Helmet safety, keeping a safe following distance emphasized during Motorcycle Week

LACONIA — Motor vehicle accidents are down significantly compared to prior years during opening weekend of Laconia Motorcycle Week. Public safety officials hope to see the trend continue through to next weekend.

“The first weekend was great, it was very well attended. We had a lot of activity on Lakeside Ave, but fortunately police-wise, things were very safe,” Laconia Police Chief Matt Canfield said during a Tuesday morning press conference at the NASWA Resort. “We look to continue that trend moving forward through mid-week and certainly carry that forward into next weekend as well.”

Fire Chief Tim Joubert said his department has seen a big impact from out-of-town visitors swarming the area — a positive one. 

“It was a great start to the event. The interaction between the public and the fire department had been fantastic,” Joubert said. “We actually gained a lot of visitors to the fire station just between those interactions from our staff and the public, so that was a lot of fun.”

And while there haven’t been many calls for service into his department, Joubert said it’s important to emphasize the fundamentals of rider safety. 

“Very minimal activity as far as accidents and calls because of the event, which is great,” Joubert said. “Just the one thing I’d like to remind the riders is just keep some extra space when you’re following emergency vehicle apparatus. A couple of times, especially in some busier areas, they were right behind our vehicles, we had to make some sudden stops — we just want to make sure that everybody is safe when that occurs.”

One minor accident reinforced the importance of wearing a helmet and checking to be sure its structural integrity is intact.

“We did have one interesting incident. We had a vehicle that kind of went into the woods and the individual’s helmet had some damage,” Joubert said. “If the helmet gets dropped, gets damaged, it should get replaced. It’s no longer considered safe at that point.”

Laconia Motorcycle Week Deputy Director Jennifer Anderson said motorcyclists and automobile drivers should take extra care when navigating the Lakes Region’s roads throughout the rally, which will run until the end of day on Saturday, June 15.

“One of the things that I think we can take for granted when we’re in a four-wheeled vehicle is the amount of space needed for a motorcycle to stop and there’s just not as much room for error,” Jennifer Anderson said. “In terms of safety, staying away from that center line, keeping as much room as possible in between yourself and other vehicles. And if you’re in a four-wheeled vehicle or on a motorcycle and about to pull out in front of anyone, just making sure that you’re giving plenty of distance and space.”

Anderson said a dropped helmet needs to be promptly replaced.

“I actually, in college, did a speech on helmet safety and that was one of the big points — if you drop it, it’s not good,” she said.

While safety concerns have been minimal, the rally's various events have been a big hit. The Loudon Classic, one of the original motorcycle road races, was held last weekend. It’s not the oldest — that title belongs to the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, held on an island in the Irish Sea between Ireland and Great Britain. But this year’s event boasted a $310,000 purse, which Anderson believes is the largest active purse among motorcycle racing competitions. 

The Peter Makris Memorial Run on Saturday was also a success. Riders made a lap around the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and included more than 200 participants. Kitchen staff at the NASWA expected 330 people for the buffet after the run.

Monday's Mae-West Memorial Pet Ride to raise money for Funds for Paws included around 80 motorcycles in a ride around the lake. Laconia and University of New Hampshire police escorted riders on the trek, which ended at the Weirs Drive-In.

Organizers expected large crowds on Tuesday for the Hill Climb Expo on Tower Street. The event is run by volunteers of the United States Classic Racing Association and the oldest motorcycle included in the ride was minted in 1916, the same year as the first Laconia Motorcycle Week.

“It is a great opening to the big hill climb at Gunstock Mountain Resort, which happens ... Wednesday,” Anderson said.

Michael and Nicholas Farnsworth of Ridge Runner Promotions put on the hill climb at Gunstock. This year, the gates will open at 8 a.m. and races will start at 9 a.m.

“It really is one of our favorite events because it historically is just something that is, like, people that live around here, like, take the day off from work,” Anderson said. “This isn’t just, like, our visitors that come from all over the world — it’s the local residents love this as well. It really is very much a motorcycle family event."

And there will be a fireworks show on Wednesday night at Weirs Beach following the conclusion of a cruise on the M/S Mount Washington between 4:30 and 7 p.m.

“I want to thank the police and fire, as usual a great job they’ve done and will continue to do,” Charlies St. Clair, executive director of Laconia Motorcycle Week said. “Especially the motorcycle officers who are leading the gypsy tours. As a motorcyclist, I’m just very proud of the way they ride out there.”