MELBOURNE MOTORCYCLE PLAN

Watch Channels 9 & 7 TV news in Melbourne on Friday, May 1, 2015. They both did interviews on the Melbourne Motorcycle Plan to be voted on next Tuesday.

The vote is at Melbourne Town Hall from 5.30 pm next Tuesday, May 5, 2015. It would be great if the public gallery was full of motorcycle & scooter riders. You're invited.

Damien

IRG

VICROADS CEO ON ABC RADIO

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

VICROADS CEO WILL BE ON ABC RADIO 774 IN MELBOURNE THIS MORNING TO TALK TO JON FAINE, A SCOOTER RIDER, ABOUT QUICK FIXES FOR TRAFFIC CONGESTION.

TALKBACK: 1300 222 774

TEXT: 0437 774 774

MOTORCYCLISTS & SCOOTER RIDERS SHOULD CALL OR TEXT TO GET BIKE ISSUES ON THE RADIO.

GET INVOLVED. pASS THIS MESSAGE ON TO OTHER RIDERS.

Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesperson
Independent Riders' Group (IRG)
PO Box 4330
Doncaster Heights  Vic  3109.

www.damiencodognottooam.blogspot.com

DAWN SERVICE 2015

The parking area for motorcycles & scooters in Linlithgo Avenue was well-attended. This was the first year this area has been set aside for riders. It was organised by the Vietnam Vets MC with the RSL and Police. 

THE DAWN SERVICE AT MELBOURNE'S SHRINE began at 6 am in light drizzle. In spite of the rain the parkland around the Shrine was full of all sorts of people, young and old. The crowd sombre and respectful.

There was large turnout of motorcycles. The motorcycle & scooter parking area in Linlithgo Avenue was well attended. More bikes parked in St Kilda Road and spots around the Shrine.

During the service I heard only one bike engine for a few seconds as someone arrived late and quickly switched off.

There were as many bicycles as there were motorbikes. Pushbikes were tied to trees and posts all over the place. Bicyclists rode through the crowd but I saw no problems.

After the service motorcyclists began to head off. They were careful and well-ordered in keeping with the occasion.

The Dawn Service was moving. The dark and the rain hid more than a few tears.

Lest we forget.

The carpet of poppies on Princes Bridge. Each flower was hand-made from wool and cloth.

ANZAC DAY REMINDER

ANZAC DAY MOTORCYCLE PARKING IN MELBOURNE. 

Just a reminder that the Vietnam Vets MC, the RSL and Police have organised motorcycle parking in Linlithgo Avenue near the Dawn Service at the Shrine. Please note you can only enter from Alexandra Avenue. St Kilda Road will be closed for the Gunfire Breakfast and the Parade. 

Melway map 2F reference J9. See earlier blog.

The Dawn Service starts at 6 am so please park and turn off your engines off 5.45 am as a mark of respect.

TRAFFIC FLITERING STOP LINES SAFER FOR ALL

Saturday, April 18, 2015. Franklin Street in Melbourne at Elizabeth Street. Some drivers do stop at the stop lines but a lot do not. There is ample space here to separate the pedestrian crossing from two-wheelers and two-wheelers from cars. Better for traffic flow and safer for everyone.

Saturday, April 18, 2015. Little Lonsdale Street in Melbourne at Elizabeth Street.

A quick survey of the Melbourne CBD indicates that many intersections in both wide and narrow streets already have stop lines that facilitate traffic filtering by two-wheelers. All it would take is a change in regs/guidelines, motorbike & scooter stencils and a bit of paint. Quick and cost-effective. 

I suspect many suburbs and regional centres are in a position to facilitate filtering this way too. 

The problem is drivers tend to ignore stop lines and police don't enforce the rules.

Saturday, April 18, 2015. Lonsdale Street in Melbourne at Elizabeth Street.

Damien

IRG MEMBERSHIP

https://youtu.be/q3W1VRW9LUw

FILTERING STORIES

motorbikewriter.com 

TOP VIC COP FOR FILTERING

THE  INDEPENDENT  RIDERS  GROUP sent Steve Bardsley's paper to all Victorian MPs, road authority and media conacts. ABC Radio in Melbourne got in touch with Steve about it and Steve put it directly to the acting Chief Commissioner of Police.

Steve Bardsley is a spokesman for the Victorian Scooter Riders Association. The VSRA and the IRG both want filtering legitimised but without new offences with harsh penalties to target riders. We want minimum restrictions with maximum car driver education on filtering.

Here is a link to a YouTube clip of Tim Catrwright the acting Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police answering my question regarding Filtering on ABC radio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vscbo9QrG00

Regards

Steve

NEW FILTERING & HELMET LAWS FOR QLD

Hi Damien.

New laws on filtering & helmets for QLD.

Thought you may like to repost this one.

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Queensland-road-rules/Motorcycle-road-rules.aspx

Dale Maggs

IRG

HEALESVILLE - SUNDAY APRIL 12 2015

Hi Damien,

Further to the email below, we would like to extend you and your colleagues an invitation to attend the Motorcycle event on Sunday 12 April at 11am. You can find out further information about the event via the official invite attached.

Kind regards,

Georgina 

Stakeholder Engagement
VicRoads

Hi Damien

Thanks for your email. This event will be the first of many Travel Happy - Share the Road activations we are proposing to do around the State. This morning was the first advertising launch with pledges for safer riding and driving around motorbikes. We welcomed all Victorians to attend by advertising on Fox FM and on the VicRoads Facebook page but no specific invitations were sent. Overall, we intend to have dozens of these events support by ambassadors such as Paul Mercurio.

The specifics of motorcycle filtering and use of bus lanes is an important topic. We intend to have separate engagement activities on this linked to the  campaign at a later date as it relates to behavioural change.

For your interest, the next Travel Happy - Share the Road event with a focus on sharing the road with motorcyclists is at the Beechworth Bakery in Healesville this Sunday from 11am-3pm and of course we would love to see you all there!  I will also make sure the IRG know about future activations and appreciate any way you can assist the campaign by getting involved and making a pledge.  

On Thursday before Easter, the Minister for Roads and Road Safety launched the campaign to the media with the Assistant Police Commissioner. Below is a copy of this on a YouTube link.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tVaeWGafvI&feature=youtu.be

Thanks again for your support of this behavioural change campaign. I will be in touch shortly regarding the upcoming events and support of IRG.

Regards

Paul
Stakeholder Engagement
VicRoads

TRAFFIC FILTERING CLIP

In December 2012 the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into motorcycle & scooter safety recommended that traffic filtering be trialed in this state.

In May 2014 the Independent Riders Group held an early morning protest at VicRoads in Kew. The IRG opposed compulsory flouro vests for riders and the delays by VicRoads in filtering trials and the use of most bus lanes by motorcycle & scooter riders.

In August 2014 flouro vests and lights-on became compulsory for novice riders in Victoria. This was not recommended by the Parliamentary Inquiry. It was based on advice from a desk-riding bureaucrat who did not know that for more than 20 years motorcycles & scooters in Australia had been sold without light switches.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=236366206557926&set=vb.119154394945775&type=2&theater

VicRoads told then Minister Mulder that traffic filtering was dangerous and that 3 riders had died doing it. It was misleading to say the least. The 3 deaths were over 11 years and not traffic filtering as riders understand the term. Shadow Minister Donnellan told the media he would introduce filtering if elected. John Voyage from Maurice Blackburn Lawyers supported the riders at the protest.

In November 2014 Mulder was voted out and Donnellan became Roads Minister.

In March 2015 at the IRG RIDE TO WORK BREAKFAST Minister Donnellan said filtering would be law in Victoria.

In September 2015 traffic filtering will be legitimised in this state. IRG and the Victorian Scooter Riders Association will lobby all Victorian MPs to adopt Steve Bardsley's traffic filtering framework. If you want a copy of this document, email me at

d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com 

Damien
IRG