Damien Codognotto with Garry Brennan at Bicycle Network in Melbourne.
Independent Riders Group members represents motorcycle & scooter riders to local, state and
federal governments.
The IRG charges no membership fees so we depend on donations and members paying their own
way when working to protect our right to ride. You can help us by making a donation to the IRG
at the Bendigo Bank. BSB 633-000. Account name The Independent Riders Group. Account
number 151266574.
We have just had a major win for riders with the Melbourne City Council by working with other
groups including the Freedom Riders, The VSRA and the VMC over the past two years.
But that doesn't mean we can drop our guard.
Our policy on traffic filtering is to legitimise filtering in September 2015 with minimum restrictions
and penalties and maximum, positive driver education on motorcycle & scooter commuting in general
and on filtering in particular. We also want new stop lines to separate pedestrians from riders and
riders from drivers.
The IRG supports Steve Bardsley's framework for a joint Victorian traffic filtering proposal by
motorcycle & scooter representative organisations.
WE need help with our rider surveys. A team to assess last year's survey and modify it for this
year then develop a policy document.
Here's what we've been up to recently. Most meetings take some time to prepare for,
then notes/minutes have to be written up and sent.
April 16 - 10 am. Met Bernie Bickerton at Zorro's Motorcycle Apparel in Mordialloc to film IRG
Video Newsletters.
April 17 - 10 am. Met Jeremy Furness of Barry The Bike books fame, to discuss a plan to increase
secure bike parking with lockers at Melbourne's 200+ park & ride facilities.
April 18 - 10.30 am. Photograph stop lines in Melbourne's CBD. Part of the campaign to get a
fair go when the traffic filtering law is introduced to Victoria in September 2015.
11 am. The first TOY RUN Committee meeting at Muleta's in Melbourne. Steve Bardsley,
Jessica Town, Jon May and Georges Gouron attended.
April 21 - 10 am. Meet with Upper House MP Fiona Patten MLC to establish communication on
motorcycling matters and to ask her to ask a question about traffic filtering in the Victorian Parliament.
April 22 - 5.30 pm. City of Port Phillip seminar on managing volunteers. Jon May and Jessica Town
attended.
April 27 - 10.30 am. Steve Bardsley and I met with City of Port Phillip officials at the St Kilda
Town Hall about the TOY RUN on December 6, 2015.
April 28. - 10.30 am. Met Senator Janet Rice in Coburg about the Greens developing a positive
motorcycle & scooter policy. Peter Patterson, Michael Czajka and I attended.
1.30 pm. Michael Czajka and I met with Garry Brennan at Bicycle Network to establish
communication on traffic filtering and stop lines and other issues that effect all two-wheelers.
April 30 - 3.30 pm. Photo shoot at Spot On Motorcycles in Elizabeth Street for The Age story
on the Melbourne Motorcycle Plan. Steve Bardsley was interviewed by The Age and ABC radio in
Melbourne.
May 1 - 11.30 am. I did an interview with Ch 7 on the CoM Motorcycle Plan at Mick Hone Suzuki
in Box Hill. Steve Bardsley did an interview on the Plan with Ch 9 in Melbourne.
May 2 - 11 am. Second TOY RUN Committee meeting at Luna Park in St Kilda to look at the venue
and do a route survey. We want to use the Sussan Fun Run road closure after the fun run ends. VicRoads
say no. Jon May, Steve Bardsley, Jessica Town, Georges Gouron, George Artimou and I attended.
May 5 - 2.30 pm. I meet with VicRoads officials and the road closure company at VicRoads in Kew to
work out how we can use the half marathon road closure for the TOY RUN. If we use it we have to pay
for 65 marshals for 1 hour. We'll roll as soon as the road opens at 11.30 am.
4.30 pm Meet with Cr Cathy Oke, Chair of Melbourne's Transport Committee, to talk about the vote
on the Melbourne Motorcycle Plan. Steve Bardsley, Jessica Town, John Eacott (VMC) and I attended.
5.30 pm. Future Melbourne Committee meeting to vote on the Melbourne Motorcycle Plan among
other things. Steve Bardsley, Jessica Town, Georges Gouron, Jon May and I attended for the IRG. It was
good to see young riders attending. John Eacott VMC and I spoke for the plan.
May 22 - 4 pm. City of Melbourne, Motorcycles in Melbourne Committee meeting at the Council Offices.
June 2 - 5.30 pm. TAC Community Consultation Session at the Melbourne Town Hall. Attended by Damien Codognotto OAM for IRG and Marcus Wigan.
June 3 - 5.30 pm. TAC Community Consultation Session in Werribee. Attended by Rod Brown.
June 16 - 5.30 pm. Traffic filtering workshop in Melbourne.
June 18 - 10 am. TOY RUN photos at Luna Park for Port Phillip story. Jon May and Damien fronted.
11 am. Meet Conquer Cancer organisers. Photo. Damien attended.
This kind of work is cumulative. If you don't keep the pressure on, you go backwards. If you do keep
the pressure on, it builds up and sometimes you get a win.
Next we have to get a fair go on filtering and get rid of the TAC antibike tax as recommended in the report
of the 2012 Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into motorcycle & scooter safety.
Damien Codognotto OAM
Independent Riders Group
Melbourne
www.facebook.com/independentridersgroup
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