dpex
8th March 2010, 18:00
Okay, so the report's out. Read it at http://www.transport.govt.nz/saferjourneys/Pages/default.aspx
As expected, there's not much new, and nothing innovative. It bangs on about crash statistics and the 'Social Cost' whatever the hell that is. Quotes stuff from countries such as Sweden...a place where riding a bike is impossible for at least half the year.
It bats on about various Australian 'enforcement advances' and how we 'should' be emulating them.
Fails completely to mention anything to do with restricting tourists from right-hand driving lands.
As you will see, there's an 'innovation' to restrict learners and provisionals to bikes with PTW ratios of 150 kilowatts per tonne. That's 0.15 kilowatts per kilogram of bike. The conversion is (i kilowatt equals 1.359616 hp). In other words my 187kg Yammie would not be allowed to develop more than 28hp.
It acknowledges the 250cc rule for learners is a joke given the power of modern 250's.
But it does acknowledge that coming to an all-standing stop, from 50kph (ergo hitting something solid) results in a 50% chance of death.
Maybe they should consider reducing the number of pedals on a racing bike from two to one. That should stop the bastards exceeding 50kph and hitting something solid and hoping the colourful lycra will contain the resulting ooze.
But then it goes on to assert that learners could be restricted to 660cc. Eh?
It goes on about rider training but doesn't mention what that might look like or who might conduct it.
However, it does mention an interest in improving those roads which are popular biker-run roads, so that's a nod toward the fact we might actually be deem citizens after all.
But nowhere does the concept of rewards for 'accident-free' driving get a look in.
And surely, that's what it's all about? Being accident-free!
If penalties truly worked on the psyche of a deliberately dangerous driver/rider, then they wouldn't exist, would they?
No penalty will encourage poor driver/riders to mend their ways, mainly because they all believe they're good driver/riders. And no amount of reward will change their view.
But if they want to cut down the hoon factor they could come up with all manner of reward for hoons to remain accident-free.....Mind you, according to the report, hoons comprise only 11% of accidents and contribute a 15% gene-pool clearance rate.
I dunno. It seems to me like a multi-million dollar waste of time given the only real teeth to be increased is penalty for and enforcement of speed restrictions, like they make a difference.
Bah Humbug.
As expected, there's not much new, and nothing innovative. It bangs on about crash statistics and the 'Social Cost' whatever the hell that is. Quotes stuff from countries such as Sweden...a place where riding a bike is impossible for at least half the year.
It bats on about various Australian 'enforcement advances' and how we 'should' be emulating them.
Fails completely to mention anything to do with restricting tourists from right-hand driving lands.
As you will see, there's an 'innovation' to restrict learners and provisionals to bikes with PTW ratios of 150 kilowatts per tonne. That's 0.15 kilowatts per kilogram of bike. The conversion is (i kilowatt equals 1.359616 hp). In other words my 187kg Yammie would not be allowed to develop more than 28hp.
It acknowledges the 250cc rule for learners is a joke given the power of modern 250's.
But it does acknowledge that coming to an all-standing stop, from 50kph (ergo hitting something solid) results in a 50% chance of death.
Maybe they should consider reducing the number of pedals on a racing bike from two to one. That should stop the bastards exceeding 50kph and hitting something solid and hoping the colourful lycra will contain the resulting ooze.
But then it goes on to assert that learners could be restricted to 660cc. Eh?
It goes on about rider training but doesn't mention what that might look like or who might conduct it.
However, it does mention an interest in improving those roads which are popular biker-run roads, so that's a nod toward the fact we might actually be deem citizens after all.
But nowhere does the concept of rewards for 'accident-free' driving get a look in.
And surely, that's what it's all about? Being accident-free!
If penalties truly worked on the psyche of a deliberately dangerous driver/rider, then they wouldn't exist, would they?
No penalty will encourage poor driver/riders to mend their ways, mainly because they all believe they're good driver/riders. And no amount of reward will change their view.
But if they want to cut down the hoon factor they could come up with all manner of reward for hoons to remain accident-free.....Mind you, according to the report, hoons comprise only 11% of accidents and contribute a 15% gene-pool clearance rate.
I dunno. It seems to me like a multi-million dollar waste of time given the only real teeth to be increased is penalty for and enforcement of speed restrictions, like they make a difference.
Bah Humbug.