I'd be interested to hear what happens at the meeting this afternoon.
I suspect VicRoads/MUARC will tell the selected few what they are
going to do and call it consultation.
I suspect VicRoads/MUARC will tell the selected few what they are
going to do and call it consultation.
should be asked is why the restricted invitation list? The excuse that
public knowledge of this research may alter rider behaviour and effect
the outcome they want is not credible. The public already knows.
Questions on what motorcycling experience those designing this
research have will probably be avoided or met with the excuse that the
research project is designed by qualified people who only want what is
best for riders so they do not need to actually be motorcyclists or
even know motorcyclists. Riders should be grateful they are being
saved from themselves.
Any doubts about the size of the samples or methodology or similar
studies on other transport modes will likely be danced around or
promises given to get that info to the questioner later.
The promised special-duplicate-of-this-meeting meeting for the IRG
hasn't happenend yet but I made sure each of the members of the Road
Safety Committee got the details on today's VicRoads/MUARC pantomime
and the fact that VicRoads Director Holgate told me I was NOT invited.
Professor Marcus Wigan and highly qualified Michael Czajka, both
riders, were not invited either.
Damien Codognotto OAM
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne
Tel: 03 9846 8621
d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
If you ride a motorcycle or scooter on Victorian roads and/or earn a
living from motorcycling, this directly effects you.
The Independent Riders' Group was specifically excluded from the
VicRoads/MUARC information session set for January 9, 2012. The
session was to inform selected people about a research project and to
discuss ways of communicating with motorcycle & scooter riders about
the project.
I received an email making it clear that I was NOT invited. I
forwarded it to the Victorian Road Safety Committee as another example
of VicRoads/TAC/Police selecting people who fit their agendas to
represent riders rather than riders choosing their own representatives
as other groups do.
There are 300,000 plus riders in this state. How many of them elected
the people who are invited to attend this "information session"? How
many of them even know the session is on?
75% of the bike media don't bother to keep the riding public informed
about this sort of thing. Bike mags generally don't have political
columns any more. This research directly effects their readers and is
part-funded by the TAC antibike tax rip off. Considering their readers
and advertisers are directly effected and the way journos earn a
living, this neglect seems counterproductive.
Director of Road Safety Holgate (VicRoads) said he will set up a
special meeting for the Independent Riders' Group after the
January 9 meeting for selectees. Why the segregation?
It will be very interesting to see if any of the selectees puts a
complaint on the record about the way this research and the
information session were set up. Minimal consultation, short notice,
holding the meeting in a pub during the holidays, hardly the way to
get stakeholder input.
I urge you to make your views known to the Victorian Road Safety
Committee as part of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Motorcycle &
Scooter Safety.
The members of the Victorian Road Safety Committee are:
Murray Thompson MP
Liberal
Sandringham
Tel: 03 9598 2688
murray.thompson@parliament.vic.gov.au
Bill Tilley MP
Liberal
Benambra (Wodonga)
Tel: 02 6024 4488
bill.tilley@parliament.vic.gov.au
Telmo Languiller MP
Labor
Derrimut (Sunshine West)
Tel: 03 9311 7886
telmo.languiller@parliament.vic.gov.au
Andrew Elsbury MP
Liberal
Western Metro (Keilor)
Tel: 03 9331 7644
andrew.elsbury@parliament.vic.gov.au
Jude Perera MP
Labor
Cranbourne
Tel: 03 5996 2901
jude.perera@parliament.vic.gov.au
It's up to riders and those who make a living out of riders to stop
the over-regulation and lost safety opportunities affecting our right
to ride and our lifestyle.
Make an appointment to see one of the MPs
on the Victorian Road Safety Committee now.
Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne
Tel: 03 9846 8621
Thursday, January 5, 2012, 5:20:13 AM, you wrote:
Hey ho.
The usual exclusion policy from MUARC and VicRoads.
No I didn't get an invitation either.
Name supplied.
Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 20:31:19 +1100
From: d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com
To: James.Holgate@roads.vic.gov.au
Subject: Re: INFORMATION SESSION - JANUARY 9, 2012.
Thanks James,
You did NOT mention that the MUARC motorcycle & scooter study was
"invitation only". There is no mention of invitations in your letter
to Tony Ellis or mention of any form of confidentiality. There is
mention of communications with riders though. I left the phone with a
positive feeling about the meeting and stakeholder involvement in a
tax payer funded project that directly effects our lives.
It turned out to be a similar response to our request to be involved
in the meeting prior to the launch of the bus lanes trial. The bus
lanes trial has serious safety problems. Input from various experts
was rejected by VicRoads. The Independent Riders' Group was banned
from that meeting too.
Be that as it may, at your suggestion, I have spoken to your PA about
a seperate meeting for the Independent Riders' Group with VicRoads and
MUARC and we will be available. It seems like duplication to us.
Since the information about the meeting and study is public, concerns
of some that the outcomes of the project not be biased by factors that
might influence participants' behaviours such as their prior knowledge
of the trial, seem illogical, but, the IRG isn't allowed to attend so
we won't be shown where our logic is flawed.
We wait for details of our meeting.
Thank you.
Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne
Tel: 03 9846 8621
Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 3:37:32 PM, you wrote:
Damien,
Thanks for the call yesterday. As I thought I indicated then, the
meeting next week is by invitation only. The reason for this is that
it has been specifically designed to help Monash University to develop
communication strategies that ensure that participants in the study
understand the reason and process for their participation. Obviously,
one of the concerns of researchers is that the outcomes of the project
not be biased by factors that might influence participants'
behaviours, such as their prior knowledge of the trial. So this
session is not intended to be a broad communication to the
motorcycling public generally.
As such, I believe that more value can be achieved for you by having a
separate briefing that will allow us to discuss a broader range of
issues, should you wish to do so.
If you would like to do this, please contact my PA, who will be able
to set up a meeting here.
I have taken the liberty of copying my reply to Monash University.
They are leading the project and I should emphasise that this project
is Monash's, with VicRoads being one of a number of partners. In this
instance, we are running this session as part of our contribution to
the project.
regards
James Holgate
Acting Executive Director, Road Safety & Network Access
VicRoads
From: Damien Cognotto OAM <d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com>
Date: 03/01/2012 03:18 PM Subject:
INFORMATION SESSION - JANUARY 9, 2012.
Mr James Holgate
Director
Road User Safety
VicRoads
60 Denmark Street,
Kew, Vic. 3101.
Dear Sir,
Thank you for talking to me yesterday about the Monash University
Accident Research Centre study to better understand the factors
contributing to motorcycle crashes.
You are right, this research is of great interest to the majority of
motorcycle & scooter riders.
The Independent Riders Group has three members wanting to attend the
information session in January 9, 2012.
Can you please send us details of the time and venue and an agenda. In
order to make a better contribution we would appreciate information
onthe study itself, terms of reference, sample sizes, methodology and
so on.
Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders'Group
Melbourne
Tel: 03 9846 8621
http://www.damiencodognottooam.blogspot.com/
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