Motorcyclist Fights Council

[wkid_one]

From the Dom Post Today

A Wellington city councillor is taking Tararua District Council to court after a road trip went badly wrong.


Chris Parkin has taken a private prosecution against the council for criminal nuisance after a motorbike accident near Weber, south of Dannevirke, last year.

The case is due to be heard in Dannevirke District Court on February 18.

Mr Parkin said the accident happened on a stretch of road being re-surfaced.

He rode around a corner, hit some gravel and lost control of the bike. "There were no warning signs that there were roadworks. There only needed to be another vehicle coming in the opposite direction and it could have been fatal."

Mr Parkin sprained his back and was badly grazed in the accident. The cost of repairs to his bike, an Italian Aprilia Futura, was estimated at about $7000. He was not taking the prosecution to recover costs but rather to highlight the dangers for other motorcyclists.

"I hope they (Tararua District Council) will take it seriously and put procedures in place so it doesn't happen again."

It was the first accident Mr Parkin had had in 41 years of motorcycle riding.

In one of the most recent cases of criminal nuisance, Christchurch-to-Akaroa cycle race organiser Astrid Anderson was convicted and fined $10,000 in August last year after the death of a competitor in the 2001 race.

This will set an interesting precedent if he wins. How many bikes accidents are caused by shitty roads in disrepair and mis-signposted works on roads.

Given this is where our tax/rates etc is spent on local infrastructure - glad to see someone is taking them to task over it.

[Lou Girardin]

Yaaaaay!
Lou

[SPman]

Didn't Ullysses take Rodney CC to court over a similar thing a few years ago, after a spill on the Stillwater Rd? I think they won too. Similar thing - road works or reseal, on a corner at the top of the hill with no warning signs and a skim of fine metal over the new seal!

[merv]

This has taken a while to get to court because I think Chris's accident must have been over a year ago now. Chris is one of our (Lynda's) crew. He has an MV Senna as well which you can see here in the last photo on the page http://bikemerv.topcities.com/road0410.html

He brought the Senna along that day because the Futura was making nasty engine noises and wasn't up to it (Italian $#%^&*$#@ bikes eh!) and that wasn't long before his crash.

Spot our blonde leader in the pics too.

[LB]

A mate on a Triumph and I came across the same nasty piece of road the day after Chris's fall (we were on our way back from the racing at Gisborne). Marco was in front, he slid around a bit and I had time to brake a bit before hitting it. It was a trap for motorcyclists.

Go Chris.

[LB]

Spot our blonde leader in the pics too.
though I wasn't blonde then, and am reminded yet again how unflattering bike gear is! (well, on me anyway!). No, I was not 9 months pregnant!

[LB]

This has taken a while to get to court because I think Chris's accident must have been over a year ago now. o.
It was in February last year, towards the end - around the 23rd or so from memory

[Draco]

For those of you who went to cold kiwi last year you will remember the blade on the trailer with bent back rim and busted front rim from an un-signposted HUGE hole on the national park road. That was a friend in our group there and he has started court proceedings against the council for it. He went to court just before xmas and his case was deferred till March. It will be interesting to see what happens with that one. Will keep you guys posted as a matter of interest.

I too came to grief 14months ago on a really bad patch of road (again un-signposted). The day of my crash they put warning signs out and 9 months later fixed the patch of road. Kinda wish i'd had the strength to persue it further, but all my energy was focused on rehabilitation. It is good to see bikers pushing the matter.

[LB]

For those of you who went to cold kiwi last year you will remember the blade on the trailer with bent back rim and busted front rim from an un-signposted HUGE hole on the national park road. That was a friend in our group there and he has started court proceedings against the council for it. He went to court just before xmas and his case was deferred till March. It will be interesting to see what happens with that one. Will keep you guys posted as a matter of interest.

I too came to grief 14months ago on a really bad patch of road (again un-signposted). The day of my crash they put warning signs out and 9 months later fixed the patch of road. Kinda wish i'd had the strength to persue it further, but all my energy was focused on rehabilitation. It is good to see bikers pushing the matter.
I'd heard about the guy at National Park. Wish him luck with the court case from me. I'm sure Chris would be happy to talk with him about taking the matter to court - PM me if you want to have your mate talk with Chris.

Sorry to hear of your crash. Hope things are okay for you now.

[SPman]

The Blade was a bit of a mess, wheel wise.
Didnt he get several tickets when the cop turned up after the "incident" - just to add insult to injury?

[Motu]

ALL the roads that I ride are like that,sure,one day I may come to grief - and someone will sure be getting an earfull...but it won't be the council!

[Draco]

Thanks Lynda, will mention that to him. As for tickets?? Ted didn't mention it, but i may have missed that bit. Will ask him next time i talk to him. The bike sitting on the trailer seemed to have attracted the attention of almost everyone there, the offers of support for his court case was great. It was Ted's first rally (had been overseas for years) it will certainly be a memorable one for him, and best of all he didn't let it spoil his weekend, i was most impressed with his attitude, i dont know that i would have been such a good sport about it.

[Big Dave]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but I'm having a bit of a sniff at this story for KR.

This thread came up when i googled - I was looking to contact Mr Parkin - but he no longer appears on the WCC web site.

Any leads, anyone know him?

[crashe]

Nope dont know him..

But ya all keep a careful eye out along the Green heithe "upper Habour Rd " way... the roadworks are leaving a huge mess with deep potholes.

Friggen HUGE potholes all over the place heading up to Albany on that stretch of road... Just about didnt see them in the rain and dark night... was a close call... the other night....

[Big Dave]

Bugger -I scrolled over merv's post above - Merv - can you put me in touch with him?

[R1madness]

You can definitly win this one. A mate had an accident after hitting some unmarked road works (it was a pothole that had been cut out but not filled) and took the contractor to court. He ended up winning because he had lots of pics of the area showing good detail and could show that if it had been fixed or at least signposted the accident would not have happened.

[Jonty]

You can definitly win this one. A mate had an accident after hitting some unmarked road works (it was a pothole that had been cut out but not filled) and took the contractor to court. He ended up winning because he had lots of pics of the area showing good detail and could show that if it had been fixed or at least signposted the accident would not have happened.

Question is "did he win" this thread is a couple of years old.

[UrbanMyth]

right on!

A few of my mates all nearly crashed from something like this.We were burning back from st arnard and bolted around a corner onlyto find that it was completely covered in sand on our lane....weird but anyways we all slide right across to the other side of the road and if any car was coming the other way we would have got blamed!! no signs..nothing!

[Big Dave]

Question is "did he win" this thread is a couple of years old.




Yes - he did - it went the distance in court and he won.

[Ixion]

Well, I went for a ride on Sunday. And there were all these corners, covered in gravel, gravel everywhere in fact. And no signs AT ALL. None.

So, if I'd come off on all this unsigned gravel, could I have sued somebody?

[Karma]

Point is... did you expect the gravel to be there?

If we are to expect gravel everywhere on NZ highways, then why are we paying road tax?

[Ixion]

Why should I expect it, if there were no signs ?

Pay road taxes ? For roads? And bridges? and such stuff? And gravel.Costs money gravel does.

Never seena warning sign for bathtubs , either. Or potholes. Gravel's easier to deal with than bathtubs. Or potholes. Or small children.

The calf I encountered round the blind corner on Sunday, that didn't have a sign, either. Somebody's been slacking off in the sign department.

[Karma]

Well... give me all your money and I'll personally ride ahead of you with a two way radio to warn you of any dangers up ahead :D

[Ixion]

But then there would need to be signs saying "Caution. Weasels" . Like the ones for cows and horses. Otherise I might encounter YOU unexpectedly, and unsigned.

[Karma]

Urm... you've met me right?

You'd have to be sitting behind an 18 wheeler or something not to see me up ahead.

[Ixion]

One might assume the same of cows, and horses. Also quite large. But , presumably possessing some characteristic imparting semi invisibility, since signes are deemed necessary.

There was recently a complaint from some woman who said she had problems seeing trains on level crossings. And presumably wanted more signs. I mean - a train?

[Karma]

One might assume the same of cows, and horses.

Are you comparing me to a cow or horse?

Watch out next time I see you mate...

[Krayy]

Well... give me all your money and I'll personally ride ahead of you with a two way radio to warn you of any dangers up ahead :D
I was going to make a comment about "riding within your comfort zone", and then I remembered going on that ride with you when you had that short jacket on and you had a bad case of "builders crack"....my comfort zone doesn't extend that far :no:

[Karma]

You ever do something that you know you'll never live down?