SCU Last night - food for thought

[Duke of Rogan]

LOL!

I've been slapped/punched on more than one occasion for pulling on the handbrake while my g/f (now wife) was taking a corner in the wet.

I must say it was completely safe, and I had had a couple of drinks (I was the passenger)

still good fun.

[Kwaka-Kid]

you mean you guys actually let ur mrs's drive whilst ur in the car?! :P haha i hope only as a sober driver in the rarist of circumstances hah

no sorry to mitch, bayb, and bestfun (are there more watching?) im only kidding

[Coldkiwi]

yeah.. my g/f is a good driver.. comes from a real petrol head family (her dad owns a mint '81 Corvette stingray) but she's about as far removed from a westie as can be imagined! *phew*

she's a shocking navigator though. routinely takes wrong turns in the 10 minute drive to my place and has no concept of direction or the shortest route between two points! her prefered route (which is also claimed to be very direct?!?!) is generally in the shape of a U or three sided square!!!

 

[Coldkiwi]

Well, I watched the bike crash on SCU last night.

Not very typical but you've gotta feel sorry for that guy.

for those of you who missed it, he was a 44 yr old and very experienced rider had a minor off a few dyas previously. Complained of headaches and some swelling but didn't get it looked at.

Doing 75-80 kmhr in a 50 zone but appeared to have blacked out beforehand, no skid marks, just carnage for about 40metres down the road as he gets flung off the bike through fences, shrubs, off a low concrete wall....

 

I also watched "Road Kill", the Inside NZ special on road accidents. Not a very flatering picture of LTSA or Transit (surprise surprise) but the fatal CBR  crash was a sobering reminder to all of us who like to have a go on roads we may not know too well. doing 140kmhr through a corner posted 75kmhr.. not normally a problem if you know the corner and its in good condition but this corner was not sign posted very well and dropped away over the crest of the hill... poor bastard flew straight into the armco.

AMCC's motto should be learnt by all motorcyclists... 'use your speed wisely'

 

 

[karbonblack]

I also saw the program. It looked like he only used the rear. However, I know from my own experience (30+ years of bike riding) that in an emergency stop, I have the front brake on the point of lock-up, but do my best to stop it locking. For that reason, I think the SCU analysis is flawed.

Having said that, I think the SCU do a great job and they make some valid observations/recommendations.

Re the poor guy on the Bandit, his mother said he DEFINITELY knew about front braking so it wasn't a knowledge issue. I have done advanced rider training, even spent time on the track (Philip Island rocks by the way) but the best way to learn IMHO is spend time on a trail bike and fall off a few times.

[franco]

Yep I saw that SCU last nite too. Real bad luck. But like Coldkiwi, it was the Inside NZ Road Kill programme that really took my attention. Appears the govt spends the lions share of the road taxes on almost everything else but roads. Ok, a bit exaggerated...

PS. Re LTSA scare tactics - I know this is a motorcycle forum, but I also have a current subscription to NZ Autocar (it was a gift ok? plus they feature at least 1 bike review every month ). Did anyone happen to see the LTSA ad near the back of the May/ June magazines? That gore goes way OVER the limit. The mag should have been censored to R18.

[Quaker]

karbonblack

I have the front brake on the point of lock-up, but do my best to stop it locking. For that reason, I think the SCU analysis is flawed.


 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I totaly agree.

I know it might be slightly intimadating presenting your findings in front of a tv audience.

But some really seem like they are guessing. Not a good look.

Even though it would be hard having specialists in every area, you think they should try for our sake. You could go to jail for a mis-reading.

I have traveled, driven/riden on roads around parts of the world, I believe we have almost the worst roads anywhere.....almost. Some of islands have worse.

The design is heavly flawed. I won't go into the processes they manufacture roads with in Auz. But we could learn alot from them(as much as I hate to admit that).

I can't think of anything better riding around on what could be a race track.

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[SPman]

Originally posted by Dave
-don't recall any women ever making the grid in an F1 grand prix!

Lella Lombardi back in the 70's, driving a March I think.She unfortunately died of cancer at a relatively young age.

[Slim]

Originally posted by franco
Yep I saw that SCU last nite too. Real bad luck. But like Coldkiwi, it was the Inside NZ Road Kill programme that really took my attention. Appears the govt spends the lions share of the road taxes on almost everything else but roads. Ok, a bit exaggerated...

I don't think you've exaggerated at all. 50% of $2.2billion that should be going to the maintainance/construction of safe roads in this country is definitely a "lions share" and it's galling that they put this money in the "general" (privy??) government purse to pay social welfare, health, etc, etc instead!

This subject has shown up reasonably regularly in the AA Directions monthly letter from the Chief Executive over the last few years. They're not impressed either.

It's just a shame that they didn't pin the Minister of Transport down about this specific question.