Interesting article

[Navy Boy]

Hi All

Just spotted this on the web this morning.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11962954

The reasons cited for the decreasing numbers are interesting. Fewer (Not 'Less as the video says...) m/cycles on the roads are cited as being one of the reasons for the falling fatality rate (Until this year that is). So - Just who is to blame this year then? It can't be bikers's fault surely? Not according that that logic at any rate...

[rastuscat]

More bike registrations on hold gives the appearance of less bikes.

Just a theory.

[Murray]

but there talking about license numbers aren't they. Not registrations

[FJRider]

but there talking about license numbers aren't they. Not registrations

Darwin's theory might actually be working .... the idiots might be thinning themselves out ....

Cassina's turn is soon .. maybe ..

[rastuscat]

License numbers are dodgy. Most Class 6 licence holders don't ride. And as they now expire 6Ls, there's a lot of Class 6 licence disappearing.

[FJRider]

License numbers are dodgy. Most Class 6 licence holders don't ride. And as they now expire 6Ls, there's a lot of Class 6 licence disappearing.

Don't forget about the born again riders ... that get old and die ...

Newly licensed rider numbers ... cant keep up with the death rate.

Although ... self attrition ... er .. helps .. ??

[Voltaire]

As long a people have been driving/riding they have been crashing.

After doing 3500kms around NZ in the last three weeks in a combination of van and bike I can say 100 kmph is too fast

for a lot of the third world roads we have, and a moments distraction with an approach speed of 200 kmph separated by 100

mm of white line will end badly.

The amount of Darwin apprentices who think you can leave overtaking in the overtaking lane to after the ending in 200

metres in beggars belief. I came around one corner between Nelson and Havelock to

find an empty logging truck on my side of the road overtaking a camper van doing over 100. Trucks I felt were pushing

the envelope around the West Coast going around corners.

The Herald...a shadow of its former self.

[Navy Boy]

Yep - I find myself disappointed with the article and the overly simplistic argument it's putting forward. This also accompanied by the lowering of a few more speed limits up near Helensville which will make us all a lot safer...

It makes you wonder what they'll blame the increase in fatalities this year on???

Ref the trucks on the South Island - Yep, some of them take the proverbial but I've noticed the standard of driving in general has gone down in the past week or two. Nothing particularly complicated about any of it either. Just people trying to do more than one thing whilst behind the wheel and not paying attention to what is the most important thing in their life at that point - Driving the flaming car they are in.

Oh and some dodgy riding too - Motorcyclists are not helping themselves. Dodgy overatkes seem to be the most obvious thing judging by the VStrom rider I followed off the ferry last weekend...

Take care out there people.

[EJK]

I came around one corner between Nelson and Havelock to

find an empty logging truck on my side of the road overtaking a camper van doing over 100. Trucks I felt were pushing

the envelope around the West Coast going around corners.

You know, that wouldn't be a problem if the truckie wasn't driving under pressure...

[Woodman]

Maybe the could offer an alternative punishment for car drivers at fault by taking their car licenses off them and making them get bike licenses. Nothing will change as despite all the rubbishing I have had to my solution of higher ACC premiums for those at fault on here no one else has come up with anything better either other than call me a fuckwitt or similar coment to make them feel big in the absence of coming up with a brighter idea.

But you are a fuckwit.

[EJK]

Another thing is that the power steering in modern cars is far too light as I am looking at updating my car after 15 years and while light powersteering might be a plus putting around town its dangerous in my opinion on the open road. I own 2 bikes with one having heavier steering than the other and the one with the heavier steering does feel better on the open road unless i am doing a windy hilly road. On some vehicles I have read it is possible to select heavier steering on the open road but I dont think you can do that with any vehicle costing under $70k.

Here we go, blaming technology/ 3rd party. Again.

How hard is it to control a fucking steering wheel.

[Jeff Sichoe]

more people on roads, more crashes, it really is as simple as that.

I vote to keep 100kph limits on open roads, even shitty ones, because i'm selfish, and they're often the most fun!

[FJRider]

Also the high cost of registration would be responsible for a lot of license holders no longer riding unless they get a midlife crisis maybe then riding becomes an affordable way to cope with the MLC.

NOPE ... High costs just stop some riding. It costs nothing to keep your motorcycle license (apart from renewal costs) when you renew your drivers license. Few would cancel just their motorcycle license.

[EJK]

Lots of people do have a problem with steering wheel control otherwise there would be no "run off the road" or "over the centre line crashes" now would there? Another modern thing about cars that is dangerous is the distracting LCD screen they are fitted with. I remember years ago it was illegal to have a screen in a car that was visible by the driver. I wonder when that law went out? Modern technology is not all for the better despite the image appeal that perhaps it has for you.

Sounds like steering wheels are frikking dangerous thing!

[caspernz]

License numbers are dodgy. Most Class 6 licence holders don't ride. And as they now expire 6Ls, there's a lot of Class 6 licence disappearing.

The same can be said about some of the other classes. Plenty of folks have a class 5 licence, but can't safely operate a big rig. It's all about keeping skills up to date.

Looking at the ACC or NZTA stats that were floated a while back, it would seem a fair number of bikers do quite well crashing without another vehicle involved. From what I see day to day in urban and open road environments, the stats are on target. Personal responsibility is weak in many folks. Education combined with meaningful enforcement has to be part of the answer.

The article posted by OP is annoying to me, for it floats (using poor grammar to boot) partial stats to grab headlines.

Where I get a giggle is when folks spout about standards being low. The common theme is they want someone else to improve, just not themselves...