The KillSpills campaign was founded in the Autumn of 2003 when a group of like minded bikers from around the country came together on the www.cbr-forum.org.uk and www.mcnninjas.co.uk forums to tackle the ever increasing problem of diesel spills on our roads.
It would have been easy for us to use our internet forums to moan and groan about the ever increasing danger diesel spills represent to bikers, but we decided that something needed to be done, and we, who were to become the KillSpills Team, were the people who would do something about it!
The problem is education, diesel users need to understand that by overfilling their tank or not re-fitting the filler cap correctly, that they can spew gallons of diesel onto the road. Diesel is as slippery as black ice, is difficult to see when wet, and impossible to see on a wet road at night. Bikers have had too develop their sense of smell to help spot diesel, but smell is no use if you are in a car, van or other enclosed vehicle.
Diesel spills represent a danger to ALL road users alike, including pedestrians. So please support our campaign, with your help we can, will and must make a difference. If we, the human race, can build more sophisticated, fuel efficient, safer and faster vehicles, surely we can do something to stop diesel being split on the roads.Spilling diesel on the road is not safe, environmentally friendly or clever!
Our Aim
We have undertaken a considerable amount of research into the danger diesel spills represent to road users. We share the Government’s concern at the alarming increase in motorcycle rider fatalities; we are shocked that between 2002 and 2003, fatalities increased by 14%.
Our aim is to increase public awareness of the dangers diesel spills pose to road users. With this in mind, we have been lobbying MPs, industry and motoring/road haulage associations. The support our campaign has received has been phenomenal, just look at our press releases, magazine articles and quotes!
We have identified a 7 point action plan, which could be introduced by the Government at little or no cost. We are not talking about introducing legislation, rather, we believe that industry should be encouraged to introduce our recommendations. Educating diesel users is the key to removing this danger from our roads.
Our Achievements So Far
Our team has already achieved great success and we are pleased to report that Asda, Tesco and Exel have introduced some of our recommendations. We have also received favourable support from the United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association, Total and Texaco. We have also received support from the truck manufacturers Mercedes Benz, Iveco, Scania and Volvo. Motoring organisations supporting the campaign include naturally our sponsors the BMF, The RAC Foundation, MAG, FTA, MCI and IAM The magazines Fast Bikes, Two Wheels Only and Fuel Oil News have been covering the campaign for their readers from the outset.
Our petition of 10,000 plus signatures and annual report accompanies the KillSpills motorcycle rally each year to Downing Street. This demonstrates the wide support for our campaign.
The campaign is about showing the caring and responsible side of motorcycling & motorcyclists, everyone who has signed our petition and joined us on the rally share our concern for the dangers diesel spills represent, not just for motorcyclists, but for all road users.