NZ Roads: Criminal Negligence?

[idleidolidyll]

We motorcyclists don't have the numbers or political clout to make any difference, grin and bear it.

as i said, that's exactly the attitude they rely on; it saves them lots of dosh

[scumdog]

as i said, that's exactly the attitude they rely on; it saves them lots of dosh

So the positive thing we can do is??

It's all in the numbers, end of story, we haven't a chance even if we did not have the attitude you mentioned.

[Motu]

It's all in the numbers, .

I think post count numbers is what he is after....

[Ixion]

How can you ride to the conditions if you don't know they are going to change around the next bend? Or should we all be riding at 80KM/h just in case?

Back to the first point. "Ride at all times so as to be able to safely stop in the clear hazard free length of road visible". Sorted. If that means 80kph then it means 80kph. Not saying we do it all the time - but if we don't and something nasty (like a bathtub) *is* lurking round that blind corner we have only ourselves to blame for not following the rule , don't we ?

[cooneyr]

Alright I'm back (looks over sholder). Scumdog is right we are a minority. With respect to policy changes I think i would prefer they are left alone. I'm definatly for personaly responsibility rather than even more of a nanny state.

I also subscribe to the horse for course philosophy. No point in having the absolute best everywhere if It means I'm so heavly taxed that I can afford a bike.

Ride the the conditions if they change reduce your speed (sing along you'all)

R

[idleidolidyll]

So the positive thing we can do is??

It's all in the numbers, end of story, we haven't a chance even if we did not have the attitude you mentioned.

mate, it's true i'm a PR graduate and from that i can also tell you that you'd be horrified at just how small numbers can be to be regarded as 'significant' by MP's, Councils etc.
ask any City Councillor and you'll discover that if they receive 5 letters on the same subject from 5 different people, they think it's an issue that should be aired at the least and dealt with at best.

the thing is, if everyone is convinced that we can't muster the numbers required, Kiwi apathy suggests we never will

[jahrasti]

I mean like this : http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=39552
After repair work, everyone understands roads have to be maintained, fresh seal is not a problem as long as we know about it. When the signs are not put up or taken away too soon then it is a problem.

Then tell Transit. I keep reading 'what can we do about it'.
Remember i said Transit don't do the work. If you tell them about dodgy processes then the contactor will be sorted.They actually are pretty good at giving a shit.

[jahrasti]

I don't know about down south but who uses river stone now days?
If you worked in the industry then you will know the specs that the material(m4 etc) must meet.
If we want the road resealed with hot mix then where does the money come from? I bet Transit don't have enough. I would love beutiful roads that flow, have limitless grip etc, I would be behind you 100% but untill who ever is in charge gives them the money then it is status qua.

[idleidolidyll]

Then tell Transit. I keep reading 'what can we do about it'.
Remember i said Transit don't do the work. If you tell them about dodgy processes then the contactor will be sorted.They actually are pretty good at giving a shit.

been there done that, waste of time, nothing changed

nobody's forcing you to join my protest

do you work for transit or FH?

[idleidolidyll]

I don't know about down south but who uses river stone now days?
If you worked in the industry then you will know the specs that the material(m4 etc) must meet.
If we want the road resealed with hot mix then where does the money come from? I bet Transit don't have enough. I would love beutiful roads that flow, have limitless grip etc, I would be behind you 100% but untill who ever is in charge gives them the money then it is status qua.

southern councils still crush river stone if they can get the required resource consent, probably some of the northern ones too; depends more on the quantity avaiolable and the grade

as for naming specific councils or contractors, pedantic in extremis

as for staus quo, that's the point: it ISN'T status quo: roads and maintenance plans are designed around 4 and more wheeled vehicles. It's just assumed that what's good for them is good for us too. otherwise why would they give us cheese graters and chip seal?

[idleidolidyll]

Alright I'm back (looks over sholder). Scumdog is right we are a minority. With respect to policy changes I think i would prefer they are left alone. I'm definatly for personaly responsibility rather than even more of a nanny state.

I also subscribe to the horse for course philosophy. No point in having the absolute best everywhere if It means I'm so heavly taxed that I can afford a bike.

Ride the the conditions if they change reduce your speed (sing along you'all)

R

mate, you're already heavily taxed for roading through fuel taxes.
the problem is they don't spend all that money on the roads; up to 50% goes into various slush funds. don't you care what your supposed road tax is spent on?

[jahrasti]

been there done that, waste of time, nothing changed

nobody's forcing you to join my protest

do you work for transit or FH?

neither, the company I work for is Transits service provider for SH 3,4,39,31,30.
I am not interested in starting a shit fight, but to say that instead of bitching about it on line IF it is a state highway then complain to Transit.
We can be asked to explain ourselves to transit of they believe there is a problem.
As to the chipseal issue, it is a big can of worms to which people that give themselves big payrises each year can answer.
My PERSONAL opinion is that chip seal is fine PROVIDED that the base coarse is constructed correctly and water does not penetrate during the sealing process.(sealing with water in the basecoarse etc)
If you are going to write on the road I believe that won't achieve anything but vandalise the road and spray paint can last for months and still be clearly visible.
Will the motorcyclist see and understand what you have written if they are travelling at 100kph?
If you can take the fight to MP's full power to you.

[jahrasti]

[QUOTE=idleidolidyll;850798] otherwise why would they give us cheese graters


I to despise cheese graters, jeepers something in common what going on in this crazy world we live in.

[idleidolidyll]

neither, the company I work for is Transits service provider for SH 3,4,39,31,30.
I am not interested in starting a shit fight, but to say that instead of bitching about it on line IF it is a state highway then complain to Transit.
We can be asked to explain ourselves to transit of they believe there is a problem.
As to the chipseal issue, it is a big can of worms to which people that give themselves big payrises each year can answer.
My PERSONAL opinion is that chip seal is fine PROVIDED that the base coarse is constructed correctly and water does not penetrate during the sealing process.(sealing with water in the basecoarse etc)
If you are going to write on the road I believe that won't achieve anything but vandalise the road and spray paint can last for months and still be clearly visible.
Will the motorcyclist see and understand what you have written if they are travelling at 100kph?
If you can take the fight to MP's full power to you.

I am not interested in starting a shit fight

It's not a shit fight jahrasti, it's a signal of frustration at being perceived as 2nd class citizens ever since I can remember but more so in the last 15 years.
i asked that question because i had a suspicion you had some kind of vested interest other than m/bikes.

i worked in construction for decades mate and as you do too you'll recognise a few of the products my company sold: Blaw Knox, Sakai, TCM and prior to that Bomag etc.

trust me on this one, i HAVE asked the question through the right channels but nothing has ever been done except on individual problems. The powers that be need to understand that the high ACC rate for motorcyclists has more reasons behind it than just poor riding.

[[ Will the motorcyclist see and understand what you have written if they are travelling at 100kph?]]
Well why not? They are expected to be able to see the hazards themselves and react in time to prevent an accident. Highlighting them can't make them any LESS visible.
I'm not interested in the micro level of awareness with regard to an individual contractors work, I'm interested in the macro perspective that treats motorcyclists as 2nd class citizens. That means highways AND council roads.

The only way we'll see whether motorcyclists will see hazard warnings is to try it. Bad potholes, invisible gravel on chipseal roads, shiny tar, truck deformations etc are targets. I figure a circle around the problem so it can be avoided and a warning before it so the rider knows it's coming will suffice.

BTW: given the 'concern' you seem to have at just the idea of it, i feel encouraged to go ahead and do it; obviously it WILL be noticed.

[_Gina_]

I think post count numbers is what he is after....

If it looks like a dog, smells like a dog, barks like a dog.....
It could always be a cat pretending to be a dog I s'pose.....