Biker down in Jackrats patch

[doc]

This is word for word from Franklin County news 10 Mar.

"A motorcyclist on Awhitu Rd in Waiuku had his right foot partially severed and his pillion passengers foot was also seriously injured in a collision with a four wheel drive on Sunday. The two riders aged in their 60's were in Waiuku from Hastings visiting friends. Constable Neil Phillips of the Counties Manukau serious crash team says the bike travelling north and the 4 x 4 going in the opposite direction were involved in a side-swipe collision on Awhitu Rd between McGowan Rd and Tahuna Pa on the evening of March 6. He says the crash ripped off the handle-bars and front pedal of the bike severed the motorbike rider's foot and caused serious injury to his female pillion passenger's right foot. Both riders were taken to Middlemore hospital with serious injuries, and the road was closed for some time. Following the crash police said they believe both the motorbike rider and his passenger had to have parts of their right legs amputated"

Phew that took some typing but this is what pissed me off earlier in the week on kiwibiker forums the 4 x 4 was altering his radio or something and it affects our ACC premiums. And the road gets closed again I always thought it was for fatals.

[Ixion]

Bastiges.

Maybe we should declare war ? Bikers versus 4x4s (only problem is I've got one myself. But I'm not a bastige like them. And it's a real old workhorse 4x4. And it actually gets properly dirty. So I reckon that doesn't count). I'm all in favour of a nice little war, myself

Only thing is "the crash ripped off the handle-bars and front pedal of the bike" ?? WTF, pedal ? . Presumably means footpeg?

[saiko]

Those 4x4 fuckers are a menace when your driving a car too. The 4 x 4 women I find especially aggressive.

[Skyryder]

Those 4x4 fuckers are a menace when your driving a car too. The 4 x 4 women I find especially aggressive.

I'm a 4x4 driver and I agree not that I'm a menace but the woman..............use to notice their agressive behavour when driving busses. They can bad mouth with the best too...............as did to me on numerouse occasions.

Skyryder

[Jackrat]

I know the bit of road it happened on very well.
Sad to say,i'm not supprised how it happened at all.
The locals treat the road like they own both bloody sides of it.
I lost a wing mirror on a car up there a few years ago and if I hadn't done the big swerve it was going to be a full head on.
It makes for a very dangerous road so any body riding it be extra carefull please.
Stay away from that white line,Just about every local up there cuts the corners.
Even when their not changing bloody stations :brick: :angry2:

[inlinefour]

Bastiges.

Maybe we should declare war ? Bikers versus 4x4s (only problem is I've got one myself. But I'm not a bastige like them. And it's a real old workhorse 4x4. And it actually gets properly dirty. So I reckon that doesn't count). I'm all in favour of a nice little war, myself

Only thing is "the crash ripped off the handle-bars and front pedal of the bike" ?? WTF, pedal ? . Presumably means footpeg?

Get plenty of toots and thumbs up from riders when they see the "Be aware of motorcyclists" and the KBer stickers on the back.
Too many arseholes own one but can drive em for shite. Reckon they need to do a licience class for them, which involves intense driver training.

[jazbug5]

Now THAT is a bloody good idea, Honda!
Cars are often bad enough, but 4X4s are in a special class of their own. As in 'shpeshul'. Funcking wankas.
But anyway, I couldn't agree more- there should be a special license for driving them that you have to renew by resitting the test every year, (maybe allowances made for people who actually use them on farms etc) and even then they should have 'I am a gas guzzling, selfish tosser' on them in huge da-glo letters on the side.
But apart from that do we know any more about the riders yet? Perhaps another sympathy thread is in order?

[Jantar]

Now THAT is a bloody good idea, Honda!
Cars are often bad enough, but 4X4s are in a special class of their own. As in 'shpeshul'. Funcking wankas.
But anyway, I couldn't agree more- there should be a special license for driving them that you have to renew by resitting the test every year, (maybe allowances made for people who actually use them on farms etc) and even then they should have 'I am a gas guzzling, selfish tosser' on them in huge da-glo letters on the side.
But apart from that do we know any more about the riders yet? Perhaps another sympathy thread is in order?

Apart from my bikes, my only other vehicle is a 4x4. I need it for our property, to get around in our winter conditions, and for towing our horse float. Please explain why 'I am a gas guzzling, selfish tosser'. Also please tell me what other type of vehicle will suit my needs. And please also explain why that makes my wife and I "Funcking wankas"

We rural people often get this this type of comment from city dwellers who have no conception of life in more remote areas.

From our point of view the great majority of accidents that we see in our area are caused by city drivers coming to the country, or by foriegn tourists. Maybe we should have a special class of licence for city drivers who want to drive their Honda accords on dirt roads. :ar15:

[Sniper]

You get some real arseholes in this world. You can find a few of them behind the wheel of the 4x4. I dont take a dig at people with 4x4's except that those that have them in the city for the simple reason that maybe one day, just one day, they may venture onto a gravel road.

Now not all 4x4's drivers have a 4x4 to compensate for a lack of penis (or in womens cases, lack of getting laid) but those who own a 4x4 and ALSO own a bike are gods because they know what its like on both counts. Full marks to them you guys :niceone:

But yea, to sum up my theory (Proberbly wrong)
4x4 in city never to be used on dirt = Idiot with a tiny penis
4x4 in city used regularly on dirt= Intelligent idiot
4x4 in country= Useful and practical
4x4 owner who also owns bike= GOD

[saiko]

Apart from my bikes, my only other vehicle is a 4x4. I need it for our property, to get around in our winter conditions, and for towing our horse float. Please explain why 'I am a gas guzzling, selfish tosser'. Also please tell me what other type of vehicle will suit my needs. And please also explain why that makes my wife and I "Funcking wankas"
. :ar15:

Hi Jantar,

I don't believe anyone meant any disrespect to those living in rural areas, and using your 4x4 as a work-related vehicle.

The problem seems to be with those living in the cities, who prefer to drive a 4x4 rather than a normal sedan etc. This, by & in itself is ok, after all you can't legislate who should drive what. But I think the point here is those city drivers using 4x4's are particularly aggressive, & the vehicles themselves are also dangerous - e.g. stuck in behind you can't see past the vehicle to determine what's in front, whether the traffic up ahead is stopping etc.

Also I'd hate to be hit with one, even in my car. The stats show that yes the 4x4 driver will be better off in an accident, but: the normal car owner will be WORSE off in a collision. Hence I would agree that special licensing or driver instruction should be mandatory for these owners.

Now consider this, if this seems too harsh - apart from special braking & turning needs, why do truck drivers need a HT licence - maybe so they learn to control their rigs, & thereby not endanger the public. So why not 4x4's? :spudwhat:

[Ixion]

.. those who own a 4x4 and ALSO own a bike are gods because they know what its like on both counts. Full marks to them you guys :niceone:

But yea, to sum up my theory (Proberbly wrong)
4x4 in city never to be used on dirt = Idiot with a tiny penis
4x4 in city used regularly on dirt= Intelligent idiot
4x4 in country= Useful and practical
4x4 owner who also owns bike= GOD

The soccer moms buy them because they claim they're "safe". In fact , I think a lot of SUV's are bought as a sort of channelled violence thing. "If I have one of those I can carve people up with impunity". Silly thing is, a lot of the later SUVs, the "safer" thing isn't true. It was in the early ones like mine, because they were built like trucks, proper chassis and so on, and heavy steel to take off road pounding. But once the accountants and soccer moms started buying them, the manufacturers started making them lighter and flimsier.

Now a lot of them are really just high cars. So actually less safe than a "normal" car.

I agree that there should be a special licence, and it should include a mandatory off road section. I'm sick of stupid Asians buying them, having no clue at all how to drive them, and either getting stuck, getting rural folk mad at their crappy behaviour, or killing themselvs through incompetance. Their behaviour means more areas get closed to 4WDs (and to trail bikes ). :ar15:

And on road they *DO* need a different driving technique, in several respects. People shouldn't be allowed to do a test in a Honda City then jump into a Ford Explorer. :brick:

Incidentally, they are already a special WOF class.


Off topic, are there any trail riding areas left around Auckland now. Almost everything seems to have been fenced off nowadays. ?

[Jantar]

Now consider this, if this seems too harsh - apart from special braking & turning needs, why do truck drivers need a HT licence - maybe so they learn to control their rigs, & thereby not endanger the public. So why not 4x4's? :spudwhat:

Its over 30 years since I sat my HT, and I haven't had to resit it since, yet Jazbug5 is suggesting that 4x4 owners not only have a special test, but that they resit it every year. :gob:

4x4 s are not too much different to normal cars when driven on the road, they just have a slightly higher center of gravity, so must be cornered with a touch more care. In that respect they are no different from driving a 1950s Ford Prefect or Standard 14 yet no-one is suggesting that a special licence be required to drive a car if its more than 50 years old. There are no special road rules for them and none should be required.

However there are special road rules that apply to heavy vehicles. There are different speed limits on different classes of roads. There are axle weight limits, vehicle weight limits, length limits etc that all require additional knowledge.

Now driving a 4x4 off road is a different proposition altogether. I did a 4wd course many years ago, and then did a short refresher again last year. These coures are not compulsory, but most off road drivers who do venture beyond the end of the gravel find them beneficial.

When jazbug made her comments about 4x4 drivers she did state that "(maybe allowances made for people who actually use them on farms etc)", but still required us to "have 'I am a gas guzzling, selfish tosser' on them in huge da-glo letters on the side."

I object to this general assumption, and note that I am not asking for all city dwellers to paint "I am an idiot townie" on the side of their cars when they enter a 100 kph area.

[jazbug5]

Jantar, I didn't express well what I meant.

As others have pointed out, the problem isn't with those who use them for work (I tried to say that but... well, is was rather early in the morning...) but with those who buy them for the image or for intimidation value, and usually they live in cities. I am from a rural based family in Scotland, and know full well how useful they can be when used as a work vehicle. My father drives one, and if he didn't they'd probably be snowed in for three months of the year!
But lighten up, mate- I was just having a jokey rant (perhaps I should start using those smileys or something). Come the revolution we shall spare you the indignity of having to have your vehicle daubed in Da-Glo. Honest.
(Might make you paint it a fetching shade of pink, though...)

[Wolf]

Most of the 4x4's I encounter on the road (and have serious problems with) obviously haven't done a day's bloody work since they first rolled off the lot.

They are generally owned by "townies" who travel at 60-90km/h on the open road - and don't change that speed when they hit the 50k zone - toss-pots the lot. And they're not real 4x4's either - not Land Cruisers, Navarras and Landrovers, they're RAVs and RVRs (with the first R back to front 'cos toss-pots can't write either), Surfs, Wankers - I mean, Pajeros - and other such puke mobiles that no serious worker would use.

Juliet's dad used to own one of them and used to drive like a bloody fuck-wit well over the speed limit so I know for a fact they're capable of better than 90km/h - it's just the wanker driving that needs an upgrade.

I have no problem with the very few people who actually need them using them - they tend to drive them with skill (because they use the damn things, not park it in the street to show the neighbours that they're just as rich and stupid as everyone else in that suburb) - it's these morons who can't drive and buy them as 56k+ status symbols that I get steamed about - because they're doing 70ks either right up my arse in town or just around that bloody corner when I'm blatting around at the legal limit.

[Motu]

I drive a 4X4 in the city and an off road bike on the road - it's not just because I've got a small dick,but I'm short as well,sitting up high makes me feel like a real person,kinda like sitting in a high chair at the table.

You need to come to Auckland to see real 4x4 drivers - they are mostly overweight Somoan's hauling around their overweight family at nice slow speeds they are comfortable with.

[Firefight]

Off topic, are there any trail riding areas left around Auckland now. Almost everything seems to have been fenced off nowadays. ?

have a look in off road section mate, theres a list in there, pm me if you need more info about any of them.

F/F

[Krayy]

I was riding out to Awhitu on Saturday arvo, practicing hanging my arse off the seat going through some corners, and thank god I did.

To set the scene, on the way out to the heads, you go through a settlement called Pollock. About 3 kms from there, after going up a huge hill (well its huge on a push bike but thats another story), you get a short flat run into a tightish left hander which has a nice inside camber to it and takes you up a hill where it opens out into a sweeper that passes through a grove of pretty dense bush. Now this means that the tail end of the sweeper and the right hander immediately after it thats still going uphill are pretty well blind except for about 100m in the middle.

So I'm barrelling thorugh the first left hander keeping well to the middle of my lane, waiting for the late apex. I saw a car coming the other way and that was fine, cos he was in his lane but he was going slightly faster than I would in the dunnydore wagon with the kids on board. But, following him about 6 feet off his tail and starting to drift over the centreline, was a white van towing a frickin boat. Dunno if it was a Toy-mota Hi Ace, a C120 vanette of a flamin Bongo, but jesus, hammering through a corner like that in something with a centre of gravity that's the equivalent of a elephant on stilts (i.e. higher than it should be) with a tonne or so of pleasure craft attached to it is pushing the envelope.

"Feck the late apex", says I, "I'm heading for the curb". As I mentioned, my arse (and what an arse) was already off the side, so pulling it in tight wasn't too much of an issue, missed me by 3 feet and stuffed up the rest of the uphill run, but if I wasn't already half way there, well who knows. Bloody yokels.

BTW, if your'e headed taht way, the council still haven't swept the road past the 2nd Te Toro turnoff where they did some resealing so you have to crawl through there at 80-90 whilst trying to stay in the clean bit of the road.

[inlinefour]

I own one also. I also have driven trucks, hence have my HT. The two have a few simularities and I believe it would be in everyones' best interests if a new class of licience was created, to help train people on how to drive a 4WD. Remember many people have jumped into a 4WD after only driving a car and as a result drive the 4WD the same...

[Lou Girardin]

Just had one of our rentals killed at Wellsford. The rider lost it on loose gravel ( a, bloody, gain) luckily he and the bike separated, because a 4WD came around the blind bend on the wrong side and ran over the front wheel. It was probably lucky that he did come off or the 4WD might have taken them both out.
Can we have some failing to keep left blitzes please. Are you listening Rob Robinson, Hawkins, anyone?

[Ixion]

In a fatal crash which happened after the official weekend period ended at 6am today, one person was killed and another seriously injured after a motorcycle crashed in Taranaki.

Police said the crash happened at the intersection of State Highway 3 and Turangi Road near Waitara, about 10km north of New Plymouth, about 7.50am.

The motorcycle was the only vehicle involved in the accident,

NZ Herald 14.03.2005 11:00

[merv]

The people involved are Ulysses Club members from Hawkes Bay. Shame to hear about this.

[Coldkiwi]

and note that I am not asking for all city dwellers to paint "I am an idiot townie" on the side of their cars when they enter a 100 kph area.

I understand that... but can I say I think thats a GREAT idea?? Certainly for overly clean 4x4's that are obviously used by people with no understand of what it means to have raised suspension when cornering or driving.

[Jackrat]

I understand that... but can I say I think thats a GREAT idea?? Certainly for overly clean 4x4's that are obviously used by people with no understand of what it means to have raised suspension when cornering or driving.

Yet oddly enough they don't crash as often as bikers "lose control"
.
Just plain hypocracy from those that can lest afford to point the finger.

[Blakamin]

as long as they dont wear jackrats patch... the rebels might complain.... (sorry, a bit "happy" tonight)

[Motu]

Yet oddly enough they don't crash as often as bikers "lose control"
.
Just plain hypocracy from those that can lest afford to point the finger.

:2thumbsup Good one Jack! You don't pull your punches lad....

[Lou Girardin]

Yet oddly enough they don't crash as often as bikers "lose control"
.
Just plain hypocracy from those that can lest afford to point the finger.

No, but they do kill their occupants at a far greater rate than cars.
But then, 4WD's are safer aren't they.

[inlinefour]

No, but they do kill their occupants at a far greater rate than cars.
But then, 4WD's are safer aren't they.

And the results are no they are not safer than most modern cars. In fact the Jeep and the Landrover are the worse have a 1 star safety (0 worse and 5 being the best). The NZ favourite, the Toyota only had a rating of 3. So for all those saying that they are buying a 4wd for safety think again. I've got one, but only for pracacial applications and if I did not need one then I would not own one...

[Ixion]

And the results are no they are not safer than most modern cars. In fact the Jeep and the Landrover are the worse have a 1 star safety (0 worse and 5 being the best). The NZ favourite, the Toyota only had a rating of 3. So for all those saying that they are buying a 4wd for safety think again. I've got one, but only for pracacial applications and if I did not need one then I would not own one...

I think (though I may be misinformed) that the way those star ratings work is very misleading. They are based on a sort of points system, so a vehicle gets (quite a lot) of points for have a crushable and deformable body. Theory is that in a crash that absorbs the impact etc. The Jeep and Landrover don't crush so they miss out on the points.

But my opinion is that the whole crush thing is flawed. It's based on the USA where the dipsticks refuse to wear seat belts. If you're properly belted in, the stronger the people area is the better. It's no accident that rally drivers and such have real strong welded up driver compartments.

The crumple thing is like airbags - if you're not wearing seatbelts it may make some sense. Buut with seatbelts you're better off (overall) without airbags and with a real strong steel cage.

[Madmax]

have been in a drag car when it barrell rolled
(broke an axel off the line, 100 ft)
i think all cars should have a roll cages
(just rember to not try to hold up the roof
when it happens,leads to lots of sore fingers
and the like)
allways rember thinking dam that was lucky?
then i undid my belt and hit my head on the roof
as it was still upsidedown
(bloody driver thought it was funny, i pointed
out that his two black eyes looked quite good as well!!
all the arms and stuff flying around inside had got him bigtime)
:confused: