Issue 119 of Heavy Duty Magazine has a strong message from Doc Robinson.
In part the Editorial reads:
" ... But once again it is time to face off with the powers that be whose aspirations seem to be the destruction of motorcycling in this country, although they hide behind the alleged rationale of improving safety. Bullshit! More likely it is a two-wheeled version of penis envy as these short-dicked, pencil-necked politicians (DC - and public servants) hate the fact that we have more fun on any sunny Sunday arvo than they get to enjoy in their entire hen-pecked, yes dear, no dear, whatever you say dear, lives.
I've been criticised a couple of times for using the term 'safety nazis' but even that pejorative term is not strong enough for the reality of the situation. How about this comment regarding Etags for bikes as reported in the Herald Sun.
Police (Vic.) Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe told the Inquiry into Motorcycle Safety that riders should be targeted with electronic tags as front ID for speed cameras. Police also said that tags would help with 'intelligence' gathering. What's next? Compulsory numerical tattoos? Imbedded microchips with listening devices?
Well measures almost as bad are being proposed, measures such as five-piece, high-visibility clothing so we all go down the road looking like we've fallen into a tank of flourescent paint. This high visibility approach is the central dogma of motorcycle safety. It is based on the responses of drivers who whine plaintively 'I didn't see the motorcycle' and, in a very small percent of cases, this may be true.
However, mostly that is crap. The truth of the matter is that they did not see the motorcycle as a threat to their personal well being, though they may well have seen it. The underlying reason for this is because in our steel cages we do not feel physically threatened by a light-weight vehicle.
Many, many times they do see us but pull out anyway, because either they can't judge our speed or we aren't perceived as a measurable risk to their own safety. Motorists will turn across in front of a bike time after time, whereas they would not make that turn if we were a semi trailer or a bus. This is the key, not whether we are seen or not.
The MRA Driver Awareness Rides of the 1980s got a strong message across to drivers. The sign on the Budget trucks say. "Car drivers, if I hit you with my truck then said I didn't see you, how would you feel?"
The Americans have a highly motivated lobby group called the AMA who will legally challenge any legislation that threatens motorcyclists. Americans know about winning against repressive legisation. ..."
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