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Quote:
Originally Posted by PeterM
I couldn't agree more and I can't believe the rubbish spouted about travelling at the speed limit makes you safe. There is always an element of danger on the road whether you are on a bike, in a LR or in a semi, be it other road users, weather or road conditions or fatigue.
Jeff
:rocket::rocket:
It is not a lot of rubbish at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeterM
However I will modify the statement. Ignorant motorists in some areas contribute to a lot of motorcycle accidents, other than speed.
The last M/C I owned was in Sydney, north shore, 1990. I rode it to work twice and in that time had so many near misses, I sold it. In Townsville it was great!
Brisbane, no, I wouldn't.
:twisted:
Hmmmm I see the ol "MC V the rest of the cage driving bastards" arguments has raised its ugly head yet again.
Pete my man, understand your frustration and you are correct, the "ride slow and you'll be right" arguments are a load of ol bollocks.
I've got to the stage where I'm almost too scared to take the SV outta the shed these days as the traffic on the Bruce highway heading south east @ 0740 is absolutley mental.
I laughingly refer to the transit to work as the Bushland Beach 500 for about the first 3k then it turns into the Northern Beaches 1000.
Only problem is there are no rules, no stuards, no ruling body and no Fuk3n protection.
Now, back to the cheese graters. These things do precisely what they r designed to do. That is, catch out of control F wits cars.
But i hear your cry "there are other ppl who use the road too" Well the answer from the "DOT's" is "to bad, so sad, get over it". :mad::mad::mad::angrylock:
I'm just waiting for a seriously clever legal person to crash his/her bike into one of these and then sue the ass off the "DOT" or who ever for "failing to provide a safe conveyance environment".
It will happen eventually.
Until then, ride safely, remember your safety space, do your scans every 30 seconds, avoid the cage driving fwits like the plague and MOST IMPORTANTLY. HAVE FUN. :D:D:D:D:wasntme:
I agree but then so do Ironbark gum trees, brick retaining walls and radiators on really big trucks with the last you tend to look like a spud that has been through a chip making machine:oQuote:
Originally Posted by Utemad
Sad but timley.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...07/2132834.htm
Irrespective of the speed if this bloke hadn't gone through one of these appaling pieces of road hardware he might still be alive to tell the tale.
Rumor on the ground says that the emergency services ppl are recieving counciling because the head and the torso were somewhat detached. :eek: No doubt caused by the median restraining device.:angrylock:
I find it annoying that the media often say speed may have been a factor. If things don't move they don't hit other things so speed must be a factor in 99.9% of accidents. The 0.1% is trees falling on cars or something similar.
Jeff
:rocket:
Seems to me that the people responsible for trying to reduce horrific road carnage are damned if they do - damned if they don't. Head on accidents which were once common on some roads have been reduced with various barriers. I wonder why there was a barrier on this particular road - had it seen families lost under head on with semi trailer or the like....?? I'm sure the potential also exists for the head and torso becoming detached when a semi runs over the top of a motorcyclist or roofless sports car as well. (I remember years ago a head on between a car and motorcyclist where the rider ended up through the windscreen... not a pretty sight either). There would be need for counseling under those circumstances also...Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevo_62
None of us can offer an explanation in this particular case unless we were there or have all the facts drawn out as in a coronial inquest.
I drove between Wollongong and top of mt Ousley the other day. I note that the road is separated all the way with a concrete barrier... many kms in all, (some will remember the horrific loss of a family at the bottom of Mt Ousley when a semi crossed the median strip to clean up the families car many yrs ago). and reflecting on Pacific highway north of Sydney - it has likewise concrete barrier all the way..... It would be interesting to compare the results of motorcycle crashes into these vs crashes into the wire barriers.... (I'm moving in my thinking now that governments probably are building these wire structures for economic rationalism or simplistic reasons rather than putting in hard money on more motor cycle friendly structures.... Again we as citizens should be holding our pollies accountable for how they spend our money..... but how... ??)
Wire pulled tight makes a nice cheese cutter as has been said. Two local blokes were riding as rider-pillion years ago... one dared the other as to who would be scared to travel a certain road at a fast speed ... Off they took, sped down this road for several kms (maybe well over 160kph in 60kph zone - the high speed bike could be heard many blocks away...), came to end where there was a dog-leg in the road and a T intersection. west straight through the intersection and were caught by a wire stay on a telegraph pole. Each lad (one was a friends son) lost an arm and leg to the wire. (One also an eye). Yes wire makes nice cuts - but there again if they'd hit a tree they'd be dead... Whatever..high speed accidents have a great potential to kill no matter what you hit
Yes these barriers will probably slice and dice you on a bike, but if you ride a bike you have to accept the fact that survival chances are slim no matter what barrier is in place. These types of barriers have been proven to be very effective at stopping cars,trucks and buses from crossing over the median strip which in turn has saved many lives. Next time that life might be yours when the tired over worked semi driver drifts over and runs into that wire barrier without it you're dead wether or not you're in a car or on a bike. The most important thing to remember is that if you ride or drive in a sensible,vigillant and appropriate manner you decrease the likelyhood of having an accident. Speed doesn't kill it is the reckless use of it and inappropriate use of it that does and unfortunately it has long been an unfortunate side effect of owning a motorbike, the temptation and thrill is just too great we all succumb to it every now and then.
interesting that the only real accident data I've seen was done in the UK and exceeding the speed limit was involved (not the cause ;) ) in less than 10% of crashes, nothing like the %'s sprouted here by the various state transport departments and Police.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff
When asked for a comprehensive breakdown of statistics, there were only estimates in Oz, IIRC.
BINGO!
Its in the 'too hard basket' for the pollies to grow some balls and tackle the real issues, much easier to just send someone a ticket in the mail and make some $$.
I do not care if WRB are used where appropriate, they do a job as they are designed to do. My issue is the dummies who are so tight they crap diamonds who won't spend the additional $$ to add the plastic covers to the WRB wich then give a motorcyclist some chance at survival, whether the collision is their fault or not. They say each death cost what, about $1m when all's said and done. How many bloody plastic covers would that buy?