Let's hope ACC doesn't start running this!

[retro asian]

...but that type of crash happens all the time!!!!

[jeffs]

Today I rode to work on the Western motorway. I saw 5 other bikers. It was hot and sunny.

3 out of the 6 of us did not have gloves on.

Please, even I don't get that one ?

They had helmets, boots, Armour jackets, but no gloves.

Come on I know it felt like summer hit today, but not even the basics ?

God help us all when it gets hotter.

[swbarnett]

What I see in this add, point by point:

1. The T intersection. The car had it's indicator on to turn left. Why shouldn't a bike use the right side of the lane to turn right (after stopping quite safely for other traffic)?

2. The van changing lanes to the left. The rider had plenty of time to react and moved around the van to the right in a manner which is quite legal in NZ.

3. The 4x4 changing lanes in front of the van to the right. After the bike pases the van the rider has two options - pull back and let the 4x4 come over in front or use the power of the bike to get past before the lane is occupied. As the lane ahead was clear I see no problem with using one of the main advantages of a bike to get clear.

4. The narrow street. What a pack of idiots darting out with no concern for the traffic! Having said that, the bike was being ridden in a manner that allowed a margin of safety - hence no accident.

5. The lack of gear. This is just a matter of each to their own. get over it and respect an individual's freedom to choose for themselves.

6. The red light. This is an issue for ALL motorists and a point well made.

7. Accident on a bend. My take on this is that the rider paniced when they realised that they had traffic ahead and lost control (not aliens). This shows the rider to be an absolute novice and not representative of the average biker at all.

[Brian d marge]

I object, I'm not in that video.

Whos cooking me eggs in the Caravan then ?

Stephen

[jeffs]

This add show the worst in bikers, but after seeing some of these replies, I see Katman is right, some of you think you are 100% bulletproof, and it can never be "your" fault.

[bogan]

I spose the question to ask is, who here thinks that add shows them as a biker? or does it show other irresponsible bikers? Cos I dont ride dangerously, I have all the gear, what am I sposed to learn from that add, other bikers are tards?

[pzkpfw]

Does anyone have some real stats on whether "most" rider accidents are:

A: Among riders who think they are bullet proof and ride frantically everywhere (in the manner shown in that ad) and eventually get what was only to be expected.

B: Among riders who are "generally pretty good" but just managed to screw it up once at the wrong time.

C: Among riders who never "do wrong" but were caught out by circumstances they could not have hoped to predict or prevent.

D: ...?

The reason I ask this is that what I see (and what I alluded to in my "P" comment) here is lots of extremes.

On the one hand, yes there are people who think they can get away with anything and will ride everywhere all the time, like nuts. They are all about "freedom" and don't consider consequence.

On the other hand, there are people who think riders must always ride everywhere like they are on egg shells; and never ever do anything "wrong" or slightly "naughty".

On the gripping hand, anyone who slightly disagrees with one of the above gets accused of being a member of the other extreme. e.g. tell a safety fanatic to lighten up and one gets accused of being a maniac. e.g. tell an actual maniac to ease up and one gets accused of being a Nana.


I suspect the reality is that most riders are pretty average - somewhere in the middle. So all these extremes are a big distraction to useful debate.


I'd like to know how well the style and theme of that ad actually matches the "target" audience. (Not how well it matches prejudice...)

[Katman]

I suspect the reality is that most riders are pretty average - somewhere in the middle.

I suspect that's a fair call.

But imagine if all those average riders were blessed with (or worked at developing) exceptional situational awareness and risk assessment skills.

[pzkpfw]

I suspect that's a fair call.

In which case ads that imply all motorcyclists are maniacs all the time are not going to work; and worse, they'll alienate all other road users.

These "average" riders (me too) see the "maniac" ads and think "that doesn't apply to me".

I think a better approach is to be a bit more softly-softly; get the "average" riders to remember that they too can make mistakes, screw up or whatever... and take steps to both minimise risks and mitigate the results.

[bogan]

In which case ads that imply all motorcyclists are maniacs all the time are not going to work; and worse, they'll alienate all other road users.

These "average" riders (me too) see the "maniac" ads and think "that doesn't apply to me".

I think a better approach is to be a bit more softly-softly; get the "average" riders to remember that they too can make mistakes, screw up or whatever... and take steps to both minimise risks and mitigate the results.

exactly what I was thinking, cept you said it better

[Pixie]

I saw the first ad and went wtf how did he loose control

But then I found out it was aliens.....damn those aliens

It wasn't aliens,it was those mines they put on the corners of roads -according to NZTA

[Pixie]

It's only one of the ads. All of them portray all motorcyclists as hoons all of the time and the staged accidents are laughably improbable, such as a rider speeding around a gentle right hand sweeper ending up under the wheels of a car on the other side of the road. What the?

Well Duh! The biker was obviously nobbled by the prick he was passing.
Some arse tried to do this to me yesterday.
Still the filthy biker's fault ,but.

[James Deuce]

It wasn't aliens,it was those mines they put on the corners of roads -according to NZTA

Those mines only target Fords, so the only bikers who should be worried own Boss Hogs. They should have been worried before the AFM's (Anti-Ford Mines) were deployed anyway.

[jeffs]

An Add is an Add. Your try to fit as much info in a short space of time as you can.
One mans softly softly approach is another's diluting the message.

Instead of looking at it as a whole. Break it down and learn from it.

And I have seen nearly every one of these moves done at sometime, by good riders just trying to commute.

As a whole it looks like a dip shit riding a bike, but break it down and it could be any one of us.

But how would you change the add, make 10 shorter adds ?

[Katman]

These "average" riders (me too) see the "maniac" ads and think "that doesn't apply to me".

If you're a responsible rider who looks to minimise the risks associated with motorcycling then the ad clearly isn't aimed at you.

If it gets any motorcyclist who rides like an idiot having second thoughts about the manner in which they ride, then the ads have served their purpose.