Motorcyclists to PM: Get on Your Bike – Cause You’re Not Getting on Ours

Latest polls indicate Gordon Brown is more than six points ahead – in the vote for Britain’s least desirable pillion passenger, that is. According to a survey carried out by Bridgestone, the current UK Prime Minister is the person motorcycle riders would least want sitting behind them. A total of 33.8 per cent of the more than 1,000 motorcycle riders Bridgestone approached voted for Mr. Brown, pushing Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson into second place. Clarkson, a man seemingly capable of polarising the opinions of an entire nation, is a pillion passenger no-no for 27.4 per cent of respondents. Third-place getter Katie Price raised no eyebrows by making an appearance in this rogues’ gallery of the motorcycling world – 17.8 per cent of those polled by Bridgestone would not share a seat the celebrity formerly known as Jordan.

As well as asking the important aforementioned question, the tyre manufacturer spoke to more than 1000 bikers to find out what issues are important to them and what problems they face on a day-to-day basis. On a serious note, 22 per cent of those interviewed said that if they could petition the Government on a subject close to their hearts, it would be to ensure motorists who kill others through unsafe driving get harsher penalties, with prison sentences a favoured option.