Man down - take care on those roads

[Blackbird]

One of my regular riding partners was out for a run in the Tauranga/Te Aroha area yesterday with the Random Riders and apparently hit unmarked loose gravel on a bend. He's now in Waikato Hospital with broken ribs, cracked vertebrae and slight bleeding into the chest cavity, but the injuries are not life-threatening. His Hayabusa is totalled. Another rider is also in hospital with cracked vertebrae from coming off on the same corner. Sincere sympathies to both riders and their families. I'll get up to see them as soon as I can.

However, the main reason for this post is to urge everyone to be on guard because the councils are already out and about shovelling pea gravel off the back of trucks with gay abandon. Whilst more care often needs to be taken by councils and contractors, we are all responsible for keeping a sharp lookout for hazards.

Take care all.

Geoff

[sAsLEX]

Best of luck on your mate healing quickly and fully!

Have the council been informed of the incidents on the same corner so as to get out and mark it to avoid further incidents?

They really need to be held accountable for this sort of thing, as surely a Busa rider is not likely to be an amatuer and the fact that another came off suggests the hazard was difficult to detect and counter.

[Blackbird]

Best of luck on your mate healing quickly and fully!

Have the council been informed of the incidents on the same corner so as to get out and mark it to avoid further incidents?

They really need to be held accountable for this sort of thing, as surely a Busa rider is not likely to be an amatuer and the fact that another came off suggests the hazard was difficult to detect and counter.

Don't yet know all the circumstances, only had a call from his wife this morning - everything will be followed up. He's been riding for 30 years and I trust him implicitly. Thanks for the thoughts.

[marty]

saw the rescue helo coming back from that way - picking with those injuries that'd be him. a speedy recovery, and hopefully back on a replacement busa

[terbang]

Bad news indeed and hope they are back riding soon. Only yesterday we encountered similar road works that wern't sign posted. Seen a bit of it lately. Whats the story? Are the councils or contractors saving on signage or something?

[beyond]

Sorry to hear it and hope these guys heal quick. :(

It's happening a lot lately. There are way too many corners with gravel, road works and no markings or warnings till you are on it.

I don't know what's up with the local councils and roading contractors but the insurance companies must be pulling there hair out every day. Doesn't take much to cause untold doallrs worth of damage to a fully faired bike and then there's all the health costs involved as well.

Someone must be liable for all the bad roads and works screwing up peoples lives.

[jonbuoy]

Why the fuck can't they carry a can of cheap luminous yellow spray paint and douse the gravel after they've scattered it around. At least give us a fighting chance of seeing it.

[sunhuntin]

bugger! thats not good...if a 30 year rider can be taken out...imagine a newbie on it!

id definately get onto the councils and ride their arses about it. its their fault for not having any signs, specially on a corner!

hope both riders heal fast. it could have been a lot worse, but as it is its bad enough!

[Warr]

Agree with you Geoff. I went over the Kopu Hikuai twice yesterday and instead of the reseal and loose chip being marked as "New Seal" it was just marked as "No Markings" Sure makes a difference mid corner.

[Cajun]

Blackbird - i think this run was with the BOP Costal Cruisers Poker run (father in law is in this club, and have full run down of this)

There was also 5 bikes crashing on the kamais on same run, some fuckwit as driped cooking oil all up the wakaito side of the kamais AGAIN from his tanker truck. (aparntly this same guy did this only two weeks ago)

[Blackbird]

Blackbird - i think this run was with the BOP Costal Cruisers Poker run (father in law is in this club, and have full run down of this)

There was also 5 bikes crashing on the kamais on same run, some fuckwit as driped cooking oil all up the wakaito side of the kamais AGAIN from his tanker truck. (aparntly this same guy did this only two weeks ago)

Thanks Neal. Interesting about the Kaimai accidents. After hearing about John, I jumped on the bike and went for a gentle run on Sunday morning to settle me down. I went up the Kaimais but wasn't pushing and stayed in the outer lane because it looked like contractors had been putting cement dust down on the inner lane - that would be why then. I pulled into the inside lane near the top to pull into the lookout and as it had started to rain heavily, I just rode through and headed back again. The downhill side was pretty slippery too because it was the first rain for over a week.

I hate using the inside lane on the Waikato side as so many trucks spill diesel on it through having over-full tanks.

Cheers

Geoff

[Cajun]

No worrys Geoff

Yeah interesting enough one of bikes that went down on kamais was also a busa. There was a few bike crashes last weekend when same thing happen as well. Most local people know to always use outside land anyway, even when not passing anything. Cause with amount of trucks going up, ya never know what you will meet coming around a corner

[slimjim]

:calm: sorry to hear of those two biker's, yup it's way pass due date for the contractor's to be had lieable, due to them accepting the contract of road repair work,, and are you aware that any person has the right to apply for the road repair work, anyone can,write price for council's and you can get the contract, bit of a surpise, however it's so common nowdays to see loose gravel lefted on repaired road, for a while before it get's sweept, and that's the wrong part of the road repair,:mad:

[Ozzie]

Sorry to hear about these guys, all 7 of them.

I went on the Perelli ride, no injuries or accidents aside from someone accidentally knocking over someone elses bike.

When we got back to Hamilton we heard lots of stories about crashes on the other ride, including about air lifts, not good news at all.

So the 5 that crashed cause of the oil, are they ok? It was only the 2 with serious injuries? (Not that that aint bad enough)

Speedy recoveries to all concerned. And I think local governments/council should get sent a bill whenever the road is at fault rather than the rider. They would soon pay more attention if they started to have to pay the bill.

[nudemetalz]

I hear that Helston Road here in Wellington has claimed another bike.

Time to try and get really aggresive with getting some results there, as the road is in an appalling state.

[What?]

... some fuckwit as driped cooking oil all up the wakaito side of the kamais AGAIN from his tanker truck. (aparntly this same guy did this only two weeks ago)

Well, that explains a couple of things...

[Cajun]

Didn't you hear about this What?

[Lias]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3815084a11,00.html
Two motorcyclists flown to hospital after serious crashes
01 October 2006

Two motorcyclists were airlifted to Waikato hospital, following two separate accidents during a six-hour endurance race this afternoon.

At 4pm, a 48-year-old Tokoroa man lost control of his bike and crashed into another motorcyclist near Gordon, south of Te Aroha, a statement issued by Westpac Waikato Air Ambulance pilot Simon Lewis said.

The 48-year-old man was flown to hospital with multiple injuries and the other rider suffered minor injuries.

Then, at 5.30pm, a 34-year-old man crashed his bike, on the road between Waitomo Caves and Te Anga. He was also flown to Waikato hospital, suffering suspected spinal injuries.

Earlier today, six motorcross riders were helicoptered to Hastings hospital after with a variety of injuries, ranging from a penetrated foot, to head injuries and broken limbs.

The riders had hurt themselves during a six-hour-long motorcycle endurance race in Putere, 40km south-west of Wairoa today.

[sAsLEX]

I hear that Helston Road here in Wellington has claimed another bike.

Time to try and get really aggresive with getting some results there, as the road is in an appalling state.

jIM2 HAS SAID THIS ON MAY OCCASIONS SO i WILL , turn off caps, champion his voice here.

Use the wellington coucils Website, on there there is the facility to report roading hazards, and he has noted that they are rather efficient at reacting to these in that signs where up later that day after he used the system.

[sunhuntin]

the road i live on was resealed earlier this year. signs up, but the stones werent swept for about a month or so after theyd been put down. of course, they get swept to the center line and the gutters by passing traffic. meant i nearly assed off when coming from the left, crossing the center to access my driveway, and again coming into the driveway, simply due to the stones.

they finally swept them up, but its about as bad again due to the rubber burners across the street ripping them up.

[Edbear]

Sorry to hear! All the best to all the victims, I agree with all the posts, here.

[marty]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3816014a6579,00.html

2 motorcyclists colliding?? how about we all post feedback on the stuff site - i already have.

[jumma]

I hear that Helston Road here in Wellington has claimed another bike.

Time to try and get really aggresive with getting some results there, as the road is in an appalling state.

Yeah, hey NDMZ. Appreciate your help today.
Was my mate on a GSX250 who slid out on the tar snakes. For those of you that don't know the road it's one hell of a mess.

Wrote an email to the appropriate party today. Getting my friend who binned to do the same. Hopefully a concentrated flood of emails may result in some action being taken before a more serious accident takes place. Mate just had a sore knee, was lucky he binned on a right hander and he didn't end up in the face of oncoming traffic.

[2much]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3816014a6579,00.html

2 motorcyclists colliding?? how about we all post feedback on the stuff site - i already have.

Why? .

[marty]

um, because the reporting doesn't appear to be accurate?

[Ozzie]

um, because the reporting doesn't appear to be accurate?

A first hand account Marty? What really happened?

We heard, when we got back the pub that 2 went up a bank and one bike came back down on another couple, but you can't trust pub talk.

Either way, people got hurt, apparently due to bad roads, well actually whatever the cause, it is unfortunate.

[2much]

um, because the reporting doesn't appear to be accurate?

I wouldn't jump to conclusions mate, after speaking to one of the riders involved this afternoon, it seems pretty accurate to me.

[marty]

fair enough.

that's not what was stated at the top the page though, and personal experience has made me a little hot under the collar about it - i just don't post every little scare/off/scratch

[Blackbird]

Well, we can all only go on what we've heard to date. Personally, I can only feel relief that no-one on that ride paid the ultimate price.

[nudemetalz]

Yeah, hey NDMZ. Appreciate your help today.
Was my mate on a GSX250 who slid out on the tar snakes. For those of you that don't know the road it's one hell of a mess.

Wrote an email to the appropriate party today. Getting my friend who binned to do the same. Hopefully a concentrated flood of emails may result in some action being taken before a more serious accident takes place. Mate just had a sore knee, was lucky he binned on a right hander and he didn't end up in the face of oncoming traffic.


No worries :)

I will ensure that you get a reply. It is a helluva road alright.

[What?]

Didn't you hear about this What?

Nah mate. I got a bit sideways coming up the hill early last week, but just figured it was invisible diesel. Been sick for the last ten days, so out of action. Heard a cop go screaming up the hill on Sat - guess it had something to do with the oil... Heard the bands fri/sat nights, but was in no state to wander down for the party.:(

[Cajun]

yeah it was at the hall at hamwihine (sp) you would know the one

[crazybigal]

the contractors are liable if there are no signs out. but they get out of it by sayn "oh they were there but must have been stolen or moved" so they get off.
We had a few cases when i was living in Queenstown, we had a main road unsealed for months, masive pot holes and in the rain they are hard to see and many alloy wheels were broken and fulton hogan or who ever it was had to pay out for it.
So if your bike is un-insured like many of us! go the contractor for damages.