'Let's halt grim toll of death that taints roads with sadness'

"We had one lad come round a left-hand bend on his bike in the Dales," recalled police spokesman Ron Johnson.

"He didn't make it, hit a wall and was killed. His family and friends laid flowers but a week to the day another biker lost it at exactly the same point and came to rest in the flowers."

These are two of hundreds of incidents that taint the beauty of North Yorkshire with sadness.

Every year, millions of visitors descend on arguably the most attractive county in the UK - many on two wheels. Unfortunately, far too many motorcyclists go back on four wheels, either in an ambulance or a hearse.

Nearly 90 have died in the past six years, with hundreds maimed, and more than 1,000 injured in accidents that could have been avoided by motorcyclist and motorist alike.

It's only three-quarters of the way through the summer and already 16 bikers have perished, riders aged 16 to 67.

It's not always the rider's fault, although the public perception may be different.

The cause isn't helped by the lunatic antics of one rider caught travelling at 147mph along the Settle bypass, another two racing along a B-road at 135mph and another clocked at 114mph with his young son riding pillion.

It has reached the point where the emergency service dread any fine weather. "Police officers are coming to work watching the weather because they know on a fine dry day they are likely to be dealing with someone being killed or injured on a motorcycle," said Deputy Chief Constable Peter Walker.

Motorcycling has not been as popular since the 1970s. Then, behaviour, speed and riding styles were modified by ill-handling powerful machines that were terrifying to ride. Today's crop of super bikes weigh half as much and are twice as powerful. Capable of close to 200mph, high speeds can be achieved in seconds without the rider realising as he sits behind a fairing in a pocket of still air. Modern bikes are so fast that on normal roads there often isn't time to think, let alone react.

"Enough is enough, we are tired of picking up the pieces," said Mr Walker. "The debate of who is to blame continues, but as far as we are concerned that's of secondary importance. The real issue is that these avoidable deaths must be reduced. Ask any operational officer to name the worst duty they have to perform and I can say that delivering a death message is high on the list."

Mary Stead, of York, knows that feeling only too well. On April 15, police contacted her to tell her that her 36-year-old husband had been killed while out riding, leaving her a widow and her children Rachel, 11 and Elliot, nine months, without a father. That's why she's backing a campaign aimed at the whole of society, not just the riders themselves.

"Paul was an experienced rider who had been around bikes all his life," she said. "No one was more aware of how vulnerable bikers can be and yet this happened to us.

"To get that phone call is the worst thing that can ever happen to you. One minute everything is normal, the next, your world is changed forever and you are left to pick up the pieces.

"My appeal is for bikers to think twice before they do anything stupid and for drivers to be more aware and look out for bikes. If people listen and just one accident is prevented, then it will have been worthwhile."

The campaign is being backed by the fire and rescue and ambulance services because, on top of the human suffering, the accidents are also tying up precious resources.

Divisional fire officer Colin Chadfield has first- hand experience of many crashes - including his own. "I just remember lying on the grass afterwards looking up and my wife turning to me and saying 'I think I might be pregnant'," he said.

"We went to hospital and they said she was, but that she had a broken pelvis. If she was bleeding inside she might lose it. The x-rays might also have caused her to lose it. Thankfully, he was born okay."

But as far as his motorcycling was concerned, enough was enough.