Road Death. Cause and effect? (Or how we learned to blame the victim).

[Ducatamount]

That I agree with you wont really mater if this thread gets locked due to political commentary.

Will someone explain why political commentary is off-limits,particularly if it pertains to motorcycles? Seems ridiculous.

[ducpainter]

Will someone explain why political commentary is off-limits,particularly if it pertains to motorcycles? Seems ridiculous.

Because from experience, our members are not mature enough to discuss without resorting to flaming and other less than adult practices.

It's the rules.

There are other forums that allow that if that is your cup of tea.

[ungeheuer]

Hey Unge
Should this thread go back to the Ozmonsters site?

No mate, there's already a thread on the same subject back home in OzMo.  I intentionally posted here for the rest of the world to see.  And to gather their "untainted" opinions  .

Legitimate Road training for ALL car drivers won't happen in most western countries due to the 'right' vs 'privilege' mentality of driving.

Sad but true.

Wire rope barriers and other hazards still exist despite promises....

Still exist? Mate they're still installing new wire rope barriers by the effing km..... makes me wanna buy a battery operated angle grinder  .  Dont get me started on that subject.

The real issue is you guys drive on the wrong side of the road. If you drove on the right side the car could have made the turn without crossing the riders path.

Hilarious  .  Just hold a mirror up to the screen and see if you're correct.

[Privateer]

while it is true that car/motorcycle collisions are usually the fault of the car's driver, does right of way really matter when you're picking yourself up off the ground, or worse?

Motorcycle speed is difficult for drivers to judge (generally), especially head on.  Slowing down will give you (general you) time to react and time for them to see (actually see, not look through you).

sure 8kmh isn't really that much of a difference, but the point I got was "slow down in town."  It shocks me how fast some riders go on the street.  Highway or open road is one thing, but around town?  leave 10 minutes earlier and enjoy the ride.

[koko64]

No mate, there's already a thread on the same subject back home in OzMo.  I intentionally posted here for the rest of the world to see.  And to gather their "untainted" opinions  .

Still exist? Mate they're still installing new wire rope barriers by the effing km..... makes me wanna buy a battery operated angle grinder  .  Dont get me started on that subject.

Cool Unge, fair enough.
If things get bad enough, I'll seek refugee status in Spain. Sure their economy is stuffed, but they love motorbikes, even the king rides motorbikes.
Ambulance officers have strong opinions about the threat of wire rope barriers to motorcyclists, thats for sure.  Other countries remove or modify them.

[Raux]

In the states for the reflector markers they use corrugated metal posts like you use for a small chainlink fence 
In Europe, they are plastic breakaways.

[sgollapalle]

Legitimate Road training for ALL car drivers won't happen in most western countries due to the 'right' vs 'privilege' mentality of driving.
In Germany, it's a privilege, they pay ALOT of money for a lot of driver training. So, losing that privilege due to incompetence becomes an economic issue for drivers.
In the states, it's a 'right' at 16. They take a class in school for half a year with about 3hrs or less in car training and bam, you have a right to do whatever you want on the road. There's no probationary period like in Germany.

German sample laws
•First you must be at least 18 years of age.
•After you have completed the driver education course and school you are on probation for 2 years. During these 2 years a lesser driving violation would require you to re-take the driver education course. A more serious driving violation would call for your driver's license to be revoked. In either case when your driver's license has been granted once again you will be on probation for 4 years.
•The driver training course covers almost 28 hours of classroom education followed by 35 hours of driving school on the road to cover varying conditions of day, night and autobahn experience with an instructor.

That's just for car drivers. For motorcycles, it's even harder with the stepped system.
I WISH the states were like this.

I left a country because EVERYONE thought 'Speed Kills'. Speed DOESN'T Kill, stupidity DOES! America is becoming the same way these days.. I see people driving 10 mph below the speed limit on a nice dry sunny day and 20 mph over when there is snow on the ground! And then I see these electronic signs on the highways that say 'Slow down and save a life'... I think its just hilarious!

[thought]

Does OZ have on group like the AMA?

And what's worse about that commercial is that the rider was even wearing a level of gear that most people wont on the street.  So he was basically doing almost everything he could right.

[KnightofNi]

I don't like the ad at all. and not just because the physics seem really messed up.

while it is true that car/motorcycle collisions are usually the fault of the car's driver, does right of way really matter when you're picking yourself up off the ground, or worse?

What right-of-way did for me is allow me to heal without worrying about how much all the surgery, doctor visits, and PT were going to cost me.
so yes, it does really matter when you are picking yourself up off the ground. it just doesn't keep the accident from happening.

[OT]

FWIW - Dating myself....used to be an advert theme (late 60s/early 70s?) to promote defensive driving and use of seat belts (in those cars that had them) that showed a mashed car with the carcasses of the occupants.  Punch line was something like..."they had the right of way, now they're Dead Right".

[koko64]

Thats true for sure. If only the ad was in that spirit we would know it was for our safety and not to marginalize us. Examine the subjective content.
There have been a series of ads that have been building a case against us which portray motorcyclists as reckless, irresponsible road users. Its a really dangerous attitude being encouraged among car drivers.
I can only think of two ads in recent years that I could honestly say genuinely promoted respect from car drivers.
Unfortunately a small minority of motorcyclists are being portrayed as the norm. It's infuriating.

[R0CKETMAN]

Stupid ad video. For one the rider is riding on the wrong side of the road..lol

Secondly if he was going say 78 km he would have passed by before the car even made the turn.

[koko64]

Does OZ have on group like the AMA?

And what's worse about that commercial is that the rider was even wearing a level of gear that most people wont on the street.  So he was basically doing almost everything he could right.

In my state, Victoria, the lobby group imploded due to political infighting among other things. We need a new one.

[ungeheuer]

In my state, Victoria, the lobby group imploded due to political infighting among other things. We need a new national one.

Fixed it for ya 

[Toolshed]

My first post on this forum and I am sorry but that advertisement is bull crap. right where The Officer says "Let's change one small thing" where they roll back the speedometer, You could just edit that out and do a whole new series of commercials such as "If the driver had finished her texting, the rider would have passed without making contact". Clearly the commercial had an agenda and unfortunately it did paint a poor light on riders. Does anyone know how to edit video and dub audio? I think we could have fun creating hypothetical situations with that video