To All State Hway 16 Cops.......

**slimyxylofone** · 23rd September 2006, 21:39

Originally Posted by granma2

Thank you everyone for your support, it has been a rough few days.

...

I know the police try to do there best, but....as every good biker keeps trying to point out to them... how often will a biker come off or cross a center line and kill someone. HELLO
That is my point. Dont target bikers, they are among some of the safest drivers on the road, Y, because they know and respect the risk they take everytime they ride.

Sorry about the death in your family...

But I have to say, I disagree with the statement that bikers are the safest group of motorists on the road. Bikers are incredibly over-represented in crash and fatality statistics. This indicates that not only to bikers crash far more than car drivers (in proportion to the amount of bikers and cagers on the roads), we are far more likely to die as a result of it.

I agree that cops should target other forms of dangerous driving such as following too closely and erratic/aggressive behaviour, but these behaviours are harder to catch and require being one or two cars away from the dangerous driver. I don't think that police are unduly targeting bikers and I don't have a problem with targeting speeders. Fact is, if your speeding you have fewer margins for error and are more likely to crash if something goes awry. I know this for my own riding and ride accordingly - no problem with cops.

**Forest** · 24th September 2006, 05:03

Originally Posted by HenryDorsetCase

a guy I know when first riding in the US had the same problem in reverse. pulled out the wrong way into a 4 lane highway. Doh *headsmack*

He was lucky, just scared himself shitless. he did go and buy a reflective arrow and stuck above the speedo, pointing right, so every time he glanced down he was reminded......

not a bad idea I thought. wonder how the bike hire companies here do it?

I've rented quite a few bikes over the years. Nearly all of them had a sticker on the instrument cluster with a left-pointing arrow and the text "Keep Left".

**pritch** · 24th September 2006, 07:48

Originally Posted by WaiYam

There seems to be an influx of cars around the Waikato with drivers with their heads and faces covered who obviously can't see or hear F##K all !!!!!

We have that in Taranaki too. They're not foreigners, they're home bred shit-heads wearing their hoodies up.

**granma2** · 24th September 2006, 08:31

Originally Posted by slimyxylofone

Sorry about the death in your family...

But I have to say, I disagree with the statement that bikers are the safest group of motorists on the road. Bikers are incredibly over-represented in crash and fatality statistics. This indicates that not only to bikers crash far more than car drivers (in proportion to the amount of bikers and cagers on the roads), we are far more likely to die as a result of it.

I agree that cops should target other forms of dangerous driving such as following too closely and erratic/aggressive behaviour, but these behaviours are harder to catch and require being one or two cars away from the dangerous driver. I don't think that police are unduly targeting bikers and I don't have a problem with targeting speeders. Fact is, if your speeding you have fewer margins for error and are more likely to crash if something goes awry. I know this for my own riding and ride accordingly - no problem with cops.

Yes a biker is far more likely to die as the result of a crash. My point is that how many bikers that crash, crash into another vehicle after crossing the center line and kill an innocent person. What are the road statistics on that?
How many road deaths per year are caused by inattention/dangerous driving by car drivers?
My own brother is an ex traffic cop and he admits there are too many dangerous drivers in NZ and that bikers are the least likely group (and always have been) to cause the death of an innocent person.
If I can get 1 or 2 cops to have a serious look at this problem and change their attitude,then do something about it, I might be able to save someone elses relative from the same fate.

**Hawkeye** · 24th September 2006, 09:57

Originally Posted by slimyxylofone

But I have to say, I disagree with the statement that bikers are the safest group of motorists on the road. Bikers are incredibly over-represented in crash and fatality statistics. This indicates that not only to bikers crash far more than car drivers (in proportion to the amount of bikers and cagers on the roads), we are far more likely to die as a result of it.

The reason for the over-representation is not due to the unsafe riding of bikers, but due to the inability of cagers to drive with more than a 2 second attention span. I was sitting in a line of cars on my way home from Welly, travelling at about 70k. Next thing I know, a woman changes into my lane. cell phone in one hand and actually talking in mid air with the other. FFS.
Only my over cautious scanning pre-empted the situation and I was therefore prepared.
I am sure that almost every biker on this forum can give multiple personal exeriences of similar things happening to them. Forget the statistics of who actually crashed but look at the real reason for the crash. Those statistics are never published. A cage driver screws up but it is the biker that pays the price. ( In many different ways).

**granma2** · 29th September 2006, 20:41

Well done Hawkeye, I totally agree with you. You got it right!!!!

**Wenier** · 29th September 2006, 21:06

Last time i heard about the crash statistics i think it was something like 90% of crashes involving motorbikes were not the riders fault. Which means the cage drivers are causing the problem. This is what i heard years ago and do not know if it was correct so if someone has up to date statistics it would be good to see.

Also i have noticed that alot of drivers coming through the system are not of a very good standard, its kind of like they can't fail anymore just like the new school system. Cause it might hurt someones feelings.

Another problem with people thinking they are being safe by going slow than the speed limit is you then get some people who cannot wait to get past and take some bad risks in doing so endangering everyone.

So really what needs to happen is for everyone to be put through some kind of system to make them read the road properly and drive the speed limit, but of course slow for corners the right amount and all that.

**Forest** · 29th September 2006, 21:43

Originally Posted by Wenier

Last time i heard about the crash statistics i think it was something like 90% of crashes involving motorbikes were not the riders fault. Which means the cage drivers are causing the problem. This is what i heard years ago and do not know if it was correct so if someone has up to date statistics it would be good to see.

If a motorbike crashes, it must by definition be the riders fault.

At least that's the way that I've always looked at it. But I don't expect everyone to agree with me.