Tragic weekend on ACT Roads

Actually, now that my sister will get her licence back in July, I’d recommend that everyone get off the roads, bikes and cars.

She’s a menace.

I actually just sold my bike as I just got too scared of the cars to continue riding. I had people pull out on me on many an occassion and similar to Aeek I have been lucky enough on these occassions to be able to change lanes.
I just found that constantly putting my life in the hands of drivers not paying attention was just a too stressful way to commute to work.
That being said, I only had my motorbike licence for over a year (although had ridden dirt bikes previously) and I just wasn’t a confident rider on the roads.

I’d love to ride a motorbike. However, since I strongly suspect i’m stupid enough to kill myself, i’ll stay in my car, thanks.

yeah, it’s those Killer Roads again. It’s all the Roads’ fault, they are EVIL. Yep.

not the fact that most drivers can’t drive.

Aeek: don’t get me started on Barry Dr, esp after they started GDE. And Clunies Ross/Lady Denman and all the traffic lights. Am getting a sore right leg from holding up a 300 kg machine at all the red lights.

Spectra: when someone pulls out in front. Happens to me occasionally on Barry Drive, car pulls out of the stalled right lane. Whether they don’t see me, or falsely assume that a cyclist has to be slow. So far the bus lane has been empty so I’ve had somewhere to go.

bigred: I have a tough time envisaging a situation where someone collides with the back of someone else where it’s anyone’s fault other than the person behind. That said, I agree with you about jumping to conclusions – my comments were more directed at Special G’s thoughts about what the CT should have been calling for, not at this incident in particular.

Life without some risk is not living. It’s choosing what risks are worth taking that is the skill and each person is different in that. Those who can’t judge what’s a good risk don’t last to long.

GnT is spot on. We should all wrap ourselves in cotton wool, telecommute to avoid any chance of accident/injury and die young, fat and bloated.

Yeah, bikes let you go – head first into the back of a 4WD!

No, bikes let you go in a crash; its cars that people have to be cut out of.

Motorbikes are death traps. No way I would be caught dead riding one. Give me the protection/warmth/comfort of my car any day.

The reporting of the Watson accident is confusing to say the least, eg the motorcycle collided with the rear of the 4WD which was turning right. There has been no mention that the bike was going too fast, so jumping to the conclusion that the rider was riding a way too powerful bike was the reason is unfounded on the evidence. For the record, I am an experienced rider and the performance of those sport bikes scare me.

Better to wait for more information before attributing fault I think.

I have to say, I think our mandatory motorbike training here is great. Nor do I think there’s any problem with the testing regime – as I went through both processes, I saw a pretty effective filtering out of people who seemed like maybe riding wasn’t for them. No amount of training is going to stop people being idiots – just because they know it’s not smart doesn’t mean they won’t do it.
As far as enforcement goes, I can’t see how you’d directly improve it (aside from general improvements in patrols and stuff, but that may not have helped here). You can’t stop some twit jumping on his mate’s R1/Firestorm/ZX14R/whatever and not displaying his L/P plates. The only other option I can see is to be constantly pulling over every bike and checking the rider’s license – not very practical (nor would I appreciate it very much).