MOPEDS, MOTORBIKES & QUADS, etc

An inexpensive and seemingly fun way to get around but very dangerous. Every year we see holidays ruined by ’bike accidents, broken bones are common and sometimes it’s fatal. Not all the bikes are well maintained by competent persons and, even when the bikes are in good condition, road conditions in Greece are very different to the UK. Tight bends and adverse cambers are common, wet roads are very slippery and, on dry roads, sand, grit and mud are as treacherous for bikes as ice. Potholes aren't uncommon and tend to be pretty dodgy, too.

Kefalonia is one of the larger Greek islands and getting around on two wheels tends to be a long, slow, bum-numbing experience. Crash helmets are compulsory, fines for not wearing a helmet are high. Holiday insurance rarely covers motorbike accidents and the vehicle insurance is usually third-party only. Quad bikes may seem a far better proposition but they, too, are pretty uncomfortable and slow, and nasty accidents aren't uncommon.

Tourists warned about risks of hiring mopeds and quad bikes abroad

British tourists have been warned against hiring mopeds and quad bikes abroad after a spate of deaths serious injuries.

Kieran Roche, 19, from Swindon, died in a quad-biking accident on the Greek island of Crete last month, and two British women were seriously injured in a quad-bike crash on the island of Zante.

Natasha Stevens, 17, an art student from Lancashire, suffered severe injuries in a separate quad-bike accident last month, also on Zante.

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/aug/03/tourists-warned-risks-hiring-mopeds-quad-bikes-abroad

Blyth gran trapped in Greek hospital after quad bike accident left her in a coma

A Blyth gran is trapped in a Greek hospital after a quad bike accident left her in a coma.

Tracie Harrison, 51, was on the holiday of a lifetime in sun-drenched Zante with best pal Wendy Sears when tragedy struck.

The pair were turning a bend on a quad bike when they hit a hole in the road, flipping the bike and leaving Tracie with catastrophic injuries.

Tracie was airlifted from Zante to hospital in Ioannina on the Greek mainland.

She is currently in intensive care and in a coma with brain trauma, having had part of her skull removed as well as chest injuries and a broken pelvis.

But the insurance company say they do not cover quad bike accidents and are refusing to pay out for Tracie, leaving the family facing a bill of thousands of pounds.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/blyth-gran-trapped-greek-hospital-13202174

Make sure any vehicle you hire is in good condition and check that you’re insured. When renting mopeds or quad bikes, insurance sold by the hire company usually only provides third party insurance, which only covers the cost of damage to another vehicle.

Quad biking is considered an extreme sport and carries the risk of serious injury or death. Specific travel insurance to cover quad bike rental is essential to avoid you having to pay the costs of private health care and/or repatriation to the UK. Always take care to read the details of your insurance cover before you travel on holidays paying particular attention to the small print and exclusions on your insurance policy.

Greece has recently introduced legislation banning the use of quad bikes of 125cc and under on tarmac roads. A fine of €1000 can be imposed. Larger quad bikes (150 and 310cc) are available to rent, but only to drivers aged 23 and over with a full driving licence. Provisional licences are not considered adequate for driving in Greece and can invalidate your insurance.

If you intend to hire a moped you will need a valid driving licence with at least category A1 - ‘light motorcycle’. Category P, which is valid in the UK for driving mopeds up to 50cc, is not valid in Greece.

By law you must wear a crash helmet on a scooter, moped or motorcycle. Quad bike riders must wear a full-face helmet (or non-full-face helmet plus goggles). Failure to wear a helmet might invalidate your travel insurance if you are involved in an accident and could lead to a €350 fine and confiscation of your licence.

Source: fco.gov.uk

When hiring a vehicle, hire companies will often ask for your passport as a form of security. Do not hand over your passport under any circumstance, though you may wish to have a photocopy of the personal data page which you could hand over. Check how much you will have to pay if the vehicle is damaged while hired to you.