Biker down in Buller Gorge

[Muppet]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6443156/Tourist-charged-after-hitting-motorcyclist

[98tls]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6443156/Tourist-charged-after-hitting-motorcyclist

No shit.Why not upon hearing of there plight simply wish them well instead of getting ghoulish.:facepalm:for no other reason than to post.

[Muppet]

No shit.Why not upon hearing of there plight simply wish them well instead of getting ghoulish.:facepalm:for no other reason than to post.

It goes without saying that I would wish them well, having had a major crash myself 3 years ago. I'm not being ghoulish, I'm posting to make the membership aware. If you're so concerned why didn't you wish them well instead of having a crack at me? Time waster.

[MIXONE]

When I lived on the coast we called camper vans "Mobile Chicanes".
Buller Gorge is a great road ruined by tourists.
Get well soon rider.

[Hitcher]

"Biker down" threads are always problematic in terms of how members respond to them. That's why they're generally quartered in R&R.

[MSTRS]

What I find problematic is how these things are reported. Like the HOS, who headline their report 'Motorcyclist hits car in Buller Gorge'.
Subtlely confirming the perception the public has of motorcyclists always being in the wrong.

[puddytat]

Right, a bit more on this story.....
Where the accident happened was at the Buller Gorge Swingbridge where I work.....
From what my co-workers have told me it was some poor chap who came thru shortly after a largish group of bikes had gone past.
The Swingbridge carpark is on a long left hand corner & is often full at this time of the year with campervans/vehicles parked the length of it, all generally parked nose first against a barrier that borders the edge of the road....A wall of white that effectively blocks anyones view that is trying to exit the carpark. Its often a lottery.
The guy who he hit is totally devastated.He'd been waiting a bit to get out,pulled out & wham.
Even if you are doing the speed limit along here it is a REALLY DODGEY CORNER in such circumstances. There is no traffic advisory signs, to alert approaching traffic that there is a concealed entrance or to slow down. Our signage is about 400 metres back up the road in DOC green & itself is hard to see.....
So really its a been for years ,an accident waiting to happen & there have been umpteen close calls & the odd minor prang involving cars/campers.
There have been ongoing issues with the Swingbridge owner & Land Transport for years as the carpark is on leased land (LTNZ's) & signage.
So FUCK!!:facepalm:
I'd like to say that all of us that work there are wishing the best for the rider & family involved,& it was all very shocking for all involved.
My colleagues had to basically empty the carpark of umpteen vehicles to allow the Chopper to land, as well as try & keep the fella alive.Big thanks must go out to the "random" paramedic from overseas who was at the bridge at the time & who kept him stable untill the Ambo arrived.
Also as I know all of the Police & Ambulance people involved, I want to give them my gratitude for the absolutely stirling work they do in such a remote area & the constant stream of serious road accidents that they have to deal with in the area, with its stupid one way bridges on a state highway & poor signage...

[scissorhands]

I whinge like hell to the cops when an 'accident waiting to happen' scenario exists. They brush you off a bit but the section of the Piha Rd that had monthly accidents for a long time..... finally got radically improved, but not till calls to roading engineers and the police

Guess what, now something will be done about that corner and carpark exit both with no sight lines to each other.

The upside is hes alive and hopefully will be well again.

[puddytat]

latest update .....the fella has been transfered to Wellington, according to the Boss.
To him & his family all the best from the Swingbridge crew,we're all thinking of you.....

[puddytat]

Guess what, now something will be done about that corner and carpark exit both with no sight lines to each other.

.

Sure will be....Aint gonna wait around for it to happen again.
The SCU were there so the whole situation will be looked at more closely from a police point of view rather than the interests of LTNZ & the Swingbridge.
Cant really say much more as I think it'll all go alot further:shutup:

[KX500]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6443156/Tourist-charged-after-hitting-motorcyclist

Cheerz Muppet for posting the link to aid in conversation so we can learn from it, and puddytat for the detail.

Been itching to take a trip over Arthurs, food for thought of the potential dangers like this barrier where you do not know the danger exists till "you are right on top of it"

Cher for the reminder of the mobile chicanes too, seen folk cutting corners on Arthurs, Punakaki, Hokitika to the Glaciers - all spots where road narrows with cliff drop offs.

All the best to all concerned - medical folk true saints.

[oneofsix]

Sure will be....Aint gonna wait around for it to happen again.
The SCU were there so the whole situation will be looked at more closely from a police point of view rather than the interests of LTNZ & the Swingbridge.
Cant really say much more as I think it'll all go alot further:shutup:

Be interested to know what is done when it gets done.
I have a feeling it will be a fix the symptom rather than the problem type approach but I'm being sarcastic.
Seen to many passing lanes closed to fix symptom when the problem is the lack of passing opportunities and too many speed limits lowered below reasonable for crashes that occurred whilst exceeding the existing limits (so why would they obey the new limits?)
All the best to the rider.

[Maha]

Answer = a 100mt slip lane exiting the rest area.

[puddytat]

Looked at both the scene, the bike & the people mover van invloved today.....:sick:
No skid mark from the bike at all,so he had no time to react. Bike is of course totally fucked but was in very good condition & well loved.
The tourist appeared in court in Nelson today so I will find out tomorrow what has happened there...
Thoughts are with you Fella:yes:

[JMemonic]

Had a camper pull out of that very spot, not an hour before this occurred, but I knew the spot was there and had slowed, others wouldn't.