Paul Bookle, aircraft technician
Your bike? Honda SL230 (scrambler) Grey import
Why this particular bike? I suppose my choice of machine had a lot to do with size and handling in town at low speed, also the riding position and observation is good for rush hour traffic. The cost was important at the time too.
Why were you drawn to two rather than four wheels? Having spent five years travelling from Dublin city centre and then from north of the city to Baldonnel every day, I finally had enough of cars and decided to get a bike.
Did you take any rider training before you took to two wheels? Yes. On the advice of a friend I did the Star Rider course with Fingal County Council. I would recommend it to everybody.
Do you hold a full or provisional licence for your bike? I'm on a provisional because I'm still waiting on a date for my test.
What does your insurance cost? €11,155, but after doing an assessment with AON, I got a 30 per cent rebate on my premium.
Do you drive a car? Yes, we have a Toyota Avensis Verso for the kids, and I have a Volkswagen Polo.
Was there any family resistance or objections to your riding a bike? Yes initially, but this soon abated with lots of gentle advice from my friends. Now with the Government's plans to upgrade the M50, and with all that that entails, the resisting party now also wants a bike!
Do you worry about your survival as a biker? I suppose it's always at the back of your mind, but I try to increase my chances by adjusting my riding to what's happening around me and I plan to take more training.
What do you use your bike for? Getting to and from work which gives me an extra hour in bed every morning.
Have you ever had an accident? Yes, twice. The first time I hit a dog while pulling away at traffic lights, the second time I skidded on diesel at a corner. Luckily there was no permanent damage.
Have you taken any trips abroad on two wheels? No, but the Air Corps have an annual trip to Lourdes for the Military Pilgrimage, so I am hoping to get a bigger bike soon and maybe go next year.
What do you think is the bond that links bikers closer than motorists? I suppose the freedom offered by two wheels and the fact that you're not one of the sheep.
Had any bad experiences with motorists? I find a lot of motorists fail to observe what's going on around them, and I think there is complete lack of lane control, especially in the city centre.
Are there any issues you think the Minister for Transport should address for bikers? There should be compulsory training for all road users. The quality of road surfaces should be improved, and there should be biker-friendly road furniture and barriers, and I wish he would allow bikes use bus lanes.
Any tips for survival on two wheels? Get proper training and expect the worst from other road users.
If you won the lottery what would be your dream bike? I'd commission BMW to build an R1200GS for the vertically challenged!