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FEMA Partners - Ceská Motocyklová Federace (CMF/UAMK) Czech Republic
 Miroslav Firt from fellow member group CMF/UAMK feels that FEMA should be more focused on matters that are common to all of our members and less on those that could be considered as national level issues.
Interview by Ralf Bretveld 2008
Picture Wim Taal MAG NL
RB: How many active motorcyclists are there in your country and how many of them are a member of your organisation?
MF: It is really hard to say how many active motorcyclists there are in the Czech Republic. The available statistics data demonstrate an overall number of 849.676 registered motorcycles as of 31 December 2007 with an average age of 30 years. In the recent years the number of new motorcycles is growing and this fact is noted out on the roads as well. Approximately 100.000 new bikes were registered in the last two years. At the moment our federation has slightly fewer than 900 members and this number has been quite stable in the last several years. At the moment the motorcyclists in the Czech Republic show little interest in the membership in official organizations. They form mainly very free, unofficial groups - associations. This phenomenon is quite typical for any kind of associations, bikers not being any exception, after the political changes in our society in the beginning of the nineties.
RB: Would you say your organisation is well known in your country, among bikers as well as among the general public and other parties, such as politicians?
MF: Our organization is generally known in our country among the general public as well as the politicians.
RB: Besides fighting for riders' rights, are there other activities your organisation is involved in?
MF: Our organization, besides other activities, has done a great job lobbying for the decrease of V.A.T. on the helmets.
RB: Could you give some examples of the important successes achieved by your organisation?
MF: I would consider our greatest accomplishments the successful fight for the cancellation of the highway fee (stickers) for motorcycles. It is also worth mentioning that we contributed great deal to the cancellation of special speed limits for motorcycles (50/80/80) and bringing them on the same level as cars.
RB: What are the main subjects you are working on at this moment?
MF: Our main tasks in the present are: removal of the already installed wire-rope guardrails and the protection of the motorcyclists using proper clothes.
RB: Are there any subjects that will get your special attention in the near future?
MF: Yes, we are very much focused on the increase of road safety by making it compulsory by law to have safety audits at the newly constructed and reconstructed roads and highways for motorists as a whole but specifically also for motorcyclists.
RB: When did your organisation join FEMA and what was the main reason to do so?
MF: We joined FEMA in February 2000. Our main reason for joining was - and still is - to learn from the experiences and the working methods of similar organizations in Europe and also our interest to participate in the "Young Rider of the Year".
RB: What role does FEMA play in your current or future activities?
MF: It serves as a platform for the exchange of experiences and as a means for the enforcement and implementation of the common interests of bikers in Europe.
RB: Do you have some good advice for your fellow FEMA-member organisations?
MF: I wonder if it is a good advice but sometimes we have a feeling that FEMA should be more focused on matters that are common to all of our members - especially when we are facing the EU regulations that are quite often not very much in favour of the bikers - and less on those that could be considered as national level issues.
RB: Travelling advice wanted: why should we all visit your country next summer?
MF: Why? It is very simple. Besides seashore our country offers just about any beauty one could think of: mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, castles, cities and villages with splendid architecture but also well known excellent Czech beer and last but not least beautiful women.
www.uamk.cz
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