Crash statistics

[Hads]

Reason I put these charts together is I was interested in seeing how different it was when compared to the usual metric, number of crashes vs number of motorcycles. It has shown what I thought was the case, there was a larger factor of difference between car crashes and motorcycle crashes when using average km's driven vs the usual number of vehicles in fleet.

My thought was that a lot of people own motorbikes and only drive them about 1000km a year at most, whereas car drivers it is common to have them driven 10000km or more.

[Zedder]

What the chart shows but doesn't prove is that proportionally the number of accidents of all types of injury are reducing, which I would guess would mean that it is possible road improvements and driver training may be contributing to improved rider safety.

It isn't improving as fast as cars however, but this is expected as cars have things like air bags.

Yep, it's that other data I'm interested in:Road improvements, rider training, law enforcement activity etc.

[TheDemonLord]

My thought was that a lot of people own motorbikes and only drive them about 1000km a year at most, whereas car drivers it is common to have them driven 10000km or more.

There are all sorts of things you can read into about the above:

For some of NZs Motorcyclists, Motorcycling is a Fun, Fair weather activity - meaning that they only ride for a few weekend each summer - long periods of time spent not riding and very little time spent re-sharpening skills
For some of NZs Motorcyclists, Going for a ride means having fun on the corners on the open road, often on a 1000cc+ beast
For some of NZs Motorcyclists, a motorbike is more about the image or realisation of a dream as opposed from a desire to be a competent and safe motorcyclist
For some of NZs Motorcyclists, a motorbike isn't an everyday vehicle in the same way that a car is an everyday vehicle

Now, I am not saying that any of the above is bad, but if you consider that you might do 20-30000 km driving a car in a year and all the experianced gained, compare to only 1000-2000 Km a year on a bike (also with all the experiance gained) is it much wonder that we are more than 10 times more likely to suffer an accident?

Of those that ride - how many here can say that you ride your bike everyday, or that you consistently put in more than 10000 km a year on your bikes?

[Hads]

Speaking for myself, I commute on my bike about 50km each way, so clock up about 20000 ish km in a year, but I suspect that isn't the norm.

[Zedder]

Speaking for myself, I commute on my bike about 50km each way, so clock up about 20000 ish km in a year, but I suspect that isn't the norm.

I don't commute, but mostly go for rides of 180 kms each week "out of town" so you can see the difference.

[Hads]

I don't commute, but mostly go for rides of 180 kms each week "out of town" so you can see the difference.

Difference being you do fewer km's per week? You are more careful? Yes it is different, but I don't know why it needed to be stated? I suspect I'm missing something here.

[Zedder]

Difference being you do fewer km's per week? You are more careful? Yes it is different, but I don't know why it needed to be stated? I suspect I'm missing something here.

It's not a "pissing contest" if that's what you think. Just comparing your higher kms and commuting with longer rides and not commuting.

Different conditions, different riding styles, different skills brought into play.

[TheDemonLord]

It's not a "pissing contest" if that's what you think. Just comparing your higher kms and commuting with longer rides and not commuting.

Different conditions, different riding styles, different skills brought into play.

Yes and no - Commuting is still riding - it still utilizes the basic bike handling skills, it still practices Hazard awareness and identification, and if you are commuting in AKL - Emergency braking and emergency swerving

Granted though, I never get the pegs down when commuting - but that is only a small part of ones motorcycling skill (existing at the upper 10-20% of your riding toolbox)

[Zedder]

Yes and no - Commuting is still riding - it still utilizes the basic bike handling skills, it still practices Hazard awareness and identification, and if you are commuting in AKL - Emergency braking and emergency swerving

Granted though, I never get the pegs down when commuting - but that is only a small part of ones motorcycling skill (existing at the upper 10-20% of your riding toolbox)

Hads' original premise is though, higher kms are better. My premise is, there are other factors involved.

[Hads]

Living down a gravel road and out of the city, I get to experience lots of riding conditions, from black ice to strong winds. I probably don't as often experience the windy hills that recreational bikers do.

[Hads]

Hads' original premise is though, higher kms are better. My premise is, there are other factors involved.

Nope, never a premise, more that there will be fewer crashes with fewer km's travelled, which makes number of vehicles an inaccurate estimate of risk.

[Zedder]

Nope, never a premise, more that there will be fewer crashes with fewer km's travelled, which makes number of vehicles an inaccurate estimate of risk.

Your post number 24 states higher is better.

[Hads]

Your post number 24 states higher is better.

It was referring to the graphs, a higher average number of km's was better. If someone glanced at the charts it may have been confusing, as they could be lead to believe riders were getting worse, which didn't seem to be the case.

[Zedder]

It was referring to the graphs, a higher average number of km's was better. If someone glanced at the charts it may have been confusing, as they could be lead to believe riders were getting worse, which didn't seem to be the case.

It wasn't confusing to me at all. I read what you posted along with the graphs and they concur. Your premise is therefore higher kms are better.

[pritch]

We didn't used to have a riding season in this country, as they do in colder climes. The increased ACC levy has changed that to a degree, many people put their rego on hold over the winter months with a consequent signficant drop in their motorcycling mileage.

Is it possible therefore that the increase in ACC levies has made motorcyclists less safe?