BIKEOI...public awareness

[wingrider]

Hi Guys and Gals.

Viewing a broad spectrum of the media, it is obvious that in the last 4-5 days that as a group we have attracted a huge amount of support in respect of the levy increase.

This support has come from a lot of areas that normally would be the first to blame us for anything they can.

Have a look at the enormous amount of work that is being done on this forum in organizing respective rally's and Bikoi's. Overall the tone of the forum SHOWS WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED and the level of thought that has gone into this.

Respectfully I ask that all of us show a total commitment in not bringing any negative comment or action that will blow all this hard work out of the water.
We need to be restrained in our action when riding or talking to anyone and not allow anyone to bring ourselves into the spotlight for the wrong reasons.

If we want a target to aim for then lets try to make a Motorcycle Accident Free period well past the end of the Bikoi's.

My personal thanks to all and everyone for their commitment to the cause.

[shrub]

If you visit http://www.bikersagainstacc.org.nz there is heaps of info, and within the next 24 hours or so (the web designer has a full time job as well) there will be tools to make it easy to submissions, sample emails you can send to your MP, posters and flyersyou can print out etc.

It's organised by PRISM (Promoting Responsibility in Safe Motorcycling), a group of well known and well regarded motorcyclists.

They are in the process of securing support from some very well known (household name) Kiwis who are passionate motorcyclists and the national spokesman will be someone we all know of. The team includes professional web designers, professional marketing and public relations people and academics. They have access to a wealth of information and data, including stuff that isn't normally available to the general public and relationships with the media. They also have an in to both the politicial circles and ACC, so part of their strategy is also to work from within.

They have been talking to, and have the support of the various importers and industry groups, and are working with non-motorcycle groups who will be keen to align with and support us.

They are meeting daily to develop a well researched and professional strategy for bikers to participate in influencing change, including making it easy to make submissions, lobby your MP and organise a series of national protest rides and media events. They are very keen to focus the energy and passion this event has triggered to stop the levies, but also to use the momentum to put in place a national and credible motorcycle interest lobby group.

[wingrider]

Brilliant and exactly my point.

We need to be 100% behaved in our manners when we have this level of support offered to us.

[StoneY]

They are very keen to focus the energy and passion this event has triggered to stop the levies, but also to use the momentum to put in place a national and credible motorcycle interest lobby group.

Ummm cool.......BRONZ????

Point is no need to start from scratch, just to get together and cooperate

But this crew sound like a real weapon in the arsenal man well done and thanks for posting the info

[riffer]

What support could we request from Rick Barker (L) - a fellow motorcyclist - on this?

[MSTRS]

What support could we request from Rick Barker (L) - a fellow motorcyclist - on this?

Pfft. Ask away...you'll likely get none. I never even got a response when I approached him on the cheesecutter thing

[shrub]

Ummm cool.......BRONZ????

Point is no need to start from scratch, just to get together and cooperate

But this crew sound like a real weapon in the arsenal man well done and thanks for posting the info

The intention is to work very closely with BRONZ, but using different methodolgies and techniques. The two organisations are complementary and the issues are big enough to warrant both groups.

Imagine if ACC spent money teaching people how to ride, promoting using gear etc? One of the key people in PRISM has been involved in extensive research on every motorcycle accident in Auck and ChCh in 2008, and "Of a total of 420 accidents (i.e. all motorcycle and other vehicle accidents in Auckland and Canterbury is 2008), 181 (43%) failed to record the CC rating of the motorcycles involved. There is no reason to assume the remainder of the 2008 data base is any more accurate.

Interestingly the mode of the Auckland/Canterbury sample was 250cc (250cc was reported the most)."

Most experienced and serious motorcyclists are pretty anal about wearing good gear, rider training and general rider safety. Using myself as an example, I ride a well maintained bike defensively and carefully, I always wear gloves, jacket, boots, lid and at the minimum kevlar jeans. If I have an off I'm doing my best to minimise the impact.

Then you look at the people on scooters wearing next to nothing, or idiots riding in jandals etc on a hot summer day. For most of those people they don't know any better and don't treat motorcycling (and I include scootering) as something that is inherantly risky and requires skill to do safely.

If ACC pushed rider training as part of the license process and encouraged the use of correct riding attire, I don't think they'd need to spend as much on motorcycling.