2017-06-02 Moscow
- Thread starter saphena
- Start date
TERRORISM
After some said they'd avoid Belarus recently I thought I'd check it out and started with the Foreign Office advice site, specifically on the subject of terrorism. It speaks of an "underlying threat of terrorism" and I thought that a little scary, in a rather non-specific way, so I looked up other countries and I offer the following chart of terrorism threat level across Europe:
Be afraid people
After some said they'd avoid Belarus recently I thought I'd check it out and started with the Foreign Office advice site, specifically on the subject of terrorism. It speaks of an "underlying threat of terrorism" and I thought that a little scary, in a rather non-specific way, so I looked up other countries and I offer the following chart of terrorism threat level across Europe:
- Austria - general
- Belarus - underlying
- Belgium - threat level 3
- Czech Republic - low
- Denmark - general
- Estonia - low
- Finland - underlying
- France - high
- Germany - general
- Latvia - low
- Lithuania - low
- Netherlands - general
- Poland - low
- Slovakia - underlying
- Sweden - general
- Ukraine - general
Be afraid people
To put it in perspective does anyone know what the current threat level is for the UK? Would you want to visit here?
For your info from the UK Gov Website today
1. Terrorism threat levels
The threat level indicates the likelihood of a terrorist attack in the UK.
International threats
The threat to the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) from international terrorism is severe.
Northern Ireland-related threats
The threat to Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) from Northern Ireland-related terrorism is moderate.
The threat to Northern Ireland from Northern Ireland-related terrorism is severe.
Threat levels
There are 5 levels of threat:
##low - an attack is unlikely
##moderate - an attack is possible but not likely
##substantial - an attack is a strong possibility
##severe - an attack is highly likely
##critical - an attack is expected imminently
So your probably more at risk if you stay at home
For your info from the UK Gov Website today
1. Terrorism threat levels
The threat level indicates the likelihood of a terrorist attack in the UK.
International threats
The threat to the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) from international terrorism is severe.
Northern Ireland-related threats
The threat to Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) from Northern Ireland-related terrorism is moderate.
The threat to Northern Ireland from Northern Ireland-related terrorism is severe.
Threat levels
There are 5 levels of threat:
##low - an attack is unlikely
##moderate - an attack is possible but not likely
##substantial - an attack is a strong possibility
##severe - an attack is highly likely
##critical - an attack is expected imminently
So your probably more at risk if you stay at home
My area of concern is corrupt traffic Police and how best to deal with it. I have been thinking a video recording system may be a wise investment to counter scurrolous claims of poor riding, this is why there are so many 'crash' videos from Russia on YouTube as Russian citizens are subjected to this problem too but I suspect the main road from Moscow to Finland the Police see tourists as an easy target. I did get stopped by a traffic cop in Prague, when Jono was my pillion at 11 years old. The cop was obviously after a bribe but I acted dumb (very easy for me) and ended up with a photo of the cop and Jono; much to the displeasure of his cohort in the car!
One of the former Eastern European countries sacked all their traffic cops because of systemic corruption and re employed a third of them and paid that group three times their previous pay, same budget but 1/3 number of cops who were less liable to corruption because they were paid better and would be sacked if found to be corrupt losing a well paid job, cant remember which country but obviously this has to come from the top which does not look likely in Russia at present but a lot can happen in 18 months.
Good this isn't it?
One of the former Eastern European countries sacked all their traffic cops because of systemic corruption and re employed a third of them and paid that group three times their previous pay, same budget but 1/3 number of cops who were less liable to corruption because they were paid better and would be sacked if found to be corrupt losing a well paid job, cant remember which country but obviously this has to come from the top which does not look likely in Russia at present but a lot can happen in 18 months.
Good this isn't it?
DATE - Vote now!
When I called this ride my thinking about date was extensive and detailed confined to "late spring/early summer, probably beginning of June, on a Saturday" hence 3rd June. So far I'm aware of three "considerations": the BBR (if following tradition) takes place on the weekend 27/28 May; the IBR starts on 26th June; one of our more extreme candidates thinks he can ride from Moscow to home in two days flat to start work on Monday 5th. There may be other considerations, perhaps international ones, of which I'm not aware so I propose to make a firm decision on date on Tuesday 1st March 2016 (2016-03-01), two weeks from now, leaving time for discussion in Verdun.
In the meantime I offer the following candidates:
I have one candidate for group hotel so far. I plan to identify three, contact all three to get further & better particulars, then offer the three here so that we also agree the best fit for hotel.
As has been pointed out, this thread lives in the UK forum but of course the ride is open to members from across Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, USA, Australia and anywhere else where riders feel the need to be seen in Red Square next year so international readers need not look away now, this means you.
When I called this ride my thinking about date was extensive and detailed confined to "late spring/early summer, probably beginning of June, on a Saturday" hence 3rd June. So far I'm aware of three "considerations": the BBR (if following tradition) takes place on the weekend 27/28 May; the IBR starts on 26th June; one of our more extreme candidates thinks he can ride from Moscow to home in two days flat to start work on Monday 5th. There may be other considerations, perhaps international ones, of which I'm not aware so I propose to make a firm decision on date on Tuesday 1st March 2016 (2016-03-01), two weeks from now, leaving time for discussion in Verdun.
In the meantime I offer the following candidates:
- Saturday, 3rd June (2017-06-03)
- Friday, 2nd June (2017-06-02)
- Saturday, 10th June (2017-06-10)
I have one candidate for group hotel so far. I plan to identify three, contact all three to get further & better particulars, then offer the three here so that we also agree the best fit for hotel.
As has been pointed out, this thread lives in the UK forum but of course the ride is open to members from across Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, USA, Australia and anywhere else where riders feel the need to be seen in Red Square next year so international readers need not look away now, this means you.
Also, for Garmin users - all you need is to download free OSM maps to device here. http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ Those I use always in Russia.
Right, I think everyone who cares has had his say and nobody's objected so I'm bringing this forward to Friday, 2nd June 2017. If that messes up your plans, you should have said so before now
We'll all be watching, Gordon!
My attempt to get further and better particulars from Moscow hotels has now dribbled out so I'm plumping for Best Western Plus Vega Hotel & Convention Center. If somebody knows better, please say so. A quick price check a week ago offered £41 in June this year but £69 in June 2017. Presumably that'll change after June this year.
We'll all be watching, Gordon!
My attempt to get further and better particulars from Moscow hotels has now dribbled out so I'm plumping for Best Western Plus Vega Hotel & Convention Center. If somebody knows better, please say so. A quick price check a week ago offered £41 in June this year but £69 in June 2017. Presumably that'll change after June this year.
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