Man down - take care on those roads

[Blackbird]

One of my regular riding partners was out for a run in the Tauranga/Te Aroha area yesterday with the Random Riders and apparently hit unmarked loose gravel on a bend. He's now in Waikato Hospital with broken ribs, cracked vertebrae and slight bleeding into the chest cavity, but the injuries are not life-threatening. His Hayabusa is totalled. Another rider is also in hospital with cracked vertebrae from coming off on the same corner. Sincere sympathies to both riders and their families. I'll get up to see them as soon as I can.

However, the main reason for this post is to urge everyone to be on guard because the councils are already out and about shovelling pea gravel off the back of trucks with gay abandon. Whilst more care often needs to be taken by councils and contractors, we are all responsible for keeping a sharp lookout for hazards.

Take care all.

Geoff

[sAsLEX]

Best of luck on your mate healing quickly and fully!

Have the council been informed of the incidents on the same corner so as to get out and mark it to avoid further incidents?

They really need to be held accountable for this sort of thing, as surely a Busa rider is not likely to be an amatuer and the fact that another came off suggests the hazard was difficult to detect and counter.

[Blackbird]

Best of luck on your mate healing quickly and fully!

Have the council been informed of the incidents on the same corner so as to get out and mark it to avoid further incidents?

They really need to be held accountable for this sort of thing, as surely a Busa rider is not likely to be an amatuer and the fact that another came off suggests the hazard was difficult to detect and counter.

Don't yet know all the circumstances, only had a call from his wife this morning - everything will be followed up. He's been riding for 30 years and I trust him implicitly. Thanks for the thoughts.

[marty]

saw the rescue helo coming back from that way - picking with those injuries that'd be him. a speedy recovery, and hopefully back on a replacement busa

[terbang]

Bad news indeed and hope they are back riding soon. Only yesterday we encountered similar road works that wern't sign posted. Seen a bit of it lately. Whats the story? Are the councils or contractors saving on signage or something?

[beyond]

Sorry to hear it and hope these guys heal quick.

It's happening a lot lately. There are way too many corners with gravel, road works and no markings or warnings till you are on it.

I don't know what's up with the local councils and roading contractors but the insurance companies must be pulling there hair out every day. Doesn't take much to cause untold doallrs worth of damage to a fully faired bike and then there's all the health costs involved as well.

Someone must be liable for all the bad roads and works screwing up peoples lives.

[jonbuoy]

Why the fuck can't they carry a can of cheap luminous yellow spray paint and douse the gravel after they've scattered it around. At least give us a fighting chance of seeing it.

[sunhuntin]

bugger! thats not good...if a 30 year rider can be taken out...imagine a newbie on it!

id definately get onto the councils and ride their arses about it. its their fault for not having any signs, specially on a corner!

hope both riders heal fast. it could have been a lot worse, but as it is its bad enough!

[Warr]

Agree with you Geoff. I went over the Kopu Hikuai twice yesterday and instead of the reseal and loose chip being marked as "New Seal" it was just marked as "No Markings" Sure makes a difference mid corner.

[Cajun]

Blackbird - i think this run was with the BOP Costal Cruisers Poker run (father in law is in this club, and have full run down of this)

There was also 5 bikes crashing on the kamais on same run, some fuckwit as driped cooking oil all up the wakaito side of the kamais AGAIN from his tanker truck. (aparntly this same guy did this only two weeks ago)

[Blackbird]

Blackbird - i think this run was with the BOP Costal Cruisers Poker run (father in law is in this club, and have full run down of this)

There was also 5 bikes crashing on the kamais on same run, some fuckwit as driped cooking oil all up the wakaito side of the kamais AGAIN from his tanker truck. (aparntly this same guy did this only two weeks ago)

Thanks Neal. Interesting about the Kaimai accidents. After hearing about John, I jumped on the bike and went for a gentle run on Sunday morning to settle me down. I went up the Kaimais but wasn't pushing and stayed in the outer lane because it looked like contractors had been putting cement dust down on the inner lane - that would be why then. I pulled into the inside lane near the top to pull into the lookout and as it had started to rain heavily, I just rode through and headed back again. The downhill side was pretty slippery too because it was the first rain for over a week.

I hate using the inside lane on the Waikato side as so many trucks spill diesel on it through having over-full tanks.

Cheers

Geoff

[Cajun]

No worrys Geoff

Yeah interesting enough one of bikes that went down on kamais was also a busa. There was a few bike crashes last weekend when same thing happen as well. Most local people know to always use outside land anyway, even when not passing anything. Cause with amount of trucks going up, ya never know what you will meet coming around a corner

[slimjim]

sorry to hear of those two biker's, yup it's way pass due date for the contractor's to be had lieable, due to them accepting the contract of road repair work,, and are you aware that any person has the right to apply for the road repair work, anyone can,write price for council's and you can get the contract, bit of a surpise, however it's so common nowdays to see loose gravel lefted on repaired road, for a while before it get's sweept, and that's the wrong part of the road repair,

[Ozzie]

Sorry to hear about these guys, all 7 of them.

I went on the Perelli ride, no injuries or accidents aside from someone accidentally knocking over someone elses bike.

When we got back to Hamilton we heard lots of stories about crashes on the other ride, including about air lifts, not good news at all.

So the 5 that crashed cause of the oil, are they ok? It was only the 2 with serious injuries? (Not that that aint bad enough)

Speedy recoveries to all concerned. And I think local governments/council should get sent a bill whenever the road is at fault rather than the rider. They would soon pay more attention if they started to have to pay the bill.

[nudemetalz]

I hear that Helston Road here in Wellington has claimed another bike.

Time to try and get really aggresive with getting some results there, as the road is in an appalling state.