An exploration of the tension between motorcyclist attitude to risk and road safety and road safety expertise and legislation in Cornwall

It is possible to say that we take risks in all facets of our lives, but to what extent do we negotiate or even choose those risks? Motorcycling has always had changing stereotypes and images in public life and imagination, for example; risk taking, danger and rebelliousness. Risk perception is a central focus of this discussion as it implies an emphasis on a type of intuitive and social perspective of risk. Also of interest is how this arguably differs from that of the 'establishment's' management of risk, which typically quantifies risk and uses technological expertise in order to deal with it's implications. Social science has contributed to the concept of risk perception particularly in terms of the qualitative issues which the following chapter attempts to chart for the conceptual framework for research investigating motorcyclist perception of road safety legislation and how this relates to / conflicts with ideas inherent within road safety laws and regulations and the perceived role of expertise; particularly as motorcycling is a minority activity. This examination can then lay the basis for research exploring how motorcyclists perceive risk and road safety issues associated with motorcycling. In particular, the questionnaire survey in attempts to explore the following - to what extent does the reason that motorcyclists ride affect their perception of risk taking and their ideas or the amount of information about road safety legislation that they access? As well as looking into the various social aspects, risk negotiation / perception and motorcyclists' view of expertise in road safety legislation - how these issues interplay, and how it affects everyday motorcyclists on the road in Cornwall