HI-VIZ VEST LAW 1

To  The  Wangaratta  Chronicle
LETTERS - FLOURO MYTHS
From  Doug Sunderland
Wangaratta, Vic.

Congratulations to R.S.N.E. (ROAD SAFE North East) & they deserve
much praise  plus  a  medal,  for  bringing  to the public a very excellent
report on cycling CRASH statistics.

I  personally  find  the  use of that incorrect term 'ACCIDENT' by the
media to be out of order, the correct term should be 'CRASHES'. (Check
your dictionary).

In  this  Country  there  is a lack of driving EDUCATION, (only to get
your license it seems) with far too many gadgets in cars today, taking
driver  attention off the road. Many motorists never have time or care
for others.

Having  had a motorcycle license since 1943 & with just over 4 million
kilometers,  here  &  in  19 other World countries, I find this FLUORO
Jacket nonsense nothing but a very weak excuse for car drivers to use.
"SORRY,  I DID NOT SEE YOU". Flouro jackets would do nothing to reduce
motorcycle  crashes.

If  a  car  driver  can  not see a bike it's because they fail to turn
their  head  & LOOK. If police accept a driver can't see my motorcycle
on  a sunny day, with a very bright headlight on permanently, then how
on earth would they see a primary school child riding to school?

Fluoro  vests  for  all  pushbike riders? But many riders already wear
fluoro  gear  & they still get knocked off their bikes! I wonder???


Just  ask the Posties who wear a bright yellow coat & pants, but still
get  knocked  off. Read Shana Morgans good write up Chronicle page 3 &
P.20 (June 20, 2012) very well written & self explanatory.

More  than 78% of car drivers involved in another survey admitted they
TEXT  on  their  mobiles  whilst driving, & with 46 cycling crashes in
this  rural   city,  car  drivers  again use that stupid, weak excuse
"SORRY  i  DID  NOT  SEE YOU" because they were too busy combing their
hair  or  stuffing  a  big  mac into their mouth, to give a damn about
anyone else.

Forty six push  bike crashes a year happen in our rural city WHY??

The solution is easy, "EDUCATION" in all grades of all schools, & with
a  great  deal of more honesty about the real causes of crashes. Every
night  the  TV  news  show the daily crash scenes, & we can see over &
over  again  the  large majority feature DOUBLE LINES, meaning someone
crossed those lines, so why not tell people the true causes, so we can
learn  &  act.  We all make mistakes in life, but with untold reasons,
how can we learn??

Doug  Sunderland
IRG 19
Wangaratta