A motorcyclist died here in 2002. There was no suggestion of speed, alcohol, drugs, machine failure or rider fault. There may have been something on the road. A young man on his way to work died. Both rider and bike wound up against the posts of the wire rope barrier. The rider had massive upper body injuries. Police told us they had a witness saying the rider did not hit the fence. They assumed the sliding bike had hit the rider before it hit the WRB. Pretty unlikely given the way bike and rider tend to separate in a slide. There was nothing else but the WRB posts for this rider to hit. The curb was the semi-mountable type. We asked where the witness was when the crash happened? Was he or she in a moving vehicle? Was it dark? Did the witness wear glasses? Police would not say.
http://www.bikepoint.com.au/news/2012/cushioned-wire-barrier-trials-31924
Five years later VicRoads pads the fatal WRB posts. The pads are quite hard. It seems to us that sliding into the padded posts at 50 kph would be like being hit by tree trunks rather than baseball bats.
The Vicroads spin tells you that this is trial to make WRB motorcycle friendly. But there's no indication of impact tests. This is just a weathering test. It's using the TAC antibike tax to be seen to be doing something.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/abolish-tac-antibike-tax.html
We'd be interested in your comments on the "cushioned" WRB trial.
Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne
Wire ropes are mostly and widely used as trail barriers for motorists and the road. It is placed to protect motorists and pedestrians but it seems to be the cause of the death for many. I hope everybody should be more careful and aware when on the road.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hhilifting.com/