A step in the right direction

[Cloggy]

http://www.driven.co.nz/news/news/new-barrier-protection-to-make-rimutaka-road-safer-for-motrocylists/?ref=NZHNetwork

A shame I don't get to ride that road frequently anymore. But good to see that some of our money is being spent with us in mind.

[Metastable]

Hey that's pretty cool. Those barriers are way better than the bare steel posts. I still think a solid barrier without "gaps" is better.... especially if they put some foam in front of it, but this solution for situations where "cheese grater" type barriers currently exist is awesome.

[Maha]

Finally seeing some progress towards Motorcycle Safety since the introduction of the MSL :niceone:

[russd7]

Hey that's pretty cool. Those barriers are way better than the bare steel posts. I still think a solid barrier without "gaps" is better.... especially if they put some foam in front of it, but this solution for situations where "cheese grater" type barriers currently exist is awesome.

might find its cheese cutter, haven't seen any o those grater types.
they should have air fences along all of our roads with at least 100m soft gravel runoff area to slow the offed rider down before they hit them. and add to that all riders should have automatically inflated air jackets and trou with roll cages around the bikes
or here is a novel idea, ride to stay on ya fucken bike and focus less on fucken barriers.

try upskilling.

[russd7]

Finally seeing some progress towards Motorcycle Safety since the introduction of the MSL :niceone:

and you believe that heavily subsidized rider training is not progress towards motorcycle safety ?

[Maha]

and you believe that heavily subsidized rider training is not progress towards motorcycle safety ?

No not at all, I was directing what I said towards the one of the BIG issues that has be concerning a large number of motorcyclists for about nine years now.

[Black Knight]

I would have thought that these barriers would form part of the state highway system and be paid for by that body--If the $30 levy money is now being used for road barriers then this could well be the start of the slippery slope,one way to get rid of the pot of gold that has accumulated I suppose.

[Cloggy]

I would have thought that these barriers would form part of the state highway system and be paid for by that body--If the $30 levy money is now being used for road barriers then this could well be the start of the slippery slope,one way to get rid of the pot of gold that has accumulated I suppose.
The barriers were existing along the stretch of road the story in the link is focused on. The levy paid for installing padding to the steel posts which hold those barriers up. Done purely in the interest of reducing injury should a rider come off his/her bike and be unfortunate enough to get tangled up in the steel posts.

[jellywrestler]

The barriers were existing along the stretch of road the story in the link is focused on. The levy paid for installing padding to the steel posts which hold those barriers up. Done purely in the interest of reducing injury should a rider come off his/her bike and be unfortunate enough to get tangled up in the steel posts.

that peice is an interesting peice of road, since the new alignment happened it's one of the worst wind spots on a bike anywhere, rode it on monday in gusty conditions and you had to be pretty positive on your skills, i bet it's taken a few riders, they cut a slice or two through some hills and now the wind comes from all sorts of angles

[Black Knight]

The barriers were existing along the stretch of road the story in the link is focused on. The levy paid for installing padding to the steel posts which hold those barriers up. Done purely in the interest of reducing injury should a rider come off his/her bike and be unfortunate enough to get tangled up in the steel posts.

Aha-sorry I did not realise the barriers were existing and it was just the padding,in which case I will gladly pay my levy-even though I have only used the hill once in the past 30 years.

[Metastable]

might find its cheese cutter, haven't seen any o those grater types.
they should have air fences along all of our roads with at least 100m soft gravel runoff area to slow the offed rider down before they hit them. and add to that all riders should have automatically inflated air jackets and trou with roll cages around the bikes
or here is a novel idea, ride to stay on ya fucken bike and focus less on fucken barriers.

try upskilling.

Upskilling is good.... I truly believe it in. Having said that, back in the day when I was actually riding on the street, there was a particular corner that if we did a big group ride, even telling them before we started the ride, and taking it easy going through that stretch, we had at least 1 rider go down on ALMOST every ride. I know of 2 deaths on this particular corner (not the road related to the OP) .... now it was a blind corner decreasing radius tricky bugger, because just when you thought the road was going to go one way it went the other and tightened up. So many bikes/riders got mangled on that guard rail, we stopped going in that direction and started riding the road in the opposite direction, where that corner would no longer pose a hazard.

Upskill all you want, when a newbie panics and goes down, having the "cheese" whatever you wanna call it isn't a good idea.

[AllanB]

Hmmmm - alternatively don't fall off........

[WristTwister]

that peice is an interesting peice of road, since the new alignment happened it's one of the worst wind spots on a bike anywhere, rode it on monday in gusty conditions and you had to be pretty positive on your skills, i bet it's taken a few riders, they cut a slice or two through some hills and now the wind comes from all sorts of angles

I agree, I felt the gusts really work against me the last couple of times through the Rimatakas.

As for the padding, the usual caution should still be taken, added padding or not.

:niceone: Now if only we can get drivers to stay on their side of the lines, that'd be great.

[Berries]

Not sure if anybody has posted this yet, some info on the barriers from VicRoads which references the cheese cutter term.

VicRoads WRB (https://www.towardszero.vic.gov.au/making-progress/articles/flexible-barriers-how-they-work-and-the-cheese-cutter-myth)

[Metastable]

The article is correct.... the wires aren't the problem..... it is the posts that do the damage.

So... another time at band camp.... we were riding near Mont Tremblant and this one guy low-sided on a simple S bend (there was nothing to this corner - total rider error). Anyway, there were independent wooden posts.... he hit one at least, maybe more.... cleared one post from the ground. Yes, the post came out of the ground.... good thing it wasn't cemented in place. It was about 10 - 15 cm diameter. Dude almost died. fractured ribs, broken leg, punctured lung.... the list was huge. He was American and had to stay at the Hospital in Quebec for 45 days because he was too messed up to be moved.

Anyway - he made it.... and so did his limbs. Now if he had hit a bunch of solid metal posts..... I don't think he would have made it.

[swbarnett]

Hmmmm - alternatively don't fall off........
What species are you from? 'Cause you're obvously not referring to humans with that ill though-out, holier than thou crap.

[AllanB]

What species are you from? 'Cause you're obvously not referring to humans with that ill though-out, holier than thou crap.

Yeah - it's a bloody radical though I'll give you that.

If you think about it it will probably cost motorcyclist more in ACC rego fees in the long run - fall off, now you'll survive but need years of medical care :pinch:

[skippa1]

The article is correct.... the wires aren't the problem..... it is the posts that do the damage.
Dead right.....the padding is a good idea but would be better with another row of Armco underneath to eliminate the gaps altogether.

the histeria around wire is wasted energy, its no worse than Armco....posts are the problem

[swbarnett]

Yeah - it's a bloody radical though I'll give you that.
Nothing radical about it. Idiots have been expecting us to be perferct since year dot. When the hell are people going to realise that that's just not possible. Or do you think we're all supposed to be omnipotent?


If you think about it it will probably cost motorcyclist more in ACC rego fees in the long run - fall off, now you'll survive but need years of medical care :pinch:
True but irrelevant. The only way to bring the road toll (injury or death) to zero is to euthanise the entire population before we even get near the road.

[Hugo Nougo]

True but irrelevant. The only way to bring the road toll (injury or death) to zero is to euthanise the entire population before we even get near the road.

Love the Judge Death, only the living commit crimes therefore all life is a crime.

[Berries]

Or do you think we're all supposed to be omnipotent?
Fuck I hope not. Wife wants to try for our 6th.