for those asking at MotoGP 'bout the accident

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 6:56 pm

Motorcyclist dies on way to GP

A motorcyclist died when his bike slammed into a road sign in foggy conditions in Victoria's south this morning.

The 53-year-old motorcycle rider from suburban Caulfield, who was thought to be travelling to the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, crashed at a junction on the South Gippsland Highway about 7.15am (AEST) today.

Police earlier issued a warning that there was heavy fog in the area.

"The man appears to have not seen the roundabout and has driven straight through," a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

The man died from his injuries after crashing at the intersection of South Gippsland Highway and Baxter-Tooradin Road, in Devon Meadows.

mike-s · Post by **mike-s** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:51 pm

phark thats a shit of a thing to happen. also a reminder to ride to conditions i guess :-\

javaman · Post by **javaman** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 7:58 pm

Very sad. It was terrible. We rode through sth. gippsland and visibility is only 100-200m forward.

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:50 pm

javaman wrote:Very sad. It was terrible. We rode through sth. gippsland and visibility is only 100-200m forward.

and still bad at 09.00 when I went thru....
ummm crawled thru actually (coz the road was closed )

GOOSH · Post by **GOOSH** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:53 pm

i went thru at around 10 and traffic was still at a stand still. there was a blanket on the ground covering the blood stains, but the blood was everywhere and was clearly seen . very sad

nobby · Post by **nobby** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:04 am

too late to make any difference now and it wouldn't have helped the poor rider in the fog, but what fek are they doing building one of those huge UK style roundabouts at a T intersection and where were the changed road condition signs?

I went to PI through Kooweerup so I didn't see the roundabout until I was coming home... and I didn't spot one sign warning it was coming up....

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 7:09 am

nobby wrote:too late to make any difference now and it wouldn't have helped the poor rider in the fog, but what fek are they doing building one of those huge UK style roundabouts at a T intersection and where were the changed road condition signs?

I went to PI through Kooweerup so I didn't see the roundabout until I was coming home... and I didn't spot one sign warning it was coming up....

A roundabout, located on a Dual lane Divided highway is just ludicrous. Whoever thought that would be a great idea must have rocks in his head.
I agree also, that it is very poorly signposted as a roundabout on it's own, and even less effectively signposted to those who have travelled the road numerous times before!!!!

On our way down in the tin top on Sat night, in clear night visibility they were still difficult to spot, and came upon us rather unexpectedly. I would have expected no less than flashing lights of some sort????

Mind you......lighting and additional signage may not have saved this guy, as reports suggest that a little excessive right wrist may have played a small part.

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:00 am

Strika wrote:
A roundabout, located on a Dual lane Divided highway is just ludicrous. Whoever thought that would be a great idea must have rocks in his head.
I agree also, that it is very poorly signposted as a roundabout on it's own, and even less effectively signposted to those who have travelled the road numerous times before!!!!

thinking about it...have to agree
and there is more than one of them between Cranbourne
and Grantville

The one at Tooradin Rd* (where the accident occurred)
has no real warning signs...until you get to it
and come to think of it neither has the other one

but fog and possibly excessive speed for the conditions
does not help either

*its was Tooradin Rd, not Thomsons RD as I originally said

javaman · Post by **javaman** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:33 am

Phark now I remember that big, new roundabout. If we had taken the highway I could've been looking at the gps, seeing it as straight line and plow through it at 120

Lots of roundabouts have the warning sign to slow down to 40 (in red). Can't remember if this one does ?

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:29 am

javaman wrote:
Lots of roundabouts have the warning sign to slow down to 40 (in red). Can't remember if this one does ?

this one has the warning sign..at the roundabout
not 200 metres before

Zteven · Post by **Zteven** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:16 am

Major blunder by the road management auth. 2 new roundabouts on the highway costing in excess of 2 mill. each because these are high accident corners, wouldn't traffic lights have been cheaper & saved 1 life allready?
Luckily I live down here & know about the changed traffic conditions. Sympathy's to his family

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:00 pm

i seen the aftermath and it made me sick to see the poor guy on the ground. Nearly brought me to tears knowing he may had had loved ones hoping for his return home to be a safe one.

We drove through i would say within minutes of it happening as other riders were covering him from view of oncoming drivers/riders. I couldnt see any emergency services....just other riders trying to help this poor guy.

We were directed through the intersection and away as with other traffic.

I can see how he would have missed the roundabout as we didnt even notice it until all the bright lights of the people who stopped. Without them there then I would say there would have been many more accidents.

mrmina · Post by **mrmina** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:25 pm

the fog was pretty bad at the island.

as rob about it. poor bastard couldnt find the cows.

I-K · Post by **I-K** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 5:28 pm

Zteven wrote:Major blunder by the road management auth. 2 new roundabouts on the highway costing in excess of 2 mill. each because these are high accident corners, wouldn't traffic lights have been cheaper & saved 1 life allready?

If they'd put it traffic lights, we'd be on here whinging about having to stop for a red light in the middle of nowhere.

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:29 pm

I-K wrote:
Zteven wrote:Major blunder by the road management auth. 2 new roundabouts on the highway costing in excess of 2 mill. each because these are high accident corners, wouldn't traffic lights have been cheaper & saved 1 life allready?
If they'd put it traffic lights, we'd be on here whinging about having to stop for a red light in the middle of nowhere.

The traffic lights are further down

. They weren't satisfied with killing people using just roundabouts, and made sure if we missed them, the lights might get us.

I don't usually get all pissy about roads and there designs, and consider it just part of what you have to do to survive on the road these days, to look where ya going, and ride to the conditions. But in all honesty, I intend to write to the member for (Bass???) and complain bitterly about the lack of adequate signage for these new roundabouts. It's bordering on criminal negligence in my opinion. If you see it, you will understand what I mean. for you sydney siders, it's like having a rounabout on the M4!