Protest ride (Sydney) re: tolls

[JamesLaugesen]

To throw in another spanner, i believe that since we are entitled to one full lane width, we should pay the same toll.
Julian

The fact we're allowed 1 lane shouldn't be an issue... cars use 1 lane and trucks use 1 lane, so why don't they pay the same?
Because trucks exert more wear to the road; which is the fundemental cost of running a private road, isn't it?

The only costs I see the private road companies have is:
1. licencing/insurance, road mantainence and toll collection... makes you think?

I'd love to see a study proving bikes cause the same amount of road wear as cars.
Also interesting is that NSW tolls are charged per axle - 2 axles = $3, 3> axles = $6 or whatever.
But a family friend has a regular size 4WD with 3 axles and only pays $3.
And then a friend who owns a landscaping business has a tip-truck with two axles and pays $6 because it's a pretty big truck.
If his truck was carrying 4 tonne of sand, having another axle, thus 2 more wheels, would spread the distribute the weight more evenly over the road and cause less wear...

Do some study on road wear and you discover that most road damage is caused under breaking because so much force is applied through a small area relative to the size of the gravel making up the surface.

Anyone riding a bike knows that we just can't apply enough breaking force to damage a sealed road. Our front tyre spreads and distributes the force proportionaly, the front suspension has heaps more travel than an average car or truck, as braking force increases, the maximum force a bike can exert under breaking can be easily calculated as being the point when the bike stands on it's front wheel and passes 45 degrees passed it's balance point... roughly once the forks are vertical.
You're only ever going to get the weight of the bike + half momentum max which will be less than any car.
Even though we might have close to the same amount of force/area applied to the road, as long as enough of the surface around where we're applying force is in good condition it will all hold together.

It's plain damn logic and a common basicly "intro" type discussion in civil engineering and even high school engineering.
I'd have no problem paying the same toll as cars, or even paying more, if anyone can justify it with science... noone has, because they can't, so I'll be complaining about the tolls until something happens

[krusty]

I'm going. I curently have an M5 motorcycle card, which I have to use the manual lane to use - a bit of a pain sometimes. I could mount an etag on the windshield but the tags are not waterproof or very secure.

[samhasa636]

And why should we pay the same toll as cars when the "safety" features of those roads (like armco and that delightful wire rope) that save car drivers and kill motorcyclists? The point is motorcycles are overlooked when it comes to spending money, but taking money from us is no problem at all.

The aim of the protest is raise public awareness through the media. This is going to take more than a ride down an untolled road for a quiet little BBQ.

So if you think that roads are designed with motorcycle safety in mind, and you think tolls suitably reflect the impact and strain placed on those roads by motorcycles, and you have conducted your own crash and onroad tests with the armband and believe they are suitable for motorcycles.... well, stay home or take a ride up the M2 for $3.80.

[samhasa636]

sounds like the usual sydney response...

Well said kypez.

*Cough cough*, I don't recall seeing either of you on last Sunday's Putty run...

I have an awesome excuse ... no bike at the mo and I was in Bega... so there

[JamesLaugesen]

Also notice that Sam and I are up there in the "worked up over it" ranks, AND both our trusty steads are currently off duty... so we're probably a little bit more grumpy than others

That's not the point though.
If we score big this time we will set ourselves (riders) up for a fair future.

The opening of the tunnel has all the ingredients needed for a political success: media coverage, target audience (road users) and demonstration (the roads we'll all ride on to take part).

I recon it's really important we get a big turnout of all sorts of people and bikes, and we all need to behave ourselves like perfect model road users.
If someone looks like they wanna merge in front to grab that extra 4m advantage, then let 'em in with a friendly nod and wave... we'll lane-split past later anyway.

Humans are soo soo fickle, we could easily change others' perception of bikes from "oo crap a bike, I better be careful before he hoons around and hits things and dies and stuff, oohooo no" to "oh cool a bike, they'll let me merge into this crappy traiffc" "cool a bike, I don't mind if they lane-split next to me at this intersection because I know they'll scoot off quickly and wont slow me down at all".
Attach some positive emotions with bikes and people will be more aware of us.

Anyhoo, hope to see everyone there
And I hope my bike is running for it, otherwise I'll be a camera bitch on the back of a spewpuki.

Ja.

[Phil]

i'm thinking of going - got a lot on at the moment tho .

we have been covering it on the show a bit and rob has posted some stuff up on our website under the "your kidding" section

[JamesLaugesen]

Good stuff

[krusty]

Can samhasa636 or a mod edit the original post to add a poll for the protesters and non-protesters

[samhasa636]

Can samhasa636 or a mod edit the original post to add a poll for the protesters and non-protesters

Done

[gray_rm]

...in Melbourne that weekend:!:

...not any more, so I will be there, but I want you all to sing Happy Birthday to me!

Shall we all meet somewhere beforehand?

[kypez]

guys,

I have to regretablly cancell for the protest ride. i damaged my shoulder playing rugby and cant ride nor drive.

Sorry Sam.

kypez.

[JamesLaugesen]

guys,

I have to regretablly cancell for the protest ride. i damaged my shoulder playing rugby and cant ride nor drive.

Sorry Sam.

kypez.

Wheel-chair.... rope... problem solved

Pitty; hope you heal fast mate.

[frozzie]

I'll be riding down for this, to all you undecided Sydney dwellers, I'm riding 800 ks just to be there, even though I am not directly concerned as I only ride Sydney roads once or twice a year. So try and do some positive winging and be there!

The object is not to give hell to other road users, but to have a whole lot of bikers present in front of the tv cameras etc for the opening. Not all of us will go through the tolls, we just want to show that we exist and use the roads etc, so things have to be thought accordingly.

Obviously, if we are only 50 bikes (unlikely hopefuly) it will never work. This action, if successful, could mean a world of change going our way for once, for the future.

Our future is in our hands and we can actually do something about it, now! Be there, it will be a good day!!!

[JamesLaugesen]

I'll be riding down for this, to all you undecided Sydney dwellers, I'm riding 800 ks just to be there, even though I am not directly concerned as I only ride Sydney roads once or twice a year. So try and do some positive winging and be there!

The object is not to give hell to other road users, but to have a whole lot of bikers present in front of the tv cameras etc for the opening. Not all of us will go through the tolls, we just want to show that we exist and use the roads etc, so things have to be thought accordingly.

Obviously, if we are only 50 bikes (unlikely hopefuly) it will never work. This action, if successful, could mean a world of change going our way for once, for the future.

Our future is in our hands and we can actually do something about it, now! Be there, it will be a good day!!!

Wow dude!!! That is unreal!!
Has someone from mcofnsw put you up for the weekend?
Otherwise there's always space at my place... hey that ryhmes, great.

Might see you there.
I'll be the camera/pamphlet biatch on the back of a spewpuki 750.

[SilverFox]

I'm in. See you there