Riding in the Wairarapa...Beware!

[Uncle B]

From Dominion Post Nov 9
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VISITING BIKERS 'USE WAIRARAPA FOR RACING'

Motorcyclists from Wellington are using Wairarapa roads as "a race track" and endandering other motorists, frustrated police say.
three young motocyclists have died in Wairarapa during the past year, all from Wellington.
The latest accident last weekend left a Linton man, 26 with serious injuries after his bike careered off a road east of Martinborough and catapulted through a barrier fence.
He was flown to Wellington hospital, where he remains.
It was the second accident involving an out-of-town motorcyclistat the same spot in less than a month.
The officer in change of road policing for Wairarapa, Sergeant Mike Sutton, said the last crash appeared to have been due to speed.
"Every weekend we get a lot of Wellington riders going hard out on our roads and the locals are getting sick of it. They are the ones being put at risk by people who are treating these rural and coastal stretches like a racetrack."
Motorists regularly complained about motorcyclists dangerous overtaking and excessive speeds.
Mr Sutton said with the onset of summer the problem became worse.
Police urge visitors to the region particularly motorcyclists, to know the roads and ride to the speed limit and conditions.
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Looks like they may be out in force so watch out and take it easy.

[White trash]

Cant be too dangerous for the locals, the biggest culprits ARE the locals. Nuff said.

[Groins_NZ]

Eerrrrrrrr what was the reason the motorcyclist came off? Anyone know if it was somebody from KB - hope they're doing okay.

Sounds like they're using this accident to make a 'blanket' comment about all motorcyclists who happen to visit the Wairarapa - that part pisses me off!

[Str8 Jacket]

From Dominion Post Nov 9
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It was the second accident involving an out-of-town motorcyclistat the same spot in less than a month.
The officer in change of road policing for Wairarapa, Sergeant Mike Sutton, said the last crash appeared to have been due to speed.
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Looks like they may be out in force so watch out and take it easy.

I wonder if there talking about the guy that came of last week at "my" spot... If they are then I wonder if they mean that I was the first "offender"? If so they fail to mention that my crash was NOT at speed but was inexperience (target fixation)...
What bugs me is that people/cops often seem to blame the motorcyclists, and sometimes they are correct but when I get a call from the cop that attended my accident saying that they are gonna let me of with a warning for DANGEROUS DRIVING not CARELESS driving when speed etc had nothing to do with my accident it makes me wonder if we are just being "targeted". Arrgh!

[Slingshot]

What are ya trying to say?? It's not a race track???

[skelstar]

To be honest I feel for the locals.

I was present during one of those two accidents and all the cars that stopped were really cool and helpful regarding the accident. One of which was the car that was (IMHO - sorry SJ) 'slightly dodgily overtaken' a little earlier.

We complain about boy racers screaming all over the place yet race around the Wairarapa ourselves. I know we arent in any one spot for very long (except me cause Im slow) and arent doing burnouts in somes ones street, but whatever we are doing aint all that safe...

Anyhoo..

[Sparky Bills]

What are ya trying to say?? It's not a race track???


Pfft!
Not a race track!? WHAT EVER!! HAHA.

Build us race track and they wont have to worry would they!

[Bartman10]

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=19703

There's a bit mentioned about it here. I think the guy was in the army. I hope he does alright.

I don't think he was going that fast. Just a classic case of target fixation.

There was a bit of gravel on the road and he panicked, as far as I can tell.

[Str8 Jacket]

***Edited***

[skelstar]

**aslo edited**
** edited - thanks str8j **

[Str8 Jacket]

***Edited***

[Lou Girardin]

From Dominion Post Nov 9
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VISITING BIKERS 'USE WAIRARAPA FOR RACING'


"Every weekend we get a lot of Wellington riders going hard out on our roads and the locals are getting sick of it. They are the ones being put at risk by people who are treating these rural and coastal stretches like a racetrack."
Motorists regularly complained about motorcyclists dangerous overtaking and excessive speeds.

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Looks like they may be out in force so watch out and take it easy.

How many locals have been hit by these Welly maniacs, I wonder.

[sAsLEX]

How many locals have been hit by these Welly maniacs, I wonder.

and I wonder how many welly maniacs have been taken out by locals?

[Jonty]

Tis not the speed, tis the bloody wind eh Sstar:doh:

[riffer]

Damn. There goes the weekend fun.

[Beemer]

Many of the accidents that happen in the Wairarapa are caused by tourists - I can remember two instances in the past year or so (one German, one American from memory) where vehicles being driven on the wrong side of the road have taken out locals. Can't recall any instances where locals have been taken out by motorcyclists.

I think the main thing to bear in mind is that these roads are PUBLIC roads and the police are going to be keeping an eye out for motorcyclists behaving recklessly - so let's not give them the opportunity to make the Rimutaka Hill a 50kph zone and have speed cameras all over the Wairarapa. A little courtesy and a bit of responsiblity go a long way.

[skelstar]

Tis not the speed, tis the bloody wind eh Sstar:doh:
I definitley have some wind issues...

[cowpoos]

piffff.....you crazy welly riders....shit....lmao

Get your own race track..... :devil2:

[madboy]

Can't recall any instances where locals have been taken out by motorcyclists.I know one of the fatals earlier this year involved a bike crossing the centre line into a car, not sure if it was a local though (the car driver that is).

I admit, I use it like a race track. I pass in ways that cars would consider "dodgy". I pass on yellow lines, I pass when there is "oncoming" traffic. But as most people don't have any understanding of the capabilities bikes have - straight-line speed, braking, cornering, width(!), then most, if not all, of my passing maneouvres are probably considered "dangerous". I can fully understand how we get a bad name... because of people like me!

But if we waited for passing lanes, never exceeded the speed limit, always followed the 2 sec rule... we might as well join the queue and drive car (or a Goldwing).

[Bartman10]

But if we waited for passing lanes, never exceeded the speed limit, always followed the 2 sec rule... we might as well join the queue and drive car.

I think that's what they want us to do mate. :blink: :blink:

[James Deuce]

Has anyone heard from Storm lately?

[Zapf]

Should contact the paper and have them publish your version of the story.

[James Deuce]

Should contact the paper and have them publish your version of the story.

:bash: :bash: :bash: :bash:

[Str8 Jacket]

** edited - thanks str8j **

No worries mate. I think owe you a beer! :yes:

[F5 Dave]

*****edited*****




(actually I didn’t say anything originally but it all looked like fun & so mysterious. Ohh mis-teeri-mouse.)

[Str8 Jacket]

(actually I didn’t say anything originally but it all looked like fun & so mysterious. Ohh mis-teeri-mouse.)

You didn't miss anything, just me being a stroppy bitch.... Im giving up smoking and I seem to be oversensitive atm, but taking it out on others just aint right!

[F5 Dave]

Well gee, it's not very mysterious if you explain it.


I don't know her everyone, I can still be mysterious can't I?

ah, rats!

[sels1]

just me being a stroppy bitch....

Surely not??:lol:


Im giving up smoking Sorry to hear that (you can guess why....)

Nah, good on yr SJ :2thumbsup

[sels1]

From Dominion Post Nov 9
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VISITING BIKERS 'USE WAIRARAPA FOR RACING'


Looks like they may be out in force so watch out and take it easy.

A timely reminder. Might have to go and haunt some different roads for a while

[F5 Dave]

. . . or all en mass go & be as responsible & law abiding so as to make everyone think we are the kings of the road & cops will stop spending time there -as all the namby pamby bikers are a waste of potential ticket time.

So can we all do that? :spudbn:

Thought not.
Off with the number plate, shotgun down the side of the fairing. Grrr.

[madboy]

Thought not.
Off with the number plate, shotgun down the side of the fairing. Grrr.Who needs a shotgun? That's what cubic centimetres, horsepower and bad attitudes are for!

[Paul in NZ]

Who needs a shotgun? That's what cubic centimetres, horsepower and bad attitudes are for!

Ah dunno boy! I thunk you jest told me what I needs me shottie fer... Out run this sucker....

;-)

This has been coming folks. First warning shot across the bows was fired a while back... Remember, lots of people LIVE out there in the more populous areas. Old grey retired people with a lot of time on their hands and access to computers and paper (to write letters)

Young farming people with kids.

Winery owners sick of you scaring their customers sober.

Naice people...

But honestly, look out for some BIG policing this summer. Play it cool and it will go away, act like twats and watch the speed limits tumble...

[James Deuce]

Blah blah blah, perfectly reasonable response that will be ignored by those who refuse to let their "freedom" be compromised, blah blah blah.

I was thinking to myself that the joy of riding was being overshadowed by the machismo of being first everywhere, just the other day.

Those with the insight to understand the depth and shades of meaning in the phrase, "We only have ourselves to blame", may moderate their behaviour, though I doubt it, and I cringe from the coming welter of posting topics revolving around the idea that the "Cops are picking on Motorcyclists".

Nice try though Paul.

[F5 Dave]

I was thinking to myself that the joy of riding was being overshadowed by the machismo of being first everywhere, just the other day. . .


That's why I race. But you'll find me way down the pack when it comes to road heroics.

Not to say that when I read the paper I thought, ah crap, the only safe place to bend the rules a bit will be dodgy playgrounds. Just doing the valves on the YZF, maybe I should leave it apart & just ride the RF.

[Grumpy]

But honestly, look out for some BIG policing this summer. Play it cool and it will go away, act like twats and watch the speed limits tumble...

What he said.. wise words indeed.

[Hitcher]

Given the amount of time and money we spend in the Wairarapa, we should qualify as "locals"...

Seriously though, many Wellington bikers would know the Wairarapa roads better than many locals do. In fact most of the places we seem to ride over there, I've never seen a "local".

[Dafe]

But if we waited for passing lanes, never exceeded the speed limit, always followed the 2 sec rule... we might as well join the queue and drive car (or a Goldwing).

If you followed the rules & speedlimits etc, you'd get run off the road by the locals in their HQ's & Toranas, not to mention the cops too. They'll probably pull you over for Zinging! :rofl:

That reminds me, Tony Sampson should break the 300kph mark in the Wairarapa in the next few weekends.

I say build the race track, I'm suprised that with the local population, Wellington doesn't have a short course race track.
Perhaps the Wairarapa track isn't ours (Wellingtons), but we do still have a share in the Takas and the Inlet circuit and for those who dare, the Paekak hill, the wgtn bays, days bay, haywards, coastroad........ Hang on, Come to think of it, We only have racetracks!

[Velox]

Cheers for the warning UB! All the more reason to get a cop detector.

Play it cool and it will go away, act like twats and watch the speed limits tumble...
True.... but I think Madboy had a point about what is viewed as "dodgey" riding. A lot of what we do on the road would be seen as dodgey by many car drivers when it's perfectly safe from our perspective. In saying that - yes there is a lot of purely dodgey riding which we're all guilty of from time to time, but that's not all that will be 'targeted'. What's 'normal' riding for most of us is turning us all into criminals more and more.:argh:

[Zapf]

:bash: :bash: :bash: :bash:

ok... wait for me to put my lid on 1st will ya... :spudbn:

[Dadpole]

Go away and leave MY roads for me!!
On the "yokels complaining" issue; the only thing that seems to generate flak is the occasional high speed blast through the towns. Other than that, the only comments I hear are the "lot of bikes out today" type of thing.
NB: With Summer approaching, watch out for 4x4s towing boats on the back roads. A lot of them use their lane and some of yours. :eek:

[Paul in NZ]

All it takes is a couple of accidents and a couple of letters and you have a trend... The Police are pretty decent chaps and chapesses. They have given us a heads up! A written warning if you will...

Up to you what you do with it!

Cheers

[dhunt]

Has anyone heard from Storm lately?
He's Fine, went riding with us on Sunday on his new Goose (not bad for a 350). I don't think he'll be on here for a while. They got their house burgled a week or two ago and got his computer nicked :angry2: plus some other stuff.

[James Deuce]

He's Fine, went riding with us on Sunday on his new Goose (not bad for a 350). I don't think he'll be on here for a while. They got their house burgled a week or two ago and got his computer nicked :angry2: plus some other stuff.

Ferk!

Could you offer both my condolences and my congratulations please? The Goose is a bloody good bike. Ask him if he'd like to meet up for "swapsie" ride sometime.

Cheers

Jim

[dhunt]

Ferk!

Could you offer both my condolences and my congratulations please? The Goose is a bloody good bike. Ask him if he'd like to meet up for "swapsie" ride sometime.

Cheers

Jim
Yip will pass that on too him. At least he had insurance on his stuff. His poor flatmate also got a laptop nicked and didn't have any insurance.

[Ivan]

Go away and leave MY roads for me!!
On the "yokels complaining" issue; the only thing that seems to generate flak is the occasional high speed blast through the towns. Other than that, the only comments I hear are the "lot of bikes out today" type of thing.
NB: With Summer approaching, watch out for 4x4s towing boats on the back roads. A lot of them use their lane and some of yours. :eek:


I agree I dont hear people moaning if anything alot of people like it shop sales at the local cafes get more cash etc, Just we get sick and tired of people speeding through the main street etc especially in Jandels and Shorts and a tee shirt like I saw today :bash:

[Mumbles]

[QUOTE=VTWIN]From Dominion Post Nov 9
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VISITING BIKERS 'USE WAIRARAPA FOR RACING'

It was the second accident involving an out-of-town motorcyclistat the same spot in less than a month.

How about fixing that part of the road? same spot... a sign might be nice? been a while since I've been down there... so dont know the spot... hope the he gets better

[VasalineWarrior]

Id rather piss off 3 or 4 farmers than have to ride around the friggin city all day. As if we are the only road users over there that go a little over the limit. Most cages ive seen over there arent moving slowly either you know!

[TraD_MaN]

shet everytime i go for a ride i get passed by cars doing wayyyyyyyyy over the speed limit :blink: and the farmers speed around aswell n there big road tractors. but then again i ride like a nana ...