Motorcycling and An Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

Last March before the end of daylight saving I remarked:

Riding events and activities sponsored and supported by organisations and the private individuals that give generously of their time, are goals that can be set by those with the community spirit to improve motorcycle safety and hopefully reduce the rate of injury and fatality.
Thank you for your company, your time, your generosity and your encouragement.
Enjoy your weekend rides this winter.

I must say it is pleasing to come back and make the following observation:

Looking forward to how this subject is progressed over the next months and years to come and the extent of any involvement particularly by the entities listed in the establishment group.

Motorcycle Safety Levy Update from ACC

Recently you registered on ACC to receive updates on the development around the introduction of the Motorcycle Safety Levy (MSL).

You will recall ACC is putting this money into a ring-fenced fund that will be specifically used on injury prevention initiatives to reduce the number and severity of motorcycle injuries and fatalities.

To oversee the design of the programme, ACC has set up an establishment group. The group’s aim is to ensure the MSL programme is set up with motorbike and moped riders at the forefront. They recently met for the first time in Wellington and their first task is to develop the foundations for how the MSL programme will be administered and operated.

The group is made of eight people representing the following groups; Ulysses Club of NZ Inc, Bikers Rights Organisation of NZ (BRONZ), Women’s International Motorcycle Association (WIMA), Motorcycling New Zealand, Scoot NZ, NZ Classic Scooter Club, Motor Industry Association, Ministry of Transport and the NZ Transport Agency. Seven of the group members are motorbike or scooter riders.

Peter McIntosh, of Ulysses, sees the potential from the use of the MSL funds for motorcyclists.

"For the first time we will have a dedicated safety fund for us as riders with genuine input from the motorcycling community on what types of initiatives will really benefit us. The Government and ACC have made a genuine commitment to working with motorcyclists in the operation of the Motorcycle Safety Levy to improve the safety of all motorcyclists. It is now in place and the best thing we can all do is to take a positive step forward and support it," says Mr McIntosh.

ACC is providing additional funding to cover administration, so that all funds collected, are used directly on funding safety initiatives rather than on the administration of the programme.

ACC General Manager Injury Prevention Keith McLea says the MSL programme’s success depends on input from motorcyclists on its design and development.

"We want to ensure this programme is set up for motorcyclists by motorcyclists," Dr McLea said.



Additional information

Members on the establishment group include:

Peter McIntosh, President Ulysses Club of NZ Inc
Brent Hutchison, President of Wellington branch of Bikers Rights Organisation of NZ (BRONZ)
Yvonne Forrest, Representative of Women’s International Motorcycle Association (WIMA)
Paul Searancke, Commissioner: Recreation/Leisure of Motorcycling New Zealand
Jess Corbett from Scoot NZ and the NZ Classic Scooter Club
Clive Hellyar, Advisor from the Motor Industry Association
Ministry of Transport representative
Jim Furneaux, from NZ Transport Agency

Though I may not be riding this summer, I personally will be very supportive of any constructive programs that are introduced particularly through the summer daylight saving periods and I hope to see numerous initiatives adopted and implemented that improve overall motorcycle safety.