WRITE TO YOUR LOCAL MP

The more people who contact their local MP, the more effect it will have. That's how our democracy works. Letting someone else do it just means the people making the most "noise" have the greatest influence. As far as a politician is concerned the loudest group is the one that influences the most votes.

Contact your MP.

www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members

Here's a reply to a riders who got in touch with his MP. Ken Wilson wrote to Steve Herbert MP who passed it on to the Minister for Roads and the Shadow Minister.

Contact your MP. Use this link.

www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members

Want to know more about how to defend your right to ride by using your democracy? Call 03 8682 2653 and ask them to post you out a copy. IT'S FREE! No steak knives though.

It's your democracy. If you don't use it, you could lose it.

Damien Codognotto OAM
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne

PIMSS RECOMMENDATIONS ANNOUNCEMENT

The Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into motorcycle & scooter safety produced 64 recommendations. These were tabled at Parliament House in Melbourne in December 2012. The Government had 6 months to say what it would do with the PIMSS recommendations.

Time's up next week.

Oddly, we can't find out where, when or how the Government's decisions will be announced.

This is a once in 20 year inquiry. The recommendations are very important.

The Independent Riders' Group would like to be at any PIMSS announcement. Any info would be most welcome.

RADIO SHOW FOR RIDERS

ON RIDE THIS TUESDAY NIGHT FROM 7PM

• C J Burns from the Motorcycle Council comes in to chat about the latest green slip crisis in NSW
• We update on how the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry Recommendations are progressing at a government level
• We look forward to this year's Australian Moto GP at Phillip Island
• And we ask which are the best motorcycle rides in Australia

So don't forget to tune in 7pm-9pm Sydney time on Alive 90.5 FM or listen online on the Alive website and smart phone.

Ride is proudly sponsored by:

Fraser Motorcycles: check out their stores in Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle, Melbourne and Perth.

Newhaven Park House Bathurst for your AGM, weekend ride or just lunch   www.newhavenparkhouse.com.au .

            

WHO DREW THIS LOGO?

"Nearly 20 years ago  I bought a t shirt with this logo on a right to
ride  poker  run.  I  was told the artist was with the God's Squad but
that was never confirmed. I'd like to find him/her if possible because
I'd like to use an updated version of the logo on a black shirt.

In  2013/14  our right to ride is still under threat. Selling t shirts
helps fund the Independent Riders' Group's work to defend our right to
ride.

If    anyone    knows    the   artist,   I   can   be   contacted   at
d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com

Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne

FOOTPATH PARKING TO BE ATTACKED AGAIN?

Next issue on the Engineering agenda in Melbourne is to remove on footpath parking in the City.  If we remain silent we will be defeated.  This is how the City of Melbourne operates. 

Anthony van der Craats

South Yarra

0403 378 111

http://melbournecitycouncil,blogspot.com

  From: Melbcity [mailto:Melbcity@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 29 May 2013 13:00
To: 'd.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com'
Cc: 'okeh1@bigpond.com'; 'h.ellis@bigpond.com'; 'MC1@pobox.com'; 'rod.brown72@gmail.com'
Subject: RE: MEETING REGARDING MOTORCYCLE ISSUES

City of Melbourne pushes ahead with proposed lane closure on Princes Bridge.  No consideration given to Motorcyclist/Scooter riders who will have to queue up with Cars and drivers competing for access to a single lane to cross Princes Bridge

The Council claims it will initiate a single lane North bound trial.  This is a con as we all know that the trial will be made permanent.

We need a meeting to discuss next moves and City Council 4 year plan Deadline for submissions June 7


We need to follow uop on the issues raised and I suggest you review the City of Melbourne for year plan and budget
[4 yr Plan and Council Budget]
The submission does not have to be in detail but should summarize the discussion and action points raised in the meeting and request that the Council include funds for the development of a Motorcycle/Scooter rider strategy plan to be developed.

The draft Annual Plan and Budget 2013-14 is now out for statutory consultation.

Council’s Future Melbourne Committee will consider any written submission received on or before Friday 7 June 2013, at a meeting to be held on Tuesday 18 June 2013 at 5.30pm in the Council Meeting Room, level two, Melbourne Town Hall, Swanston Street, Melbourne.

If a person wishes to be heard in support of their submission they must include the request to be heard in the submission and this will entitle them to appear in person or by a person acting on their behalf before the meeting of the Committee.

The postal address for written submissions is:
Manager Governance Services
City of Melbourne
GPO Box 1603
Melbourne VIC 3001

Anthony

You failed to mention the impact on Motorcyclist and Scooter riders?

The City Council has demonstrated nothing but contempt.  City Engineers meet with motorcycle scooter risers concerned  that the Council has ignored safety issues affecting Motorbikes.  The Council undertook to consult prior to implementing any further changes.  There was an agreement that the City Council would undertake a review and develop a Motorcycle Strategy plan and that the needs of motorcyclists would be taken into consideration.  Clearly they have not acted in good faith as the proposed lane closure on Princes Bridge has not taken into consideration Motorcyclists need. 

Princess bridge is a main access rout and the removal of car lanes directly impacts on motorcycle/Scooter riders safety.   Many of the bike lanes are empty. There is nowhere near 5500 bikes using Swanston Street/St Kilda Rd. May on a hot summer day or a ride to work week.

There are more motorcycle/scooter riders than bicyclists using the city.

Residents’ South of the Yarra have also been not consulted and they are the most affected by this proposal.

If the Council wants to restrict traffic flow along princes Bridge then it needs to provide an alternative river crossing route. A bridge across the Yarra river connecting to Batman Avenue should be built

Motorcycles/.Scooters should be able to use underused bike lanes to move ahead of the traffic. They are at risk as much as Cyclists are yet nothing is being done to make travel in the city road safer.  In fact they are getting worst

SHARE THE ROAD 

TAC TAX TED

TO ALL VICTORIAN MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

TAC TAX TED

The  Hon  Ted Baillieu MP promised to rid us of the TAC's antibike tax
while in Opposition, but as Premier, he didn't.

Before  that, C2002, The Hon Dr Denis Napthine MP promised motorcycle & scooter riders on the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne, that the TAC tax would be abolished when the Coalition got into government.  

Dr Napthine is now Premier. His promise is supported by the Parliamentary Inquiry into Motorcycle & Scooter Safety. Recommendation 25 is to abolish the TAC tax.

The Government has to respond to the PIMSS report and recommendations by June 15, 2013.

Victoria's 325,000+ bike licence holders want the TAC tax gone now and the other PIMSS
recommendations adopted before the 2014 Victorian elections.

www.parliament.vic.gov.au/rsc/inquiries/article/1409

The Wangaratta Chronicle.

Friday, October 6, 2006.

Damien Codognotto OAM

Spokesman

Independent Riders' Group

Melbourne

www.damiencodognottooam.blogspot.com

WA POLICE SURVEY

"If you want to avoid being killed or suffer a serious injury ... you should not be getting a motorcycle." WA Assistant Commissioner of Police.

WHAT RUBBISH!

This propaganda is presented as credible information based on real science. To me this newspaper article demonstrates police attitudes to riders. Regardless of the facts, blame the victim.

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/most-riders-at-fault-in-bike-deaths/story-e6frfkp9-1226645968537

INDEPENDENT RIDERS' GROUP member from Queensland, Peter G sent this in. He inquired about the credibility of police research(?) published by a perth newspaper. The link is in a previous blog. By following this very negative story on bikes back to the source, Peter made police aware that riders are watching what they do and will react through proper channels.

If you've been thinking about writing a letter to the media and/or your member of parliament, please do. Better still, go see you MP. Let us know how you go.

If 1 person does it, it's a chip off the iceberg of prejudice and ignorance that plagues motorcycle and scooter riders. If 100 people do it, we make a bloody big hole in it. If 1000 people do it we might just break the berg up.

In Victoria we have just 2 weeks to go until the government has to announce its' decisions on the recommendations from the parliamentary inquiry into motorcycle & scooter safety tabled in December 2012.

www.parliament.vic.gov.au/rsc/inquiries/article/1409

Here's the contacts for you local Vic MPs.

parliament.vic.gov.au/members

This is a great country. Its' your democracy. Use it or you'll lose it.

Damien
IRG
Melbourne
******************************************************************************

To: WAPS Reply
Subject: Contact Us message from WA Police Web Site
Importance: High

**************************************************************************************
EMAIL FROM: www.police.wa.gov.au  PAGE: Contact Us
**************************************************************************************
From: WAPS Reply
Sent: Monday, 27 May 2013 10:46
To: Police Media SMAIL
Subject: File No: gawithpeter240513
Importance: High

I would appreciate your assistance with the below email received through the WAPOL Website feedback form.

The author has _NOT_ received an automated acknowledgement and your portfolio/business unit is required to RESPOND DIRECTLY to him/her as per EMAIL POLICY in COPS MANUAL AD-52.21.

Please forward a COPY (cc) of your response to WAPS Reply, quoting the above file number in the SUBJECT FIELD for placement on file.

If you are _NOT_ the area responsible for answering this email could you please FORWARD and advise which area is suitable to respond.

Thank you,

WAPS Reply
27/05/2013

On Mon, May 27, 2013 at 12:56 PM, DINNISON Samuel [PD87343] <Samuel.Dinnison@police.wa.gov.au> wrote:

Hi Peter,

Due to a series of fatal crashes involving motorcycle riders we conducted a detailed analysis of 30 fatal motorcycle crashes between January 2012 and April 2013.

Unfortunately we are not able to release the full set of raw data as it would be possible to identify the deceased people from the timing of the crash, their age, etc and all the linked information regarding their previous driving offending would then be known, and we are not allowed to reveal a persons previous history.

We are however working to provide a few case study examples to the media to further highlight the findings of our research, without breaching privacy laws. The key points we provided The Sunday Times were:

* The most at risk group would appear to be riders in the age group 25-40 years of age.
* Unlicensed riders and riders in their first 3 months of licensed riding are very much overrepresented
in these fatal traffic crashes.
* Half of the riders in these crashes were riding a motorcycle that was either unlicensed or
had come into their possession less than 3 months before the crash.
* In the vast majority of these crashes (77%) the rider of the motorcycle was the at fault
person.
* 17 out of the 26 riders(65%), whose results had been received, were found to had
alcohol or drugs at a level that was either in excess of legislated limits or to a level likely
to have affected their ability to control a vehicle.
* 26 (87%) of the riders from these crashes had prior traffic records demonstrating that
they had previously been charged, in many cases multiple times, for offences similar to
the 4 main causes of these crashes i.e. Dangerous/Reckless Driving, Drink Driving,
speeding or careless/inattentive driving.
* 4 (13%) of the riders from these crashes had no prior traffic records, but they were
determined to be the at fault driver with the causes of the crashes being 3 of the same 4
main causes i.e. Drink Driving, speeding and careless/inattentive driving.

Please remember these statistics relate to fatal crashes only, and not minor crashes that motorcycle riders may be involved in, which may have different factors contributing to them.

Regards

Samuel Dinnison
Police Media Unit

From: Peter G
Date: Wed, May 29, 2013 at 5:40 AM
Subject: Re: FW: File No: gawithpeter240513
To: "DINNISON Samuel [PD87343]" <Samuel.Dinnison@police.wa.gov.au>

Hi Samuel,

thank you kindly for the reply to my request for information of the WA Police study of motorcycle fatalities. It is an alarming read.

Made more so by the fact that the WA assistant commissioner has come out with some bold assumptions about motorcyclist behavior and has promised to "target" them "for their own good".

Given that there are over 300,000 motorcycle licenses held in WA and 96,000 registered motorcycles (as per the Phil Hickey article that the study was quoted in) this could have serious negative ramifications on those motorcyclists that are enjoying their two wheels in a sensible manner as well as deterring others from taking up the sport or opting to use a motorcycle/scooter as sensible commuter transport. 

The assistant commissioner didn't mince his words as to where he stood on motorcycles."People won't like this, but I'll say it: If you want to avoid being killed or suffer a serious injury, from a pure statistical perspective you should not be getting a motorcycle." 

I'm not a statistician, but the assistant commissioner's statement appears to draw a long bow given how many motorcycles and licensed riders there are in WA. The data he quotes from must be seen as sound and stand up to analysis. Otherwise it would be an injustice to use it to target a section of the public. 

This has prompted me to write to you and seek some further clarity regarding the study that the assistant commissioner has quoted from.

I appreciate your comments on privacy laws. 

However, there is opportunity to provide some detail from the study without breaching them and you will see from the attachment that there are questions that can be answered without in any way compromising the persons right to maintain anonymity and for you to stay within the law. I ask that you read it and provide answers where you are lawfully able.

The motivation behind this request is to ensure that we, the motoring public, are informed (with good data) as to the reasons our police services arrive at their actions and what we should be doing to ensure safety is our first priority when using the public roads.

I appreciate your time on this matter and look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Kind regards

Peter G

Will let you know how I go.

Regards

Peter G

I.R.G 

QLD