Tuesday, 28 February 2012

SOUNDS IN THE NIGHT

ON RIDE  THIS WEEK


·         Jonesy from Temporary Australians talks about the show and the controversy about its name

·         Henri de Gorter talks about Television Sydney, community television in general and other motorcycle shows

·         We find out how Casey Stoner is doing in testing at Sepang

·         We catch up with Nathan Gyaneshwar to find out about this year’s Black Dog Ride to Central Australia

·         And we find out how last weekend’s Sofala Bike Show went in the rain

·         Plus lots of news, views and music from Australia and beyond

TUNE IN in Sydney live on 90.5 FM and across Australia on www.2ccrfm.comfrom 10pm -Midnight EST on Thursday.                                                                                                                                                      

Please check out Facebookand if you like the programme don't forget to Like this page and recommend it to you friends.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/RIDE-on-2ccrfm-with-Greg-Hirst/265400733475447              

Ride                                                                                                

What’s the next best thing to having some motorcycle fun? Listening to others who are having it as well!And you can do that on Thursdays for two hours from 10pm EDT. on 2CCR FM 90.5 when national motorcycling identity Greg Hirst will entertain you with

      ·Humorous stories of a motorcycle nature

      ·Interviews with well known motorcycle riders

      ·Stories from Aussie motorcycle clubs about their positive activities

      ·Update of key some motorcycling issues

      ·News on local and national motorcycle events (especially for those listening online)

      ·Studio guests to talk about their personal motorcycling experiences

And lots of great Aussie rock, blues and alternate music, plus a little overseas stuff. So listen in every Thursday for some motorcycle radio fun: on radio in Sydney or online on www.2ccrfm.com around Australia.2CCR broadcasts all its programmes online and so Ride can be heard in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania at 10pm,Qld at 9pm, South Australia and Broken Hill 9.30pm, the Northern Territory at 8.30pm and in Western Australia at 7pm.

                ·For more information contact Greg on www.greghirstenterprises.com.au

ANTI-ASSOCIATION LAWS? COMMENTS PLEASE

 
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/tough-anti-bikie-laws-set-to-pass/story-e6frf7jx-1226284356874?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HeraldSunNewsBreaking+%28Herald+Sun+%7C+Breaking+News%29

Dale Robert Maggs
Mob 0432776458
Independent Riders Group

Monday, 27 February 2012

BIKE BOOZE BAN IN QLD - FEB 2012

From: Damien Cognotto OAM [mailto:d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com]
Sent: Friday, 24 February 2012 12:44 PM
To: Peter Hawker
Subject: Re: Some UMCQ Flyers.

G'day Peter.

The Queensland push for a total ban on alcohol for motorcycle & scooter riders, but not for all road users, is not based on logic or good science and it is obviously unfair.

The Independent Riders' Group (IRG) might consider a total ban on alcohol for all road users, including bicycle riders, but not a ban targeting just one small group of legitimate road users, us.

Cars injure and/or kill most road trauma casualties. A total ban on alcohol for bike riders would have little impact on the whole road toll. A total ban on alcohol for car drivers would mean a significant reduction in the road toll but would reduce revenue from taxes on the alcohol and hospitality industries and would probably reduce income from fuel and car sales over time. Road authorities need to be seen to be doing something without reducing revenue or upsetting big business or strong lobby groups like the RACV, NRMA, RACQ and others.

It is easier and less costly for road authorities to be seen to be doing something by targeting bikies. The public will believe the bureaucrats' spin that there's something wrong with people who choose to put themselves at risk by throwing a leg over a motorcycle or scooter. Consultation with stakeholders is avoided and/or manipulated, results sanitised. VMAC was a good example. Millions of our tax dollars spent on another series of shock horror TV ads, propaganda based on opinion not fact.

Road authorities want car drivers to know that the responsible thing to do is protect these poor sad bikies from themselves by legislating and taxing them off our roads. That opinion was published in the Australian Financial Revue a few years ago.

It's the same bigotry that said single mum's were not good people because they were single so it was  for their own good that bureaucrats took their babies. Over-dramatic parallel? I don't think so. Road trauma is killing and injuring Australians everyday. People who are legitimately riding motorcycles & scooters. Riders' families are badly damaged. Most of this pain is caused by car driver error.

Drunk car drivers are a huge threat to all road users but road authorities want to target riders with an alcohol ban. This is not based on evidence. You have to query the bike bigots motives and prejudices.

It's about time generations X & Y learned how to stand up for their rights from the baby boomers. If they don't, they will lose them.

Many thanks

Damien

www.damiencodognottooam.blogspot.com

Friday, February 24, 2012, 8:02:18 AM, you wrote:

G’day Damien

I got these (Flyers on a Qld alcohol ban for bikes) emailed to me from a Qld fella.

Regards

Peter Hawker
PO Box 4062
KOGARAH BAY NSW 2217
Mobile: 0422 923 825
Email: peterhawker5@bigpond.com
http://mcssac.blogspot.com/
http://petesrallyadventures.blogspot.com/

Saturday, 25 February 2012

AGE INPUT 1 - FEB 2012.

ADAM CAREY
The Age
Transport

Dear Adam.

Thanks for your call this morning.

The  Victorian  Motorcycle Council graph attached was presented to the
current  parliamentary  inquiry  into motorcycle & scooter safety.















For  other  statistical/science comment contact Michael Czajka on 0403
073 055.

Police  figures  on  helmet  use  by  motorcycle  &  scooter riders in
Victoria  are based on unreliable data. Crash scene data, particularly
collected  in  rural  areas,  is  based  to  a  large  degree  on  the
observations  and  opinions of untrained officers ticking boxes. Crash
scenes  can be assessed, if at all, hours after the crash. Some police
figures  on helmet wearing and fault, presented to committees like the
Road  Safety  Reference Group at VicRoads are at best questionable, at
worst misleading. Here's an old example.


































The Victoria Police crash investigation unit is dangerously under-resourced.
Officers with no appropriate training tick boxes and note opinions when
collecting crash scene data sometimes hours after a crash.
This is particularly true of non-fatal crashes and more so in country areas.



Looking  only at motorcycle & scooter fatalities is misleading, out of
connect.  The "big picture" includes fatal, injury and property damage
crashes.  Not  comparing  motorcycle & scooter crashes with pedestrian
and  bicycle crashes (in the 3 categories) can give a false impression
of the size of the motorcycle & scooter crash problem.

The  questions of whether or not the motorcycle & scooter road toll is
inflated   with   off-road   figures   and   how  comprehensively  and
effectively   bike  crash  scenes  are  studied  by  qualified  police
investigators need answers not spin.

The  fact  is  that cars protect their occupants better since 1987 and
urban  speeds  are  lower, so a reduction in injuries/fatalities seems
logical.  And  cars  require less skill to drive and contain many more
distractions     since     1987.     The    fact    is    that    most
pedestrian/bicycle/motorcycle & scooter casualties involve a car.

Swann Insurance found C2006 that across Australia 40% of motorcycle
& scooter claims involved another vehicle hitting the bike from behind.
Says it all really.

The VicRoads/TAC/Police official policy "not to do anything that might
be construed as encouraging motorcycling" was documented in the 1992/3
parliamentary  inquiry  reports.  VicRoads say they have abandoned the
official  policy  but  it's  still there. In our opinion it has been a
contributing  factor  in  the  reluctance  for  VicRoads/TAC/Police to
conduct  real  research or positive safety campaigns into motorcycle &
scooter safety over the last two decades.

Improvements  to  motorcycle & scooter safety should include road user
education  for  all  classes  of  road  user. Campaigns to improve the
relationship  between  car  drivers  and  bike  riders  on  our roads.
Improvements to the road environment for riders. Equal law enforcement
and penalties for bike riders and car drivers.

The  IRG opposes the introduction of mandatory protective clothing


































and of front ID for road motorcycles & scooters.



Damien Codognotto OAM
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne
Tel: 03 9846 8621

www.damiencodognottooam.blogspot.com

d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com

Friday, 24 February 2012

HAWKER'S BIKE SAFETY CAMPAIGN - FEB 2012.

DEATH ON OUR ROADS - THE SATURDAY AGE - FEB 25, 2012.

Updated  26/2/2012.


ROAD SAFETY STATS IN THE SATURDAY AGE

Saturday, February 25, 2012.

Page 7.  NEWS

theage.com.au


"... To this end we have augmented today's coverage with a suite of web-based features that present the data in a way that makes it easy to see how the road toll has changed over time.


... we present our entire data set to you via an interactive 'dashboard'. "

I'd appreciate any comments on the website and on the road crash/casualty information.

It seems to me they are still focusing on fatal incidents and missing the big picture. Also, they seems to me to gloss over problems with the data due to the way traffic data is collected and assessed.

Motorcyclists get a negative mention up front.

"... The numbers reveal that more deaths happen in in outer suburbia or on country roads; that young men still die in far greater numbers than the rest of society; that fatal crashes are most common in and around the afternoon peak; and that motorcyclists have not enjoyed the same declining death rates as people in cars, on bicycles or on foot. ..."

And, it seems to me that The Age, like most of the media, fails to mention the elephant in the room, the taboo subject, that car driver error is the greatest single cause of death among all road users.

The Sunday Herald Sun

Sunday, February 26, 2012.

Page 21.  NEWS

" Cyclist injured


A CYCLIST suffered serious injuries after his bicycle and a car collided on one of Melbourne's most popular bayside cycling routes. The man in his 40s, was struck on Beach Road, Mordialloc, about 8am yesterday. He was taken to the Alfred  Hospital in a serious but stable condition suffering abrasions and possible broken bones."

Damien Codognotto OAM
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne

Send suggestions to:

data@theage.com.au

cc  d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com

Thursday, 23 February 2012

COMPULSORY HI VIZ GEAR & TRACKING TAGS

Police forces around Australia are pushing hard to have high visibility protective clothing made mandatory for motorcycle & scooter riders. 

At the Victorian parliamentary inquiry into motorcycle & scooter safety (PIMS) in 2011, police repeatedly called for five items of protective gear to be made compulsory for riders - helmet, jacket, pants, gloves and boots. Notably they have not called for more protective gear for pushbike riders. 




How Orwellian does it have to get before Australian bike riders decide to get organised again and use their votes to protect their right to ride? Police at PIMS even called for tracking devices on motorcycles & scooters under a front ID law. All sound a bit far fetched? Read the transcripts of the PIMS public hearings in 2011. Go to:

www.parliament.vic.gov.au

Look up the Road Safety Committee then the motorcycle safety inquiry. All the submissions and transcripts are on there.


The technology exists and while road authorities are reluctant to conduct any real research into motorcycle & scooter safety, they were happy to test tracking tags on government vehicles in Melbourne.

Some riders say bike clothing laws are good, even overdue. They are not. Several things will happen if more protective gear is made compulsory.

Less choice: Regardless of quality, items will be banned in Australia if the manufacturer/importer does not pay for Australian standard testing. This is already the case with helmets. Doesn't matter how good it is, without an Australian standards sticker the hat is illegal.

I wear Australian-made Medal boots. They are the best. I have a couple of new pairs in the cupboard. Those boots would be illegal under the proposed laws, regardless of them being the best, because they do not make them anymore so they could not be tested to meet the proposed police standard.

More cost: Manufacturers/importers who do pay for Australian tests will pass that cost on to consumers. With higher costs more riders will go back to their cars and more will ride illegally. That's bad for everyone. The bike industry will be hurt and jobs will be lost.

More irrits: Five items of compulsory protective clothing will mean more police checks. Riders will be targeted for clothing checks. 



Australia is supposed to be a free country. The concept of government being able to tell me what pants and top I'm to wear, and even the colour of same, is abhorrent. I got my first motorcycle in 1967 and bikes have been my primary transport for nearly all of the since. I'm pro protective gear but anti intrusive laws that reduce both my freedom of choice and my right to ride. 

Join your local UMC, IRG or the riders' rights organisation of your choice while you are still allowed to do so.

Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne

QLD ALCOHOL BAN?

G’day Damien


I got this emailed to me from a Qld fella.

Regards

Peter Hawker
PO Box 4062
KOGARAH BAY NSW 2217
Mobile: 0422 923 825
http://mcssac.blogspot.com/
http://petesrallyadventures.blogspot.com/

STICKERS

The Independent Riders Group is a think tank lobbying governments for motorcycle & scooters riders safety and rights.

The IRG was a response to the call to give grass roots riders a voice. The IRG grew from the declining Motorcycle Riders' Association in Melbourne. The MRA went "social" at it's AGM in March 2011. 

While the IRG will be privately run for the first five years at least, it's policies will be decided by its' members. Individuals will propose a policy, for example, abolish the discriminatory Transport Accident Commission's antibike tax in Victoria. A committee will prepared a draft policy. IRG members will vote on draft policies. If a draft policy is voted in it becomes IRG policy and will be published.

Today's communications mean that IRG members in regional and rural areas can participate in policy making with out having to ride long distances to meetings.

From July 1, 2012, the IRG will take memberships. For the first five years membership will be free.

Initial funding for the IRG has been private. Future funding will come from sale of merchandise, donations and private sponsorship. The IRG will avoid government money. 

The IRG will use the system to change the system. There are over a million motorcycle licence holders in Australia. We vote. The IRG will support other bike organisations where our policies are similar or the same.



The Australian wedge tailed eagle is the IRG logo. This reflects the fact that the IRG is an Australian bike organisation and proud of it.

Stickers come in two sizes. 75mm $2 each. 40mm $1 each.

Send a cheque or money order made out to The Independent Riders' Group (please do not post cash) to:

The Independent Riders' Group
PO Box 3091,
Doncaster East,
Victoria     3109.

Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group
d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com

PETITIONS

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/abolish-tac-antibike-tax.html


http://www.banwirebarriers.org/index.php


http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/define-and-legitimise-motorcycle-filtering.html


Please have a look at these petitions and sign them if you agree with what the petitioners want. It costs nothing to sign. The more people who sign the more weight our arguments for a better deal for riders has.


Damien Codognotto OAM
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne

Saturday, 18 February 2012

NEW SCOOTER ASSOCIATION

Media Release

15 February 2012


Today Victoria’s four largest scooter clubs are proud to launch the Victorian Scooter Riders Association (VSRA). The VRSA represents the Lambretta Club of Australia, the Vespa Club of Melbourne, the Melbourne Crusaders and Melbourne Scooter Connection.

The VSRA has been established to give voice to the thousands of scooter riders who use Victorian roads everyday. Scooters range from 50cc mopeds to 500cc maxi scooters. The majority of scooters in Victoria are less than 250cc and often used for short distance commuting. This makes them distinctly different to most motorcycles including high-powered sports bikes and cruisers such as Harley Davidsons.


Road safety data shows that scooter operating speeds, pricing, usage and safety are very different to those of motorcycles. Motorcycle representative groups have inadequately represented scooters for a number of years. The VSRA will represent the scooter riding community in Victoria to Industry, Government and Media. 

Secretary of the Lambretta Club of Australia Steve Bardsley said the VSRA would for the first time allow scooter riders to speak with a single voice. “Too often our views and opinions are not heard by our politicians,” he said. 


The past ten years has seen a huge growth in scooter riding in Victoria. Scooters are an economical, fun and practical means of transport. They play an important role in the commuter mix on our roads, help to ease congestion and are a more sustainable method of transport compared to cars and many other motorcycles. 


Scooterists wish to have their unique concerns and issues heard and considered. They particularly want their views to be included in road usage, safety and licensing decisions.


The Vespa Club of Melbourne vice president Martin Wurt said that for too long other people have been speaking on our behalf in important forums such as the Victorian Parliament Inquiry into Motorcycle Safety. “From today the VSRA gives us our own voice,” he said.


The VSRA will be attending the VACC Scooter Awareness Rally on 19 February 2012


For further information or media interviews please contact:


Steve Bardsley on 0409 848 428 or 


info@vicscooterriders.com.au

Tuesday, 7 February 2012

GREG'S RADIO SHOW

ON RIDE  THIS WEEK

·         We talk to Geoff Fry about the hugely successful Bathurst Street and Custom Motorcycle Show and the future of motorcycle racing in Bathurst

·         David Hawker, former Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives and now a member of the Harley Crew about his role as Chairman of the Vic Roads Motorcycle Advisory Group

·         Graham Curry from Time-Out Trailers on the Gold Coast shares some safety concerns about imported motorcycle trailers

·         We try and find out how the Vietnam Veterans MC motorcycle event faired during the flooding in northern NSW

·         Plus lots of news, views and music from Australia and beyond

TUNE IN in Sydney live on 90.5 FM and across Australia on www.2ccrfm.com from 10pm -Midnight EST on Thursday.                                                                                                                                                        

Please check out Facebook and if you like the programme don't forget to Like this page and recommend it to you friends.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/RIDE-on-2ccrfm-with-Greg-Hirst/265400733475447              

RIDE
                                                                                               
What’s the next best thing to having some motorcycle fun? Listening to others who are having it as well! And you can do that on Thursdays for two hours from 10pm EDT. on 2CCR FM 90.5 when national motorcycling identity Greg Hirst will entertain you with

      · Humorous stories of a motorcycle nature

      · Interviews with well known motorcycle riders

      · Stories from Aussie motorcycle clubs about their positive activities

      · Update of key some motorcycling issues

      · News on local and national motorcycle events (especially for those listening online)

      · Studio guests to talk about their personal motorcycling experiences

And lots of great Aussie rock, blues and alternate music, plus a little overseas stuff. So listen in every Thursday for some motorcycle radio fun: on radio in Sydney or online on www.2ccrfm.comaround Australia. 2CCR broadcasts all its programmes online and so Ride can be heard in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania at 10pm,Qld at 9pm, South Australia and Broken Hill 9.30pm, the Northern Territory at 8.30pm and in Western Australia at 7pm.

For more information contact Greg on www.greghirstenterprises.com.au

JUST BECAUSE

If my blogs aren't as regular as usual over the next two weeks, it's just because I bought my first new bike since 1977 and I'll be riding it. When it's run in I'll do a bit of a write up on it.

It's a Moto Guzzi V7 Classic. Very cute. Very sexy. We are still getting to know each other but the chemistry is there. I got it from A1 in Ringwood and I'm happy with everything but the hard-wired lights. Not A1's fault of course. That's how they come. We'll change that.

Thursday, 2 February 2012

UNITED NATIONS REPORT - FEB 3, 2012

 
https://mobile.twitter.com/UNRSC/status/165046471996088320

Dale Maggs
Mob 0432 776 458
Independent Riders' Group

Wednesday, 1 February 2012

WIRELESS HIRSTY

ON RIDE  THIS WEEK


·         We talk to television and radio presenter Brendan Jones about the first series of Temporary Australians that is due to air on community television nationally from March 4.

·         We find out how well Casey Stoner is doing in Malaysia during the official Moto GP tests.

·         Rob Colligan from the NSW Motorcycle Alliance about their activities and future plans.

·         And we look closely at the Bathurst Street and Custom Motorcycle Show on Feb 4 with an interview with the Mayor of Bathurst.

·         We revisit the interview with Rose Hancock about the Sofala Bike Show.

·         Plus lots of news, views and music from Australia and beyond.

TUNE IN in Sydney live on 90.5 FM and across Australia on www.2ccrfm.com from 10pm -Midnight EST on Thursday.
                                                                                                                                                      
Please check out Facebook and if you like the programme don't forget to Like this page and recommend it to you friends.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/RIDE-on-2ccrfm-with-Greg-Hirst/265400733475447              

Ride                                                                                                

What’s the next best thing to having some motorcycle fun? Listening to others who are having it as well! And you can do that on Thursdays for two hours from 10pm EDT. on 2CCR FM 90.5 when national motorcycling identity Greg Hirst will entertain you with:

      · Humorous stories of a motorcycle nature.

      · Interviews with well known motorcycle riders.

      · Stories from Aussie motorcycle clubs about their positive activities.

      · Update of key some motorcycling issues.

      · News on local and national motorcycle events (especially for those listening online).

      · Studio guests to talk about their personal motorcycling experiences.

And lots of great Aussie rock, blues and alternate music, plus a little overseas stuff. So listen in every Thursday for some motorcycle radio fun: on radio in Sydney or online on www.2ccrfm.comaround Australia. 2CCR broadcasts all its programmes online and so Ride can be heard in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania at 10pm,Qld at 9pm, South Australia and Broken Hill 9.30pm, the Northern Territory at 8.30pm and in Western Australia at 7pm.

        · For more information contact Greg on www.greghirstenterprises.com.au

HI VIZ INCOMING - FEB 1, 2012.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 9:00:28 AM, you wrote:

G’day Damien

It  is a concern on what the French pollies have done, especially when
it  is  not wide sweeping to encompass all riders of both motorised or
manually  powered  scooters, bicycles and motorcycles, or perhaps even
pedestrians for that matter.

On  reading some of the forum comments that Christian forwarded to us.
I  couldn’t  help  but  wonder where some of the people buy their ride
gear from.

All  my  synthetic  ride  gear  has  a lot of silver iridescent piping
around  many  of  the  seams  and is even highly visible inside a room
during  the day when sunlight strikes it. Some of my jackets even have
hidden interwoven iridescent patches that become visible at night when
lights  shine  upon it. My soft luggage also has iridescent patches on
them. I can also choose a variety of brightly coloured gear such as my
red  and  black  mesh  fully  armoured  mesh  jacket I wear while city
running.

I  often  notice  people  riding  on  scooters  in particular but also
motorcycles  with their fluoro vest, but no actual personal protective
ride  gear and in fact they’re often in shorts and t-shirt with thongs
on.  Why  they  wear the brain box is beyond me with nothing inside to
protect. Oh that’s right, the law requiring it.

I  am  all  for  personal  choice  if people want the false feeling of
safety  in  a  fluoro  vest,  lost  among  all  these  people  wearing
fluoro/day  glow  clothing  and/or  vests  on  a  daily basis. Council
worker,  courier,  truck  driver, police officers, ambulance, fireman,
traffic  controller,  construction  worker,  cleaner,  postal officer,
first aiders, road construction workers, event volunteers and it seems
that the list continues to grow almost monthly.

The  risk  in  this  is the desensitisation of the general public from
taking  notice  of  fluoro  clothed  people  as  it  becomes a general
clothing article, instead of a safety awareness tool.

As  for  police calling for mandatory fluoro personal protective gear.
It  really  amuses  me  when  you  rarely ever see a motorcycle police
officers  riding  with a protective jacket on, let alone a fluoro vest
(NSW).  Usually  They’re  in  short  sleave  uniform  shirt in summer,
seemingly bullet proof. Just another bunch of squids in my eyes.

It  amazes  me  that  the  motorcycle  clothing industry hasn’t held a
violent  protest  in  France  for  the  curtailing  of  their  fashion
industry.

Fluoro  may  be  fine  to  some,  but  rider  position is paramount in
defensive riding skills and I also notice how the fluoro wearers often
place  themselves  in blind spot positions, instead of in more visible
positions to other motorists depending on varying driving situations.

My  old  bike was mostly white and rose coloured and my current larger
bike is black. Both being 95 models have head light hard wired and yet
I  immediately  noticed  how  my  larger  bike  was provided much more
respect  over my multi coloured mid-size bike, even though it is pearl
black.

Regards

Peter Hawker
PO Box 4062
KOGARAH BAY NSW 2217
Mobile: 0422 923 825
Email: peterhawker5@bigpond.com
http://mcssac.blogspot.com/
http://petesrallyadventures.blogspot.com/


Hello Peter.

Thanks for the email. Can I put it on my blog?

In my opinion, the move by VicRoads/TAC/VPOL to make protective, hi viz
gear  compulsory for motorcycle & scooter riders has little to do with
road  safety.  If  they  were  fair  dinkum  they'd  be  wanting  more
protective  gear for pushbike and power-assisted bike riders too. And,
hi viz vests for pedestrians. But they target us.

Again,  in  my  opinion,  among  contributory  factors  to  the French
hypocrisy  (their  law  only applies to big bikes!) and the Australian
stupidity  (this  is not evidence based law-making), are bike bigotry,
do-gooder  desire  to  save people from themselves, lust for power and
greed for fines.

The  fact  is  there is no scientifically demonstrated need for hi viz
protective  gear.  It is available. Many riders wear it, especially in
the cooler months in cooler climates.

Another  fact  is that in about a decade the number of road riders has
doubled  while  casualties  have significantly decreased. Motorcycle &
scooter  riding  has never been safer.

Victorian Motorcycle Council (VMC) graph submitted to the Parliamentary Inquiry into motorcycle & scooter safety in 2010.

We  can  say  with  some confidence that the lack of hi viz protective
clothing   for  motorcycle  &  scooter  riders  is  not  significantly
contributing  to  bike casualties in Victoria, so why the push for new
laws? ... see above.

G'day Damien,

No worries mate. The Bear is also going to use it on his ARR blog.

As  I  noted to Pete. You could add a footnote of the fact that my old
mid-range  bike  was  written  off in a crash, when a P plater saw and
identified  a  motorcycle  approaching  in  the right lane at night in
rainy  conditions  and he pulled out from the left lane cutting me off
when  I  was inside 10 meters from him. Thanks to my protective gear I
was at work the next day and the only fluoro was the iridescent piping
and  interwoven patches. Not that it mattered because I was identified
as  a  motorcycle  before  he  cut  me off and crashed into me. He got
booked and his insurance had to pay out mine.

Regards
 
Peter Hawker
PO Box 4062
KOGARAH BAY NSW 2217
Mobile: 0422 923 825
Email: peterhawker5@bigpond.com 
http://mcssac.blogspot.com/
http://petesrallyadventures.blogspot.com/