Jantar
31st October 2009, 19:15
A week ago I submitted a letter to the Otago Daily Times. I had almost given up hope of seeing it when it appeared today. Unabridged, and unchanged in any way. I can't find it on their web site, but here is what i sent:
The ACC would have us believe that motorcycles are 16 times more likely to be involved in an accident than cars. Yet the Ministry of Transport 2008 crash statistics shows that motorcycles are involved in 142 injury or fatal accidents per 10000 vehicles compared to the overall rate of 47 injury accidents per 10000 vehicles. This means that motorcycles are more dangerous, but 3 times not 16 times more dangerous.
The ACC would have us believe that "The levy should actually be $3700 " - quoted often by John Key. But $3700 on every bike comes to $370 million . More than the total paid out each year for ALL active vehicle claims, car van or bike, since the scheme began.
The ACC would have us believe that even at the new rate they have suggested, "Every car driver is paying an extra $77 because of motorcyclists". That works out at $250 million. Four times as much as the total cost of all active ACC claims for motorcycles since the beginning of the scheme.
The ACC would have us believe that large capacity bikes are over represented in the accident data with almost 40% of motorcycle accidents involving bikes of over 600 cc. Yet the motor vehicle registration data shows that over 40% of registered motorcycles are over 600 cc. The accident data also shows that the most common size of bike involved in accidents is under 250 cc, which is exactly the size that learners are restricted to. The ACC management really needs to go back to school and learn what 2 plus 2 equals.
In response to the ACC’s unsound claims there is to be a national day of protest on the 17th November when motorcyclists from all over the country will converge on parliament to make their feelings known. Otago riders joining in this protest will leave from Dunedin and Alexandra on 15th November.
Yours Sincerely
So come on all. Send more letters to your local papers and make sure that the public are aware of the false claims.
The ACC would have us believe that motorcycles are 16 times more likely to be involved in an accident than cars. Yet the Ministry of Transport 2008 crash statistics shows that motorcycles are involved in 142 injury or fatal accidents per 10000 vehicles compared to the overall rate of 47 injury accidents per 10000 vehicles. This means that motorcycles are more dangerous, but 3 times not 16 times more dangerous.
The ACC would have us believe that "The levy should actually be $3700 " - quoted often by John Key. But $3700 on every bike comes to $370 million . More than the total paid out each year for ALL active vehicle claims, car van or bike, since the scheme began.
The ACC would have us believe that even at the new rate they have suggested, "Every car driver is paying an extra $77 because of motorcyclists". That works out at $250 million. Four times as much as the total cost of all active ACC claims for motorcycles since the beginning of the scheme.
The ACC would have us believe that large capacity bikes are over represented in the accident data with almost 40% of motorcycle accidents involving bikes of over 600 cc. Yet the motor vehicle registration data shows that over 40% of registered motorcycles are over 600 cc. The accident data also shows that the most common size of bike involved in accidents is under 250 cc, which is exactly the size that learners are restricted to. The ACC management really needs to go back to school and learn what 2 plus 2 equals.
In response to the ACC’s unsound claims there is to be a national day of protest on the 17th November when motorcyclists from all over the country will converge on parliament to make their feelings known. Otago riders joining in this protest will leave from Dunedin and Alexandra on 15th November.
Yours Sincerely
So come on all. Send more letters to your local papers and make sure that the public are aware of the false claims.