ACC Levies. BRONZ meeting

[Kwakajack]

Next BRONZ Otago meeting is October 29

[Pixie]

39% of bike injuries occur at intersections- presumably because bikes are not seen by cars. This can be at least helped by requiring compulsory wearing of high visibility jackets by motorcyclists, or large reflectors to be attached to bikes.

The problem is not lack of visibility,it is that the mindset of drivers does not register bikes.They are looking for things that will hurt them ,like Freightliners fr'instance.
All the dayglo shit under the sun will not change this fact.

[Katman]

The problem is not lack of visibility,it is that the mindset of drivers does not register bikes.They are looking for things that will hurt them ,like Freightliners fr'instance.
All the dayglo shit under the sun will not change this fact.

And that's why there needs to be a greater education of motorcyclists to improve their ability to compensate for the lack of ability in others.

Motorcyclists seem to like considering themselves the elite of road-users but all too often they fail to show it.

[buellbabe]

Yep I agree and said the same thing in another thread. The average car driver just doesn't register anything smaller than another car...
And there is also the minsetof "oh they are small and nimble so they can get out of the way"..."they" being us the biker. How many of you have had direct eye contact with a driver and then they have still gone ahead and moved into the space you are already occupying?

I know that I have had that happen quite a few times.

[cs363]

The problem is not lack of visibility,it is that the mindset of drivers does not register bikes.They are looking for things that will hurt them ,like Freightliners fr'instance.
All the dayglo shit under the sun will not change this fact.

To be honest, there's a large group of people out there that are either blind or plain stupid. On many occasions I've travelled with mates in large trucks (Freightliners with semi-trailers) and people still pull out in front of them, so what chance does a motorcycle have?
What Katman says about motorcyclists having to compensate for the shortcomings of other road users from pedestrians up is dead right, it's a matter of survival. If you don't ride like everyone is out to kill you, theres a good chance you'll end up as a statistic.
At least in my opinion - formed from over 30 years of riding and driving all manner of vehicles both here and overseas.

[Kwakajack]

To be honest, there's a large group of people out there that are either blind or plain stupid. On many occasions I've travelled with mates in large trucks (Freightliners with semi-trailers) and people still pull out in front of them, so what chance does a motorcycle have?
What Katman says about motorcyclists having to compensate for the shortcomings of other road users from pedestrians up is dead right, it's a matter of survival. If you don't ride like everyone is out to kill you, theres a good chance you'll end up as a statistic.
At least in my opinion - formed from over 30 years of riding and driving all manner of vehicles both here and overseas.

Thoroughly agree, hands down. I suffered my first accident as a learner rider as a result of a distracted car driver not looking at oncoming traffic. I have been lucky ever since.

Bright helmet, bright bike, and loud (though not illegally loud) exhaust. Avoiding town at peak times helps too I have discovered, if at all possible.

Rider training through the Ride Right course run by BRONZ Otago and Otago Motorcycle Club helped me keep my wits about me, get on these courses whenever they are offered!!! Its a step the government refuses to take so we must voluntarily instead!

[Mystic13]

re these sorts of comments...

- the mindset of drivers does not register bikes

- education of motorcyclists to improve their ability to compensate for the lack of ability in others.

-The average car driver just doesn't register anything smaller than another car...

- And there is also the minsetof "oh they are small and nimble so they can get out of the way"

These assumptions about car drivers forget some basic facts.

What riders often forget is spacial awareness. Car drivers drive at a certain speed with a certain level of acceleration. Bikes accelerate at speeds many of these drivers cannot begin to comprehend. Additionally we can arrive from spaces and directions that they normally wouldn't expect. Often we scare the shit out of car drivers. You may know what it's like as a rider when a bike shoots past and close to you that you didn't see. A car in a flow of traffic with cars coming the other way doesn't expect a motorcycle to whizz past their door.

Car drivers will often say things like "they came out of nowhere" or "I didn't see them" and they're right because in reality that is pretty much what has happened.

While motorcyclists ride with a heightened state of awareness they need to be aware that other road users don't have that same level. It would be like having someone running trhough a crowded city. The pedestrians wouldn't be expecting that kind of speed and while the runner may see them and take evasive action and have everything under control for the pedestrian it's not a normal event, they move and as a result there is a collision. They just didn't have the presence to respond to this rare occurrance.

I feel riders need to be aware that they are performing way outside of what many car drivers are able to comprehend. I remember what it was like for my daughter moving from 50 k roads to busy roads and then the open road when she learnt to drive. There is a clear step between cars and motorcycles.

And this has what to do with ACC levies?

[Okey Dokey]

If the powers at be have been receiving piles of inane letters like this talking absolute shit... no wonder they think motorcyclists are a bunch of idiots.

Please people stop writing retarded crap like this and sending it to the politicians!

(edit: Sorry, i got your post crossed with... thinking this was a letter sent to a politician. Yours wasn't quite that bad)

BUT don't discourage people from writng at all. Everyone can have a say and let the polis know they are unhappy. Not everyone is expected to have stats at their fingertips, I am sure. Just a few sentences saying it is unfair, and that ACC could try other options (no longer covering tourists, encouraging better driver training, remembering that the point of ACC is that everyone collectively contributes- and maybe they need to look at groups who claim while contributing nothing, etc)

We can all vote and that is what concerns politicians. Everyone has a voice and they should use it to the best of their abilities. Please do write and make a submission!

[Ixion]

I thought from earlier posts we could become members on the night.

Is that correct?

We'll happily sign you up on the night. It would be an enormous help if you could predownload and fill in a membership form (from http://www.bronz.org.nz) .

We only have cash payment available on the night, and we only have one Treasurer. So if there are too many people to cope with we may just have to take names and addresses and bill you later

[Ixion]

I've told the media there will be bikes and bikers to Africa. Don't let us down folks.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Interestingly enough if we add all bike claims and all car claims 208,305,000 + 62,523,000 = 270,828,000 total car and motorcycle claim

Then add the 2 current fleets together 130,213 + 2,788,938 = 2,919,151 fleet

270,828,000 / 2,919,151 = $92.78 levy required by each vehicle (this would lower again if all motorised vehicles were added, ie trucks and utility)

Show the fees are way to high and if lower alot more would actually register their vehicle if it was around the actual costs

so we are already paying too much in our levies. the hikes are just to get it fully funded

[buellbabe]

I've told the media there will be bikes and bikers to Africa. Don't let us down folks.

No worries...bringing a posse...

[jsw]

This is about targeting an easy to get at group. I am a Paramedic and I can tell you that over the last winter season I have seen many more sports injuries than any of the motorcycle/motor sport injuries. But how could we tax our "National Sport" and it sister netball. Boy would there be an outcry then.

Surley the solution is to actually pass some of the cost onto all sporting groups with a small leavy rather than the easily taxed group who have no choice but to pay their TAX our annual registration.

Dont just ring you MP email them too!

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

T
Surley the solution is to actually pass some of the cost onto all sporting groups with a small leavy rather than the easily taxed group who have no choice but to pay their TAX our annual registration.

Dont just ring you MP email them too!

Supposedly that comes out of the the ACC paid via PAYE, but so should every thing we do as citizen including motorcycling

[Mom]

I've told the media there will be bikes and bikers to Africa. Don't let us down folks.

I have a sneaking suspicion this will be standing room only