Barry Cardiff, electronic engineer
Your wheels? A Honda Blackbird.
Why did you become a biker? I don't like cars - I used to have one but I got frustrated driving it because it was like being a sardine in a can. My dad, Malachy, was a motorcycle Garda and he took me to the Skerries 100 road races every year. So I suppose I became a biker subconsciously. I got my first bike when I moved to England and my mother said she thought it was only a matter of time before I took up biking.
Your first bike? The first bike I bought was a Yamaha Diversion 600cc after I sold the car. I then bought a Honda Blackbird - and this is my second Blackbird.
Did you take rider training? I did the Direct Access course when I lived in England. It's a five-day course where you're given compulsory basic training on the first day and then by the end of the second day you're riding your 600cc motorbike. You take the test at the end. I really enjoyed the course - we rode all over south-east England. I took a week off work to do it. I'm not sure I agree with the whole Direct Access thing though - it's fine if you're old and sensible on bikes. I've also taken training recently - I found it very good because it points out all your bad habits. And I'd like to do the RoSPA training course but not necessarily become a trainer.
What does your insurance cost? It's very expensive - over €1,000.
Are you a member of any biking clubs? I used to be a member of the Advanced Riders in Britain. We went on escorted rides every Sunday which was great.
Taken the bike abroad? Yes, I went on lots of trips abroad when I lived in Britain because it was handy to bring the bike. I've been to Spain, France and Switzerland. I worked in Switzerland for two weeks of the month, so I decided to bring the bike over. The roads are great in Switzerland and the driving is very good because people follow the rules. The Swiss Alps are a biking Mecca with twisting, winding roads and beautiful scenery. There are some routes with more bikes than cars on them. The roads in France are also great - they're flat and you can see for miles ahead without any ditches.
Any biking issues for the government? Yes, I think the state of our roads are a big issue. There are so many potholes and slippery manhole covers and the driving is atrocious. I ride along the Stillorgan dual carriageway on my way to work and I find that drivers and bikers pay no heed to traffic lights at junctions - it should be easy to control this.
I also think there shouldn't be VAT on bikers' helmets. I have a policy of not buying parts and accessories in Ireland because they're just way too expensive. I also think something should be done about compulsory training, not necessarily bring in Direct Access but maybe something in between. ... - PATRICIA WESTON