The speed limit plans were eventually dropped, but SID continued.

Over the last few months, a lot of things have changed and SID was transformed from a group of like minded individuals to a LTD by guarantee, or non-profit company. The aim of this step was to create a pro-active organisation that supports freedom and safety on the Island’s roads.

The first step after this re-organisation was to launch our new web presence. Instead of just hosting an online forum as previously, sid.org.im is now a more general motoring portal, with interesting and fresh local and international content from the world of two and four wheels. We strive to offer you an entertaining and informative mix of content on these pages, and welcome your feedback – so, if there is anything you would like to see covered more (or less) let us know.

No doubt the website will grow more and more in the future, and we are already working on fresh content, such as new road safety campaigns and additional features.

One point we will definitely extend on more are car and bike reviews, and we have already started to produce more content for this – not just soulless articles shared between dozens of websites, garnished with glossy pictures from the manufacturer, but Isle of Man specific features exclusive to us, produced in co-operation with local dealerships where ever possible, photographed and tested on the Island. We’ll tell you how it handles over the mountain, or if the famous manx roads will shake the fillings out of your teeth in it.

How is SID funded?

There is no formal membership scheme or fee at the moment, and SID is funded entirely by voluntary contributions and advertising revenue generated through the website. Many companies and individuals are supporting us in our work, and we would like to thank all of them. If you would like to find out more on this, please click here.

What does SID do for me?

During the process of turning SID into a company, we all thought about a new strapline - a motto or slogan that would sum up what we stand for and try to achieve. We eventually decided to use “Supporting Freedom and Safety on the Islands’ Roads”, as that pretty much sums it up.

Freedom, because we believe that motorists should be allowed to exist without too much nanny-statism involved, and that more and more regulations and limitations are not necessarily a good thing. We fought against the idea of an island-wide speed limit last year, and will remain opposed to the introduction of one.

Safety, because we believe that there is a lot that could and should be done to make the islands’ roads safer, and to make driving as a whole more enjoyable. We are taking a more pro-active approach on this subject, meaning we won’t just print a few leaflets, put an advert in the paper, or talk about issues for ages – what we will try to do is to actively encourage change through various steps and campaigns. If you follow the local press, then you will soon find out what we mean by that. We are also working together with the Government on various issues, and are attending the Road Safety Initiative Committee meetings of the DoT, amongst other things.

To sum it up, SID is a pro-motoring organisation run by motorists for motorists. No matter if you drive for a living or just take to the road for fun, SID is on your side. We are always happy to hear from you, and you can contact us anytime if you have an issue that you think SID should look at or maybe even campaign on.

For now, we hope you enjoy our new presence on the web, and please remember to stop by once in a while - there’ll always be something new and interesting.