Wire (cheese cutter) barriers

[Colapop]

The argument here is not to completely remove barriers per se. It is to replace wire rope barriers with a safer and as equally cost effective alternative. Armco barriers with an additional bottom rail are an alternative.

[Nasty]

The argument here is not to completely remove barriers per se. It is to replace wire rope barriers with a safer and as equally cost effective alternative. Armco barriers with an additional bottom rail are an alternative.

Or to make the new barriers safer e.g. put coverings over them if that has proved to work.

[motorbyclist]

Actually, the cost of a fatal motorcycle crash is similar to that of a fatal car crash, it's just that there are many more cars than bikes.

has anyone else looked at that chart and noticed all the bike accidents cost the same, except headons which cost only a little bit more (relatively)?

if we lose a life, and a bike is written off in all cases, how is the head on more expensive?

[swbarnett]

I'll rephrase; a median barrier may save ten lives and cause one death. that's a net gain of nine lives saved. (numbers made up obviously, but you get the picture).

the economics of removing a barrier to save that one life do not make sense and would (IMHO) be a futile and counter productive argument.

I don't dispute that, on overall balance, lives are saved having barriers in place. I just ask that the barrier be motorcycle friendly.

No road safety improvement should reduce the safety level for anyone. Making the road less safe for a particular group, in this case motorcyclists, is blatant discrimination. If the difference was race instead transport choice it'd be a different story.

[Drum]

One thing to remember is that a rider may have lost his life by striking the wire rope barrier, but how many riders lives have been saved because a WRB was in place? And how many lives could have been saved by having a WRB where there was none?

[motorbyclist]

we don't want them removed!!! we just want them rider friendly!


argh, i feel the general cager public is not going to realise how needlessly dangerous these things are,

[Drum]

we don't want them removed!!! we just want them rider friendly!....

And I support that in principal. But think of this: How many riders have been killed by hitting a power pole or a tree, compared to how many have been killed by hitting a WRB? Is anyone riding to parliament to get the power poles and trees removed?

[sAsLEX]

And I support that in principal. But think of this: How many riders have been killed by hitting a power pole or a tree, compared to how many have been killed by hitting a WRB? Is anyone riding to parliament to get the power poles and trees removed?

How many power poles and trees are placed in the centre of the road?

[Drum]

In the median you mean? A few - maybe not on motorways - but that's irrelevant.

The point I'm making is that wire rope barriers are the threat du jour. If someone dies from hitting a tree or power pole next week, what do we do then?

[cowboy]

And I support that in principal. But think of this: How many riders have been killed by hitting a power pole or a tree, compared to how many have been killed by hitting a WRB? Is anyone riding to parliament to get the power poles and trees removed?

At least with trees & poles there is a chance you will mis them if you fall
With the WRB's you have no chance

[sAsLEX]

In the median you mean? A few - maybe not on motorways - but that's irrelevant.

The point I'm making is that wire rope barriers are the threat du jour. If someone dies from hitting a tree or power pole next week, what do we do then?

The threats you mention are generally a few meters off the side of the road, physical separation is a good thing.



Light poles on the MW are now fitted with bolts that shear easily in an impact to make them safer......

[Drum]

At least with trees & poles there is a chance you will mis them if you fall
With the WRB's you have no chance

But what do the statistics indicate are more dangerous to bikers? WRB's or trees?

[Drum]

...Light poles on the MW are now fitted with bolts that shear easily in an impact to make them safer......

Have been for years - shear bolts - that won't do you much good on a bike. They are designed to shear off when struck by a car, close to the shear plate.

Don't get me wrong here - I am a biker - I support anything that makes roadside hazards more forgiving. All I'm saying is that barriers are only one hazard, and the stats show they are not the worst hazard.

[sAsLEX]

But what do the statistics indicate are more dangerous to bikers? WRB's or trees?

Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics.


You drive from Huntly through to Auckland and tell me that if you had a front blow out what is going to jump up and bite you in the arse.

The trees off to the side of the road, or the WRB 1 meter to the left of the lane or the WRB 1 meter to the right of the lane?

[cowboy]

But what do the statistics indicate are more dangerous to bikers? WRB's or trees?

I dont now what the stats are but I would say they will change over time
Trees & poles have been here a lot longer than WRB's