Calling All Motorcycle Riders, I Know There Are A Few Of You!

[JamesK]

I wrote this up for another website but I thought it might be appreciated here as well. If you haven't heard about it already the Victorian Parliament had an open forum into motorcycle safety across the state where organizations and companies have submitted proposal of issues which they believe should be considered in the Motorcycle Safety inquiry, expected to be concluded in December. A proposal by the Victoria Police has angered a large portion motorcycle community by proposing several new laws. I have quickly outline all the proposed points and little tidbits of information which may be hidden in the paper, please read carefully and make your own opinions.

Please be noted I do not have a issue with all proposals (just the ridiculous ones) but it doesn't mean I think they are fair on other riders either, I have tried to write this up in an unbiased nature but obviously I will always be biased since I am a rider.

1. The requirement of a front license plate (This can be in sticker form)

2. The MINIMUM WEARING of FIVE high visibility protective clothing

Yes you read this right if you ride a sportsbike, a superbike, a cruiser, or even a VESPA you need to be wearing HIGH VISIBILITY (Fluoro) this means the following items have to be high vis (Unless you can think of something else to wear that would make up the 5 articles).

* Helmet

* Jacket

* Gloves

* Pants

* Boots

All clothing has to meet Australian Standards....this also applies to Pillions

3. The creation of the standard which regulates the clothing mandates

4. Graduated motorcycle licencing system (Restrictions are lifted the longer you hold your license)

5. Separate the motorcycle class from automotive license (like getting your boat license)

6. Unique easily identifiable license plates (as motorcycles)

7. A new motorcycle advisory body which represents Victoria police (like MRA but with cops)

8. Recommends lane splitting/filtering should be studied and laws be implemented on it's conclusion (It's a grey area atm)

* Until such studies are concluded it should be deemed an unlawful act

9. Clear separation between on and off road motorcycles

*Particularly the ability to access hospital attendance records for motorcyclist riders to check valid off-road registration

10. Update of the Strategic Action Plan for Powered Two Wheelers (I'm not 100% what this is, so I'm not going to try to explain it)

11. ANCAP Like Safety rating on new purchases

*Although this seems pointless to me, since the ability for a motorcycle to take a crash does not do anything for the rider, there is one good point, the requirement of ABS on new motorcycles (the only issue I have of this is the fact that ABS on motorcycles is still a new technology, the mandatory implementation on new motorcycles in Victoria may hinder the introduction of new vehicles from manufacturers)

12. Training/Reeducation for returning motorcycle riders

I tried to write this as simply as I can, maintain an unbiased view (which is impossible because I'm a rider) and just point out the clear facts. Do what you want with this information but if this infuriates you that it does me I encourage you to read the whole PDF (which is not very long) voice your opinion publicly.

Other Issues being protested, not in this proposal

* .02 BAC Limit

* Anti-Association Laws (Guilt by association)

Actual PDF: http://www.parliamen...tm_medium=email

Edited October 31, 2012 by JamesK

[CrispyFries]

2. The MINIMUM WEARING of FIVE high visibility protective clothing

Yes you read this right if you ride a sportsbike, a superbike, a cruiser, or even a VESPA you need to be wearing HIGH VISIBILITY (Fluoro) this means the following items have to be high vis (Unless you can think of something else to wear that would make up the 5 articles).

* Helmet

* Jacket

* Gloves

* Pants

* Boots

All clothing has to meet Australian Standards....this also applies to Pillions

Agree with protective clothing, not with high-vis. Especially gloves and boots, no one makes that shit.

Why not make all cars hi vis too then - there'd be less accidents.... apparently

Hi-vis + siren + flashing light still doesn't work

Better driver education/training on spotting things that aren't cars would be good (or even just in general...)

[dex_911]

The whole issue of safety lies with the training quality and time.

How in Australia you can get your L's and start riding on the road within 2 weeks is beyond me. It's like they teach you the basics over a few hours and expect you to learn the rest yourself!

I trained overseas (Singapore) where they realised that because of how expensive cars are over there, people will resort to 2 wheel transport - Hence the need for a comprehensive training system. On average it takes people 5-6 months to get your motorcycle licence, and that is while attending a school and learning on circuits designed for 2 wheels. On the last 2 months of training you are out on the real roads with instructors who are constantly monitoring you and providing a safety barrier for you.

It took me 5 months from start to finish with multiple testing in-between to earn my motorcycle licence. And over there, it isn’t an automatic step up to any size bike after a year either. I had to go back and re-train after a year to get my 400cc licence. Then again for my ‘open’ class licence.

I could be wearing the most glow in the dark piece of crap and it won’t save me. You need good training in how to handle traffic situations on 2 wheels, and you can’t learn that on your own. I have been riding for 5 years (4 of those years was every single day as my main form of transport) and it’s the training I had in the beginning that saved my skin on countless occasions.

More training to make better riders..that’s where it should be.

Edited November 1, 2012 by dex_911

[Little]

We're already an oppressive nanny state without all this bullshit.

Unrelated;I came off near my house last night because i'd gotten chain lube on my back tyre. I was in the middle of the road for a bit; had three people watching and two cars went around me; not one of them asked if i was okay.

[dex_911]

We're already an oppressive nanny state without all this bullshit.

Unrelated;I came off near my house last night because i'd gotten chain lube on my back tyre. I was in the middle of the road for a bit; had three people watching and two cars went around me; not one of them asked if i was okay.

I was riding a little CBR125 about 2 years ago...I broke hard and lost the front end in the wet. I hit the deck, ripping my jacket on the right side and the bike was all scuffed on that side too. I was a little bruised and shaken but ok..I had a mate riding with me, so he quickly parked and went to get me off the road. An older lady also helped me up..stopping her jeep right behind to make sure no one ran over me. There were 3 cars piling up behind her, and they were all beeping their horns for her to move!

I was standing there holding my arm in pain staring at these ass holes thinking...some people..

[wokka wokka]

I don't mind mandating safety clothing, but not high vis, how do you dye leather to be high vis? is just having a strip of reflective material enough, or do they want 100% dayglo?

I have no ideas where a front plate would go on my bike, there is no surface that would take one.

I note there is no mention of better training for car drivers, the ones that never check what's around them.

You think training is a joke in Vic, when I got my licence in the UK it was worse (and probably still is). If you got your car licence before a certain date, you could just geton a 125 with L plates and ride off, having sat no written or practical test. I had a mate who could of done this, even though he didn't know which lever was the brake and which was the clutch, he sensibly did the 1 day intro course.

I did my licence as a 4 day course, that you could only do if you were over 21 (us 22 year olds were obviously waaayyy more mature then a 20 year old back then). I did the 1 day course for the basics, then rode about 10 times on a mates 100 cc, did a 4 day course on a 500, passed my test and then had an unrestricted licence, no P plates, no power restrictions, just ride what I wanted. Looking back it sounds dangeraous as f...