Police news release - "Matching rider skills to their bikes"

[Anarkist]

1:09pm 3 December 2008

The Coromandel and Hauraki Districts have spectacular views and vistas and one of the best ways to see the sights is by motorcycle but this terrain can be very unforgiving if you find yourself involved in a crash.

Police Eastern Waikato Area Commander, Inspector Glenn Dunbier, said over the past three years 50 per cent of New Zealand's ACC injury claims involving motorcycles originated from the Thames- Coromandel and Hauraki District Council areas.

"Over this period motorcycle injuries cost the country approximately $3.2 million dollars, and of that about $2.2 million dollars originated from claims in our area."

Analysis of the crashes shows that while some local residents were involved by and large most injury claimants came from Auckland, the Waikato or Bay of Plenty.

"Across the country more people are returning to riding motorcycles both as a more economical form of transport or as a lifestyle change," said Mr Dunbier.

"Anecdotally we know most of the crashes involved day trippers and people on bike runs visiting the Thames- Coromandel and Hauraki Districts."

One of the problems identified by crash investigators is that the cognitive skill level of the new or returning riders does not match the size and power of today's motorcycles.

"In other words, new bikes are too large and powerful for them to ride safely, particularly around the Coromandel's roads.

"Our environment is very unforgiving. Falling off a bike on a country road a rider may slide on to the grass verge and be relatively unscathed. But on Coromandel roads we have trees, bridges, dirt banks and seawalls which means our crashes usually result in serious injury or death" said Mr Dunbier.

To that end Eastern Waikato Police are working with partner agencies such as local governments, roading engineers and road safety educators to highlight the issue.

"And of course there'll be an enforcement element as we increase our presence placing emphasis on speed, alcohol and compliance of both vehicles and riders' licences.

"For a Police officer fatal crashes are one of the worst jobs to go to. Not only is there the trauma at the scene, but shocked witnesses to interview and grieving family to inform. This campaign is all about avoiding that and reducing our road trauma."

End

Source: http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release.html?id=4533

Interesting they drew some of the same conclusions here regarding people returning to motorcycling getting big bikes due to still having a full license from when they last rode.

[wbks]

Isn't it more of that people are being loonies around that road because its fun to speed on, rather than people having bikes too fast for them?

[MIXONE]

Tis an unforgiving bit of road though.Bit like the 'takas here in windyton.If you fuck up it's generally gonna hurt.

[wbks]

'Tis, I was trying to keep up with a mate (not fast, just above my 1 week on the road off mx experience level) and crossed the line on a corner with a bike coming the other way. Good thing the corner was quite big and I just went back around and the guy on the bike gave me a bad glaring look haha. Don't blame him, would do the same thing myself, now. Not a good road for inexperienced riders.

[sunhuntin]

some older riders need a reality check when they return to bikes after 30-odd years out of the saddle. its stuff like that that makes me avoid riding with ulysses at all times.
went on a toy run with them. they had a new member, an older guy whod hit his old-age crisis and got back into bikes. bought the biggest, most powerful bike in the shop. im at the end of the pack, like always. come over a short but blind hill, and heres mr big bike sitting in the ditch with his bike, which is facing the wrong way. still dont know how he did it, but am sure it could have been easily avoided had he been on a smaller cc bike. like many males, the little head led the big head into strife.

its just a shame theres no way of telling for sure how long someone has been off bikes. if there was, the cc rating could be limited, just like a l plater, but with a higher rating [say 600cc?] or thereabouts. ive got nothing wrong with riding within my limits, dunno why some people seem to struggle with it.


on another note, they mention working with various departments re: safety. whats the bet the answer will be cheesecutters?

[vgcspares]

Depending on the spin this could be good news, assuming the fuzz were to leave obviously competent riders alone .... another Tui ad, eh ?

[Taz]

Isn't it more of that people are being loonies around that road because its fun to speed on, rather than people having bikes too fast for them?

Probably. Wont be long until the speed limit on the loop is set at 80kmh?

[wbks]

Well people don't speed over 100 when theres a cop or a camera (assuming their plates are on) anyway so it wouldn't change a thing.

[Niko14]

I'm from Coro, and they're dead right it can be unforgiving road. However, having learnt to drive a car on those roads myself, I think that if you approach it with the right mental attitude it can be a great place to learn - As long as you're riding within your limits you can safely build up your skills over a really dynamic and varied landscape.

I'd also like to point out that a lot of the time it's the morons from out of town in their flash cars screaming through the corners, taking up both lanes and failing to give way at the one-way bridges that make life difficult.

[motorbyclist]

Isn't it more of that people are being loonies around that road because its fun to speed on, rather than people having bikes too fast for them?

both at the same time

mind you, the best parts of that road are the tight twisties that you can't possibly breach the 100kph limit on, which conveniently is where you want a 400 or 600 rather than litre.

any idiot can go fast in a straight line.

[Ixion]

Given the recent propensity for police officers to cause crashes ,no few of them injuring motorcyclists in the process, one could suggest that the youth and inexperience (not to mention immaturity ?) of the average police officer does not match the size and power of their police cars?

BRONZ has on a number of occasions invited the Police to contribute , either financially or through more direct input, into training and retraining schemes for motorcyclists. Those invitations that are not completely ignored are always declined. Money, mouth and so on.

We'll try again.

[Niko14]

on another note, they mention working with various departments re: safety. whats the bet the answer will be cheesecutters?

I think the truckies would be stuffed if they chucked cheesecuters in there, they struggle width-wise as it is

Narrow roads might be good for something eh?

[Oscar]

Source: http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release.html?id=4533

Interesting they drew some of the same conclusions here regarding people returning to motorcycling getting big bikes due to still having a full license from when they last rode.

There was a rerun of Top Gear on the other night where a retired Senior Traffic Cop wrote in and debunked the UK's current approach to traffic safety (i.e having 1 speed camera from every 3 cars), and listed his reasons for traffic fatalities - very high on the list was "Born again Bikers".

[CookMySock]

Unfortunately its a race track, and thats what happens on race tracks. People aren't going to slow down until they learn a nasty lesson, and that is the way of it.

Steve

[Oscar]

some older riders need a reality check when they return to bikes after 30-odd years out of the saddle. its stuff like that that makes me avoid riding with ulysses at all times.
went on a toy run with them. they had a new member, an older guy whod hit his old-age crisis and got back into bikes. bought the biggest, most powerful bike in the shop. im at the end of the pack, like always. come over a short but blind hill, and heres mr big bike sitting in the ditch with his bike, which is facing the wrong way. still dont know how he did it, but am sure it could have been easily avoided had he been on a smaller cc bike. like many males, the little head led the big head into strife.

its just a shame theres no way of telling for sure how long someone has been off bikes. if there was, the cc rating could be limited, just like a l plater, but with a higher rating [say 600cc?] or thereabouts. ive got nothing wrong with riding within my limits, dunno why some people seem to struggle with it.


on another note, they mention working with various departments re: safety. whats the bet the answer will be cheesecutters?

I agree.

Often the equation goes: "In 1978, when I was 20, I sold my last bike, a CB500 Honda, so now as I turn 50, I'll get a CBR600 (because I can afford it."

Trouble is, his 500/4 made all of 35hp(?), whereas his CBR makes three times that. Of curse his reactions have in improved in the meantime...yeah right