Cheesecutter campaign

[sunhuntin]

That's a good idea.

Just some feedback about the previous protest ride in Welly. I found it a bit useless. Here is a bunch of bikers who ride together towards the city, are parked on the side of the road for a few minutes, then go to the parliament to hear someone have a little talk to a couple of already convinced (or just vote-friendly) politicians and the same bunch of bikers who obviously support the cause. Impact on Joe Blogg: zero, (almost) nobody saw or heard about us. Info in newspapers or TV news: haven't seen any.

I'm not for a rampage in the city, but I think we also want to let the public know about our view and to let the politicians know that we will let the public know (that would tickle their interest in the cause). Maybe the next protest run, while still being nice and friendly, should take a route inside the city so that a) journalists will be compelled to write a story and b) Joe Blogg will see (or hear) plenty of bikers, wonder what this noise is all about, and watch/read the news that very same day.

Again, not complaining, just suggesting a more visible route (maybe down and up Courtenay Place). Of course, that will only work if we stay as disciplined as last time.

If we only speak to those who listen, we will be unheard.

agreed... we need to be more vocal... adverts in the bike mags and ALL local newspapers where rides are to be run [like the adverts for the herceptin ride... that jumped off the page of the dom and grabbed my attention] lots of people saw the wellington ride, but how many would have known what we were riding for? while i like the red bands, with them on the left arm, they arent easily visible.

katman: you preach about the stupidity of riders. wasnt it you that boasted about doing wheel stands at 130k, doing wheel stands with a pillion, going through the gears. i would love to see what you say if your bike falls to bits on its own and sends you into a wire rope, leaving you in two or more pieces. id love to see you explain away your own stupidity, that, by your standards, lead to your own death. have a heart: someone died due to a wire rope that shouldnt have been there, and remember, his parents and friends are reading, and they do not need to be torn apart more than they already have.

[WelshWizard]

Next time Auckland should have the run up Queens Street before we getto the final meeting place. If it causes Traffic Jams So we pay our Road fund and ACC levy, so that we can ride any where in so called safety.

[Ixion]

Y'know, demonstrations are unlikely to worry the Sheeple, who are the ones who make the decisions.They just annoy Joe Public.

And getting existing barriers removed is going to take time.

What might be better would be rideins to prevent new cheesecutters being erected. So if contractors tried to install new ones, several hundred bikes converge on the spot. Impossible to erect the barriers. Very vexatious for the contractors , to be sure, and for Transit, but not bothering Joe Public. And bound to get lots of publicity.

We just need a heads up system for new ones being erected.

[Katman]

katman: you preach about the stupidity of riders. wasnt it you that boasted about doing wheel stands at 130k, doing wheel stands with a pillion, going through the gears.

I have absolutely no idea where you got that from.

[Ixion]

I don't think that was Mr Katman. I remember the thread, but I don't think it was him.

[Ocean1]

We just need a heads up system for new ones being erected.

Ever seen the full legal documentation required for OSH compliance on civic works like that?

What are the chances any contractor has fully complied with national, regional council, specific industry OSH and internal corporate ISO compliance policies?

How long do you think any contractor would continue to tender for such work if they knew some random busybody was making it their business to ensure that every i was dotted and t crossed for every OSH bullet point required by every entity involved?

What are the mechanisms that such a busybody (or well organised group of such) might employ to ensure perfect OSH compliance?

And at an even more pre-emptive level, what resource consent procedures are required before such work can be approved? How many obstacles can be stuck in dem spokes?

[WelshWizard]

I don't think that was Mr Katman. I remember the thread, but I don't think it was him.

I have absolutely no idea where you got that from.

The post in question

Originally Posted by carver
tell the world buddy

not many bumps on the motorway, and just as a fact, i have NEVER lost a wheelie, done em 2 up, stand ups, up to 130 kph, through the gearbox....

so cry me a river..carver did a wheelie..wahhhhh

No it was not Katman who made the post.

[sunhuntin]

cheers WW... given their attitudes, they are easy to confuse.

katman, my apologies, but maybe you need to try preaching to carver, who could learn from you, as opposed to kicking the dead and their families.

[MSTRS:Me]

from one of the Oz sites, found in a PDF file this little nugget

Australian/New Zealand Standards 3845:1999

Requires that the needs of all road users are taken properly into account when selecting appropriate Crash Barriers.[/SIZE][/B]

Time for Fair Go?? Won't sort it, but will draw huge publicity to the problem. Anyone in their office area want to make an approach???

[MSTRS:Me]

Response received from Harry head in the sand Duynhoven....
I can think of so many responses to the contents, but I suspect a sane(r) head might be reqd here. The tired platitudes, the assumption that motorcyclists are all speed/drug/booze crazed maniacs, the 'no more dangerous than other barrier types', Daniel's alleged speed,...hell, he addressed his sole response to Yungatart and I as 'Mr + Mrs B...' when we wrote independently and separately to him.

[Ixion]

Hm

"As long as motorcyclists ride to suit the conditions .. by adjusting their speed downward"

So. As the maximum SAFE speed to hit a WRB is , what , 30kph ? I would take it that Mr Duynhoven's officials' letter (he never wrote that himself, it came from Transit) give authority for massed motorcyclists to ride at around 30kph through areas with WRBs.

Not that I would suggest such a thing of course. But if anyone did, and people complained about the resulting chaos, the snaswer would be simple "Mr Duynhoven told us to do it"

[Ixion]

Icidentally, has anyone considered the cumulative effect of two of Transit's more notable failures, tar bleeding and cheesecutters?

Could be a way to hit them with a double whammy.

[MSTRS:Me]

Every thing (he) said raises my hackles, but a standout one has to be 'without barriers all we have is a white line...' How many kms of unbarriered roads do we have, and is he subtley suggesting that every road is to be treated?

[Ixion]

That phrase is one of the indications that Transit wrote the letter, it's one of their stock ones that they trot out at every opportunity.

The obvious response is "Well, no motorcyclists have been cut in half by white lines, which is more than be said for cheescutters"

[discotex]

And the UK is removing armco and WRBs from the "central reservation" and replacing them with concrete as they come to the end of their usable life-span.

The least Transit can do is stop installing them. Everyone else seems to have figured out that's a good idea.

The problem with these morons is there's little point getting into a discussion via post about it. It's no more likely to change their minds than arguing with someone on a forum. Their position is entrenched and you'll soon enough get a "I hope you now agree with me as I've stopped reading your letters" ending. You got one close on this letter.

The only thing that will change anything is public opinion or by fluke getting someone sympathetic in the right position. I hate to say it but I think Transit are too anti-motorcycle to see that happen any time soon.