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The Blessings of Petroleum Products

By General Posts

Compiled and Edited by Bandit

Its more than just fuel for your vehicle

Petroleum products are derived from crude oil and natural gas. Crude oil and natural gas are hydrocarbons and are made up of molecules of hydrogen and carbon. Petroleum products are used to produce heat, light, power, and transportation fuels.

These are essential commodities in your daily life, in hospital emergency rooms, in your computer and mobile phone.

Have a look at this detailed article to gain some insight & perspective…click here.

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Mobile Application For Road Safety Enforcement

By General Posts

Known as the Public Eye Enforcement Programme (PEEP), the mobile application will empower anyone with a smart phone to record road traffic violations and forward to the Authority for the prosecution of offenders.

by ghanamma from https://www.ghanamma.com/

NRSA To Introduce Mobile Application For Road Safety Enforcement

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) is developing a mobile application to improve road safety across the country.

Known as the Public Eye Enforcement Programme (PEEP), the mobile application will empower anyone with a smart phone to record road traffic violations and forward to the Authority for the prosecution of offenders.

The Board Chairman of the NRSA, Jeremaine Nkrumah, made this known when he led a team of officials from the Authority to commend the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, for his leadership and determination in championing road safety in the region.

Their visit was also to recognise the minister for his productive collaboration with stakeholders in managing the operations of motorcycles and tricycles on major roads as well as bringing some sanity to the Madina Zongo Junction within the La Nkwatanang Madina Municipality. A citation was presented to the Regional Minister.

PEEP mobile application

Touching on the mobile application, Mr Nkrumah said it would be piloted in the Greater Accra, Eastern and the Ashanti regions immediately after the new legislative Instrument, drafted by the Authority is approved by Parliament.

“We are currently developing a website and mobile application and we are going to take advantage of the constitution aspect of citizens’ arrests and empower anybody who owns a mobile device to be able to record,” Mr Nkrumah noted.

He added that the sender of a video which led to prosecution would be rewarded.

“If a person sends in a video and the video leads to prosecution, the mobile number of the sender if registered with the mobile money, will get a percentage of the fine,” he said.

Mr Nkrumah explained that statistics have shown an increase in the number of vehicles registered as compared to expansion works on roads across the country.

“What is scary in statistics is that for a country of 9,200 square miles and road network of 78,000 square kilometres, roads do not expand as rapidly as the number of vehicles added onto the industry every day,” he said.

He added that 16,000 new vehicles were registered every month, accounting for over 500 vehicles every day into the system.

Tricycle directive

For his part, Mr Quartey thanked the Authority for the recognition and appealed to the officials to support the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GA-RCC) to revisit the implementation of restrictions on tricycles on the Tema highway.

“We had a meeting with the Police Regional Command and we want to revisit the directive. We believe three months’ moratorium is enough.

So I crave your indulgence to avail yourself as quickly as possible for us to move into action, possibly we can do this after the Easter festivities. The RCC has donated a pickup truck and two motorbikes to the Greater Accra Police Command to be used to patrol the stretch of the motorway,” he added

He, however, appealed to corporate bodies and stakeholders to support the activities of the RCC in ensuring safety in the region.

“Operation Clean Your Frontage is also in play. We have had four months of sensitisation, which is enough moratorium. After the Easter holidays, all assemblies in the Greater Accra Region will go into full force to ensure the implementation of the Operation Clean Your Frontage by-law,” he added.

The “Biker Lives Matter” Organization

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Rogue with his son Dale and grandson Reese – a family that rides together.

Click Here to Get Involved – http://www.bikerlivesmatter.com/

Article by Rogue – Founder of Biker Lives Matter, Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame

I have been asked a lot why I and some others started an organization named Biker Lives Matter and why it is important to me. My answer is simple, there is a need for an organization that calls attention to the tragic loss of lives and livelihoods from motorcycle crashes.

In the 1970s, I became involved in motorcycle rights and safety. At the time, motorcycle injury and death rate were high so the government and insurance companies began trying to pass laws that they hoped would help protect motorcyclists when crashes happened.

I have been riding motorcycles for 69 years and both my life and that of the others who ride has always been important to me.

I have seen many people injured and I know too many that have died.

I consider myself one of the lucky ones to still be riding at the age of 83 years old.

CLICK HERE To Read this insightful feature article on Bikernet.com

SUPPORT Biker Lives Matter – Visit website to know more: http://www.bikerlivesmatter.com/

Motorcycle Vibrations Can Damage iPhone cameras as per Apple

By General Posts

by Kim Lyons from https://www.theverge.com

by Edward Moyer from https://www.cnet.com

From Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212803

Motorcycle vibrations can degrade iPhone camera performance, Apple says

High amplitude vibrations can cause problems for the cameras’ gyroscopes

A new post on Apple’s Support forum https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212803 says exposing iPhones to high-amplitude vibrations, “specifically those generated by high-power motorcycle engines” could degrade the devices’ camera system. The company recommends against mounting an iPhone on a motorcycle, as the vibrations may be transmitted via the bike’s handlebars and chassis.

Here’s the technical explanation from Apple:

If you accidentally move a camera when you take a picture, the resulting image can be blurry. To prevent this, some iPhone models have optical image stabilization (OIS).1 OIS lets you take sharp photos even if you accidentally move the camera. With OIS, a gyroscope senses that the camera moved. To reduce image motion, and the resulting blur, the lens moves according to the angle of the gyroscope.

Additionally, some iPhone models have closed-loop autofocus (AF).2 Closed-loop AF resists the effects of gravity and vibration to preserve sharp focus in stills, videos, and panoramas. With closed-loop AF, on-board magnetic sensors measure gravity and vibration effects and determine the lens position so that the compensating motion can be set accurately.

The OIS and closed-loop AF systems in iPhone are designed for durability. However, as is the case with many consumer electronics that include systems like OIS, long-term direct exposure to high-amplitude vibrations within certain frequency ranges may degrade the performance of these systems and lead to reduced image quality for photos and videos. It is recommended to avoid exposing your iPhone to extended high-amplitude vibrations.

The iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and all iPhones since the iPhone 7 have both optical image stabilization and closed-loop autofocus (as noted by MacRumors, the first outlet to spot the Apple support post). Both features are also vulnerable to magnetic interference from some iPhone accessories, Apple warned earlier this year, but removing the accessories should take care of that issue.

Additionally in the new post, Apple says if you’re planning to mount your iPhone to a scooter or a moped, it recommends using a vibration-dampening mount to lessen the risk to the phone and its camera system. And avoiding prolonged regular use of an iPhone mounted to a vehicle that produces lower-amplitude vibrations is also a good idea.

Apple says iPhone cameras can be hurt by motorcycle vibrations

High-power or high-volume motorcycle engines produce potentially damaging high-amplitude vibrations, so the company says don’t attach your phone to your hawg.

If you’ve been rockin’ down the highway with an iPhone mounted on your motorcycle, you might want to think again. On Friday, Apple said certain motorcycle engines can give your iPhone’s camera bad vibes.

“Exposing your iPhone to high amplitude vibrations within certain frequency ranges, specifically those generated by high-power motorcycle engines, can degrade the performance of the camera system,” the company said in a post on its support site.

The vibes are channeled through the chassis and handlebars, so you shouldn’t attach your phone to motorcycles with high-power or high-volume engines, the company said. It said mopeds and scooters, which tend to have small-volume or electric engines, are less of a concern but that you should use a vibration dampening mount and “avoid regular use for prolonged periods.”

The problem has to do with high-tech gyroscope- and magnet-based camera systems designed to compensate for shaky shots. Such systems, like optical image stabilization and closed-loop autofocus, make automatic adjustments if you accidentally move while taking a picture.

“The OIS and closed-loop AF systems in iPhone are designed for durability,” Apple said. But “long-term direct exposure to high-amplitude vibrations … may degrade the performance of these systems and lead to reduced image quality for photos and videos.”

For details on which iPhone models feature these camera systems, you can check out Apple’s post.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212803

 

BMW Vision AMBY showcases excellence against H-D Serial 1 e-bikes

By General Posts

SOURCE: https://www.autoevolution.com/

SOURCE: https://www.financialexpress.com/

BMW unveils Vision AMBY electric bikes: 300+ km range, 60 km/h top speed!
BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY Breaks the Norm With Striking Design and Advanced Tech

Of BMW’s 2021 IAA display, a very interesting one is the BMW i Vision AMBY, a peddle electric bicycle that boasts three speed ratings – 25 km/h for cycle tracks, 45 km/h for the city and 60 km/h for multi-lane roads (although, higher speeds would require a licence as well).

The i Vision AMBY also gets the rest of fancy EV features like geofencing which can be used for automatically adjusting its speed. It is one of five different concept vehicles with which the BMW Group is presenting at the IAA Mobility event.

While users of the BMW i Vision AMBY have to constantly pedal in order to benefit from the assistance of the electric drive system, BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY accelerates via a throttle grip

One of the five concept vehicles showcased by BMW at IAA Mobility 2021 is truly innovative – neither a bike or a motorcycle, the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY blends the best of each category with advanced connectivity and geofencing technology.

BMW unveiled two electric vehicles with two wheels under the “Adaptive Mobility” (AMBY) concept. Both of them come with three speed levels for different types of road, and require an adequate driving license, insurance license plates, and a helmet for riding at maximum speed. Compared to the BMW i Vision AMBY that requires constant pedaling, the Motorrad Vision uses the throttle grip and features footrests instead of pedals, like a motorcycle.

According to BMW, while it resembles a bicycle, the new Motorrad Vision flaunts the features of a powerful motorbike, including an 830 mm-tall (32.6”) seat, a large bicycle fork, a small headlight with the U-shaped BMW Motorrad light signature, and the fact that it’s accelerated from the handlebars. However, at 65 kg (143 lbs), it’s lighter than typical motorbikes, which makes it more agile and manageable.

Instead of manually selecting the riding mode – 25 kph (15.5 mph) on cycle paths, 45 kph on inner-city roads (27.9 mph), 60 kph (37.2 mph) on multi-lane roads and out of town, geofencing technology and the HERE map service could be enough for automatically adjusting speed levels.

This way, the vehicle could determine the type of road and adjust the speed accordingly, without any intervention. Plus, the license plate would act as an innovative display, where the operating mode would be visible for the other road users.

The problem is that, at the moment, there’s no legal basis for this “modular speed concept”. This is where the Motorrad AMBY becomes a true pioneer, because it’s precisely intended to help bring out the legislation that will regulate this concept in the near future.

No future driving or riding experience can be envisioned without connectivity, and the BMW specially developed app allows the rider to activate the motorbike, while providing access to basic functions and status data.

While additional features such as an optimized ABS system or a tire pressure monitoring system could make the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY even safer and more efficient, this concept motorbike already reflects a truly innovative spirit that redefines the boundaries between bikes and motorcycles.

PRESS RELEASE: 6 SEPTEMBER 2021

As a completely new concept between bicycle and motorbike, the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY taps into fresh possibilities for the innovative, urban mobility of the future. It is one of five different concept vehicles that the BMW Group will use at the IAA Mobility 2021 in Munich to showcase its vision of individual mobility in and around the urban setting.

Under the common umbrella of electric mobility, digitalisation and sustainability, these five pioneering concepts form a versatile and sustainably conceived mobility mix on two and four wheels that comprehensively addresses a highly diverse range of mobility needs.

BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY and BMW i Vision AMBY.

AMBY stands for “Adaptive Mobility”. The BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY and the BMW i Vision AMBY (see BMW i Vision AMBY press release) interpret the fundamental idea of adaptive urban mobility on two wheels based on differing facets. Both vehicles are electrically powered with three speed levels for different types of road. The drive allows up to 25 km/h on cycle paths, up to 45 km/h on inner-city roads and up to a top speed of 60 km/h on multi-lane roads and out of town. A helmet, insurance licence plates and the relevant driving licence are required to be able to travel at higher speeds, however. While the BMW i Vision AMBY as a high-speed pedelec requires constant pedalling in order to gain assistance from the electric drive, the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY is accelerated using the throttle grip and has footrests instead of pedals, as is typical of a motorcycle.

The modes available to the rider are stored in the app on the smartphone that connects to the respective AMBY vision vehicle.

Manual selection of the speed level is conceivable, as is detection of the road by means of geofencing technology, thereby allowing automatic adjustment of the top speed. As there is currently no legal basis for such a vehicle with a modular speed concept, the idea behind the AMBY vision vehicles is to prompt legislation that will enable this kind of set-up. In this way, the BMW Group is demonstrating that it will continue to be involved in providing mobility options in big cities in the future and offers innovative solutions.

New stimuli for emotional mobility on two wheels.

“The BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY takes us into new territory. For us, the focus is on user behaviour – the question is: how will customers want to get around in the future? What will they expect their vehicle to be capable of? This was precisely the starting point of our deliberations. Our aim was to develop an extremely emotional vehicle for smart mobility in and around the city that offered maximum freedom. The BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY really does enable our customers to experience urban life in a whole new way, cover distances more flexibly and “break free” of the city from time to time, too. At the same time, BMW Motorrad is consistently pursuing its electromobility strategy for urban conurbations. It’s a fascinating introduction to the world of BMW Motorrad that also promises maximum riding pleasure,” explains Edgar Heinrich, Head of Design BMW Motorrad.

The design – the DNA of BMW Motorrad.

The BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY defies all existing categories: visually akin to the world of bicycles, it is a motorbike at heart. Its slender proportions promise ruggedness and adventure, while its design suggests clear echoes of the expressive style and layout of an BMW Enduro motorbike. With chunky treads on both the 26-inch front wheel, which has a thinner tyre, and the 24-inch rear wheel with its more rounded tyre, the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY clearly shows that it is both willing and able to go anywhere. The firmly integrated seat with a height of 830 mm is just as typical a motorbike feature as the fixed footrests.

The seat also acts as a design element over the flat, rising upper frame section, creating a striking flyline. This produces a completely new, fresh look for BMW Motorrad – a link between the e-bike and motorbike world.
The large energy storage unit and drive unit form a dark graphic block at the centre of the frame.

The large-dimensioned bicycle fork on the front wheel features protectors and gives the entire front section a more massive, powerful look. A small headlight with the U-shaped BMW Motorrad light signature is a clear reference to the roots of the concept, as is the double LED element as a tail light. Another BMW Motorrad feature is that the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY is accelerated from the handlebars, as is customary on a motorbike.
With a total weight of just 65 kg, the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY is significantly lighter than other motorbikes, ensuring it offers excellent manoeuvrability and agility.

Colour and material concept featuring depth and unexpected details.

As compared to a conventional combustion engine, the concept of the electric drive in the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY means there is little in the way of visible mechanics.
For this reason, its technical heart is deliberately disguised and showcased in a striking machine-like style. This accentuates the highly elaborated colour and material concept, which goes well beyond the traditional dark underlying colour scheme and use of white highlights.

In its use of materials, the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY cross-references two other concept vehicles that will also see their world premiere at the IAA Mobility 2021: The BMW i Vision Circular and the BMW i Vision AMBY. The trim material used on the energy storage unit – known as “floating grey polymers” – is also used in the bumper of the BMW i Vision Circular. It consists of recycled plastic and can itself be fed back into the material cycle at the end of the product lifecycle. Meanwhile the material used for the seat is also to be found in the saddle of the BMW i Vision AMBY and in the tyres of the BMW i Vision Circular. Based on recycled plastic granulate and sporting a fascinating terrazzo look, it demonstrates how several materials can be given a second life with a new form and function.

Asymmetrical design of the sides of the vehicle.

In keeping with the unexpected, self-assured character of the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY, its two sides have deliberately been designed distinctively. On both sides, the white “AMBY” lettering catches the eye above the light-coloured drive unit, making a striking statement as a stylised graphic on the trim of the energy storage unit. While the lettering on the left gains additional visual depth from a colourfully shimmering, iridescent drop shadow, the inscription on the right appears deliberately without a drop shadow. Below the energy storage unit there are two iridescent elements that add a further accentuation.

On the right-hand side of the vehicle, three small turquoise blue tubes visibly emerge from the silhouette, clearly alluding to the electric heart of the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY. Next to this is a quote by Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad: „Electro-mobility will be very significant for the future of motorcycling. We foresee a slew of upcoming products with a focus on electric propulsion, particularly in the field of urban mobility. And I’m not only thinking of classic scooters here, but also of alternative modern, emotional products. Electro-mobility on two wheels needs to be really fun and adventurous and BMW is committed to developing corresponding products.”

On closer inspection, the interplay between the technoid pixel font with the classic serif font reflects a great attention to detail at several points: together these bridge the gap between the past and the future – just like the vision vehicle itself. The coordinates on the right are a reference to the BMW Motorrad Design Studio in Munich, where the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY came into being. On the opposite side, the letters “AMBY” also appear in Morse code, but with dashes visualising the dots. In their perfect interplay, all these carefully conceived details create a unique graphic and a highly contemporary sense of style.

The smartphone as the key.

The specially developed app enables the user to activate the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY for riding, read in their stored driving licence classes and make use of the appropriate insurance cover on an on-demand basis as required. In this way, the app performs the classic key function while also making use of the customary identification options provided by the smartphone such as Face ID. Basic functions and status queries (e.g. current charge status) are available as in the BMW App. Further developments and adjustments to the software can be provided to customers at any time via over-the-air updates.
The smartphone shown in the vision vehicle charges inductively on the magnetic holder in the rider’s lower field of vision. These connectivity options would also allow anti-theft protection and the freely programmable immobiliser to be offered as basic functions.
And the answer to the question “Where is my BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY?” would be just a click away on the smartphone, too.

Geofencing as a key technology.

Instead of choosing the riding mode yourself, geofencing technology combined with the detailed HERE map service could provide the required parameters for automatically adjusting speed levels (25/45/60 km/h) and the matching insurance cover. This technology enables the vehicle to detect the type of road, cycle path or slow-traffic area currently being used so that the maximum permitted speed can be automatically adjusted. In this way, the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY would transform from a vehicle similar to an S-pedelec to something that is more motorcycle-inspired. The user cannot override the mode. The required licence plate takes the form of an innovative display surface, so the mode selected at any given time can be easily recognised and read by other road users.

Additional technological innovations are conceivable for the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY, too: an optimised ABS system could further increase safety, as could an automatic high beam or brake light assistant, as well as daytime running lights. A tyre pressure monitoring system such as the one already available as an optional extra in BMW Group motorcycles is also conceivable. Finally, potential safety features could also include a distance radar with a range of up to 140 m to provide a visual and acoustic warning in the app when there is a vehicle approaching from behind.

The BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY shows one possible manifestation of what the modern, urban mobility of tomorrow might look like. It is intended as a blueprint to drive forward conversations about future-oriented travel in cities.

Figures of the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY.

Battery: not specified

Output: not specified

Vmod1: up to 25 km/h

Vmod2: up to 45 km/h

Vmodmax: up to 60 km/h

Range: approx. 110 km (combined according to WMTC)

Wheels: Studded spoke wheels with 26-inch front and 24-inch rear

Seat height: 830 mm

Unladen weight: approx. 65 kg

As Utah motorcycle deaths rise, cycle groups call for better ban on drivers using hand-held cellphones

By General Posts

by Lee Davidson from https://www.sltrib.com/

Motorcycle groups revved up a call Thursday for something they say might have saved several of the record 48 riders who died on Utah highways last year: a better ban on the use of hand-held cellphones while driving.

“Every time I ride my motorcycle, I always have to worry that there’s people right next to me, or in front or behind me, that are texting” or talking on cellphones, said Elvecia Ramos, founder of The Riderz Foundation, at a state Capitol news conference. “It drives me crazy.”

She’s not alone.

“We’re getting hit by people who are on their phones. We’re all getting hit by left-hand turns” by drivers without peripheral vision because their phones block it, said Annette Ault, Utah chapter president of American Bikers Aiming Toward Education.

“And we don’t have any protection,” said Terry Marasco, legislative and policy analyst for The Riderz Foundation. 8“We don’t have any air bags. We don’t have any seat belts.”

“And we don’t have any metal around us,” Ault added.

So they are calling for passage of HB101 by Rep. Carol Moss, D-Holladay, to create a better ban.

Hand-held use of cellphones while driving has technically been illegal in Utah since 2007. But it can only be enforced if another moving traffic violation is committed at the same time, such as speeding. So few tickets are ever written.

It also complicates the enforcement of laws that have banned texting while driving since 2009. Police report that when they pull over people they see texting, they often claim to have been merely dialing a phone number — complicating whether they may issue a ticket if they committed no other moving violation.

Moss has tried — and failed — for years to allow direct citations for talking-on-the-phone violations. Republican majorities have repeatedly torpedoed it by arguing that it interferes with personal choice, or that cellphones are no more dangerous than many other distractions, or that it won’t change behavior.

For example, Rep. Phil Lyman, R-Blanding, said in debate last year, “I don’t like a bill that has to spell out everything that is forbidden …. I don’t want to live in a society where that is the standard,” and said most people know it is not smart to phone and drive.