Police proved wrong......re bike accidents

[Smitty]

from todays Age newspaper....
Verrrry interesting....this....

Drivers blamed for biker crashes
By Melissa Marino
July 5, 2004


New research shows drivers, not motorcyclists, are responsible for most crashes involving motorbikes and other vehicles, a motorcycle insurer says.

Based on an analysis of all claims received over the three years to last year, Swann Insurance general manager Duncan Brain said motorcyclists were not to blame in 68 per cent of accidents in Victoria where they and other vehicles were involved.

Nationally, more than 9100 claims showed that 70 per cent of accidents were caused by the other driver, according to the research.

Mr Brain said the findings sent a clear message to all drivers to be aware of motorcyclists, to check blind spots and to ensure it was safe when changing lanes.

The results are in contrast to Victoria Police research released in March that said motorcyclists were responsible for 64 per cent of accidents involving other vehicles.

The police research was based on fatal or near fatal accidents from April 2002 to May last year. It showed alcohol and drug use as well as speed were key factors contributing to serious motorcycle accidents.

Mr Brain said motorcyclists also need to understand the risks associated with riding.

"By their nature, motorcycles are relatively exposed compared to cars, so it's important riders remain vigilant, anticipate risks and above all, take care of their bikes," he said


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[mrmina]

I can believe that. Some car drivers are cock heads when it comes to being patient with bikes.

[Flakey]

Wow... It's like wot we've been telling them all along...

[mrmina]

Some people just dont wanna listen

[Rossi]

There are Lies..........damn lies..........and then there's statistics
They can be made to point in any direction depending on who's doing the interpreting

[Smitty]

There are Lies..........damn lies..........and then there's statistics
They can be made to point in any direction depending on who's doing the interpreting

mate...maybe
but the interesting part is this...
The results are in contrast to Victoria Police research released in March that said motorcyclists were responsible for 64 per cent of accidents involving other vehicles

and someone has the guts to say so....

maybe, just maybe
the pollies may look at bike accidents in a slightly different light....

but
we'll see..

cheers

[icebreaker]

I doubt it....

That would be like trying to make a teacher at school think different.. Ain't gunna happen..

[Bluefly]

The results are in contrast to Victoria Police research released in March that said motorcyclists were responsible for 64 per cent of accidents involving other vehicles

I read a bit more of a detailed article on this which stated that the Victoria Police figures were only in reference to fatal motorcycle accidents, whereas the Swann Insurance figures were based on all motorcycle accidents. That seems to clarify things a bit.

[Smitty]

yeah...
thats my reading of it too.....
but the plod still DON"T clarify it by mentioning that their stats ONLY
apply to fatals....


hmmm....
remember rossi saying sumfing about lies and statistics.....

[icebreaker]

At the end of the day you can make stat's do anything..

You could find a correlation between people that shit, and those people that died of cancer of some sort...

I'd say in terms of stats for the Gov't, it was prob more suitable to them to take fatal stat's and not just general accidents. Because then they'd have to come down on the Majority.. Not much point of that now is there... Cause god knows why you'd want to fix the problem..

Bit like the whole.. Wipe out 5.. Lets make Motorists slow down.. We won't bother trying to make parently teach their children, or improve general knowledge and teachings to youngsters.. Of course not.. That costs money and makes to much sense.. The gov't are morons, and nothing we can do about it... *sighs*

[mrmina]

i'm behind you on that one dan.

[mfzx6r]

i'm behind you on that one dan.

hehehehe Becareful Dan remember Mina told us that he has a penis ! hahahahaha

The Gov will only look at figures that will give them the right to tax us more for our own good and so save our lives




mario

[mrmina]

Mario mario mario, what do you mean told you i had a penis (i still do). Dont you remeber.

[Lucas]

I was told a while ago that the road toll figures are a crook
as they are (to say it nicely) fixed so that the Government looks good that the extra tax money goes to a good cause

on this point i was informed at the same time that the governments new inproved way of bringing down the road toll was to make it that you had to die within 20 days of the accident or it wasnt seen as a death from a road accident so it didnt go on the road toll figures

so if you are on life support for 20 days then they turn off the machine you didnt die from a road accident

all i know was that 20 yrs ago when i had a serious accident and ended up in hospital for 6 months and on life support for 8 days that the guy that went through the GIVEWAY sign and hit me only lost his licence for 3 months and was allowed to drive during working hours
just shows how the Government thought then and seems to still think the same

dont know who else got the sheet of sandpaper lately from Vic roads but boy would i like to hit Mr Bracks across the knees with a bat and say

"THATS HOW IT FEELS WHEN SOMEONE COMES THROUGH A GIVEWAY SIGN " that is if your lucky like i was i suppose

just to note i was riding at the 60 limit with the headlight on (hard wiredon that model) 3 hrs after picking up the new bike total of 48 klms on the clock when written off ohh and was a L plater (2months of legal riding )

[Smitty]

Lucas

there is an element of truth there....
when i got tipped onto the deck....a few years back...
(and bitumen surfing is NOT fun...)
by a clown in a cage, who did a Uturn next to a No Uturn sign and WITHOUT indicating....
he got charged with ...doing a illegal turn....... der....
disobeying a traffic sign.....double der......
and dangerous driving.......coz i ended up in hospital...aaaah better....
but
on the steps of the court.
..the cage driver said he would plead GUILTY
to the illegal turn and disobeying a sign charges....
if the Dangerous Driving charge was dropped......
and it was....!
and afterwards, i was talking to the sergeant at Sandy' police
who was there to give evidence, and he told me that my accident wouldn't even get into the statistics...
because NO-ONE (!) was keeping statistics on bike accidents where no-one appeared to get hurt...
AND
because the Dangerous driving charge was dropped (pharrk i was mad!)
the traffic incident (it was NO accident) was not deemed worthy....
so mate
my serious leg injury and knee reconstruction didn't even make into the
files.......

oh btw.....
the cage driver was the Sales and marketing Director for Fosters
it would have been VERY embarassing if he lost his licence!!!
from the beak, he got $100 on each and 3 points.......very der....!
and I didn't even get any free beer....bastard......

my 2c on this


cheers