Rider down - Queenstown area (1 Jan 2009) [Archive]

Wingnut

2nd January 2009, 07:16

Notification received via email. Condolences to the riders family. Such a sad time for all involved.

New Zealand Police Alert 12:00pm 1 Jan 2009 Southern

Location of incident: Devils staircase

Incident type: Fatal crash

Shortly after 1000this morning the Queenstown Police located a fatal motor crash which involved a motor cyclist in the 'Devils Staircase' near Queenstown.
Police are still at the scene and the deceased was the rider of the motor cycle.

Grahameeboy

2nd January 2009, 07:37

Sad but what the eck do people go out on their bikes for on such a dodgy day for it...

fLaThEaD FreD

2nd January 2009, 07:56

Sad but what the eck do people go out on their bikes for on such a dodgy day for it...

Let's wait till all the facts are known before opinons are expressed. Not all riders are fair weather riders! Condolances for rider and to family and friends.

Grahameeboy

2nd January 2009, 08:02

Let's wait till all the facts are known before opinons are expressed. Not all riders are fair weather riders! Condolances for rider and to family and friends.

I was not expressing a view on what happened, just expressing an observation that was all...

McJim

2nd January 2009, 08:04

I went out for a ride yesterday. Nearly headed up that way myself but elected to go via the Catlins instead.

Condolences to the family of the deceased.

Virago

2nd January 2009, 08:05

Grahameeboy

2nd January 2009, 08:08

What was dodgy about it? I believe the weather in the area was fine yesterday morning.

I have always avoided riding on New Years because of other drivers...10% of last years road told just happened at this time...

fLaThEaD FreD

2nd January 2009, 08:08

I was not expressing a view on what happened, just expressing an observation that was all...

But have you never for some reason ridden in poor weather conditions ????
At this time it is better to hold ones opinion. You'll get plenty of time later to express them im sure.

Grahameeboy

2nd January 2009, 08:11

But have you never for some reason ridden in poor weather conditions ????
At this time it is better to hold ones opinion. You'll get plenty of time later to express them im sure.

I often go out in the rain to practice...am from UK so nuff said...remember riding for 7 hours from Cornwall....good old Wax Cotton..not....ended up with blue skin...

Like I said I have not given an opinion on this accident, not shall I at a later time because it doesn't really matter what happened at the end of the day..someone is dead and people are greiving...

Wingnut

2nd January 2009, 08:17

am from UK so nuff said.....

......Agreed!

BBzz

2nd January 2009, 08:23

But have you never for some reason ridden in poor weather conditions ????
At this time it is better to hold ones opinion. You'll get plenty of time later to express them im sure.

For Sure
Take Care out there people

Condolences to the family of the deceased

Virago

2nd January 2009, 08:24

I have always avoided riding on New Years because of other drivers...

It would appear that no-one else was involved. From today's Otago Daily Times:

Constable Kevin Woods, of Queenstown, said police found the motorcyclist's body next to his bike, just off the shoulder of the road, on State Highway 6 at 7.30am yesterday.

"We saw the bike off the road and found the body close by," Const Woods said.

The 48-year-old Kingston man, whose name had not been released last night, appeared to have had been travelling north and failed to take the right-hand bend "for whatever reason".

"Our understanding is he set off for Queenstown," Const Woods said.

FJRider

2nd January 2009, 08:26

What was dodgy about it? I believe the weather in the area was fine yesterday morning.

It was fine ...... just because its wet in Auckland...

roy.nz

2nd January 2009, 08:28

Sorry to hear that, i feel for the family. RIP fellow biker.

Grahameeboy

2nd January 2009, 08:40

It would appear that no-one else was involved. From today's Otago Daily Times:

Correct...

nico

2nd January 2009, 08:53

I have always avoided riding on New Years because of other drivers...10% of last years road told just happened at this time...

also to add my .02c some of have no choise to ride in crapy weather ie only form of tpt also have to work on said (dodgy) days so again no choice

condolnces go out to the family

Grahameeboy

2nd January 2009, 08:57

also to add my .02c some of have no choise to ride in crapy weather ie only form of tpt also have to work on said (dodgy) days so again no choice

condolnces go out to the family

Fair point.....

Forest

2nd January 2009, 09:19

FJRider

2nd January 2009, 09:41

I had to look up the location of the Devil's Staircase as I hadn't heard of it before.

From what I can tell, it is the section of SH6 that skirts around the bottom of the Remarkables between Queenstown and Lumsden.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Highway_6_(New_Zealand)#Nevis_Bluff_and_Devi l.27s_Staircase

The Devils Straircase is a winding piece of road between Kingston and Frankton. The piece called "the Devils staircase" is only a few km's in duration, but needs concentration, and respect. The drop-offs are spectacular. The road narrow and winding. Sharp, steep cambered corners. Cliff face on one side, the lake 100's of meters DOWN in places. Easy to get forced off the road by a vehicle coming the other way on the wrong side. I have been in the past,and those "other" vehicles wouldn't know I had.

racerhead

2nd January 2009, 09:55

RIP and thoughts with family and friends

Forest

2nd January 2009, 11:11

The Devils Straircase is a winding piece of road between Kingston and Frankton. The piece called "the Devils staircase" is only a few km's in duration, but needs concentration, and respect. The drop-offs are spectacular. The road narrow and winding. Sharp, steep cambered corners. Cliff face on one side, the lake 100's of meters DOWN in places. Easy to get forced off the road by a vehicle coming the other way on the wrong side. I have been in the past,and those "other" vehicles wouldn't know I had.

Thanks for that. I've done a bit of biking around that area, but haven't been down SH6.

FJRider

2nd January 2009, 13:33

There was a photo posted in a news site... PRESS I think... of the bike. The rider had been missing a few days... last seen tuesday...

Hadley

2nd January 2009, 18:48

Depending on which direction you are going, it can be a horrible stretch of road.
From Qt to Kingston the centre of the left hand lane is raised from where they have dug up or layed a cable or something.
From Kingston to Qt is alot better, some patches of gravel sometime due to people pulling into laybys to take pics etc.
Abouts 100 blind very sharp corners + cheese cutters to "stop" you going into the lake.

Jantar

2nd January 2009, 19:11

Hadley will know this road better than I do. I only use it 3 or 4 times a year. My recollection is that there are cheese cutters all the way from before Wye Creek to the end of Devil's Staircase. I shall wait for a more detailed report on excatly where the accident happened.

idb

2nd January 2009, 19:31

It's not as bad as that Jantar.
There are cheesecutters in spots, mainly at the Kingston end.
There is a long patch on the hillside lane where a Telecom cable was laid the entire length.

dipshit

2nd January 2009, 19:31

My recollection is that there are cheese cutters all the way from before Wye Creek to the end of Devil's Staircase. I shall wait for a more detailed report on excatly where the accident happened.

ODT says "just south of the Devils Staircase"

http://www.odt.co.nz/the-regions/otago/38010/two-dead-roads-otago