Police interview - look out for motorbikes.

[awa355]

Erm - Just bear with me,

I'm no saint on the road, I've done and will do stupid things

I'm grateful I've seen and survived some of the carnage as it changes your attitude. Once there are a few ghosts you know personally sitting on the side of the road it gives you pause to think and I for one want to die in my bed thanks. (hopefully in a moment of passion although that may upset Vicki somewhat)

Paul, I think you have summed up motorcycling very well. I have ridden continuously for over 40 years, 23 bikes, had one off, spent 8 years as an Ambulance driver. Have been to many bike accidents. and the ones who weren't in some pain were usually beyond help.
I rarely ride with groups these days. I think they bring out the worst in many riders. I'm talking about groups who dont know each other. I do ride with a few mates my age ( been riding together since our teenage years ) and we ride with pretty much the same atitude. None of us believe we are bullet proof.

Like you Paul, I intend to die in a moment of passion, being shot by someone's husband when I'm about 70 sounds okay!

[phill-k]

My two cents worth -

I had to go check a property this morning, a ride from Whangarei to Kerikeri, about 15km north of Whangarei there is a new northbound passing lane, the vis is excellent road conditions excellent and to my knowledge in the last 5 years since it was constructed there have been no fatalities on this stretch but 3/4 way down the lanes is a bloody speed camera van to the police enforcement what pry tell is the logic behind this. If you're interested I was the bloke on the mobility scooter with his left arm raised giving u the two fingered solute as I dodged the other drivers half a sleep who hadn't spotted it and slammed on their anchors.

Further on there was a series of corners that have had new seal laid, for various reasons I'm quite well ahead of the next following car, but as the seal has pea gravel in abundance I slow to the signposted 50km, next minute the following vehicles are champing at my ass to get going, again I manage to find my own piece of road and approach a somewhat blind righthander again signposted to 50km with said gravel everywhere and no lane marking a bloody idiot travelling at or around 100km comes round said bend drifting well to the centre spraying metal everywhere..

My point is I don't understand a lot of the police road safety policies I see to many speed cameras in areas that I'm sure aren't black spots, but It is pretty clear to me that NZ drivers are both arrogant and stupid thus I ride assuming that. I won't be donning a free vest because my bike has three forward facing lights anyway, and I keep a very vigilant eye on the mirrors watching whats coming up behind me. Like I said I ride assuming all the others on the road are bloody idiots.

[Patrick]

While I wasn't there and haven't seen the packs (the visor cloth sounds useful though!) I can't really comment on the effectiveness of the campaign. However this part doesn't seem right



I've never seen any stats showing the safety of the bike to have caused a significant number of accidents, in fact an EU study (where some of the countries don't even have wofs) showed unsafe bikes cause less than 1% of all bikes accidents. Is it another example of overstated stats to convince us to take our medicine, or are unsafe bikes actually a problem in NZ?

All the safety info sounds like stuff bikers need to know, tyres, suspension, chain, safety gear, is something most of us are aware of and check regularly. I do wonder about the effectiveness of having authority figures deliver this info though, especially when its along with a rego and wof check...

Of the motorbike fatals I have been to, only one was legal.... and I have been to a few...

Of the crashes where injuries occurred, its better, but more like 60% not / 40% legal... give or take a few....

The last fatal in Mokau earlier this year was on a bike with no WOF or Rego since 2005, and the rider didn't have a motorbike license of any sort at all. He was on a big BMW (1050cc?)

That sort of thing, is what they are referring to...

As for figures? Who knows. 43, 45 or 48 is still 43, 45, 48 too many....

And just last week in New Plymouth, a dickhead pisshead on a bike blowing well over 1000....

[Edbear]

Of the motorbike fatals I have been to, only one was legal.... and I have been to a few...

Of the crashes where injuries occurred, its better, but more like 60% not / 40% legal... give or take a few....

The last fatal in Mokau earlier this year was on a bike with no WOF or Rego since 2005, and the rider didn't have a motorbike license of any sort at all. He was on a big BMW (1050cc?)

That sort of thing, is what they are referring to...

As for figures? Who knows. 43, 45 or 48 is still 43, 45, 48 too many....

And just last week in New Plymouth, a dickhead pisshead on a bike blowing well over 1000....

We need more posts like this. First-hand knowledge by those who have to scrape the idiots off the road. If all the KB members would like to start educating themselves and each other instead of bleating about "Big Brother" we may see peer pressure causing a few of these idiots to step back and think a bit... As long as Patrick and Scummy and others in their job have to continue facing these scenes on a daily basis, no-one is going to convince the powers that they are cracking down on the wrong people.

How many of these fatals were caused by a car driver, Pat?

[Drew]

Do you have a chip on your shoulder or are you just obnoxious in general?

I've got a big fuckin chip on my shoulder, AND I'm obnoxious.

You seriously think that what IS being done, and what SHOULD be being done in the name of safety are the same thing?

[Drew]

Erm - Just bear with me, its just an opinion I'm forming, not a religion or anything.

I started riding when I was 16. I sold a really nice bike or two to afford a ring worthy of Miss Vicki and 30 years later still think it was a sound investment. Unfortunately she was so enamoured of me she fell preggers immeadiately and that meant riding really crap bikes for 5 or 6 years, one of the better ones was a $75 TS250 Suzuki. You learnt to be humble and appreciate the fun to be had from a small bike. Riding small crappy bikes also forces you to get overyourself and ride defensively.

Better bigger bikes have come and go and I've learnt what works for me. The 1970 TR6C must work as its been ours for 22+ years now. faster sportier bikes have gone as I have learnt I'm a friggin idiot with little self control and easily convinced I'm invicable.

However, every few years we meet people with motorcycle fever. There is no particular age or use profile but it comes commonly with a return to biking and a brand new bike OR first big bike and when folks have it they usually have it bad. All they talk about riding, bikes, cornering techniques, motorcycle politics, they join groups, training blah blah blah. They do have one thing in common - they ride like they have 'rights' and think the cops (and everyone else) are picking on them etc etc. They have another thing in common too, they all cry like babies when they are laying broken in a ditch. The ones that dont cry are the worst - mostly they dont make it.

What I see is that the worse you get the fever the more likely you will either burn out and give up or crash (repeatedly) and give up.

Moderation in all things is not a bad motto to ride by and in addition, try and find a few non motorcycling activities as well, it will make you a better rider via a wider perspective.

I'm no saint on the road, I've done and will do stupid things but these days I genuinely try to keep a lid on my stupidity. The spirit still moves me some days but I like to think its weighed a bit more carefully and I do think that most Police are genuinely concerned about our behaviour. Not all of us but a significant number.

I'm grateful I've seen and survived some of the carnage as it changes your attitude. Once there are a few ghosts you know personally sitting on the side of the road it gives you pause to think and I for one want to die in my bed thanks. (hopefully in a moment of passion although that may upset Vicki somewhat)

Nice message.

Dont get too excited, it'll end badly.

Is there any fuckin passion left in this bullshit site at all, or are you gutless pricks all aiming at a political career?

[Edbear]

I've got a big fuckin chip on my shoulder, AND I'm obnoxious.

You seriously think that what IS being done, and what SHOULD be being done in the name of safety are the same thing?

I live in hope... There's definitely a groundswell of opinion that something better needs to be done and TPTB are making encouraging noises of late, indicating they are listening. It just takes someone of the calibre of Judith Collins to tell the courts to toughen up and force errant drivers/riders to think about their driving/riding. Add in a better licencing process, ie: training and testing and we may get somewhere.

The Coppers on KB certainly seem to be targetting a lot more than just speed.

[scumdog]

Nice message.

Dont get too excited, it'll end badly.

Is there any fuckin passion left in this bullshit site at all, or are you gutless pricks all aiming at a political career?

They're probably realists....

[tri boy]

Interesting stats Patrick.
But I feel alot of those fatalities might have been muppets riding motorcycles, rather than motorcyclists that have chosen to put rego on hold as it is either too expensive, or a private protest/ get fucked to N Smith,ACC.

Were the bikes of an WOF standard?
Did they look like "motorcycle enthusiasts" machines, or death traps owned by fringe dwellers?

I'm trying to be on the rozza's side here, and hope their attitude during this campaign is more educational than draconian. We shall see.

[Kickaha]

I've got a big fuckin chip on my shoulder, AND I'm obnoxious.

And a Homo

[Drew]

They're probably realists....

Yeah, realistically we should all take a boring approach to biking, and just commute.

And a Homo

That too.

[scumdog]

Yeah, realistically we should all take a boring approach to biking, and just commute.

So what are YOU going to do action man? huh? huh?

[Paul in NZ]

Nice message.

Dont get too excited, it'll end badly.

Is there any fuckin passion left in this bullshit site at all, or are you gutless pricks all aiming at a political career?

I think you are filtering the 'message' through your own eyes and experiences. You talk about passion? I've been riding bikes for a long time now so yes, I think I have a passion for it? I really have a passion for my bikes ut its different to yours, that doesnt make me less keen to protect MY way of life?

Think of it this way. You can have a love affair, white hot and exciting that burns up everyone and ends in tears or you can have a slow smoldering love that keeps enduring through the decades.

If you want me to be passionate how about this? I get totally pissed off with 'I know everything 'cos I can ride really fast over a hill and read a twist of the wrist (or more likely someone read it to them) dickheads acting like utter cocks or some fat fucknuckle that wants to be a gang member (except their wife wont let them) so I chromed everything and pulled the mufflers off my weiner machine and am rude to everyone, ruining something I've loved all my life and I'm passionate about. I get HIGHLY pissed off with the selfish pricks that ruin MY fun because of their stupidity and then they give it up after 5 mins. Its selfish, Its costing me money, and wasting my time, neither of which I have enough of.

[Big Dave]

or are you gutless pricks all aiming at a political career?

That's the funniest thing I've read today.

[Katman]

If you want me to be passionate how about this? I get totally pissed off with 'I know everything 'cos I can ride really fast over a hill and read a twist of the wrist (or more likely someone read it to them) dickheads acting like utter cocks or some fat fucknuckle that wants to be a gang member (except their wife wont let them) so I chromed everything and pulled the mufflers off my weiner machine and am rude to everyone, ruining something I've loved all my life and I'm passionate about. I get HIGHLY pissed off with the selfish pricks that ruin MY fun because of their stupidity and then they give it up after 5 mins. Its selfish, Its costing me money, and wasting my time, neither of which I have enough of.

Couldn't have said it better myself.