Another fatality

[Ixion]

Don't think this has been reported. From today's Herald

The second fatal crash on Friday happened about 30 minutes later, when a male motorcyclist died after a head-on collision with a car on SH55 between Taradale and Fernhill, near Napier.

The man died at the scene and the driver of the car was being interviewed by police.

"It appears the car was overtaking another vehicle," Sergeant Graham Single of Napier police told NZPA.

[Hitcher]

Bugger. Too many deaths lately, folks. Take it easy out there. Ride at your own pace.

[BNZ]

I have been up that road several times this year and several of us have commented on the crazy drivers down that stretch of road!! So much tail-gating and dodgy overtaking.

[sAsLEX]

it has been mentioned in another thread, sad to see so many comrades falling

[Sniper]

Not another one. RIP mate

[Timber020]

I had a guy ahead of me yesterday on highway 1 try to do an overtake in a sub station wagon when he required a fucking dragster to pull it off. Car coming the other way had to get off the road. Fucker.
Funnily enough I went from wellington to levin and back and didnt see a single cop, not one, is that insane? Had I known I would have taken half the time travelling.

[Rainbow Wizard]

I went from wellington to levin and back and didnt see a single cop, not one, is that insane? Had I known I would have taken half the time travelling.

Now who or what here is the insane, maybe not half the time eh?

[Coyote]

"It appears the car was overtaking another vehicle," Sergeant Graham Single of Napier police told NZPA. [/I]

Well at least it wasn't the bikers fault, still sad to hear

[R6_kid:Me]

Now who or what here is the insane, maybe not half the time eh?

lol, ever heard of a figure of speech

[RDJ]

That is sad, not only coming so soon after other fatalities, but in its own right. Thoughts with family and friends.

On a related issue, since I'm not back in NZ yet I can't see for myself, is use of headlight modulators growing.... ditto wearing of fluoro vests? Do "we" think either makes a difference to being visible?

[Ixion]

That is sad, not only coming so soon after other fatalities, but in its own right. Thoughts with family and friends.

On a related issue, since I'm not back in NZ yet I can't see for myself, is use of headlight modulators growing.... ditto wearing of fluoro vests? Do "we" think either makes a difference to being visible?

Headlight modulators are illegal (no, I don't understnad it either) Fluoro is still rare. I wear a fluoro jacket and I'm certain it has a big safety beneft. But it doesn't look cool though.

[sAsLEX]

Headlight modulators are illegal (no, I don't understnad it either) Fluoro is still rare. I wear a fluoro jacket and I'm certain it has a big safety beneft. But it doesn't look cool though.

one point i think is so you aren't mistaken for emergency vehicles which most people attribute flashing lights to? (but this sounds like a far to logical point for our gunnmint to have used)

[Lias]

Police today named a motorcyclist who died in a crash near Napier at the weekend as Frederick Renata Hakiwai, 25, a vineyard worker of Taradale, Napier.

Mr Hakiwai died at the scene when the motorcycle he was riding collided head-on with a car on State Highway 55 between Taradale and Fernhill about 6.10pm on Friday.

The driver of the car was being interviewed by police.

"It appears the car was overtaking another vehicle," Sergeant Graham Single, of Napier police, told NZPA.

From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3273361a10,00.html

[RDJ]

Headlight modulators are illegal (no, I don't understnad it either) Fluoro is still rare. I wear a fluoro jacket and I'm certain it has a big safety beneft. But it doesn't look cool though.

Thanks for the info

Intuitively, I think fluoro is more visible than a modulator would be, but over here where I ride, I have literally never seen anyone else ride with fluoro (I brought mine over from NZ on holiday, you cannot buy jackets here other than those made solely for road workers). Wearing a vomitious green vest with reflective strips on it is my way of improving the odds "they" will see me.

Would just like to add that my comments are absolutely NOT aimed at implying that if we're not seen it's our fault for being less visible.

[Wolf]

I had a guy ahead of me yesterday on highway 1 try to do an overtake in a sub station wagon when he required a fucking dragster to pull it off. Car coming the other way had to get off the road. Fucker.

I always fucking cringe inwardly when I see that - and start sussing out places to "run to".

I always imagine the prat being clipped by an oncoming car and spinning out of control, taking up both lanes. I start searching for an escape route to avoid the resultant pile-up.

Once I had to pile on all the brakes I had and swerve off the road onto the shoulder to avoid an idiot who was attempting to pass oncoming traffic. I don't know if he didn't see me or just didn't care. I felt really thankful I was on a motorbike - better manoeuvrability and narrow enough to get out of the lane but stay on the hard shoulder. If I'd been driving a car I'd've had at least two wheels on the grass and fuck knows what would have happened then.

There are some real fucking idiots on the road. They seem to think they're in a fucking Ferrari - "sure, I can zap past this line of thirty cars and a truck before the next corner. "

This happened many many years ago: A bloke pulled out to pass a line of traffic in the middle of a rather long cutting. Dad was already in the cutting moving in the other direction, three other people in the car with him. For some reason no one was letting the guy back in line so dad had a potential head-on situation. Dad had driven professionally for years and raced midget class so he was no slouch behind the wheel. He waits til the last moment, not even trying to brake, angles the car, takes it up the side of the cutting, idiot goes past on road, dad swings car back down onto the road. Not a sound but the engine.

Three miles up the road, a quiet, awe (terror?) -filled voice from the back says "That was good, Clyde," and dad's reply was "and that's how they do it in the movies." Apparently he sounded calmer than he was...