Every Monday morning on here: RIP, biker down...

[Conquiztador]

I need my magic wand!

I want to fix this, to stop this waste!

But I do not have these powers. My "White Mans Magic" only goes so far.

Or perhaps something can be done?

What about one weekend a year when there is no biker deaths in NZ? I hope we have many of them as it is. But what about a guaranteed "NO BIKERS TO DIE" weekend?

The only solution I can come up with right now is to take all bikes off the roads for a weekend. And that sounds harsh. Harsh on all the bikers who want to ride. But also, think if this was picked up by the media?

I can just see the headlines: "Bikers have come to the conclusion that the only way not to die is to not ride..." No, we can not have that.

We coud take all cages off the road! But then someone will go and ride out in a bend and wrap them selves around a tree.

So what to do? Get all bikers to travel to the same place on a Thursday and stay there until Monday?

Suggestions please as to read these threads after each weekend kills me from inside!

[HDTboy]

While we're at it, I'd like to see a Healty Heart weekend. A weekend where noone dies from heart failure. Any suggestions?

[Conquiztador]

While we're at it, I'd like to see a Healty Heart weekend. A weekend where noone dies from heart failure. Any suggestions?

My first reaction to your post was: Phuck off!! I am serious here, and your sarcasm has no place in this thread. But then I started thinking: Are you suggesting that the issue is too big, that there is nothing that can easily be done? Just education, regulations, buy in?

I would hate if you were right...

[jrandom]

My mum didn't like the fact that lots of guys died on bikes, either.

So I was never allowed to have one.

Fuck that shit.

[jrandom]

Are you suggesting that the issues is too big, that there is nothing that can easily be done? Just education, regulations, buy in?

Yes, because it this in fact a serious topic, I will translate Gav's and my posts for you.

You got his one right. There ain't nothin' you can do about it.

And my post is a warning against erring too far in the direction of cautiousness.

[hospitalfood]

It bothers me that so many die.

lets face the facts :-

lots of riders speed and push the limits.
NZ roads have plenty of cow shit, gravel, oil spills, etc just around that blind corner.
Many cars don't see us.
Riders are often road racing each other, trying to be the first/fastest.

I think things can be done to reduce the deaths, but it comes down to personal choice.
We could choose to try and reduce the deaths by changing our riding habits and our opinions on what is acceptable behavior for us on the roads.
People will always do what they want, and often it is not the riders fault, but I think if we decided that we wanted to reduce deaths we could.

I'm all for it, have not been at a fatal crash yet but I'm sick of people chucking bikes down the road when I'm out riding, I dont want to do it myself either, and the way its going its only a matter of time before I witness a death or worse.

I think that if we all decided to slow down on group rides, or at least try to, it would be a start.

[jrandom]

... only a matter of time before I witness a death or worse.

Or worse?

I think that if we all decided to slow down on group rides, or at least try to, it would be a start.

You know, every year at about this time, deaths are reported in the news, and a bunch of folk on KB put their hands on their hearts and promise to slow down on group rides.

And then nothing changes.

In the end, it just comes down to each of us on the bike at each moment in time on the road. If we don't take responsibility for our own safety, we die. Simple, really. Nobody forces us to ride in any particular way.

[Toaster]

It bothers me that so many die.
....
I think things can be done to reduce the deaths, but it comes down to personal choice.
....
I think that if we all decided to slow down on group rides, or at least try to, it would be a start.

Absolutely, as I have said before, we are free to choose how we live our lives. However we are never free from the consequences of those choices.

[Conquiztador]

We just carry on as it is and we will in a not-too-far-distance all end up with dayglo's, speed limiters, only factory bikes that have been fitted with all sorts of life saving devices, air bags, and list goes on.

Or pehaps the decision will be made by someone who has the power that Bikes kill too many, so lets not allow them...

[James Deuce]

You should have learned by now from reading KB that asking people to behave a little more sensibly on the road is tantamount to asking them to rape their sister.

Ride your own ride. Maybe someone will learn from your example.

[Usarka]

We just carry on as it is and we will in a not-too-far-distance all end up with dayglo's, speed limiters, only factory bikes that have been fitted with all sorts of life saving devices, air bags, and list goes on.

Or pehaps the decision will be made by someone who has the power that Bikes kill too many, so lets not allow them...

unfortunately all distinct possiblities the way we all roll over and accept new laws and restrictions of freedom for the good of all.

[Sanx]

You should have learned by now from reading KB that asking people to behave a little more sensibly on the road is tantamount to asking them to rape their sister.

Whose sister? And is she cute?

[mangell6]

Watched Harry Potter, the Pheonix one, and there the Ministry only wanted the students to learn the "theory" as it was to dangerous to practice. Life is a risk and giving newbies all the knowledge and training is all that one can do. Pity the powers that be don't seem to agree that a higher skill level will reduce the actual deaths.

Sad sad weekend.

[Banesto John]

Yes, I ponder my own life when I read about bikers who have suffered at the weekend. I ride like a nana, and people take the piss out of me for doing so. Go figure.

Out of interest, a bloke lost a lot of meat from his broken leg and shoulder when he hit a bank going up the hill from Sumner at the weekend. Wearing jeans and a t-shirt on a bike is self selection for bad things to happen. Kind of Darwinism.

Burt then, I see one of the tragedies at the weekend was caused by a cage doing a u-tun in front of a bike. Cringe, the law of physics, the tiny tyre contact patch we have and the bad luck of wrong place wrong time just make us all vulnerable.

Maybe the ACC people are right, and we should all sell up and start walking. Yeah right.

Anyway, I can't change the way the world rides, but I can change the way I ride. I'll do whatever I can to live to ride, maybe we should all look in the mirror and do the same.

Anyway, RIP to those that have gone, and peace on their families, as much as can be.

[janno]

I understand where you are coming from C, but also every weekend it's RIP driver, and RIP partygoer, and RIP sportsperson, and RIP smoker . . .

It's all about personal responsibility, and to some extent, luck of the draw.

It seems to me the only thing safety legislation, or the "we should all . . ." mentality, improves is the wallet size of beaurocrats and lawyers.

And no, I don't have an easy answer or another suggestion to help stop the carnage. Even if there were no other traffic on the roads at all, the bikes would still crash. Actually, the carnage would probably be worse!!