A letter to the Govt

[SpankMe]

There is an election coming up but I have no idea what each of the parties policies are on two wheeled transport. I keep hearing how the labour govt is trying to raise the ACC levies for us, but how about the rest of them.

A letter needs to be composed that everyone can download and sign to send to all their local parties individuals who wish to stand for your MP asking what their polices are and suggesting what they should be.

So please post paragraphs, sentences, ideas that you think should be in the letter. Or if your up to it, post the whole letter.

I for one would vote for any party willing to promise not to raise bike taxes, or even better, cut them. Yes, even the tree huggers could get my vote.

[Devil]

I for one would vote for any party willing to promise not to raise bike taxes, or even better, cut them. Yes, even the tree huggers could get my vote.
I wouldn't go that far but it would be good to get hold of the policies for each of the parties, THEN make suggestions.

[bugjuice]

are we allowed to use the phrase - 'get fucked'?
Raise the levvys for us, and not give bikers equal chance on the roads etc? Sort the road conditions out and make us want to pay for them first...

And sort out this fukin stupid law about Learner cage drivers and riders for another.. One for all, and all for one!!!!

I'll get tappin, and see if my brain can cluster up anything original. Hate parrot leach things..

[SpankMe]

What I would like to know is with all the complaining about traffic congestion, why not one party is encouraging the use of two wheels. If cagers could afford a bike as a second vehicle to commute to work, the problem could be reduced.

and why hasn't BRONZ got this info for us. I couldn’t find anything on their website.

[MSTRS]

Great idea. I'll give some thought but to kick it off - make the ACC levy payable only on the first vehicle reg renewal in any given year.

[Ixion]

What I would like to know is with all the complaining about traffic congestion, why not one party is encouraging the use of two wheels. If cagers could afford a bike as a second vehicle to commute to work, the problem could be reduced.

and why hasn't BRONZ got this info for us. I couldn’t find anything on their website.


Bronz are useless. I think I must go to their next AGM and do what I do best. Ask awkward questions. But i would not expect anything to come of it, the organisation is moribund. It has become a mutual preening and latte drinking society.

[Lou Girardin]

One of the cage mags just did a brief piece on the various parties transport policies.
ACT was most user friendly, but seeing that they're dog tucker the point is moot.
National and NZ First were next best.
Labour, Progressives and United Future have given us what we now enjoy.
Guess who was most anti-car/bike?

[myvice]

We should be getting a rebate for all the road tax as we only use 15-20% of the roads and little, if any damage is caused by us.
Why aren't 4x4 drivers paying higher ACC costs as when they are in even a minor prang thay can cause injury?
More bus/bike lanes (or just bike ones, hundreds of ks long, winding through bush with avgas and coffee every 100ks or so)
Why are we paying ANY ACC costs as thay have a "Dont Pay" policy anyway?
Bin ACC (A Complete Crock) and then you can sue the silly prat who has a $250,000 car with no working mirrors or indicators!
Look at it this way: My dad was run into, in his van, in Aussie.
Wiplash = $40,000
I was hit, on my bike, in AuckLANDOFTHEBLIND. Pulled tendons in lower back = A letter from ACC saying, "Gee, thats a real shame, if you need anything, anything at all, dont hesitate to fuck off cause we have your money and we dont give a rats about you anymore"
Back to thread,
Driver training, for ALL, including the imports.
Bin the 250 learner bollicks and have a power to weight ratio instead.
As above for cars as well.
Do a great race/survivor thing where all the burocrats are dropped into the Amazon and the first 100 get to run the country, the rest get to stay and play with the snakes.
Driver training at high school, 2 hours a week from 4th form/year10 up.
No speed limits on country roads. (you know the ones)
Off Topic:
Leaglise weed (no I dont but nor do I care who does) use the new revenue that this brings in (same as cigarettse) to fight P labs etc.
On Topic:
Compulsary bike licence first for min of 6 months before a car one.
This would do two things, first, people might start looking for us as it could be little Bob/Kate on "That Thing" as my mother calls them.
Secondly, Kate/Bob will learn that if you dont watch what you are doing you will get hurt. Just like real life, un-like TV or a windscreen.
And some will stay on the Dark Side with us!
Then we can take over the WORLD!
and bin ACC
We could get every biker we know to rant and rave but maybe a little bit of incentive is needed.
No, not that.
How about a mass "Take ya rego costs and shove it" type protest?
Or just a rally? Look at the numbers for the Westpac run, 2000 or so bikes from Auck to Wellington?
Might get noticed?

[TwoSeven]

I'd suggest NOT sending them a letter. What they dont know about - they cant screw up.

[Jeremy]

How about more motorcycle cops? If people are watching out for motorcycle cops then they might also be watching out for us.

Also I want no ACC fees on the registration of motorcycles, to counter act that they do less damage to the road that other vehicles. Remove any duty on motorcycle safety gear (if there is any left) as the increased cost of those goods is not in the public interest.

I'd also like to see those mini chopper things banned, but to do this a "2 wheeled vehicles seat height must be over x cm above the ground".

Scrap the graduated licensing waiting time. Why should someone who can pass the full test be discriminated against? Also the tests should be much harder and resits required every 5 years including theory (and since you should allready know the theory no questions wrong would be allowed) . With any profits going towards maintaining the roads.

And my final idea. A premium license (to make it easy they could put a P next to it. So you could get a 6P) which lets you do 130km/h on open roads where it is safe to.

[MSTRS]

Some good thoughts there but...


Also I want no ACC fees on the registration of motorcycles, to counter act that they do less damage to the road that other vehicles.
Acc pays (very occasionally) for people injuries, not damage to roads.

How about more motorcycle cops? If people are watching out for motorcycle cops then they might also be watching out for us.


Double-edged sword


which lets you do 130km/h on open roads where it is safe to.
is THAT all?

[MSTRS]

ACC must be the equal to driver stupidity as features in our gripes so....
perhaps levies should be paid at a flat rate based on the number of seats your vehicle has. Based on the assumption that ACC is there to pay out in event of injury, then it could be assumed that every seat has an occupant. In the case of 2 or more vehicles registered in your name, you would be liable to pay ACC levies on the one vehicle with the most seats. This would encourage more motorcycles for a start.
Of course, the loophole here is that all vehicles 'could' be registered as belonging to just one person so heralding the demise of ACC and returning the right to take TheBastardWhoDeservesIt to the cleaners.
The above is a PT (or is it?)

[Ixion]

..

Double-edged sword


..

Not necessarily. The presumption is that there would not be more cops in total, but some taken out of their cages and put on bikes. Which I think would be an overall positive for bikers.

[MSTRS]

Not necessarily. The presumption is that there would not be more cops in total, but some taken out of their cages and put on bikes. Which I think would be an overall positive for bikers.
That's a point. As long as 'they' are issued with scooters of course...

[Ixion]

That's a point. As long as 'they' are issued with scooters of course...

You are concerned that you would not be able to outrun a BMW ?

[MSTRS]

You are concerned that you would not be able to outrun a BMW ?
Not really - it's my altruistic nature to be concerned for the less powerful bikes ridden by fellow KBers

[myvice]

Not really - it's my altruistic nature to be concerned for the less powerful bikes ridden by fellow KBers
What? Dont you think a GN can out run a BMW?
Hmmm, well if ya cant out run them, you CAN out manoeuvre them! :devil2:

[Back Fire]

Here's my 2 cents.

I think motorcyclists should be registered for the road, not their bikes. That way for people like me and (and many people I know) who have access to 15+ bikes we don't end up going bankrupt to line some bureaucrats pocket with cash. Also might be insentive for cagers to convert...?

A system kind of like dealer plates for home biker use I guess

[Skunk]

There is this site: www.nzvotes.org (http://www.nzvotes.org/) though it may not answer all your questions.
Have a look under Policies (http://www.nzvotes.org/index.cfm/Policies)

[Salival]

I fully had not considered the additional ACC expenses for a second bike when it comes to levies built into registration.

What a fucking joke!

The only ways around that would be either a per-rider levy (which wouldn't work as passengers would then have to pay it, too) or a levy only on the first bike. That would be an excellent way to go. First bike rego would still be over priced but you can still only ride one bike at a time...!

I reckon Nandor would go for that, burning less gas and so on.

I only write good letters when I'm wasted, so if I can be arsed doing some writing next time around, I shall.

[kerryg]

I fully had not considered the additional ACC expenses for a second bike when it comes to levies built into registration.

What a fucking joke!

The only ways around that would be either a per-rider levy (which wouldn't work as passengers would then have to pay it, too) or a levy only on the first bike. That would be an excellent way to go. First bike rego would still be over priced but you can still only ride one bike at a time...!

I reckon Nandor would go for that, burning less gas and so on.

I only write good letters when I'm wasted, so if I can be arsed doing some writing next time around, I shall.


I happened to be outside the Green Party's Grey Lynn office today (it's right beside the VINZ station and Scooter e Motion, and opposite Red Baron) and there was Nandor Taramasalata or whateverthefuck his name is and some other Greens getting onto Vespas (about half a dozen of them). Looked like they wereoff to do some sort of election publicity thing,Greens Party signs stuck to the bacls of their jackets.... Guy from Scooter e Motion was telling Nandor "so you twist this thing here..and that makes it go quicker" etc etc so I'm guessing our ganja-smoking skateboarding MP doesn't have a bike licence.... :shutup:

[Salival]

I reckon he'd support sensible ACC levies, even if he doesn't have a bike.

I could be wrong, but I get the impression he's an MP that's not out to only fight for the things <i>he's</i> interested in. Not like some other MPs I could mention.