What's your opinion

**huck farley** · 30th March 2008, 09:01

Here is a statement put out by the cops, In my book it is not the case. Where do the authorities get there information from. All farm accidents on bikes, and 4 wheelers get shoved onto the motor cycle stats. IMO they should have there own. None of these bikes are registered and the riders have no licence, and wear no safety gear. Reading between the lines, me thinks it looks as though our Registrations are to take a hike sometime soon. They are my thoughts what's yours?

ACC and Police target a doubling in motorcycle accidents
11:41am 11 June 2007

Since 2001 the number of ACC claims for motorcycle accidents has nearly doubled, and annual ACC claim costs now exceed $52 million (not including treatment in public hospitals).

"Riding a motorcycle is risky. Motorcyclists make up only two per cent of vehicles on the road but account for 18 per cent of road claims received by ACC," says Phil Wright, ACC Programme Manager.

"41 per cent of injury motorcycle crashes occur in situations where other motorists don't see the motorcycle and, in three quarters of cases, the motorcyclist was not at fault," says Inspector Heather Wells, Auckland City Road Policing Manager.

"The problem seems to be worse at intersections and on major roads. For example, in Auckland, five roads accounted for the majority of motorcycle accidents."

"Our campaign urges other motorists, when making manoeuvres or when at intersections, to take a little more time and look again for bikes," Mr Wright added.

"Of course, motorcyclists can help keep themselves safer by wearing high visibility vests and keeping the motorcycle headlight on during the day."

The campaign includes bus side advertisements, adshells in bus shelters and radio messages.

ENDS

For further information contact:

Noreen Hegarty Laurie Edwards

Communications Manager Senior Media Advisor

Auckland City Police ACC

(09) 302 6947 (04) 918 4119

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright 2008 New Zealand Police

**spudchucka** · 30th March 2008, 09:10

What you're saying about farm bike and off road bike crashes clouding ACC stats is completely true.

However I don't see anything wrong with the statement, it appears to be trying to get other motorists to look out for bikes, which can only be a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

**Owl** · 30th March 2008, 09:19

Blue is bloody hard to read!

**James Deuce** · 30th March 2008, 09:30

As soon as it says "Police" in the byline, you guys start picking holes in it.

If BRONZ had put it out and you replaced ACC with RRRS you'd all be frantically backslapping each other through the rep system.

**Owl** · 30th March 2008, 09:33

In all seriousness, I think stats are a load of crap!
Example: I lost a thumb nail while playing around with my dog. Complete accident, and then get a letter from ACC, about my been a "victim of a dog bite". Bollocks!
I was also told that if a baby dies of cott death and one of the parents is a smoker, then the baby also becomes a statistic of smoking. I'm not sure how true that is, but it's a worry!

**Bonez** · 30th March 2008, 09:38

The statement only relate to road incidents.

Seems the "authorities" are recognising the m/cists aren't at fault most of the time in the situations listed dispite what some claim here on KB.

I may or may not be trolling................

**James Deuce** · 30th March 2008, 09:45

It's not a claim. People are responsible for any incident they are involved in. If you want to keep on believing that motorcyclists can't possibly ever do anything wrong then go right ahead. In my opinion all single vehicle accidents involving motorcyclists should be automatically the motorcyclist's fault with all the attendant penalties that entails. Any accident at an intersection falls into the "I told you so category", and it is getting to the point where you shouldn't probably advance through an intersection that has any traffic nearby. That there identifies a good 90% of motorcycle accidents. Mechanical failure causing an accident is the motorcyclist's fault. What does that leave? 5-10% of accidents being an "Act of God"? Simple to fix. Stop pissing God off.

**Bonez** · 30th March 2008, 09:56

Originally Posted by Jim2

It's not a claim. People are responsible for any incident they are involved in. If you want to keep on believing that motorcyclists can't possibly ever do anything wrong then go right ahead. In my opinion all single vehicle accidents involving motorcyclists should be automatically the motorcyclist's fault with all the attendant penalties that entails. Any accident at an intersection falls into the "I told you so category", and it is getting to the point where you shouldn't probably advance through an intersection that has any traffic nearby. That there identifies a good 90% of motorcycle accidents. Mechanical failure causing an accident is the motorcyclist's fault. What does that leave? 5-10% of accidents being an "Act of God"? Simple to fix. Stop pissing God off.

Right that's one bit. Any more?

**James Deuce** · 30th March 2008, 09:58

It's not a "bit" (sic). I'm trying to get infracted. It still doesn't seem to happen though.

**Madness** · 30th March 2008, 10:02

Originally Posted by Jim2

It's not a "bit" (sic). I'm trying to get infracted. It still doesn't seem to happen though.

Post a picture of breasts in here. It works for me

**Bonez** · 30th March 2008, 10:02

Originally Posted by Jim2

It's not a "bit" (sic). I'm trying to get infracted. It still doesn't seem to happen though.

Seemed smaller than a bite, sorry Jim.
Thanks for the giggle.

**PrincessBandit** · 30th March 2008, 11:55

Hey, they didn't happen to blurt out which 5 Auckland roads they were talking about did they? Would love to know! In the interests of public safety I think they should name them so wee can add them to the SH2 hoo-doo.

**Bonez** · 30th March 2008, 12:09

Originally Posted by PrincessBandit

Hey, they didn't happen to blurt out which 5 Auckland roads they were talking about did they? Would love to know! In the interests of public safety I think they should name them so wee can add them to the SH2 hoo-doo.

I guess they've done that to stop more going there. You know, like folk who go and look to see what a tidel wave looks like

**madandy** · 30th March 2008, 12:18

I see nowt wrong with that statement.
Farm bike injuries are workplace injuries. They have 3/4 wheels and as such cannot be described as Motorcycles. A motorcycle is a single-track two-wheeled motor vehicle powered by an engine. It is also known as a motorbike.*
As for off road bike injuries...how do they compare with other sports like League, union, hockey etc?
Don't see that we should subsidise ACC costs for off road statistics through our rego bill.

*taken from Wiki and every other online dictionary .