Getting PUBLIC sympathy

[FROSTY:Me]

Folks I'm reading through this entire ACC thing and I can't see anyone talking about getting support from non bikers.
it seems to me that the pollys are gonna do what they concider the best thing for MOST of the population. They want to be voted in next time.
lets face it most people dont give a fat rats arse about bikers and even (as I heard this am on the radio) its getting irritating.
from non bikers the feeling is than we are whining about nowt.
so getting the rest of the population on side I think is pretty important.

[cheshirecat]

Folks I'm reading through this entire ACC thing and I can't see anyone talking about getting support from non bikers.
it seems to me that the pollys are gonna do what they concider the best thing for MOST of the population. They want to be voted in next time.
lets face it most people dont give a fat rats arse about bikers and even (as I heard this am on the radio) its getting irritating.
from non bikers the feeling is than we are whining about nowt.
so getting the rest of the population on side I think is pretty important.

Absolutely.
Many cars owners don't realise their levies go up significantly based on the same statistical shortcommings

We should highlite the fact we don't mind a reasonable increase based on real world stats and that we are highliting their rates as well.

see MTA news article on this

[Mully]

Anecdotally, we have a lot of support from the general public. I think that's why ACC are shitting themselves; they thought they were going to get big support by saying that cars are subsidising bikes, and it's bitten them in the arse.

I've had people approach me at servos saying that they aren't a biker, but they see it's unfair.

Most of them haven't realised that they are going to get pinged too - the AA has been noticably silent on this.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

We should highlite the fact we don't mind a reasonable increase based on real world stats and that we are highliting their rates as well.

no increase is needed infact it should be the say for all motorised vehicles on the road... simply levying on risk for one group goes against the principles of ACC itself

[k2w3]

That's what makes it so funny (if weren't so tragic). The fact that if ACC had put up the levies by a reasonable amount, they'd end up collecting more money for a whole lot less hassle than what all this is bringing (and will bring).

[retro asian]

I think car drivers don't realise that they have the potential to become bikers one day... (say one of us gives them a ride and they instantly become hooked).

When they go to buy their first bike, then they'll realise how annoying the huge ACC levies are.

[ManDownUnder]

Yup, put up ACC on all older cars too, and graduate the fees by car size. Smallest should pay the highest price because the occupants are more likey to be injured in an accident etc (we'd need the number to back it up of course).

... because I personally, driving my SUV, am sick of cross subsidising them. I've had my license 6 months, I'm told I'm doing really well, I'll have my full license soon and I know I'm a good driver.

[R6_kid:Me]

We need to be seen as fighting the changes to the fundamental values of ACC - from no fault to user pays. People need to realise that we are just the first in a line of changes and that once we've let them ram this one through there's no guessing who will be next.

As you've said, the general public most likely couldn't care less about motorcyclists, and from the mouth of the government they've been getting told they are subsidising us and 'that's not fair'. They don't care that the maths doesn't work, they don't care that we are going to be charged unjustifiably high amounts to use our chosen mode of transport. They care that they don't have to pay for us, and that we are going to be paying for ourselves - all the while missing the one thing underpinning the change in legislation: To make ACC user pays.

[StoneY]

Yup, put up ACC on all older cars too, and graduate the fees by car size. Smallest should pay the highest price because the occupants are more likey to be injured in an accident etc (we'd need the number to back it up of course).

... because I personally, driving my SUV, am sick of cross subsidising them. I've had my license 6 months, I'm told I'm doing really well, I'll have my full license soon and I know I'm a good driver.

Your SUV hurts more peole because it so big and solid, with no 'crush buffer' zones in its construction design
Theyre also more prone to rolling than a car is
They also seriously injure MORE motorcyclists than any other vehicle in bike vs accidents
Im sick of SUVs with HUGE blind spots due to shit mirrors and ignoramnt bulletproof drivers who know theyre a TANK pushing me off the freaking road (happened 3x in 4 years so far, to SUV's alone)

Ive had my license 25 years on Novemeber 17th (sat it on my 15th birtday)
I have clocked up millions of KM's (was a truckie for many years)

I say tax SUV's off the road, and as an ex professional road user, I say my opinion counts.

That an SUV pays the same as a Mini is ridiculous, especially when we the motorcyclists are being targeted

[Ixion]

OK. I just found something in a doc motorbyclist found

We may have some allies!

According to this ACC are proposing to raise truck levies by $300 !

From $302 to $585.

I wonder how many truckies are aware of this

I think we will start pushing this point. That we are not just protesting for ourselves that other people are in ACC sights.

[FROSTY:Me]

Hey look all you whingy whiney nasty smelly BIKIES. Either pay up and go ride yer bikes or get rid of em.
You lot cost a lot more when you just have a little crash so why should I pay to fix you all up??
I don't give a shit--and why should I ?--It doesn't affect me.
Actually I'm really quite glad you are being made to pay. Racing past me oun your high powered and noisy death machines.
Besides who cares about whats fair. if you pay more it means I don't have to.


Clearly not my opinion but one expressed recently

[Trudes]

I was just talking to my Osteopath, he sees many many ACC cases through his door, and he was saying just how pathetic he thinks the whole thing is and immediately started talking about cyclists and rugby player accidents. My boss was saying much the same thing. I think there are probably a lot of "general public" out there who agree with us, however because they do not have a vested interest, they don't feel the need to leap up and down about it. To me it's a bit like hundreds of people being killed in an earthquake in Taiwan, do we really care more than to say "well, that's sad, poor things" unless it happened to someone you know or in your backyard.

[duckonin]

Those within the public I have spoken with support the bikers, and why shouldn't they?, not everyone thinks we are dirty smelly bikers, that is a misconception some bikers want the rest to believe..

The ave age of those that ride motorcycles is increasing most have been riding or driving for many years, WE are ALL getting older..

[riffer]

Okay, I'm reading the document. Here's the relevant bit for cars, trucks, etc...



Now I may be reading this wrong but it looks to me like they are proposing a 9.9c levy per litre on petrol (not diesel). This means that the trucks would have to pay $585.84 instead of $302.32 they pay now (an increase of $283.52), or nearly doubling what they pay.

But what surprises me is that cars will pay $104.26 more to relicence their petrol vehicles.

I thought they said it was only about $30? And let's not discuss the petrol levy too...

Do I have it wrong? Cause it looks like it's a lot more than they say it will be...

[MSTRS:Me]

Not private cars. I reckon it's taxis etc....vehicles for passenger transport.