Christchurch crash facts

[gammaguy]

Okay.

Per the OP, at the weekends the greatest risk of a motorcycle crash is on the open road between Christchurch and Akaroa. They are lone vehicle crashes, motorcycle fails to take a bend.

Appears to me that it's about riders over cooking corners. That's why I posted about taking a laser out there and giving it a nudge.

Nudged today for an hour. Didn't want to get Azkles back up, so I set up on a straight, targeting vehicles exiting a corner at the start of the straight I.e. vehicles coming around the corner fast.

In 46 minutes I stopped three folk to chat to.

A cyclist wearing no helmet. He had a medical exemption. Go figure.

A biker at 122. Nice line out of the corner though. Ticket issued. Had a good chat about crashes on the Akaroa road. Nice bloke.

Another biker at 112. First thing he said was "That's my Licence then". Like, it was MY fault. As it happened, I checked and he had 120 points already. Didn't even write the ticket, but we had a good chat about how some folk go through life with no tickets at all. And how some folk just keep getting them.

Quite a few other bikers went past, some waved 5 fingers, betting that some waved 2.

Just an update. We'll be nudging the Akaroa road at weekends. No speed, no ticket.

Donuts.

good for you

im tired of seeing dickheads on bikes going over the hill to Akaroa.(yeah I know this has all been said before)

Ticket freely,I only ride there during the week now,and when I do I can have a lot of fun and dont need to speed to do so.

I dont suppose you guys could get the fish and chip shop reopened tho......

[swbarnett]

No speed, no ticket.

More like "No speed, you won't even get out of the driveway"

[wasiler]

This is interesting because I had this discussion with a coworker just this last week. First, I am new to New Zealand and wanted the low-down on the laws. I was a little surprised how strict the laws are for speeding. This coworker currently has his license revoked and informed me that if you are 40kph over -> 28 days suspension with the possibility of getting your bike impounded. My coworker also said if they go to pull him over again, he would considering running on his bike. This to me indicates the laws are promoting a dangerous situation by forcing some dumb kid to run instead facing the penalty for what I consider a minor infraction. Where I am from, I have been on highways cruising at 145 kph going with the flow of traffic and it was safe. No police would pull me over yet, I would be above the posted limit. However, you can't just let them run amok either. If I was splitting lanes, passing dangerously or travelling much faster than the flow of traffic, I would expect a ticket.

Speeding is not what gets bikers in trouble. Like someone mentioned earlier, they take a curve above their skill level or someone did not see them and pull out in front of them. A biker can still be going the speed limit and take a curve beyond their ability and crash. So, to think the posted limit is safe for everyone is deceiving. Then you have got the wanna-be Rossi that is looking to set a best time. I remember a video where an officer parked his car around a curve and the dude who had decent form and line, wiped-out because he panicked when he saw the officer. That I consider was in poor taste by the officer but, maybe he did not realize the kid was going to crash.

Maturity plays a big factor. Where I found the best lessons were taught was at the track. After these Rossis have a few spills on the track, they see how fast a crash can literally happen in a split second and appreciate how dangerous a bike can be. Also, I found very good mentors at the track. I mainly ride at the speed limits most of the time on the street. Although, if I hit the twisties, I go at the pace I feel comfortable at and sometimes that is way above the limit. I know the risks and have recently thought about running but probably won't. Do I think the fine or impound will change my riding habits? never.... Not in a million years. Do I think it will change other's perception? no... Do I feel I ride safe and responsible? Absolutely.... I strongly promote good gear and would be wearing full leathers if I was going on a spirited ride. If there are side entrances or traffic, again, I would not ride like an ass-hat. Is there the possibility I will crash? always

So, if NZ wants to get kids from wiping out on the streets, they need to promote track time. Not these remedial basic how to operate a bike classes. Let them push their limits. If they can take a corner at 150+, then they can easily navigate a corner at a fraction of that speed. There they will learn to control their bike better. Show them how easy and expensive it is to crash in a controlled environment. I can't think of a track day where someone did not crash. Track also encourages them to buy good gear. Someone told me they don't do bike tech inspections here and if it is a test and tune day, they can go onto the track with jeans and jacket????? That is crazy if it is true. I have been to events that were sponsored by companies (red bull for one) that gave all people the opportunity to try track for free. A way to promote track and not street. Once they try it, doing it on the street/road completely blows chunks. It is boring and pointless. You will never stop all accidents (especially for the car not paying attention) however, you can reduce them by promoting track time.

Above is my opinion and treat it with a grain of salt for all I care

[Berries]

This is interesting because I had this discussion with a coworker just this last week. First, I am new to New Zealand and wanted the low-down on the laws. I was a little surprised how strict the laws are for speeding. This coworker currently has his license revoked and informed me that if you are 40kph over -> 28 days suspension with the possibility of getting your bike impounded. My coworker also said if they go to pull him over again, he would considering running on his bike. This to me indicates the laws are promoting a dangerous situation by forcing some dumb kid to run instead facing the penalty for what I consider a minor infraction. Where I am from, I have been on highways cruising at 145 kph going with the flow of traffic and it was safe. No police would pull me over yet, I would be above the posted limit. However, you can't just let them run amok either. If I was splitting lanes, passing dangerously or travelling much faster than the flow of traffic, I would expect a ticket.

Come on, that would be far too sensible for a country that lets school children drive.

[Katman]

Track time isn't the magic wand you seem to think it is.

Adopting a mature attitude towards riding on the road is.

Motorcycling is still producing too many adults who insist on living a second childhood.

[wasiler]

Come on, that would be far too sensible for a country that lets school children drive.

are you being serious?

[wasiler]

Track time isn't the magic wand you seem to think it is.

Adopting a mature attitude towards riding on the road is.

Motorcycling is still producing too many adults who insist on living a second childhood.

Never said that it was a magic wand. I mentioned above that "maturity plays a big factor". Those mature people I am not worried about. If they ride at a safe speed and still do track, it would make them that much of a safer rider because they can turn sharper and maneuver better. Also I mention that you will not be able to prevent all accidents no matter what you do. Thus, no magic. I am more worried about the immature "Rossi" guy.

If an immature rider goes to the track and get schooled that they are not as fast as they think they are, they are more likely to listen to someone that is faster. That is where the mentoring process comes in. Unless it is different here, every rider I have spoke with that was serious about track and was really fast, was also more serious about riding safe on the road. These immature punks want to get faster, that will not change. They can do it on the street or they can do it at the track. I would rather they do it on the track instead of experimenting on the road. Also, once you get up to speed on the track, going fast on the road is not fun for me because I can no longer push the limits. I have already found my limits at the track and I know what I can and can't do. It is just to dangerous to push the limits on the street.

[duckonin]

Never said that it was a magic wand. I mentioned above that "maturity plays a big factor". Those mature people I am not worried about. If they ride at a safe speed and still do track, it would make them that much of a safer rider because they can turn sharper and maneuver better. Also I mention that you will not be able to prevent all accidents no matter what you do. Thus, no magic. I am more worried about the immature "Rossi" guy.

If an immature rider goes to the track and get schooled that they are not as fast as they think they are, they are more likely to listen to someone that is faster. That is where the mentoring process comes in. Unless it is different here, every rider I have spoke with that was serious about track and was really fast, was also more serious about riding safe on the road. These immature punks want to get faster, that will not change. They can do it on the street or they can do it at the track. I would rather they do it on the track instead of experimenting on the road. Also, once you get up to speed on the track, going fast on the road is not fun for me because I can no longer push the limits. I have already found my limits at the track and I know what I can and can't do. It is just to dangerous to push the limits on the street.

Kat/M was just scratching your toe,he knows you are right. Everyone needs a place to practice something. A bike a track, a horse an arena, yachting we need the sea. For a bike rider after using the track for slow /fast or whatever common sence prevails when knowledge gained is being applied elsewhere on a motorbike, road/ bush tracks/ farms ect.

[Katman]

Kat/M was just scratching your toe,he knows you are right. Everyone needs a place to practice something. A bike a track, a horse an arena, yachting we need the sea. For a bike rider after using the track for slow /fast or whatever common sence prevails when knowledge gained is being applied elsewhere on a motorbike, road/ bush tracks/ farms ect.

I've heard of plenty of people who ride home after a track day like they've never even left the track.

[CookMySock]

So, the Chur Chur motorcycle Popos will be targeting crap driving on the city streets during the peaks, and using a laser to keep speeds down on the Akaroa road at the weekends.

Any comments on that?

Whose crap driving? Your presentation of stats does not identify whether it's car or biker who is not giving way, and your statement about your predatory actions against any offender does not state which party you target. For your persuasive document to not be weasel words, you should clarify these points entirely, or else all we end up granting you is consent to arbitrarily target us on a meaningless basis, which we do not.

With regard to motorcyclists losing control on a seemingly innocuous piece of road - you threaten to target bikers is such a way that penalises them, yet you do not identify precisely what is the cause of the problem. Perhaps as you suggest there ARE scratch marks on the road from footpegs scraping where the rider is INDEED travelling at a greater speed that the motorcycle is CAPABLE or taking this corner, or have you considered that the rider has some difficulty mentally managing such a manoevre, and that the problem is rectifible with training?

I concede that bikers consider it good weekend sport to ride their motorcycles in a spirited fashion on public roads, and I concede there will always be some risk associated with this for those not expertly qualified (extensive track time), but if you really would like to resolve issues as you purport then you should take a far more analytical approach and address the issues one by one as they arise.

[Subike]

I've heard of plenty of people who ride home after a track day like they've never even left the track.

you have heard, but never seen
what may look like being very fast to one person, may look slow to another
perception of ability.....

But again, you have only heard...not seen...so you cant give a really quantified opinion of that eh

[Katman]

you have heard, but never seen
what may look like being very fast to one person, may look slow to another
perception of ability.....

But again, you have only heard...not seen...so you cant give a really quantified opinion of that eh

You're right. All those people must have been lying to me.

All I'm saying is, thinking that trackdays automatically bestow maturity on a rider is naive in the extreme.

[Madness]

Blah, blah, blah...

Above is my opinion and treat it with a grain of salt for all I care

Will do, cheers

[GrayWolf]

I'll take a taser next time. That'll learn 'em.

Now there's an interesting idea.... I lasered you doing 125kph exiting that bend Sir, Now I can ticket you (points and a nice Donut fund contribution) OR; 1 second Taser for every 5kph over the limit.....

[wasiler]

You're right. All those people must have been lying to me.

All I'm saying is, thinking that trackdays automatically bestow maturity on a rider is naive in the extreme.

No, it doesn't however, it will make them a better rider... probably (no guarantees). Then maybe not kill themselves or someone else because they will have better control of their machine. The machine will go the same speed with an immature rider with training or no training. I would rather be on the road with someone that has better control then someone that only knows how to twist a throttle. Unless someone has a way of making someone mature, I would like to hear. For some I think it is a lost cause.

I am done with my soap box. You guys do what you want.