Safety Initiative

I am getting a little bit annoyed at some of the responses I have been seeing on a couple of the forums I frequent regarding an initiative that the Queensland Govenment has taken in an effort to reduce the ever increasing two wheeled carnage on our roads. Everyone is so quick to pick holes in some of the information used. I am of the opinion that if any kind of initiative can make poeple at least think about how they ride, then it has done its job. It all stems from the mailout pictured below...


A lot of people have been very quick to question/criticise the statistics used, picking holes in the numbers as if it is a personal insult, but really, do they matter that much?? At least they are trying something - there is no quick fix for a lot of the carnage. Sure, the way in which we can obtain a license may not be right, but it aint gonna be fixed overnight. We all take some kind of risk when riding, and for some of us it may be the last thing we do - all they are trying to do is make us think a bit before doing something that could put our lives in serious jeopardy.

I think that we all need to ask ourselves what we are doing to preserve ourselves out on the road. Are our skills the best they could be? Mine aren't and I bet yours aren't either - there is always room for improvement. Just think about it - no one likes reading about a biker going down, and I believe that this is all they are trying to make us do. After all, we are resposible for our actions, so, think before you do whilst out on the road...and ride safe.

Check out the Motorcycle Safety website that also forms a part of the initiative launched by Queensland Transport and let me know your thoughts.

Airbag Protection....Coming Soon!

I recently read on the MCN website that Dainese are planning to sell an airbag equiped motorcycle suit to the public by 2010. It looks impressive in the way that it is small and how it provides much needed protection/support to a riders neck. A couple of prototypes were actually worn in the last race of the 125 and 250 classes of the 2007 MotoGP season at Valencia, and they were fully tested.

It won't be cheap judging by the technology that it uses, but at least we will have the option. Good on ya Dainese.

An Opinion....

I have been following a topic with interest on one of the forums I regularly visit regarding protective clothing and the police. Where I usually reside in Queensland, you don't often see cops wearing leather jackets on bikes through a large part of the year due to the weather conditions - summer is particularly hot & humid and makes life in leather very uncomfortable!! Adding to this, they usually don't spend a great deal of their time actually riding - they are either on the side of the road with a radar gun or dealing with some unlucky bastard who has just been pulled over.

Now, the general theme of this topic was the fact that the police should be setting an example to the general public with regards to safe motorcycling, and so wearing appropriate protective clothing, namely a leather or textile jacket. I do not agree with this. My opinion is that the wearing of protective clothing should be left to the individual rider - if I need to get on my bike and ride the 5 minutes around the corner to pick something up from the shop, then it is my decision - and mine only - as to whether I should wear just my tee shirt or a leather jacket. I sometimes enjoy riding with just a tee shirt as this adds to the feeling of freedom. I understand that I am putting myself at a greater risk, however, I beleive it should be left to me to weigh up the pros and cons.

To try and enforce a condition of protective clothing onto the police bikers because of so called OH&S issues as well as 'setting the right example' is not correct - these riders usually complete a much more advanced level of training than you or I and, although that doesn't eliminate the danger, it makes them more aware and provides them with the ability to make a more educated decision. And that is the decision of the rider and no one else.

I believe that if the enforcement of protective clothing was to be made compulsory for police riders, then it would eventually flow on to the average rider on the road. I agree with the enforcement of helmets in this country, but not the legalising of specific clothing - that is something that should be left to the individual rider.

We are not stupid - most people are wise enough and aware of the dangers of motorcycling. I have seen pictures of the results of wearing a tee shirt and hitting the bitumen as well as coming off my own bike wearing leather, knowing that it saved me a lot of my skin. However, I still believe that forcing me to don leather on every outing would make me think twice about whether to ride or take another form of transport.

This decision needs to be left to the individual - just a bikers opinion, that is all.

SMART Training

Finally got around to completing the SMART full day rider training on Saturday. Kat & I did previously attend but were not allowed to participate due to the condition of my tyres.

We arrived, registered and then gathered in a conference room at the Gold Coast City Council chambers at Bundall, where we were welcomed by the five HART trainers and then provided with some basics on positioning, cornering, risk management and maintenance. They then went through the agenda for the day - we would be covering some of the best and most popular roads in the hinterland on a fantastic day for riding, and would be split into groups of four or five so that we could be observed. All up there were 24 bikes including cruisers, tourers and sporties but only two of us were riding with pillions.

We headed out to our bikes in the car park for the first of a number of demos on braking - one of the guys went through the advantages of front versus rear brakes and covering your brakes in readiness. He then started showing off with some front wheel stoppies in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the front brakes - I gotta say they weren't too bad either!! We then split into groups with our designated trainers and set off.

We were able to use these great roads to practice what had been discussed - positioning, braking, cornering - I personally found it to be very well run and done as an open forum - no 'do as I say' but rather very positive and encouraging feedback. I did pick up that my approach to corners was too tight, and so limited my vision - by going in wide and exiting tight I am able to get a better view of the road further around the corner. It did take a little getting used to changing it, but by the end of the day, it was coming naturally. It was a real benefit for my riding. Well done guys, and a very, very big hats off to the Gold Coast City Council for making an effort to try and head off the sometimes reckless riding that takes place in the hinterland.

Unfortunately this was the last weekend it will be run until March of next year. I recommend that everyone try and do it - for $45 you get a shirt, cap, lunch as well as improving your riding skills - a bargain in anyones language!!

The route we followed

Stop 2 up near Springbrook

Stop 3 at Hinze Dam

Stop 6 at Upper Coomera

Agro Drivers

What is it with Brisbane drivers - why are a lot of them so bloody agro? I was happily making my way into work this morning, a bit later than usual, so the traffic was heavier than what I normally ride in. I made my way to the Wynnum & Manly Rd intersection and filtered through the traffic almost to the front, sitting behind a guy at the front in a blue Falcon. The lights turn green and we roll off - just as the Falcon enters the intersection a 4WD turns into our lane from Belmont Rd. This is when it got interesting.

The guy driving the Falcon sped up and sat right behind the 4WD sitting on his horn and flashing his hazard lights, as if he had been cut off. In my opinion, the 4WD had enough room and time to slot into the traffic without causing any issue, but Mr Agro in the Falcon thought otherwise! He continued to sit right behind him, and may have even nudged him, he was that close. I watched this from about 20 metres behind the Falcon, dropping back to avoid anything that may have happened. As we rounded the slight bend I could see a fully laden truck that was parked out the front of the Tingalpa Hotel delivering steel, so I moved into the middle lane. You could just see that something was going to happen - the 4WD was able to move out of the blocked lane and in front of another vehicle just before the parked truck. But Mr Agro wasn't so lucky. He slammed into the back of the truck doing about 70kmh.

As he hit the truck the back of his car became airborne and swung around, partly blocking my lane. Glass and plastic were spat into my path and for a second I thought I was heading straight into his rear passenger side door. I immediately hit the picks, but in doing so locked it up on a piece of the Falcons plastic. I released my brakes and safely made it around, pulling over in front of the truck. I quickly got off the GSX and ran back to see if he was ok, cause it was an almighty hit. He seemed fine, although very lucky that he wasn't injured. I only stayed on the scene long enough to make sure he was alright, and once I spoke with him I left. I didn't want to hang around because the whole thing was his own fault. Had he just let the 4WD go and stayed calm, it probably wouldn't have happened.

I got to work and am still a little shaken up as I type - another near miss, phew! I could have really made use of a helmetcam this morning.

DEJAVU???

I didn't realize until last night....on my way into work yesterday morning the traffic was held up at Morningside, the spot where I had my close call from last week. I managed to get to the front of the traffic and it appeared to be a single vehicle accident in the wet & slippery conditions. Traffic was diverted around the scene through back streets, and I thought nothing more of it. Wasn't till I got home last night and caught a bit of the news that I realised what had happened.

A motorcyclist and a car had collided and unfortunately the rider did not survive. At the time that I rode past earlier in the day I was unable to see the bike as there were a couple of firetrucks restricting my view. The scary thing is that this happened in exactly the same spot that I was nearly KO'd last week - I don't know the details of how this accident happened but I do know that this part of road is very slippery in the wet due to the number of painted lines and the spots of diesel from the many trucks. My thoughts go to the riders family and friends - it is never easy when you hear news like this, and for me personally, it really brings life into perspective, especially as I nearly met the same fate in the same place just a few days earlier.

Related News Story

Wednesday Heartstarter

Phew!!!!! Just got into work and my heart is till pounding away. About 20 minutes ago I was happily riding along Wynnum Rd passing through Morningside when it happened - a young guy driving a beat up old Magna decides to drive out of a shop carpark on the side of the road and directly into my path.

I saw him coming but thought he would pull up as nearly all do - uh uh. He just drove straight into my path, leaving me no time at all to brake. I prepared myself for the inevitable whilst swerving in an attempt to avoid him. Luckily I pulled right hard enough to miss the front of his car by about 6 inches and the median strip by about 12, whilst managing to stay upright. There was no other traffic around me, so fortunately I had an out! I just caught the look on his face as I passed and he looked surprised, as if he didn't know what I was doing there. I immediately slowed up and waited for him to pull alongside - the driver was just a kid. He immediately apologised to me whilst I "politely" informed him to take a little longer and look next time.

You know the worst thing about this - he didn't even bother to look for oncoming traffic - just drove straight out and almost put me out. Oh well....I'm still here!! Lesson learnt => always expect the unexpected.

No SMART....But New Tyres

Kat and I got up early on Saturday morning to participate in SMART - a day long advanced rider training course put on by the Gold Coast City Council. I thought it would be good for Kat to come along so she could at least learn some basic safety before learning to ride herself.

We arived at the council chambers at Bundall and proceeded indoors to the training room where they had set up a motorcycle simulator for us to have a go on (I didn't get to it) whilst waiting to sign in and do license checks. Once we were all present the guys kicked the day off with introductions and then some basic stuff on protective gear and what the agenda for the day was. As all this was going on, one of the trainers left and as I found out, checked our bikes for registration and roadworthiness. On return he called out a few bikes asking where the rego label was and then asked me to step outside. He then said to me that he could not allow me to participate on the course this particular day as my rear tyre was not roadworthy! I realised that I was due for a new one but was a little surprised when he told me as I thought that it would have been ok.

I went back into the training room and sat through the rest of the introductory session until we all headed out to the bikes - it was then that I informed Kat and whilst we were both a little dissapointed it was a fair decision. We left Bundall and headed straight down to the Motorcycle Tyre Shop on Lawrence Drive at Nerang. I got one of the guys to check front and rear tyres out and he said that my front was scalloped and so would be best to replace both. I decided on the Michelin Pilot Roads as this was what I had on the back and wanted to convert the front to the same. I gave him the ok and we then headed off to check out the other bike shops along the street. We managed to browse through a few dealerships before returning to pick up the GSX in her new "shoes".

All up it cost $450 fitted and balanced which I thought was a pretty good price for these tyres. I know.....it was a big shock to a former cruiser rider who was used to paying just over $200 for both, but it is a very different bike and it does require a good quality tyre. The ride back to Kingscliff was spent getting a feel for the new rubber - I had worn a flat spot into my old rear so was getting used to the handling again.

So I had to settle for new tyres instead of a day of training - a good investment either way. We managed to reschedule our SMART day to mid September, the last weekend for the year that it is being run - really looking forward to it.

Nearly.....

Phew, I was lucky this morning on the way into work. I took my usual route through Cooparoo to check my mail box and reached the Stanley Street intersection where I was forced to look directly into the early morning sun for traffic. I saw what I thought was a gap and took off to merge when I hear a horn and check my mirrors to see a lady very hard on the brakes and right behind me. Obviously I had not seen her and had ridden directly into her path. This near miss really only hit me when I got off the bike at work (my heart is still pounding now) - I was extremely lucky not to be spread across the road. She did a good job in trying to avoid hitting me and for that I thank her, whoever she is.

This incident was totally my own fault. Another example of not looking hard enough - us bike riders can never take anything for granted!

Bernie Smith - Rest In Peace

I try to take a realistic view of life riding a motorcycle....the great times on the road, the friendships along with the risks we all take. On this last Monday an accident occurred where a guy (Bernie Smith from the Coomera Cruisers) lost his life while riding to work on a quiteish section of road at Oxenford on the Gold Coast, and that kind of shook me a bit. I didn't know him, but it really made me stop and think that it can happen anywhere, any time - I also thought of his family and friends, and what they must be going through right now.

I heard about the accident on the news but was made more aware of it through one of the forums that I hang around on. I read a post that was written by someone who was on the scene immediately (it is a little graphic)....

(I had initially posted what I read but have since removed it from here by request of a family member)

My thoughts go out to Bernie's family as well as the Coomera Cruisers at this time.

Footnote:
Something that I found a little concerning was a report of the accident that appeared in the Gold Coast Bulletin. It included an interview with one of Bernie's friends who was clearly upset over what had happened and according to the gutless reporter-with-no-name, he threatened to "burn down the Gold Coast Bulletin offices if the paper accused Bernie of being at fault". Why did they have to publish that?? The guy is upset over the death of a mate and annoyed at the constant media hype over "crazy motorcyclists" - talk about trashy, cheap-ass reporting by someone who won't put their name to a story.

Advanced Rider Training

I have just enrolled myself in one of the Sunday sessions of the Safer Motorcycle Advanced Rider Training (SMART) Program. These are put on by the Gold Coast City Council and are only $45, which I think is a really good deal. I don't think any competant rider would believe for one second that this training would not be of benefit - I know I am always looking for ways to broaden my riding skills, however these training days are normally quite expensive.

The Gold Coast City Council should be commended for providing this and for subsidising the cost - this will surely increase attendance numbers and be of great benefit to all attendees. They have taken a big step towards reducing the biker road toll in their region - the state government needs to take notice of what they are doing and look at more positive ways of reducing the road toll instead of the money grabbing speed cameras/radars.

It is a full day of training covering the following.....

For further details check out the info page on their website here.

Dodgey Knee

I went round and visited Dodge last night. He is currently staying with Eddie and Lynne as he is not that mobile - bloody hell he's gettin' well looked after too. He is recovering well with the pain in his back slowly going and his knee, while still puffy from the operation, looks to be on the mend. Does look pretty gruesome though with all the staples in it!!

Dodge's left knee showing all the staples from his reco

He contacted his insurance company beginning of the week and they have already had an assessor out to check his bike out. Their verdict was that it is repairable, so it looks like the Triumph was not a write-off after all. Dodge reckons that they should start work on it after the Easter break - will probably be ready to roll again before he is!!!! Obviously he is fairly keen to get back in the saddle, but I can't see him on it again for at least a few weeks - still at least another week or two till he can put any weight on it.

As a sideline, isn't it funny how both Steve's and Dodge's Trumpy's are in the shop at the moment?? Go the Triumph's, hey Dodge!!!

Disc Lock Moment

Ever had one of those moments where you jump on your bike and take off, only to find that you forgot to remove your disc lock?? Well I did yesterday and I dropped the bike - AGAIN!

I had to take my daughter to the local hospital for a check up - nothing too serious - and as my bike was parked in an isolated area, I decided to use my disc lock. We went in, and about an hour later we were out. On returning to the bike I started it up, we put on our lids and I got on. Cass got on the back and after checking she was ready, we moved off slowly turning to the left. Then....it happened - the disc lock hit the brake caliper and the front end took a big dive.

Because I was slowly turning the bike and had extra weight on the back, it lurched to the left and down we went. I quickly slid out from underneath and got her upright. I made sure that Cass was alright, then removed the offending lock from my front disc. No injuries to either of us but the X wasn't so lucky - the clutch lever was bent slightly and the left rear turn signal housing was crushed. Fortunately, nothing too bad as I was able to cushion the fall. The left rear turn signal was damaged when I went down a couple of months ago, and so I had already purchased another second hand one - just hadn't fitted it.

So last night I spent some time replacing the damaged turn signal, all the while cursing myself for letting this happen. I usually check my front disc for the lock before jumping on the bike, but for some reason yesterday I didn't. Unlike a car, motorbikes are very non-forgiving and if you are not focussed, you pay the price. This time for me it was just a bruised ego and some minor damage.

Think I'll go out and buy one of these reminder-cables!

Please Look Twice

The Motorcycle Council of New South Wales has produced some effective adverts and I reckon have managed to do a great job. They have paid to have these indexed and coded into the media libraries of EVERY TV STATION around Australia, so hopefully we will start seeing them soon.

Check them out here.

MotoGP

I always knew these bastards were mad.....some incredible footage in this clip set to some great music. Checkout some of the powerslides and monos.....woah!! Enjoy.

MotoGP - video powered by Metacafe

Indecisive Drivers

Well it happened again this morning!! I was on my way into work at about 6am. It was still dark but the sun was on it's way. As usual I pulled up at the intersection of Manly and Wynnum Roads, sitting on the inside lane of Manly Road. Now I ride with my high beam and spotties on at this time of morning coz there is always someone who is still half asleep. Anyway, the lights turn red for the Wynnum Road traffic and I see a car approaching the intersection on my left to turn onto Manly Road into my lane. The lights turn green and I move off - as I get to the middle of the intersection, this idiot decides to try and beat the traffic and so starts pulling out into my lane. He then changes his mind and slows down, but then changes his mind again and takes off, cutting me off and moving into the middle lane. Obviously I had to brake heavily to avoid him but I kind of half expected him to do this, so was prepared.

I don't usually give it to cagers that do things like this, but what this guy did was just plain stupid. There is no way he would not have seen me with all my lights on. I pulled up along side him and yelled at him to open his eyes, but instead of giving me a wave of apology which most people will do, this dickhead just looked at me and kept on driving.

I just cannot understand why people do this sort of thing - once you make a decision to go, then you just go - indecisive drivers are very, very dangerous. I have experienced cagers pulling out in front of me at this intersection before, but all of them have moved quickly and I only ever needed to touch the brakes, if at all, to avoid them.

Ahhhhh.....just frustrated at the stupidity of this guy. Glad I got that of my chest!!

This is what my bike looks like when lit up - how could he not see it??

A Sobering Reminder Of The Risks We Take

I thought I would include this link to make you aware of what can happen when things don't go as planned on a bike. Some of you may well have seen this site - for those that haven't just be prepared, as it is very graphic.

Hopefully this will make us all think a bit before taking that unnecessary risk.

www.ride2die.com