Qld motorcyclists in the news again...

[mick_dundee]

Motorcycle riders feel a pressure to "push their limits" in a way most car drivers don't, a Queensland University of Technology road safety study has found.

Health masters researcher Deborah Tunnicliff said while some motorcyclists pushed their limits in a safe, considered, manner, unsafe behaviour sometimes resulted from perceived social pressure to ride well, combined with a propensity to thrill seek.

Ms Tunnicliff said motorcycle riders reported being able to ride skilfully was essential to being safe, but often suggested they would push themselves to the limits of their ability in an attempt to improve their skill.

The researcher surveyed more than 270 motorcycle riders about their perceptions of safety, in order to make sense of why bike riders still die at "horrific" rates while the general road toll declines.

"People have an image of motorcyclists as being quite irresponsible but most riders take safety very seriously," she said. "A very large proportion of motorcycle crashes result from errors made by car drivers and this fact is too often ignored."

Ms Tunnicliff said she found the concept of being safe a very broad one as almost every rider thought they were safe.

"What they really seem to mean is that they 'weigh up the risks' before engaging in potentially risky behaviours," she said. She said riders could engage in behaviour that might be considered risky, while being the safer option at a particular time.

"For example, although lane splitting can be a dangerous practice, there are some instances where a motorcyclist may consider this the safest thing to do," she said.
"If you are wearing helmet, leathers and gloves in the summer heat in a traffic jam, falling off your bike from dehydration and heatstroke may be a greater risk than riding slowly between the stopped cars or on the shoulder."

Ms Tunnicliff said all study participants agreed three things were essential to being safe on the road: being a skilful handler of the machine, retaining a high degree of concentration, and staying within your limits.

The researcher said she was concerned many motorcyclists did not consider fatigue as an impairment, especially as the physiological response to riding a motorcycle could mask symptoms of fatigue.

She said her research was now being further developed in order to make recommendations for rider training.

"If you go to rider training and you get greater riding confidence, this can result in a greater intention to push the limits," she said. "We need new riders to be confident but not overly confident... rider training will need to look at that."

Ms Tunnicliff undertook her research at the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety - Queensland at QUT, and is now working for the CRC for Railway Engineering and Technology based at Central Queensland University

[mohawk miss]

so why are they concerned with more rider training when, in her own words, she acknowledges that a high number of bike crashes are the fault of a car driver?

How bout more compulsory training and 3 yearly licence retesting for car drivers? Or is that because car drivers' votes (and lives) are more important than riders?

[ZZRCHIKKY]

the qld goverment sent me a dvd about what happens if u drink drive

cos i just got my provisional license, its rather grose and discusting

i think thats going a bit far, but its ncie to see its aimed at car drivers as well

[mick_dundee]

Or is that because car drivers' votes (and lives) are more important than riders?

You've hit the nail smack bang on the head there MM, we count for less as there are less of us, plain and simple, it sucks but that's democracy for ya...

[HemiDuty]

As always the research is flawed, and predictably fudges the figures to make cagers look better:

The researcher surveyed more than 270 motorcycle riders about their perceptions of safety, in order to make sense of why bike riders still die at "horrific" rates while the general road toll declines.

Oh yeah? Then WTF is this?

Queensland's preliminary road toll for 2005 is 328
fatalities. This is 17 fatalities (or 5.6%) greater than
2004 and 11 fatalities (3.5%) greater than the 2000-
2004 five year average.
This represents a rate of 8.27 fatalities per 100,000
population. This is an increase in the 2004 fatality rate
which was 8.01.

Source: http://www.roadsafety.qld.gov.au/qt/LTA ... an2006.pdf

Just how do they get away with calling incorrect drivel like this "research", when the facts are all ass-about? How hard is it to actually look up the figures? Oh well, a few of my mates tell me some of what goes on in Uni so I guess I can see how this shit flies....

At least she mentioned the car drivers being responsible for some of it though.....

[Neka79]

but at least its a positive that sum1 is finally acknowledging the real issues..
i agree with that statement a whole lot i reckon, she is spot on, and voicing OUR concerns...

if nething good comes of this....

[AneemA]

Hemi: That is a brief story ABOUT the research, its not actually the research they did. Like one of us reviewing a bike, I'm sure it would baffle the manufacturers with some of the comments we would make.

Of course, I go to that Uni and am bias, but I have nothing to do with that project, in a completely different school.

I'd say the researchers made some very valid conclusions, just whoever wrote this piece only skim read it.

[Barrabob]

Whats this fatigue buisness I used to do a track day after doing a 13 hour nightshift in the cab and boy was i slow.

There just going to have to accept a few fatalities here and there as the population increases, I have had plenty of training and still think the best idea is to leave enough room to stop.

Closely followed by not siting in cars blind spots and trying to be far enough away from everything so i dont get run over.

Speed is a funny thing i would rather be sitting out in the open and doing 20 kms over the speed limit than sitting on or slightly below it and being a mobile chicane for trucks and busses.

Please note the above applies so long as I have room to stop!!

I still say if we went back to horse and cart there would still be a road toll.

Statistics are for statisticians.

[HemiDuty]

Fair enough AneemA, I did not realise that. I hereby retract my reactionary summary.

But I did want to point out the incorrect statement; regardless of the intent inconsistencies like that are still harmful to good research, and therefore the conclusions can potentially be comprimised.

She could well be a nice chick though, and at least is trying to do the right thing. Hell, she might even be good looking, in which case my weakness dictates that I would forgive her just about anything....

[RG]

She could well be a nice chick though, and at least is trying to do the right thing. Hell, she might even be good looking, in which case my weakness dictates that I would forgive her just about anything....

If that is the case, I will take care of her for u...

[photomike666]

Would be nice if trucks had roadworthy fuel cap seals that didn't spill diesel on corners - if car drivers were trained to watch for bikes - if bike riders were rained to handle bikes in slippery conditions - but most of all, all bike groups were as good as KSRC and didn't push people to keep up beyond their limits.

Also, if governments put cash into tracks people would be able to go hard there and not need to go hard on the road.

[HemiDuty]

Yep. Couldn't agree more Mike.

[AneemA]

Hemi: Just an assumption, could be wrong, she could just be crap.

[FrogZ]

and dont forget that none of these accidents wouldnt happen if the bikes didnt exist... ergo it is the fault of the bike....

Seriously but if someone had only just designed a bike NOW somehow I DONT think we would get one registered.... just a thought.

Mind you I have to agree with a lot of what she says (ugly or not)
Most of our risks ARE considered, UNTIL the adrenalin/testosterone kicks in anyway

[Duane]

2 wheels was invented before 4