Has anyone been pulled up for a nice chat by the Police and ACC?

[Waxxa]

I can see it now, biker stopped by occifer & ACC xpert. roadside WOF check done, safety message said, a wave goodbye biker leaves safe in the knowledge he is now extra safe, and then BANG , the biker get's hit by a car just around the bend.
Now that worked, didn't it.

...by a U-turning copper no doubt

[shrub]

From what I've heard, if you're stopped at an organised checkpoint, I think you'll find that it will be a qualified WOF inspector that will be inspecting the bike for safety.

As the guy who does my warrants says, "I'm wasting my time doing this test because I know your own regular checks exceed anything a WOF requires". I learned a long time ago, when my handlebars vibrated loose on an old XS650 and sent me over the front when I hit the brakes, that regularly going over my bike with a fine tooth comb is a good idea. Before I set off to do my running around today I checked brake lights, indicators, horn and gave the bike a quick visual - a habit that might have saved my arse a year or so ago when I discovered my brake light switch wasn't working. Most weekends i clean my bike and inspect every wire, hose, tie etc. I check my tyre pressures regularly and have a pump in my shed and a good tyre guage I take everywhere and as I'm heading down my cul de sac I check steering head bearings, brakes etc.

If I'm on a recreational ride, I want to ride my bike, not sit on the side of the road while somebody who once did a course on motorcycle WOF inspections ticks a few checkboxes and a noble, brave and almost lovable Police Officer (happy Scumdog?) tells me how to ride safely. If i'm on my way to a meeting (I use my bike as primary transport - my car has massive spider webs all over it), then I don't want to be held up. If I am on my way to meet a friend over a coffee or a cold one, then that's what I'm doing and I don't really want to chat about motorcycle safety with ANYONE.

Someone has compared it to a booze bus breath test - I don't have a problem with that because it takes a few seconds out of my journey to pull off my lid and state my name and sexual preferences, and I like the idea of drunks not being on the road at the same time as me.

[Katman]

As the guy who does my warrants says, "I'm wasting my time doing this test because I know your own regular checks exceed anything a WOF requires". I learned a long time ago, when my handlebars vibrated loose on an old XS650 and sent me over the front when I hit the brakes, that regularly going over my bike with a fine tooth comb is a good idea. Before I set off to do my running around today I checked brake lights, indicators, horn and gave the bike a quick visual - a habit that might have saved my arse a year or so ago when I discovered my brake light switch wasn't working. Most weekends i clean my bike and inspect every wire, hose, tie etc. I check my tyre pressures regularly and have a pump in my shed and a good tyre guage I take everywhere and as I'm heading down my cul de sac I check steering head bearings, brakes etc.

You'd be surprised at the number of motorcyclists who don't.

[shrub]

When Big Dave posted a thread, after he was invited to write a piece on this for the magazine I think he said that it was to be cops who were motocyclists that would be part of this initiative.

I still see it as a waste of time and money, and will achieve little.

A workshop with open invitation to bikers, to come up with and discuss our thoughts on safety might have been a good idea before implementing anything, but as Katman says, most bikers are not doing all they can now to be safe. So it occurs that it would only be more stuff we ignore.

There needs to be more personal responsibility on our part, and I think it should start being taught before we're allowed loose on the roads. The basic handling skills test is a joke, and defensive driving courses are too generic.

Don't anyone start spouting about track days either please, there is nothing to be learnt from doing the same shit we do now, just faster.

My two cents, prolly worth less to anyone else.

At the meeting I was at yesterday Jim Furneaux, driving standards manager of NZTA, and a motorcyclist himself, outlined many of the things you're talking about. They're overhauling the licensing process to make it much more relevant to ability to ride a motorcycle well and looking at a number of pretty good stuff. Apart from the silly idea to pull motorcyclists over, I was pretty impressed.

Now, if they pulled scooter and small bike riders over to talk about gear and riding in the cycle lane....

[davebullet]

A workshop with open invitation to bikers, to come up with and discuss our thoughts on safety might have been a good idea before implementing anything, but as Katman says, most bikers are not doing all they can now to be safe. So it occurs that it would only be more stuff we ignore.

Now there is a bloody good idea.

Spend some of the money to cover mechanics' wages and have people bring their bike in for a subsidised checkup.

I suspect it is badly worn tyres that would be the mechanical culprit for any accident. In a very rare occasion, maybe ruptured brake lines or leaking seals etc.... In 99% of cases - it's more than likely the rider.

PS: When I say mechanical culprit - it ultimately is the rider that is responsible (maintenance neglect). Very rarely does machinery just fail these days.

[shrub]

You'd be surprised at the number of motorcyclists who don't.

And that is one of the reasons so many crash (not have accidents - crash). I know you and I have disagreed over quite a lot, but in many ways I agree 100% with you and the first thing any of us do before we get on our bikes is take our safety seriously. That means:

• wearing appropriate gear for the journey,
• making sure our bike is safe to ride every time we get on it,
• making sure our skill level is adequate for the journey
• switching off the testosterone pump and ignoring idiots who want to race
• riding to the conditions and being willing to stop or slow down if necessary
• recognising that there are other road users who are too distracted to see us, don't realise how close we are or use their mirrors and/or indicators

i don't think having a cop, an ACC rep and maybe a WOF inspector on the side of the road will make people realise that. Most, if not all, of the people I regularly ride with think that way (most of the time), and I think the overwhelming majority of motorcyclists would be willing to think that way if approached the right way.

So how do we get to the riders who don't think smart, and how do we find a way to convince them that it's a good idea?

[The Pastor]

Waaa-fucking waa....ANOTHER KB waa-fest!

Enjoy!

FTP

but yeah they did this in the coromandel this summer. Waste of time, just wanting to get more tickets.

Facts are this, the high risk areas, like the coromandel, the accidents are not caused by un rego/woffed bikes. They are in areas where people go to have fun, push the limit and crash. These bikers don't give two shits what the law says and there is not much you can do to stop this, these people have always existed and always will

Having cops stop every bike and chat only gathered some more tax for the government and reduced the public opinion of the police.

[Hellzie]

And that is one of the reasons so many crash (not have accidents - crash). I know you and I have disagreed over quite a lot, but in many ways I agree 100% with you and the first thing any of us do before we get on our bikes is take our safety seriously. That means:

• wearing appropriate gear for the journey,
• making sure our bike is safe to ride every time we get on it,
• making sure our skill level is adequate for the journey
• switching off the testosterone pump and ignoring idiots who want to race
• riding to the conditions and being willing to stop or slow down if necessary
• recognising that there are other road users who are too distracted to see us, don't realise how close we are or use their mirrors and/or indicators

i don't think having a cop, an ACC rep and maybe a WOF inspector on the side of the road will make people realise that. Most, if not all, of the people I regularly ride with think that way (most of the time), and I think the overwhelming majority of motorcyclists would be willing to think that way if approached the right way.

So how do we get to the riders who don't think smart, and how do we find a way to convince them that it's a good idea?

Can I add one last bullet point???

• having an open mind and remembering that there is always more to learn about riding no matter how experienced you may be

[Genestho]

They're overhauling the licensing process to make it much more relevant to ability to ride a motorcycle well and looking at a number of pretty good stuff.

What's just as awesome, is that we finally have opening for motorcycling consultation as stakeholders with NZTA on roading and roadcode projects.

Yesterday, I learned there'll be inclusion for motorcyclist consultation on the roadcode, that's local to my area, and if it's local it shirley (if there's those that will put hands up and put in the yards, in other regions - all initiatives are regional, at the expense of repetitiveness) will go further...

If you want change, get into it. (IMO)

[Usarka]

So how do we get to the riders who don't think smart, and how do we find a way to convince them that it's a good idea?

That is the key right there.

Most people who advocate all the points you listed have either learnt from a) experience, b) maturity, or c) predisposition to risk aversion.

All the a's and b's who advocate this stuff need to ask themselves "what would it have taken for me as a young/inexperienced rider to come to this same conclusion?"

[RDjase]

Now, if they pulled scooter and small bike riders over to talk about gear and riding in the cycle lane....

Thats a great idea ! Just found this link off the ACC website

http://www.scootersurvival.co.nz/




Do any tickets get given at these "Freindly Stops" ?

Or are the ticket books left at the Station and warnings given to sort out your bike?

[shrub]

Can I add one last bullet point???

• having an open mind and remembering that there is always more to learn about riding no matter how experienced you may be

Excellent!

[Bald Eagle]

Can I add one last bullet point???

• having an open mind and remembering that there is always more to learn about riding no matter how experienced you may be

Don't go getting all sensible, you'll ruin the rep of the whole place

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

I was at a meeting yesterday with NZTA and Police and they're very proud of a new safety initiative with ACC whereby they're stopping motorcyclists to check the standard of our machines, WOF, rego, licenses etc.

REGO has nothing to do with safety

[Oakie]

As long as I only get stopped on the way home from work and not on the way to work thus makeing me late and having to speed to make up the lost time.