"Improvements" making road more dangerous for motorcyclists?

[oneofsix]

Over the last few years a lot of work has been done on the Rimutaka hill road. Where it used to be ranked a medium risk road it is now a high risk road with a serious increase in motorcycle accidents being blamed as a main contributing factor. So much for their "improvements", guess the so called improvements were focused on truckies and not general road users.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post...f-NZs-riskiest

[F5 Dave]

Well I think the timeframe makes it hard to judge the changes in the road. Either way, the statistical numbers are so low (said without emotion of the subject matter) that it is drawing a long bow to make any sweeping conclusions. But I'm sure that people will do just that as they politicise the issue.

[duckonin]

Over the last few years a lot of work has been done on the Rimutaka hill road. Where it used to be ranked a medium risk road it is now a high risk road with a serious increase in motorcycle accidents being blamed as a main contributing factor. So much for their "improvements", guess the so called improvements were focused on truckies and not general road users.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post...f-NZs-riskiest

Improvements are good . Motorcyclists think so also, hence the reason the words 'Going for a BLAST over the Takas'. Blame the 'motorcyclist' not the road. Slow fucken down, would be a great start to decreasing motorcycle accidents.

[F5 Dave]

Or rather 'don't go on group rides' & 'learn to look where you want to go'. Perhaps even 'you want to overtake where??'

That said I've now become a law breaker since the continuous yellow lines got painted up there. Never-ever did I used to pass over yellow in last 25 years. But there are a few places for a bike which are safe & some people drive so slow that I'm held up in my Van full of dirtbikes. That move was silly & of course bikes will pass those people.

Expect speed cameras & a 70k limit soon.

[James Deuce]

The road was covered in crap, dug up, covered in gravel, turned to mud, got frozen a couple times, redirected randomly , had extremely steep temporary grades, had shit spilled on it, trucks and loaders would burst out of the scenery and this went on for a couple of years.

Of course the stats during that period make it look a bit riskier. I've had one accident in 25 years of riding/driving the hill and I came around a bend into a veritable lake of diesel and diesel-soaked clay at moderate speed and skated around a bit before toppling off. If I can see WTF is going on I generally don't fall off.

Bet the stats drop markedly on the South side over the next 2 years and increase on the North side. The Northern slopes have turned to crap. Bumpy, rippled, dirty, potholed and temporary repairs all add variability to potential available grip.

The biggest risk for me is some fuckwit riding much faster than me deciding to undertake me just as I'm committing to a bend. Happens three or four times a Summer and it scares the shit out of me every time. It's always an Aprilia rider too.

[F5 Dave]

I'm more scared of the ones coming the other way & you think "Impressive lean angle dude. But on the road when you're coming around an opposing corner, if you fall off you'll tangent into oncoming. You Dickhead". Hopefully into no one I like.

[Deano]

I can see TRTNR turning to custard.

In fact I'm surprised we haven't had a visit from the law at the Featherston pub yet this season. Maybe they're lulling us into a false sense of security.

[Paul in NZ]

I can see TRTNR turning to custard.
.

Don't turn to custard Deano - custard never solved anything....

Yeah - sorry but expect this as a warning of a muchly lowered speed limit. Remember the shock and awe campaign about the Paekak hill road and nex minute....

Pfft - I'm going to get a GN125 so I can still ride like hell over the hill... (arguably a step up from the Trophy)

[F5 Dave]

Don't turn to custard Deano - custard never solved anything....

What about an apple Danish? The pastry & apples needed a little something else.


the chocolate helped but wasn't the full answer.


But then someone though -A-ha!

Not too much mind.

[MD]

Dear Santa,

Stop the trucks spilling fuel and crap
Target all vehicles that cut corners
Add some passing bays
Add a checked flag start finish line each side and it's sorted.

[Gremlin]

Pfft - I'm going to get a GN125 so I can still ride like hell over the hill... (arguably a step up from the Trophy)

Just walk...

[FJRider]

It's a simple principle ...

When they "improve" a road ... most vehicles using it will travel at a higher speed. Higher average speeds will have a higher risk of damage/injury should a vehicle crash.

And I think there is an increase in the number of idiots on the road. Perhaps they should build a better class of idiot.

[bsasuper]

I drove it in my car not so long ago, I came around a corner and a gsxr1000 wanted to try splitting my grill in half, lucky i was quick on the brakes, I'm sure his leathers brushed the paintwork, VERY poor riding and I bet he didnt tell his mates about it at the pub .

[FJRider]

.... I bet he didnt tell his mates about it at the pub .

I bet he did ... but his version may have differed from yours ...

It's always the cage pilot at fault don't you know ...

[neels]

If you improve the road, people go faster, and crash harder.

The perfect example is the other road mentioned in the article, heading south from aucks, they've spent millions on that road so now people stop thinking and the accident rate gets worse.

Bring back dodgy off camber corners, tight bends and no margin for error, then people think about what they're doing.