the Dick Turpin pub on the A127 between Rayleigh and Wickford to educate motorcyclists about driving safely on the roads.
For years the pub has attracted bikers from across south Essex on Tuesday evenings, but while some meet to chat others use the opportunity to reach speeds in excess of 100mph as they race along the carriageway.
To try to combat the problem Essex Police held their first Bikesafe Essex 2007 event of the summer at the pub this week.
Traffic cops on bikes were on hand to give advice to bikers about riding safely as well as giving motorcycles a mechanical health check.
The motorcycle cops also offered bikers the chance to ride out with them or use a Honda simulator to test their driving skills.
PC Steve Holgate of the Rayleigh road policing unit said: "We do various nights at The Dick Turpin because of the problems and incidents here in the past.
"The Bikesafe nights mean we are not here as enforcement officers, but here to talk to people and encourage them to ride safely, dress properly and assess their riding and try to get them to see sense.
"We are trying to discourage dangerous riding and are starting off by trying to talk to riders through these events, but if they don't listen then only way is to enforce traffic legislation.
"We would rather give them a ticket than knock on their door and explain to their loved ones they have been killed."
Last year 16 bikers were killed in crashes on the county's roads.
Three more Bikesafe nights are planned at the Dick Turpin throughout the rest of the summer, but traffic cops will also be carrying out patrols to crack down on reckless riders.
2:37pm Thursday 26th April 2007
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