WHY WE CRASH INFOGRAPH & SUMMARY OF 2012 MOTORCYCLE SAFETY INQUIRY REPORT

Following my crash and partly due to the fact that I suddenly found myself with literally months of down time while in rehab, I thought it was high time I took a closer look at motorcycle safety data. My initial aim was to gain additional insight into the causes of road trauma between cars and motorcycles, but once I decided to write this blog, my focus changed and I decided to share and discuss some this data in the hope it assists Learner riders in avoiding becoming victims of road trauma.

As much as it pains me to say it, statistically injury and death are more likely to find Learner riders than any other group on the road, which is why having an understanding as to why collisions and road trauma occur is so important. An astute rider will gradually acquire much of this knowledge through experience, but many will only learn by having dangerous near misses, making potentially fatal errors and surviving unfamiliar situations due to nothing more than a combination of chance, fate and blind luck...ask any experienced rider and they will tell you when they were Learners they made all kinds of potentially fatal mistakes. Everybody makes them but tragically not everyone lives to tell the tale. Regardless of the type of rider error, the important thing is learning from those mistakes. 

Experienced riders and indeed every road user, see Learners making stupid mistakes every day. The crucial fact is Learner inexperience puts you at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to road safety. When you're in the highest risk group on the road, trial-and-error is definitely not the way to go.

My hope for this page is that it helps all riders, and in particular Learners, to develop a more complete understanding of their riding behaviour, the behaviour of drivers and how these two combine on the roads. My goal is to help new riders be safer, more informed and conscientious on the roads and avoid coming to grief. 

In the first section I use stats from an infograph that distills European crash data that demonstrate common trends and the correlation between road trauma, rider and driver behaviour. These trends are pretty much the same as road trauma trends in most industrialised countries the world over and it's presented in a cool infographic that's easy to understand, visually appealing and all the things a good infographic should be. Knowledge is power, as they say and being aware of the dangers you will face is the best way to reduce your risk of serious injury. Being around long enough to enjoy a long, safe life of riding and of is the aim here.

 

Many of the stats speak for themselves and yes, at times I may be pointing out the bleeding obvious, but what may be a glaringly obvious observation to a more experienced rider may come as a revelation to a less experienced Learner. I'm just trying to cover all the bases. So with that preamble out of the way, let's get into it.

 

80.2% of collisions involved another vehicle 

It demonstrates that the biggest danger to motorcyclists are other vehicles and that the vast majority of riders tend to AVOID the kinds of incidents described below. It also shows there are serious problems with the ability drivers to safely interact with motorcycles.

In only 15% of collisions was a bike the only vehicle involved. 

Again, the biggest threat to riders are other vehicles. The most obvious contributing factors to single  bike collisions would include inappropriate speed (See below) rider error, fatigue, adverse weather conditions, poor road surface, lack of concentration, and rider distraction. This stat demonstrates that riders are around four times more likely to be injured or killed by collisions with other vehicles than they are when riding alone. 

 In 65% of collisions, the driver made NO ATTEMPT to take evasive action. 

This suggests drivers were unaware a collision was imminent because they didn't either didn't see the rider or if they did, the driver either had no time to take evasive action or lacked the opportunity to do so. It also demonstrates the deficiencies in the overall maneuverability of cars in comparison to bikes and may suggest drivers involved in collisions lack the skill or confidence to take evasive action to avoid a collision: such as moving into the emergency lane on a freeway when traffic ahead suddenly stops. Again, it is a further demonstration that the greatest danger to riders are drivers.     

Over 70% of riders took evasive action an attempted to avoid a collision. 

This demonstrates that riders were more aware that a collision was imminent, which shows riders have greater situational awareness and that bikes are far more maneuverable and that when necessary, riders are more capable of taking evasive action than drivers.

More than 32% riders involved in multi-vehicle collisions had no time to react to avoid the collision.

Demonstrates that 32% of collisions involving bikes occur so quickly that riders have insufficient time to take evasive action, or no 'escape route' was available or that taking evasive action would have resulted in a negative outcome (like swerving to avoid the path of a car, but your only escape path is into the path of oncoming traffic). The inability of riders to react suggest drivers engage in sudden and unpredictable behaviours, such as changing lanes without indicating or pulling out without warning into the path of an oncoming rider. Other contributing factors could be excessive speed of either driver or rider, or both. Inappropriate speed on the part of the driver or rider could be a factor. Lastly, the presence of drugs or alcohol, may be present, although TAC research indicates that due to riders' awareness of riding as a high risk activity, with riders at least, this seems unlikely. Victoria police data shows riders have the lowest incidence of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Target Fixation was the main contributing factor in 11.3% of collisions. 

This one speaks for itself. Target fixation is the phenomenon of staring at the object you wish to avoid...which leads you to ride straight into it. It sounds idiotic and weird but it's a problem for riders driver and pilots alike. In fact, it was first observed in World War I fighter pilots during dogfights with enemy planes. Pilots would often crash into the plane they were trying to shoot down or crash into an object, like a bridge or in many cases, the ground, because they fixated on the thing they were trying hardest to avoid.

 

On a motorcycle, the bike will tend to go in whatever direction the rider is looking. If you're staring at the tree you want to avoid hitting as you negotiate a tight bend, fixating on that object may mean you ride straight into it. If you're not familiar with target fixation, read about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_fixation

And some tips on how to avoid it:

http://glenedmunds.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=123:the-phenomenon-of-target-fixation-a-how-to-avoid-it&catid=25:driving

articles&Itemid=132

Let's examine the report compiled by the inquiry into motorcycle safety conducted recently by the Victorian state government. I read it and summarized the most relevant sections so you wouldn't have to. As you'd expect, it's a pretty lengthy and tedious read for the most part. There are some interesting sections that I wanted to share.

All Learners should examine the relevant sections of the 2012 Victorian Government's Inquiry into Motorcycle Safety, a 495 report commissioned by the state government after lengthy lobbying by Victorian Motorcycle advocacy groups as a long overdue follow up to a similar report commissioned way back in 1998. "Why would I want to read that crap?" I hear you say. And ordinarily I'd agree with you. But this long winded, boring as hell Inquiry Report concerns YOU. So keep reading because several recommendations have been adopted, for better or worse, that YOU will have to abide by. The laws they are 'a changin'...and the information contained in this report is why.

  

So what's this report all about? 

In 2011 the Victorian State Government appointed a committee into rider safety…imaginatively called: 'The Parliament of Victoria’s Committee into Rider Safety', to make recommendations to Parliament on the current state of rider safety and how rider safety could be improved.

 

The committees’ report was tabled  on the 12^th December 2012 and is a mammoth 495 pages. 64 recommendations are made in the report to Parliament. At the time if writing, it seems the Victorian State government has chosen to adopt the following: 

• To increase the LAMS period from ONE year to THREE


• HI VIS vests to be worn by ALL Learners and     Probationary riders.


• If you got your license on an automatic bike, you can only ride an automatic bike. 

Like most government reports there are positives and negatives and not everyone is happy with these changes. The perennial argument is that the consultation process was lacking, and this report is no exception. The entire report is included on another page for you to read if you so wish. Use the contents to scroll to the section that concerns Learners as about a third of it is about data collection and isn't that relevant us. 

There aren't many recommendations that the government has rejected that will make you leap out of your chair, flipping tables and screaming furiously, "Those rat bastards! I'll farkin' chin then lot of 'em! It's outrageous I tells ya!" Most of the recommendations have either been adopted, adopted in part or are being taken under advisement. The rest have been rejected outright.

Of course when a government says they will consider a proposal, there's absolutely no guarantee that it will become a reality, but there is hope the better ones will get through parliament. But many of these recommendations made have been made before by the previous Committee in their report to government in 2008. Also important to consider is the fact that governments can and often do get voted out of power. 

Important recommendations, like the ones about education programs and the need for more consultation with rider groups before the TAC make any more of those bloody stupid ad campaigns with working titles like, 'Riders are all fucktards with a deathwish so all youse drivers do y'know, whatevs', have been adopted at least in part. At least if they were I'm unaware of it. 

You can read the Government's response to the inquiry's report on another page to see for yourself what they have chosen to adopt.

 

As a result of the recommendations agreed to by the government, there is some hope things will get better in the long term for riders in Victoria. But then again, I'm a glass half full kinda guy. Unless it's half full of vodka, then you blink and that bugger'll empty. 

Now I’m certainly not going to summarise the whole 495 page document as a lot of it refers specifically to existing government road safety policy and data collection, so that crap can be ignored. Well to be fair it isn't exactly crap but it isn't relevant to our purpose, which is rider safety and what needs to be done to improve it and more importantly what our current government IS doing to improve it. THAT'S the material I want to focus on and that's the material I summarized.

 

The actual wording of the report is as boring as bat shit as you might expect in a document written by politicians and bureaucrats, so you'll forgive me if I 'go off the page' from time to time. The following is a summarised, paraphrased and rewritten version of sections of the report most relevant to Learner riders.

MOTORCYCLISTS ATTITUDES TOWARDS RISK

In order to understand the issues associated with rider safety, the first thing to understand is the concept of risk and the way riders view personal risk.

As a group, motorcyclists have a unique attitude towards risk that makes them quite different to all other road users. Riding carries with it inherent risks that drivers simply don't face. Worse still, the vast majority of drivers have no idea of the many risks riders face or how driver behaviour contributes to them.

 

There is also a vast difference in what riders and drivers consider risk. Passing a car with minimal distance to spare would be considered highly dangerous and reckless behaviour if you did it in a car, but you can do it on a bike quite safely provided you concentrate and are fully aware of everything around you. Sure it's risky, but the perception of risk and the actual risk are often quite different between riders and drivers. Drivers often have little understanding of the skill level of the riders with whom they share the road and tend to panic when they see a rider. Most drivers tend to assume most rider behavior is highly dangerous and high risk activity.

Motorcyclists operate in an environment where risk is an accepted component of riding. Not only are motorcyclists acutely aware of risk but unlike other road users, they've chosen to embrace risk by choosing to ride. The element of risk is part of the appeal. NO rider seeks to be injured or fall victim to road trauma, but the fact that they embrace risk sets them apart from other road users which is, as anyone who rides (apart from scooter riders, who are complete wankers) is definitely part of the appeal. 

 

It's this element of danger, of choosing to transport yourself in a way that many would simply be too chicken-shit scared to do, is one of the many cool things about riding that non-riders just don't get.

Regarding risk acceptance, Mr Rob Smith, Manager of Motorcycling Australia said:

 

"There is no doubt that motorcycles carry with them risks, and I think I would be on pretty safe ground to say that everybody who rides a motorcycle is aware of those risks. No-one takes up motorcycling to be safer."

So riders are acutely aware that riding is a high risk activity and that's part of the attraction. But because riders are aware of this enhanced risk, it makes them more aware of what they are doing on the road and more importantly, what other vehicles are doing. Yeah I know, WE all knew that already! The reason it's in the report is because rider safety begins with how riders view and manage risk and everything else stems from there. So now that we've established that, the next important aspect of rider safety is speed. Or more specifically, how speed contributes to road trauma and the difference between going fast and riding like a complete dick.

  

  RIDING FAST VERSUS RIDING AT        AN INAPPROPRIATE SPEED

The next relevant section deals not so much with riding fast...but rather, riding TOO fast. There is a difference between giving it a squirt and riding over (or riding well over) the speed limit and riding speed which is   officially termed 'Inappropriate'. There is massive difference between the two. There's also the limitations of the road and the bike to consider when choosing to ride at an inappropriate speed. Both contribute to road trauma when excessive speed is applied. 

 

Remember than infographic further up the page? Well the majority of single bike collisions would have been the result of inappropriate speed. The minority of these incidents would have been directly attributable to factors like wet roads, poor lighting, mechanical failure, unfamiliarity with the road, imperfections in the road surface ect. But inappropriate speed would have contributed in the majority of these single bike collisions, often with the other things I mentioned being contributing factors. Speed is awesome and going fast is a friggin' blast. But there's a fine line between going fast and everything going horribly tits up. It's when that balance turns to shit that riders can find themselves facing serious safety issues. 

 

Let's face it, one of the reasons we ride is so we can go fast and any rider who says otherwise rides a scooter...and is a wanker. Did I say that already? I think I did.

But what in the name of the Satan's Scaly Ball bag is 'inappropriate speed'? Well I'm glad you asked. Inappropriate speed is:

"...travelling at a speed unsuitable (or unsafe) for the prevailing conditions and road environment, or exceeding the capabilities of the driver, or exceeding the tolerances of the vehicle and its equipment." 

And it's this difference that riders, but in particular Learner riders can have problems telling apart. It's not just exceeding the speed limit, it's riding at a speed that either exceeds your skills, at a speed that is unsafe for the road, or is too fast for you or the bike to handle. Riding at inappropriate speeds is a recipe for disaster and unlike a car, it can leap up out of nowhere and bite you in the arse and before you even realize what's happening, you are off the bike and sliding down the road.

 

We all speed from time to time, but inappropriate speed is just dangerous, suicidal idiocy which all but the most idiotic riders avoid. The worst thing is, there's an incredibly thin line between pushing yourself and your bike to their limits and everything suddenly turning to shit.

 

THAT'S the split second when fast becomes inappropriate and you can't always see it coming. As far as speed is concerned, the Order of Magnitude looks like this: Fast, faster, fastest, inappropriate. The last one could destroy your bike and do serious damage to you as well. It could even kill you. So know your limits, ride fast when you feel the need and when it's safe to do so but always be aware of when to pull back. 

 

For the more reckless Learners out there...and we've all seen them, remember, there's no shame in having a healthy sense of self preservation.   The faster you go, the more aware and skilled you have to be to remain safe.  The further into the distance you need to look, the more ready to switch body weight and counter steer you need to be, the more aware you need to be of road conditions, sudden changes in traffic flow...all these elements increase as your speed increases. In contrast, reaction times decrease as do braking/stopping distances.  

 

Here's a clip that demonstrates what inappropriate speed can look like.

 

The rider in this clip survived with a broken arm and leg. The Ducati rider who shot the clip discusses it here . Notice how the other riders see the tuning vehicle with it's enormous how-the-fuck-could-you-miss-it-trailer and slow to an appropriate speed. The human cannonball decides he'll just keep plowing ahead at breakneck speed...and there's a good reason it's called that. The price of inattention and going too fast could have cost this rider his life. The abrasion protection he's wearing saved his skin but an impact with the road like that could have easily smashed his bones into small fragments. And he's lucky he went over the trailer instead of aborbing the force with his body.  Had he not been riding at an inappropriate speed he would have pulled up alongside his mates instead of flying through the air like he's been shot out of a cannon.

                 POOR DRIVING HABITS

Someone interviewed for the report who I can't remember (I think they may have been from the VMC) submitted this to the inquiry:

"In my experience riders often assume drivers cannot see them and ride accordingly. There is also a fundamental difference between riders and drivers in that the vast majority of drivers, unlike many motorcycle riders, never seek further training or actively practice driving. This leads to the reinforcement of poor driving practices such as not doing head checks, tailgating and not using indicators."

Unlike drivers, most riders seek to constantly improve their skills. Many riders do track days, actively seek information from other riders and use the internet to seek knowledge to help them improve. Not only do drivers not improve their skills but they often have an over-inflated view of their talents behind the wheel. Insurance company research data designed to measure the perceived skill level of drivers always finds that on the whole, drivers overestimate their skills and believe themselves to posses competencies far in excess of those they actually do possess. Most drivers will adamantly proclaim they are not just competent behind the wheel, but they have cat-like reflexes and road sense that borders on the supernatural. Unfortunately, these peope are deluding themselves and it could be argued that ALL drivers would benefit from further training and instruction. 

On the other hand, if you asked almost any rider (except scooter riders...who are wankers, which I've mentioned) to rate their overall skill, most would acknowledge some deficiency in their riding, no matter how small. They usually admit their limitations and their desire to perfect a particular technique and perhaps to improve their competencies overall. Most riders self assess in order to continually improve as opposed to drivers who assume their abilities require no improvement. Many drivers are barely competent to begin with and not only do they not get better, they just get worse, dangerously worse in some cases. Old age is often a contributing factor to driver incompetence as is overconfidence in general.

There are also cultural deficiencies in many drivers. I have to tread carefully here, but many drivers from particular ethnicities not famous for being confident, profifient drivers are taught by their parents and are assessed for their license by instructors of the same ethnicity. This results in drivers with generational incompetence. I know that's a controversial thing to say but I've experienced this generational, cultural driving incompetence first hand, as have many other road user out there. 

Not only do many drivers have an over inflated view of their abilities and are either ignorant of the need to hone their skills or would openly reject the mere suggestion that their skills are lacking, drivers aren't looking out for bikes because they don't view them as a threat to their safety. As a general rule, drivers only 'see' vehicles they believe pose a risk to their safety like other cars and larger vehicles like buses and trucks. Bikes, which for the most part pose no real risk, are simokly invisible to many drivers who suffer from the SMIDSY (Sorry Mate I Didn't See You) phenomenon
  

If many drivers are only aware of vehicles that pose a direct threat to them, such as other cars and larger vehicles like buses and trucks, then  an alarming number of drivers will simply not see or take adequate notice of riders. This phenomenon puts anyone operating a smaller vehicle at considerable risk. The fact that a driver can look directly at a rider and somehow still not 'see' them is a combination of physiological and psychological factors that are currently poorly understood and are the subject of ongoing research. There is ample evidence that the SMIDSY phenomenon occurs and while there are several theories as to why...it's still a bit of a mystery.

At the risk of editorialising, there is no mystery at foot here and I, like most riders can clear it up in a few expletive riddled sentences.  Ready? These drivers are ignorant cunts who need to pay more fucking attention to what's going on around them. They should stop making piss weak excuses and become better drivers. They shoul dpull their heads out of their arses long enough to realize there are bikes everywhere and they have it hard enough as far as safety goes without cock headed fucktards driving around like incompetent, dangerous knob ends.

In over 20 years of driving I have NEVER failed to see a motorcyclist in any way that mattered on the road. I see them, but I often disregard them because they are irrelevant to where I'm going. How anyone could possibly not see a rider and cause a collision is a condition I call Acute Fucking Moronitis. The cure? A savage beating that only stops when the driver is dead or when police arrive, which ever comes first. And yes I am being a little over the top but these fucktards have caused more death and injury to riders worldwide than anything else.

And I may be getting a little heated in my tone here, but I am typing this from a rehabilitation center instead of at home in my own bed because one of these moronic retards lost control of their behicle and hit me at more than TWICE the legal speed limit. So you'll forgive me for being less than tolerant when it comes to expressing my opinion on these worthless, mother scratching, pieces of...OK. Time to take a deep breath and find my happy place, or maybe press the buzzer and ask the nurse to bring me some stronger painkillers. Painkilling drugs make everything spongy and squishy and good.

 

Another serious problem is the notion held by many drivers that rider safety is the sole responsibility of riders rather than a shared responsibility of all road users.  All road users have an equal responsibilities to ensure riders and drivers alike are protected from road trauma. As you already know, there is no such thing as an accident and the cause of a collision can always be determined. Saying it was an accident is as logical as saying it was a miracle or an act of god or some such twaddle.

Of course riders have an increased role to play in their own safety because they knowingly put themselves at greater risk of injury, but that doesn't mean they are somehow agreeing to become road kill at the hands of dangerously incompetent drivers.

Riding a motorcycle isn't an acknowledgment that drivers can cause injury and death and it's that point that several TAC ads have completely failed to acknowledge. Some TAC road safety commercials have perpetuated the myth that it's the rider's sole responsibility to ensure their safety on the road. It's the responsibility of every road user. Let's take a look at these negative messages from the TAC in more detail.

NEGATIVE MESSAGES FROM THE TAC, COMMERCIALS and THE MEDIA

Several witnesses told the Inquiry that some TAC commercials gave non-motorcyclist a negative impression of riders as stupid, reckless and dangerous to other road users. They also said that some TAC ads created the impression that rider safety was the sole responsibility of riders, rather than all road users looking out for each other. In addition, they said these ads gave the impression that dangerous riding was the reason collisions occur and that collisions involving motorcycles were the riders' fault. 

As one respondent said:

"...because people who are not motorcyclists see those ads and think, ‘Bloody motorcyclists; they're stupid. Why do they ride?'  I'm part of the majority of people on a motorcycle forum who would suggest that those ads don't do any good, because they don't reach motorcyclists and they probably alienate drivers."

The Inquiry acknowledges that the role of the media in shaping public perception is well established and at several public hearings, the Committee was told that TAC ads often portrayed riders as dangerous risk takers with little or no regard for their own safety, which is obviously grossly incorrect and not a view the majority of motorcyclists would agree with. TAC ads are some of the most recognisable and talked about ads in the State of Victoria as they tend to use graphic imagery and rely on shock value and realistic depictions of road trauma to get their message across. However, there are several recent TAC ads that send a negative message to drivers and are counter productive in their efforts to enhance rider safety.

Campaigns like 'The Perfect Ride' alienate and generally piss-off riders and create a negative impression among drivers. Put simply, 'The Perfect Ride' campaign is a perfect example of the TAC getting it completely wrong and doing more harm than good. This is the ad I'm referring to:
 

   

 

 

 

 

As you can see, the dangers faced by these three riders are not their fault at all. They are riding responsibly for the most part and are obeying all applicable road rules. They are victim of driver incompetence and poor road surfaces. So why the emphasis on their actions determining their level of safety? Surely that ad should have focused on the drivers putting the riders at risk and sought to educate the inherent risk of such behavior? 

 

The TAC ad featured below was also widely derided on social media as furthering the negative view of riders and suggesting motorists are free to disobey even the most basic road laws- like giving way to oncoming traffic, indicating (I'm not sure if the car's blinker is on) and paying adequate attention to the bike which is clearly has right of way. Many riders felt further betrayed by the TAC and insulted by numerous aspects of this commercial: The most insulting aspects of the ad are:   

   

• The diver pulls out without giving way to oncoming traffic.

• The driver continues to pull out even after the bike is clearly visible. 

• The rider has to veer to the LEFT in order to avoid a collision, which would only be possible if the car had continued to make the turn even after seeing the bike ie: failing to give way to oncoming traffic. 

• The driver continues to pull out even though there is  a bike bearing down on him and even though he knows there is a bike coming, he does nothing to avoid a collision.

• Most drivers would brake once they saw the bike, giving the rider no room to slip behind the car. Another common real-world scenario is that once seeing the bike and realising his error, the driver would pull out at speed to avoid a collision with the bike. The second is less preferable but the driver does neither.

• Many riders would have begun breaking much earlier at the first moment they saw the car. Any competent rider would have applied the front brake instead of locking up the rear/ The bike does not appear to dip, suggesting little if any front brake was used. If the rider did brake effectively, he would have most likely come to a stop BEFORE coming into contact with the car.

• Assuming the rider did brake earlier and used the brakes correctly, the rider would have either avoided a collision entirely or would have had at best, a low impact collision.

• Lastly, the rider continues on his way as if nothing has happened and being cut off by a driver pulling out of a side street and failing to give way to oncoming traffic and almost killing him is an acceptable, everyday occurrence and something all drivers can do with impunity.

The ad implies the rider is entirely at fault for the collision and that reducing his speed is all it takes to avoid a collision. What a shitty ad eh?

       

'The Ride' is another ad that sends the wrong message to drivers and riders alike. No wonder so many drivers hate motorcycles and motorcyclists with anti-bike propaganda like this.

 

This is another example of a TAC motorcycle safety ad that received much attention by those who spoke to the Committee. Again, this ad 'The Ride', depicts riders behaving in a dangerous manner on numerous occasions, but it also shows drivers and pedestrians, who by law must give way to vehicles failing to do so. This ad was specifically referred to in Motorcycling Australia's submission to the Committee and it really makes you wonder how a government agency, paid for by taxpayers and the billions gleaned from vehicle registrations, can get it so wrong:

"Far from promoting safe riding, apart from alienating the target demographic, this advertisement simply reinforced every negative stereotype the public has of riders. Worse still, it presented a highly irresponsible message in that the message is that a riders safety is their sole responsibility and in so doing sanctions the abdication of responsibility for poor and dangerous driving habits."

It's another ad that shows riders have a disregard for anyone's safety, including their own. The rider at the start of the ad doesn't even look to the right to see if it's clear to pull out! Drivers and pedestrians alike are ignoring riders and behaving like a complete dicks. Riders are not wearing adequate safety gear, are riding too fast around pedestrians. The ad says it's  A-OK as far as the TAC are concerned. It depicts riders as careless and dangerous and pedestrians and other drivers ignoring road rules as well. It's a complete mess as far as a road safety ad goes. As far as this misrepresentation in the media goes, Motorcycling Australia went on the say:

"The misrepresentation of riders extends to other areas of the media such as newspaper and talk show hosts who often present riders as being antisocial, irresponsible risk takers. The demonising of motorcycles and riders goes beyond what appears in newspapers and on the radio. T.V shows are not averse to presenting riders as being 'bad boys' and further reinforcing prejudice. It takes just one driver who feels sufficiently outraged in order to make a move that costs the life of a rider"

When I was in hospital I had lots of fellow patients ask me why I was so heavily bandaged and what I'd done to my right leg. When I told them I had been hit by a speeding car that veered into my lane while I was riding a motorcycle, I was amazed at how many (mostly elderly) patients said things like, "Oh, I hate bikes" or "I cant stand motorbikes. How they go between cars and get so close." I would politely point out that bikes aren't dangerous, it's the imbecile drivers who hit them that are the problem. But mostly I wanted to smack some sense into these fools.

It was the first time I'd experienced real motorcycle hatred and these TAC ads are partly to blame in the way they help shape a negative view of riders in the minds of many drivers. Which is a real shame and is the opposite of what these ads should be seeking to achieve.



LACK OF DRIVER  EDUCATION, CURRENT LICENSING REQIREMENTS, SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND ONGOING DRIVER TRAINING

Another reason for the poor attitudes of motorcyclists held by many drivers was the lack of ongoing driver education. The criticisms of driver education as it currently stands cover the licensing, training, test materials, a lack of road education in schools, ongoing driver training and road safety advertising. All of which were identified by many individuals and motorcyclist advocacy groups as serious and unnecessary deficiencies in the initial and ongoing education of drivers. Aside from one or two mentions of bikes in the testing materials in Victoria it is almost entirely absent from current driver testing. 

ALL of these recommendations have been included in previous Committee Inquiry Reports to several previous State governments, but to date none of these recommendations have been adopted. Our tax dollars at work eh? 

This need for additional and ongoing driver education extends and refers to ‘enhanced driver licensing procedures to improve and highlight the extreme vulnerability of riders’. These measures would go be valuable in changing the current negative perception of motorcyclists held by many drivers and would assist in reducing the incidence of road trauma among motorcycle riders. Put simply, if more drivers knew the dangers riders face and the severity of the injuries they sustain in the event of serious road trauma, drivers will continue to have no real understanding of the impact their vehicles have on riders.

Why these education programs have not been adopted is a complete mystery to me. A sustained education program for primary, secondary and adults, both when they initially get their license AND at specified periods throughout their licensed period would seem like the best way to improve the health outcomes of riders.   I'm sure we'd all agree with that.

The Committee believes that education can be a powerful way of countering prejudices and influencing attitudes. Increasing the use of educational material in licensing, training and advertising can be of great benefit in addressing current attitudes towards motorcyclists. 

These recommendations were made to Government in the previous Committee's report into motorcycle safety, but were not acted upon. Ignored in other words. I'm curious how road users are to be educated WITHOUT an education program? Magic? Smoke signals? Telepathy? Jedi Mind Tricks? We should all be irritated, furious in fact,  that our elected officials refuse to act on recommendations that they asked for and that our tax dollars are paying to collect no less, only to ignore the very recommendations that would help reduce the dangers to riders and reduce the road toll.

 

It's easy to see why motorcycle advocacy groups have such a low regard for the effectiveness of these Inquires and more specifically, the willingness of successive government's to make a commitment to doing more to support rider safety.  Merely commissioning an inquiry every few years, then promptly ignoring the findings and recommendations of that committee is hardly good enough. 

How many lives could be saved and how many serious, agonizing injuries could be avoided if drivers were educated and informed of the dangers riders face in a more conscientious and effective manner?

I'm going off page but I had to get that out before I kicked a dog or something, not that I have a dog. And not that I would kick it if I did. But it makes me furious that these recommendations are shelved because they are either deemed too expensive to implement, or that there's not enough mileage to be gained come election time. We deserve more from our elected leaders, much more.

 

In addition to the importance of educating young Victorians and the lack of motorcycle content during driver probationary licensing, it is the view of the Committee that this represents a serious deficiency in the current licencing system. It is these deficiencies that are the origin of the at times, fractured relationship between riders and drivers. In short, increased and enhanced driver education to include information about rider safety in the licensing system would in the Committee's opinion, result in drivers with a more positive and safety conscious view towards riders. Which is the first step in reducing rider fatality and injuries.

The need to address driver and rider attitudes has been identified previously by the Committee. A number of recommendations were made as part of the Inquiry into the Review of Motorcycle Safety in Victoria in 1998 that focused on attitudes of drivers and riders alike and the importance of raising awareness to improve rider safety. In addition, the Review of Motorcycle Safety in Victoria in 1998 Inquiry recommended to the Victorian government that:

• The Transport Accident Commission increase the involvement of the motorcycling community in the development of car driver awareness campaigns.

• That VicRoads and the Department of Education urgently review and act on the findings arising from the research conducted by Monash University Accident Research Centre in 1997 to ensure school age children received adequate road safety education.

These recommendations were not supported by government and therefore not implemented by the relevant agencies which I'm sure we'll all agree, is a damn shame. Instead we get flouro vests which have not been proven to actually increase rider visibility by the way.

And as Forest Gump said, "That's all I have to say about that."