latest Vic bike safety campaign.....

[Smitty]

Biker road safety campaign launched
Article from: Herald Sun Nick Higginbottom January 30, 2009 12:00am

MOTORCYCLE riders are the target of a new two-year police campaign aimed at cutting their death rate on Victorian roads.

Assistant Commissioner Ken Lay said while motorcyclists made up only 4 per cent of road users, they were over-represented in road accidents, making up 13 per cent of the 2008 road toll. Police Minister Bob Cameron said it was vital to get the message about motorcycle safety on the roads out to riders and drivers alike. He said an additional 10 marked and covert police motorcycles would put the focus on more areas across the state.

"This is not just about enforcement, it's about deterrents and education," he said.
"So it's about engaging with motorcyclists rather than the traditional approach of a stand-off between motorcyclists and police."
The new campaign was launched after a biker was clocked at 212km/h earlier this week.

Under the new safety program, there will be five state-wide operations and 10 regional operations a year.

Mr Lay said the first operation over the Australia Day weekend focused on riders in the Yarra Ranges.
The Yellow Flag Black Flag operation intercepted 623 motorcyclists and 144 drivers.




..so now we know

[Six Addict]

so now they're waving flags at us!!!

[Blurr]

so now they're waving flags at us!!!

it is just like the track

[Six Addict]

where do we take the drive thru penalty?? maccas??

[photomike666]

4% on the road, and 13% of fatalities, be interesting to know what % of accidents bikes are involved in. I would expect it would be very close to the 4% mark... Which means were being targeted for not having airbags and roll cages. I don't see them targeting the little prick that was doing burn outs outside my house at 1am this morning

[hoffy]

Have dem mofo's seen underbelly !!

theres heaps of other bad shit happenin in Melboure they can do..

[MickLC]

Ah yes, covert motorcycles are all about deterring, educating and engaging with motorcyclists


...I'll feel so much safer when I'm riding in Victoria now

[Smitty]

Ah yes, covert motorcycles are all about deterring, educating and engaging with motorcyclists

...zactly Mick

I dont get why every other country in the world acknowledges that a VISIBLE police presence
is the best deterrent on the roads....and we don't

I suspect that revenue has a lot to do with it....

[aardvark]

I suspect that revenue has a lot to do with it....

I suspect you're wrong Ian. Covert traffic policing has its place. I'm sure there will be plenty here who disagree.... good on you.

[photomike666]

Ah yes, covert motorcycles are all about deterring, educating and engaging with motorcyclists

...zactly Mick

I dont get why every other country in the world acknowledges that a VISIBLE police presence
is the best deterrent on the roads....and we don't

I suspect that revenue has a lot to do with it....

Tis not just here, in England I've seen a 1970s Cortina on the exit ramp of a freeway servo with the bonnet and boot open, radar equip hidden in front of the car.

Then the government announced if local councils wanted revenue from speed cameras they had to be high vis with yellow and orange stripes. Next thing speed cameras appeared hidden between yellow and orange along the freeways.

I think Aus learned some tricks from England

[Smitty]

...BUT WAIT
there is more..Police today released further stats (in reporting on a triple fatality - 3 teenagers in NE Vic) in a report in The Age
"Statistics show that 32% of all categories of road deaths come from the under 25 driver age group, which makes up only 6% of licenced drivers"



hmmm...dont seem to recall any special safety levy on Under 25 drivers..or for that matter covert policing of any kind on Under 25s

[aardvark]

hmmm...dont seem to recall any special safety levy on Under 25 drivers..or for that matter covert policing of any kind on Under 25s

Unmarked police cars?

I agree that the safety levy that you guys have been paying is unfair but it seems that no one over there really gives a hoot anymore, going by the number of people turning up to protest rides these days.

[mfzx6r]

[ but it seems that no one over there really gives a hoot anymore, going by the number of people turning up to protest rides these days.

Have you heard of the Silent majority ?????
Its all about making $$$$$$ if the gov was serious about safety then there would be no TAX on any safety gear so we could buy the best there is at a reasonable price .
Tax free Helmets leather boots gloves etc etc they need to get serious about safety not just how much $$$ they can make it fines.

TAX FREE SAFETY GEAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[aardvark]

Its all about making $$$$$$ if the gov was serious about safety then there would be no TAX on any safety gear so we could buy the best there is at a reasonable price . Tax free Helmets leather boots gloves etc etc they need to get serious about safety not just how much $$$ they can make it fines.

TAX FREE SAFETY GEAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree Mario, but do you think that a 10% reduction in the price of safety gear is going to matter? Hell, if that was the case, then everytime a bike store had 15% off accessories they'd sell out of stock!

If the government were serious about road safety we'd have:
Retesting of drivers every 5 years.
Compulsory use of helmets for all people in a car.
Compulsory wearing of leathers when riding any type of motorcycle, or, the banning of motorcycles completely.
The banning of any cars that don't have ABS, airbags, traction control and stability control.
The list goes on.

I'm not suggesting I have all the answers. Hell, I don't have many of the answers. But a lot of people spout on about how easy it really is to make a difference without putting forward any ideas that;
a) take into account the big picture - that is, governments want to stay in government. Do we really want to see a government that, and use your imagination here, has a great health care and education policy get kicked out at the next election because they introduced the compulsory wearing of helmets in cars?
b) are sensible
c) they are prepared to put forwards to those making the decisions in some kind of well researched, thought out or logical manner.

As per usual, people are just prepared to have their say on public forums and just seem to hope that someone who can make a difference reads it.

[Six Addict]

driving/riding needs to become a privelige, not a right... you do not have the right to drive a car or a motorcycle.

It needs to be harder to get a licence in the first place, as it is in many countries in Europe. My dad rode around the block and the policeman was inside writing out his licence as he walked back in the door...and even today, the learner course isnt actually hard. It's good if you're going to ride around a basketball court for your entire life, but not much else... and i think the learner course should be tougher (both tougher and longer) and everyone should be made to ride a motorcycle (not allowing scooter)

there should be a similar scheme for car licensing too, with daily courses in actual car control (not advanced driving, just car control)... and altho upping L plate hours to 100 is a start, effectivly all it does is give L-platers time to perfect the bad habbits of their parents. There needs to be a substantial minimal percentage dedicated to time spent with a licenced instructor...

having said all this, sometimes we just need to remember that shit happens, people die, people are injured and people escape unharmed from accidents everyday, and as the vic statistics showed, more pedestrians got killed than motorcyclists, so even walking is dangerous...

blame is such a tricky thing to attribute to every crash, sometimes i believe that shit just happens... as much as it is horrible, it does...

end of rant