Wire (cheese cutter) barriers

[bugjuice]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/...ectid=10471320

might actually have a voice now. Their page links back to KB too
well done Felix, sorry you had to go thru all this mate

[_Gina_]

They can be modified to reduce the carnage to M/C riders!
Especially on corners.

Exactly.

Surely we are talking about addressing the unacceptable risk to motorcyclists that the wire ropes pose?

Would be great to remove them but potentially this is not viable.

Modifying them is.

[Conquiztador]

(Federation of European Motorcylists Associations)

Quoted from email recieved from Aline Delhay, FEMA.
It has in August been sent to Shaun Lennard, Chairman, Australian Motorcycle Council and has been forwarded to me as a result of my enquiry:


"Regarding the guardrail issue, the case is complex.

The overall problem of guardrail in Europe is that the European Standard for building guardrails (EN1317) does not take motorcyclists into account. It is tested for light vehicles, heavy vehicles, and trucks, but not motorcycles. This situation allows manufacturers to develop barrier products inappropriate for motorcyclists, like wire rope barriers (WRB).

We’ve been fighting long (almost 20 years) for that to be recognized and adapted. In June 2007, we got it recognized by the CEN (the European Standardization Committee) and they voted a resolution that this should be revised. We are now in the process of revising the standard and this will take something like 5 years.

In the meantime, due to the FEMA members’ action, several initiatives have been taken at national level, among which those you mentioned, but also the Portuguese law - making it compulsory to protect guardrails with a double rail -, the Spanish standard, the French protocol. New standards are currently being finalized in Austria, Germany, Italy, the UK and soon Sweden. Obviously, they will all need to be replaced by the European one when it will be ready.

Below, answers to your queries from my members:

In the Netherlands the wire rope barrier is no longer a topic, it is and will stay banned from our roads. The existing ones have been removed and so far no politician or traffic department dares promoting the use of WRB’s. Since april this year the Dutch Road Authorities started installing 60.000 mtr motorcycle friendly crashbarrier on black spots and curves of our motorways. We always pointed out during our ‘fight’ that it does not need a lot study to recognise the greater potential danger of a WRB, specially compared to the conventional model with the extra protection for motorcyclists where bodies cannot be ‘caught’ by the posts of the barrier. In our view a WRB only has disadvantages for motorcyclists (Source: Nico Perk – MAG NL’s President);

From SMC; the Swedish Motorcyclist’s Association: At the end of December 2006 there were 1 295 kilometers of 1+2 roads and 35 km 2+2 roads. It is a part of the Vision Zero, where the goal was to lower the number of killed in traffic to 280 persons in 2007. This goal will not be reached, 201 were killed until 30th June. Almost 100 % of all barriers used are cable barriers, since they are cheap to install. SMC tried to fight the cable barrier from the very start but has not succeded. We have mainly complained about the posts but also with the cables (see The Road to Success at the FEMA website). There are some really lousy posts with hooks attached to have the cable in, see attached photo. Cable barriers are also installed at road sides. Our national parliament, all political parties and most road safety organisations are in favour of Vision Zero and the cable barrier. This is, according to me, why we haven’t succeded. During the years 1998-2005 seven motorcyclists have been killed in roads with cable barriers, two hit the cable. 17 has been seriously injured, nine of them hit the cable. Most killed and injured were at junctions. There has been at least 1 motorcyclist killed in a cable barrier accident this year and several injured. In 2006 six motorcyclists were killed in accidents with crash barriers of all types in Sweden. The number of motorcyclists killed in crash barrier accidents are increasing. This is a natural cause of all the crash barriers and a fact that is accepted by the National Swedish Road Administration. It was stated in a research done on their behalf in 2005.( http://www.vti.se/EPiBrowser/Publikationer/N43-2005.pdf ). At last, this year the National Swedish Road Administration are saying that cable barriers are not the best solution for motorcyclists. A new national standard is going to be developed for a mc-friendly barrier as well as a standard for where to install mc-friendly barriers. We are not expecting a country with no cable barriers for a number of years. The post with hooks is no longer used. The National Road administration are going to implement a motorcycle perspective when building and maintaining roads. SMC is going to take part in a working group to produce the standard and guidelines for installation. There are more reasons than the safety for bikers that causes the change with the authorities. The cost to maintain and repair the cable barriers are huge. It is the most costly barrier to repair but cheapest to install. It is also expensive for the insurance companies AND our own insurances. (exam work from Chalmers university, http://publications.lib.chalmers.se/...ql?pubid=40293. The road maintenance on 2+1 roads is also a problem. Since cars and heavy lorries use the same part of the road all the time, trail marks are developed that needs repair.

In Denmark: info missing (to be forwarded as soon as I receive it)

Norway: In a press conference in Oslo in August 2006, the Norwegian Minister of Transport, Mrs. Liv Signe Navarsete, made the following announcement: “I have, in agreement with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, reviewed the objections from the Norwegian Motorcycle Union (NMCU), and examined the case more closely. Today I have this message to the NMCU and the Norwegian motorcyclists: The Public Roads Administration shall hereafter use crash barrier types that offer a high level of safety for all groups of road users, including the PTW riders. This implies that there will be no more road stretches fitted with cable barriers, beyond those already installed.” The approx. 100 km of cable barriers installed before August 2006 will stand until time for renewal, when they will be replaced with a more "motorcycle-friendly" design.

In the UK: For the UK the statement from the Highways Agency is correct. Further information can be found at http://www.network.mag-uk.org/barriers/index.html which includes the fitting of motorcycle friendly crash barriers. The latest being Peak Protection for Motorcyclists. You mentioned Brifen type wire rope barriers. If they are involved at any stage they may try to say that MAG UK support wire rope barriers. They will do this by showing a copy of a letter from over 15 years ago and perhaps a video produced many years ago, which will have a MAG logo and commentary that the organisation supports wire rope barriers. This is the statement MAG UK issued when we discovered this was happening, which you can use. “The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) supports our colleagues in riders’ organisations who are engaged with their road authorities in removing wire rope barriers from the road infrastructure. Due to the open nature of the design which exposes the upright steel posts and wire cables, MAG UK considers that wire rope barrier systems are the most aggressive vehicle restraint system used on the roads. MAG UK does not endorse any vehicle restraint system or the manufacturer of any of these systems. It is the position of MAG UK that the main cause of injury to riders is the exposed upright posts of all vehicle restraint systems. MAG UK’s aim is to improve the safety of vehicle restraint systems thus reducing the potential for injury and death of motorcyclists when impacting these systems. Therefore MAG UK is currently campaigning for steel beam barriers to be fitted with a ‘motorcycle-friendly’ secondary rail and to have wire rope barriers removed from the road infrastructure in the UK.”

I am currently in the process of gathering all information available on guardrail. The problem as you may have noticed is that most of the time the information (both political and technical) is available in the national language… So, apart from finding information, having it translated in English, is another one. In addition to that FEMA is currently facing another more critical problem: we are lacking financial resources to attend all the necessary meetings and ensure work on the guardrail issue. Each travel for a 2-day meeting cost between 500 and 1000€ and if you add translation costs, participation fees, etc. I evaluated that we need a 5000€ budget/year… I’m therefore trying to think about solutions (sponsoring, fundraising).

I hope this provides you with a clearer picture of the situation here in Europe"


Have also attached two of FEMA's recent press releases re the issue. Hope this can help.

[Brett]

This is the misconception. One report I read said concrete barriers were $150/m with basically no maintenance and an 80yr + lifespan, also can cost even less if done in large runs. Plus it stops all traffic

Wire was $120/m and resulted in $80/m to repair after an impact, its only effective in stopping cars and bikes but not trucks


http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd.../05-0095-O.pdf

This report directly reports on crash testing using bikes vs concrete and wire. The wire fails miserably. Results are on page 11

That report makes it very clear doesn't it.

[ManDownUnder]

Not sure if this is the right place to start this or not... can we collate actual examples of cheese cutters killing motorcyclists?

We need a factual/neutral view on this and if we have a body of evidence it makes the following claim difficult to support.

"But Transit's national operations manager, Dave Bates, denied there was much difference in cost between wire and steel barriers and said the main reason for using wire was its greater effectiveness in protecting most road users.
He could recall no previous deaths of motorcyclists hitting wire barriers and did not believe they would have much more of a chance against traditional W-section steel guard-rails."
(http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/...ectid=10471320)

2 mins on Google found this:

http://www2b.abc.net.au/science/k2/s...pic596200.shtm

From: seedy	17/07/2003 5:26:47 PM
Subject: re: Speed cameras	post id: 596383
Sadly a 17 year old learner was killed after hitting one of the new wire barriers that was installed in Burwood Hwy Upper Ferntree Gully. I'm a local volunteer firefighter and, from experience, this accident probably wouldn't have killed him before the wire barrier was installed. On the other hand, there are many more cars traversing this dangerous stretch of road - so I guess that the community is better off statistically. === I note pre July Two Wheels magazine from 2003 seems to have run an article (or series?) on these things. Does anyone out there have copies? This is BS to allow cheescutters to remin in place if they are dismembering riders who would have otherwise been sore... but ok.

[RiderInBlack]

So if there is supposed ta be 3m space between the lane and the "Biker Cutters", why is there so many of these dam things right next to the lane (Puhoi-Waiwera and the NEW Hamilton-Auckland Expressway)? I know the Puhoi-Waiwera ones are temporary, but it is a single lane carriageway which often puts me in a position as a biker where I am with in arm reach of these deadly barriers.

[Riff Raff]

Does anyone from the three emergency services have a comment about these wire barriers?

I can't actually comment from a professional point of view, but personally I am opposed to them as they create an unacceptable risk to motorcyclists. I haven't been to any incidents involving motorcyclists v wire barrier, but I will be chatting to my colleagues when I go back to work on Wed to see whether they have.

[Ixion]

Not sure if this is the right place to start this or not... can we collate actual examples of cheese cutters killing motorcyclists?

..

Is not road safety supposed to be proactive, preventing death and injury, rather than waiting for it to happen ? So how many cut-in-half bikers would be 'sufficient' for Transit?

There is objective evidence in the report cited by Mr Fub@r. I take the liberty of quoting for those who have not read it

In all the simulated wire rope barrier collisions, the
wires guided the motorcycle into the posts leading
to heavy contact with the post. The motorcycle and
the rider were subjected to large decelerations
because of this snagging effect and hence elevating
the injury risk for the rider.
While the simulations in this report are preliminary,
and work is continuing to refine the MADYMO
models and calibrate them against the DEKRA
tests, they show that the risk of injury to a
motorcyclist colliding with either a wire rope or a
concrete barrier will be high. The findings also
suggest that while the current design of flexible
barriers has safety advantages over concrete
barriers for passenger vehicles, the opposite may be
true for motorcyclists. Most of all, it has
highlighted the need for further research into the
area of motorcycle collisions with various crash
barriers.

And that research was from Transit's beloved Monash University. They are quick enough to seize on findings from there when it suits them, so I do not think they can dispute it.

[RiderInBlack]

Just a stray thought here re: protest ride. A number of us have "Track-day Bike" vans, and there is bound to be the odd truckie among us. Why not have those trailing the protest rides (if we go ahead with the protest) to provide "safety" for the riders ahead? Would be happy to bring my Hiace LW work van to help with this ("Roxanne" can come along in the back of it, "she'd" love ta be there too).

[Spinster]

I think this issue needs to be treated like a proper PR campaign. While it’s great that individual people are looking at applying pressure, there does need to be a strategic, centralised approach if it’s to work.

Develop a strategic plan that outlines your objectives and the tactics that will be used to achieve them. This could include:

* Develop key messages for use in all communication on the issue (ie. the three or four things you want to say)
* Arm yourself with lots of credible research that supports your case.
* Appoint a spokesperson who is knowledgeable, articulate and who handles all media contact and becomes the face of the campaign
* Develop a programme of engaging the media
* Identify well known, trusted people who ride and can endorse the cause (the media will be keen to interview them and it will increase coverage). If they’re good sorts, they’ll do it for free.
* Identify which Minister/s to target. Embarrassing them into action is likely to be less effective than finding a way that will make them look good if they do. Everyone wants to be the Minister that Saves Lives!

[peat]

Theres a huge report on motorcylists and barriers from Europe here

http://www.fema.ridersrights.org/cra...ier/index.html

Might be useful for anyone doing submissions etc.

[Scorpygirl]

Like many I support the ban of the "cheese-cutters". There has been much debate on this site and in other biking fraternities about how lethal these barriers are. Unfortunately it has taken the very horrific death of a young man to highlight just how lethal they are to motorcyclists. Let's heed the advice of the European countries!!

[MSTRS:Me]

Like many I support the ban of the "cheese-cutters". There has been much debate on this site and in other biking fraternities about how lethal these barriers are. Unfortunately it has taken the very horrific death of a young man to highlight just how lethal they are to motorcyclists. Let's heed the advice of the European countries!!

We've always known this. Sadly, it takes a tragedy to become the catalyst for change. Done right, I hope we can make a difference for all riders.

[marty]

completely irresponsible, but pretty effective - fit a big bar with a 45 degree trail to the side of a tractor, 200mm off the ground, and drive alongside the wire barriers, popping/breaking all the posts out of the ground.

THAT would cause some discussion

[Ocean1]

fit a big bar with a 45 degree trail to the side of a tractor, 200mm off the ground, and drive alongside the wire barriers, popping/breaking all the posts out of the ground.

Decent bit of civil disobedience huh? To be honest I was wondering why it'd taken so long...

Sounds like your hand's up dude. You'll need a decent sized rig, if you need help with the post reaper bit let me know eh?