ACC calls for “greater awareness of motorcyclists”

**MacD** · 11th June 2007, 19:12

I suspect the 18% figure is only related to Motor Vehicle Account claims, which are funded separately from work-related and other recreational claims.

(Riffer got there first...)

Most of these statistics are published and fairly easy to find on the ACC site.

If the comparison is between Cars and Motorcycles only then looking at the 2005-2006 figures the percentage of claims is actually slightly higher.
- new Car driver/passenger claims: 3436
- new Motorcycle rider/passenger claims: 1047
which is ~23% of total car & motorcycle new claims.

Another way of looking at the figures is that new car-related claims are about 3 times the number of new motorcycle-related claims, while the number of cars registered in NZ is about 50 times the number of motorcycles.

The reality is that you have a far higher risk of being injured and making an ACC claim riding a motorcycle than driving a car. Accept the risk and manage it.

**Ewan Oozarmy** · 11th June 2007, 19:26

Originally Posted by Shadows

Hence why your swap was so easy. If you hold license from the UK then you are probably already a better driver than 95% of the fucktards on our roads and may just need to brush up on our silly give way rules.
They know the standard required to pass the driver's license test is a lot higher in the UK (and probably most other countries in The World) than it is over here, they just hate to admit it because if they did then they might have to do something about it.

Fair enough, but is it as easy to swap to an NZ license regardless of which country you got your drivers license?

If it is then this is a serious problem.

**Shadows** · 11th June 2007, 19:31

Originally Posted by Ewan Oozarmy

Fair enough, but is it as easy to swap to an NZ license regardless of which country you got your drivers license?

If it is then this is a serious problem.

Probably but they would need to learn the phrase "can I have a ricense prease?" as well.

**Ewan Oozarmy** · 11th June 2007, 19:37

Originally Posted by Shadows

Probably but they would need to learn the phrase "can I have a ricense prease?" as well.

Mate, I hear you.....

**rainman** · 11th June 2007, 20:08

From http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest...ble_since_2001

The Accident Compensation Corporation and the police are urging drivers to be more aware of motorcyclists, after a huge increase in the number of ACC claims for motorbike accidents.

ACC says since 2001, claims involving motorbikes have almost doubled and annual claim costs are now more than $52 million. Its spokesperson, Phil Wright, says in most cases motorcyclists are not at fault in an accident and motorists need to take more care.

He says motorcyclists can also help to keep themselves safe by wearing high visibility vests and keeping lights on even during the day.

(Emphasis is mine)

Is ACC getting more bike-friendly these days?

Ride safe out there.

**James Deuce** · 11th June 2007, 20:14

Motorcyclists are massively over-represented in non-injury single vehicle accidents too.

Might want to work on that as well people.

I wouldn't rely on an ACC campaign to change attitudes to those ratbag, dangerous motorcyclists either.

"I'm from the Government, I'm here to help you."

**mikey62** · 11th June 2007, 21:01

Ok, we've got Dominion Rd, Sandringham Rd, and prolly Symonds St. Any one know with a little more certanty which roads to stay off of ? And surely they can't be taking the motorways into this.

**El Dopa** · 11th June 2007, 21:03

Originally Posted by Ewan Oozarmy

Fair enough, but is it as easy to swap to an NZ license regardless of which country you got your drivers license?

As far as I am aware, yes.

As I understand it, there is an international treaty. If your country of nationality is signed up to it, then if you go and live in another of the signatory countries, they are required to do the 'swap' thing.

So a kiwi going to live in the UK can get a UK licence. A pom moving here can answer a few pissant theory questions and get a licence. And so on.

Works fine if the parent country has a reasonable training and test standard (like Japan and the UK do). Doesn't work so well if the driving test in the parent country consists of getting in a car and driving 50m in a straight line (yes, there is a country where this is the sum total of the test, and yes, they are a signatory to this treaty).

I got my car license in the UK years ago. The training/test was reasonably difficult even then, and its harder now.

I've been through the bike test system over here, and frankly, it's shit. You learn more in one day at (the unofficial) Ride Right, Ride Safe course than you do going through three stages (basic, restricted, full) of the official system.

They might as well give the licences away when you send in a certain number of Weet-bix tokens.

**Hitcher** · 11th June 2007, 21:13

Wearing reflectorised jackets? Have these people got no... taste?

**ali** · 11th June 2007, 21:29

Hoping I'm not taking this off topic.

After 15 years of not riding, I was allowed to buy and ride a 1000cc motorcycle ( which I promptly binned a year later ).

Is this a good practise ( both mine and the LTNZ ) ?

Where was the requirement to resit a driving test ? ( yes, I know most of the responsibility lies with me).

I travel 12-1500 km per week as a rep ( in a car ) and consider myself fairly competent behind the wheel , but on occasion get it wrong.

Education needs to involve all road users, not just car drivers.

**Drum** · 11th June 2007, 21:32

Originally Posted by ali

........yes, I know most of the responsibility lies with me............

Most? It's your life. All of the responsibility lies with you.

**riffer** · 11th June 2007, 21:54

Originally Posted by Hitcher

Wearing reflectorised jackets? Have these people got no... taste?

I seem to recall this argument being used in the States regarding helmets...

but it comes down to personal choice in the end. I wear one when commuting as the cagers seem to be more asleep. It seems to work with the Cordura. But it looks crap over my leathers.

Of course you don't want to get lulled into a false sense of security that they actually SEE you ... or you'll end up like the possums on River Road.

**Sanx** · 11th June 2007, 23:27

Originally Posted by mikey62

Ok, we've got Dominion Rd, Sandringham Rd, and prolly Symonds St. Any one know with a little more certanty which roads to stay off of ? And surely they can't be taking the motorways into this.

Dominion Road would certainly be one of the candidates. Bus lane down most of it, and cars simply don't think there's going to be anything going past the stationary line of traffic on the inside. The two times I've been the nearest to being taken out by a car were on Dominion Road. First time the car simply pulled out in front of me - I pulled a really good stoppie to avoid it, and the driver gave me a guilty limp-wristed wave to say sorry.

500m down the road, the very same driver suddenly swerved into the bus lane to avoid the traffic and sideswiped me. I stayed on, got in front of him, braked, stopped, put bike on stand, walked back to the car and proceeded to swear very loudly at him whilst banging on his window.

The driver wouldn't even look at me, but the passenger got out and threatened, nicely, to arrest me if I carried on. Did I mention it was a cop car? The driver was reported back to his station, but - funnily enough - no further action was taken. If I see that cop again, I'll make sure I give him a wide berth, the blind fucker.

**Bob** · 12th June 2007, 00:34

The ACC and police have called for drivers to be more aware of motorcyclists, following statistics that show claims involving bikes have ‘almost doubled’ since 2001.

Annual claims costs are now standing at more than NZD 52 million. ACC spokesperson Phil Wright said “In most cases motorcyclists are not at fault in an accident and motorists need to take more care. Motorcyclists can also help to keep themselves safe by wearing high visibility vests and keeping lights on even during the day.”

It should be borne in mind that there has been a five-fold increase in motorcycle registrations since 2001. So the ratio of claims to bikes owned is actually IMPROVING. However, it is good to see that car drivers are being asked to take more care – in the UK, all that seems to happen is they make the bike test harder.