TV1 - Close Up @ 7.00pm - Returning riders causing accidents (20 March)

[PrincessBandit]

I found the whole item a bit of a "what was that all about?" issue. Paul Henry only confirmed his lack of credibility with his dumbshit "We'll be the judge of that" comment (in conspiracy with the woman). Why was she even there? She didn't serve any purpose other tban making noise.

The media in general came across poorly giving only a narrow, blinkered view of a much larger picture; showing in this instance a bigotted and condescending view of a sizeable sector of the New Zealand community.

If you took it completely at face value your conclusions would be:
all men who ride motorcycles are only doing so due to midlife crisis and wanting to recapture their fading youth; women don't feature in the mix anywhere - we don't ride (therefore certainly don't have accidents...); bikers are 50% responsible for their own accidents (the stat quoted was 50% their own fault, and 50% other parties); and oh, it's ok to ride without a helmet cos Hone Harawira did!!

Yeah, sounds stupid when read like that, but for anyone not thinking indepth about the issue the superficial presentation came across like that to me.

I thought Paul Henry was insulting and condescending; and the woman shrink was laughable.

[WilDun]

I thought Paul Henry was insulting and condescending; and the woman shrink was laughable.

That's always the case with Paul Henry! that's how he stays on TV!

But the fact that this subject got aired on TV at all, is a worry!

[YellowDog]

No they're not.

Some motorcyclists are inherently dangerous and motorcycling has some inherent risks.

Motorcycles on their own have no inherent danger at all. (Unless it happens to fall off it's sidestand onto you).

BIKES ARE NOT INHERENTLY DANGEROUS!!!

95% of modern bikes are extremely well made and very safe. Consderable better made and safer than most cars. IMO - Cars are far more dangerous however it is the potential for resulting serious injury that is the main issue.

It is the choices that riders and other road users make that can cause dangerous situations. If you ride carefully and follow all of the dos and don'ts, then you will be safe. Bored, but safe. There is some middle ground here. The guy riding up from Piha last month crossing the white line on the bend as I approached in a car from the opposite direction either made a bad choice or a potentially fatal mistake. If he was in a car, the potential for a serious injury would have been reduced somewhat. In this situation, the biker was able to immediately swerve to slightly adjust his line. A car could not have done this, so the bike in this situation was was safer than if he was in a car. If an collision had occurred, then the situation would be quickly reversed (unless of course the car had gone over the edge).

I consider that I would have to spend a great deal of money on a car to get comparable levels of quality, safety, and ability as I have on my bike. Why don't you you instead compare the crash stats for high powered bike riders with those driving performance cars.

'Granny Grimble' doing 30kph in her Morris Minor should not be included in the averages. Just count the car hoons with the bikers and see who has more accidents (not deaths). A lot of such car accidents are because the cars are not well maintained and have been unprofessionally modified by kids. This is not a common scenario amongst the biker community where safety carries considerably greater importance.

A teenager with no insurance, no registration, and 350Bhp under the bonnet is a far bigger problem for the country.

[AllanB]

But the fact that this subject got aired on TV at all, is a worry!

What? - are you an ostrich by any chance?

Which part of 'one biker dying every 5 days this year' did not concern you?

Ignoring the 'how' of their deaths (rider or third pary) thats some serious shit.

[Katman]

BIKES ARE NOT INHERENTLY DANGEROUS!!!

Why don't you.........

If your post was directed at me, did you even read my post?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Well Mr crashalot, maybe you're not as good a rider as you think you are.

Well as I've always said...no matter ho long you've been riding you're still always learning. Next time you're up this way...I'd love you to give me some lessons.

[YellowDog]

Hey Katman, no my post wan't directed at you. I thought I was agreeing with you and endorsing what you were saying. No offence intended.

[MSTRS:Me]

After wading through this enormous thread, 2 things struck me...
1. Motorcyclists can be every bit as bigotted and one-eyed as the people 'we' accuse as being so, and
2. No-one has commented that the program, being aimed at the general viewing public (who don't ride), simply confirmed that public's belief that bikers bring it all on themselves.

No they're not. Some motorcyclists are inherently dangerous and motorcycling has some inherent risks. Motorcycles on their own have no inherent danger at all. (Unless it happens to fall off it's sidestand onto you).

Finally, some sense...I can almost hear CFWB saying that in his interview. But of course, it didn't present the desired picture.

[WilDun]

thats some serious shit.

Look, read it again, that's what I'm saying!!

[WilDun]

ALLAN, - They wouldn't have aired it if there wasn't any danger or at least a glimmer of truth in it.

[Ocean1]

ALLAN, - They wouldn't have aired it if there wasn't any danger or at least a glimmer of truth in it.

*snigger*

[MSTRS:Me]

ALLAN, - They wouldn't have aired it if there wasn't any danger or at least a glimmer of truth in it.

Actually, they aired it to reaffirm the sanctimonious and sage noddings of 98% of the population, and the humour involved for the other 2%.
Media and truth are not intimately acquainted....

[WilDun]

OCEAN,
Yes? - No? - well,that was a useful comment! but then maybe thats all you're capable of saying? - guess doing pretty pictures is much easier, - eh?.

[WilDun]

Actually, they aired it to reaffirm the sanctimonious and sage noddings of 98% of the population, and the humour involved for the other 2%.
Media and truth are not intimately acquainted....

I like motorcycles a lot, but to be honest things are not looking good for bikers with the bad publicity which the brainless hoons such as I mentioned earlier want to perpetuate, (they are seen in much the same light as the "boy racers")
- but then I guess I was a little hair brained in my youth too! - I didn't have the power underneath me which you find available today though!

I dunno about 98% of the general public thinking like that, but many do, I know - that isn't good

Yes you're dead right about the media!

[MSTRS:Me]

I like motorcycles a lot, but to be honest things are not looking good for bikers with the bad publicity which the brainless hoons such as I mentioned earlier want to perpetuate, (they are seen in much the same light as the "boy racers")
- but then I guess I was a little hair brained in my youth too! - I didn't have the power underneath me which you find available today though!

I dunno about 98% of the general public thinking like that, but many do, I know - that isn't good

Yes you're dead right about the media!

Can't draw parallels between bikers and boi racers...different animals altogether.

*bullshit stats, but you get the idea*...100% of boi racers are idiots - 2% of bikers are idiots.

That's why anything on TV like that crap the other night is bad news...because the unsaid, but obvious, conclusion is that we are all the same as boi racers. And using the death in Taranaki as a illustration was typical (note how they covered themselves by mentioning the diesel spill,? yet it was almost like a sotto voce aside, in the hope it would be missed).

And yes, I am dead right. Thank you for noticing...