NSW: MCC Nov meeting

This month's meeting was mostly about Motorcycle Awareness Week, and
some notes on (lack of) progress with the RTA.

It was also James Mayfield's intro to the MCC, welcome James!

MAW did very well. This is the first year we had a PR expert to get
the word out to the press, and the end result shows the value of that.
Last year, the MCC spent about $15k on radio ads on MMM - 30x30sec spots -
and reached maybe a few hundred thousand people with one message.

This year, we spent the same amount, and had over 10 million "hits".
(Not people, most people would have seen more than one message, which
should mean it sinks in better.)

The idea was to get many messages about bikes out there. That riders
are many different kinds of people, not just "bikies", that drivers can
help with road safety by doing simple things, that anyone you know might
be a rider, things like that.

MAW
---
- The central west ride was a success, soemthing like 400 bikes in the
main street of Morlang.

- the breakfast at Loftus Oval had about 300 takers despite the
weather, the Road Safety Officers who set it up were very happy with
the turnout and general atmosphere, and will hold it again next year.
Council Road Safety Officers are one of the MCC's main targets for road
safety, councils are responsible for many of the things that affect
riders on the road, like road surfaces and roadside furniture you might
hit. So getting RSOs onside and interested in what they can do for bike
safety translates into getting councils to pay attention.

- 37 community papers had stories about local riders.

- channels 7,9,10 picked up on the story that the RTA spends 10mill on
pushbikes and 40k on motorcycles. The RTA spluttered it wasn't true, but
the news orgs had the info that the money the RTA claimed they had spent
was MAA money - greenslip money, our money, and is still only $350k or so.

- ch7 had a good spot with Kieren Perkins saying he wanted to get home to
see his kids, so he wanted drivers to look for bikes.

- SBS had a spot on how riders are of all ethnicities, Radio National
did one on women riding bikes and what they get out of it, JJJ did
one on Geared Up and young riders. All getting the idea across that
riders are people too, and people just like you.

- ABC and the Herald picked up on reductions in car/bike crashes due to
increased awareness, something like an 11pct reduction in crashes.


Etags
-----
- Zdnet ran the story that there was no suitable tag for bikes, and
quoted the MCC extensively on safety issues, very unusual for a
techie mag.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/0,39023166,39160425,00.htm

- that was picked up by the Herald and some regional papers. Even John
Laws got into the act, going after Willoughby from the RTA. Told
him that putting the tag in a pocket wasn't good enough.

- that coverage led to the head of Transurban, the tollway people,
contacting the MCC about it. Stay tuned....

RTA
---
- the RTA are still being scumbags who don't want to talk.

- THe MCC has told them we want a "memorandum of understanding" meaning
a formal document that lays out terms of consultation and interaction
so they can't just be obstructive and say it's someone else's job or
just not talk. Naturally they don't want this.

- We've told them that if they don't do it, then we have no choice but
to pursue every issue through the parliament and even the courts.
The outcomes won't be as good for us as proper negotiation and working
together would be, but it's better than us rolling over, and it will
certainly cause the RTA a lot of grief and trouble and expense.

- no answer yet about the Road Safety Conference that recommended
across the board BAC of .02 for riders, despite the clear stats that
show if you removed unlicenced riders from the stats, very few riders
have a BAC at all in a crash, compared to car drivers where removing
unlicenced makes no difference to the crash rate.

Wire Rope
---------
- Murray Irrigation Ltd sent out a call for expressions of interest
about new guard rails for the areas they oversee. The MCC has
written to them to point out that any review has to take note of the
special needs of motorcycles.


Exhausts
--------
- we have written to members of parliament, seeing changes in the
legislation. Like all things that get this far, it's grinding
exceeding slow...


Toy Run
------
- this years Toy Run leaves from The Rocks, and goes to Parramatta
Speedway. There's a chance to win a ride in a 2 seater sprint car, a
car that can pull big wheelies in 2nd gear...

TOY RUN 12 Dec 10:30 am from Hickson Rd, The Rocks.
---------------------------------------------------

Blood Challenge
---------------
- it's on again. IF you donate early, you can donate twice. See
http://www.mccofnsw.org.au/a/87.html for info on the blood challenge.
Check back in the next couple of weeks as there will be information on
blood runs.

Geared Up
---------
- the launch of Geared Up went well, reasonable turnout, good vibes

- the booklet looks good, heaps of useful info, from buying a bike to
terminology, and stories from learners.

- I'm not sure where to get it from, I expect the RTA training lot will
have some for learners, ask about it when you book your course, or email
The website is http://www.gearedup.com.au/ but
seems to be rather under construction!


Helmets for Timor
-----------------
- the MCC obtained helmets for nurses in East Timor. (THey have had 2
nurses die from head injuries from bike crashes. Bikes are the best
way to get to outlying places, but local helmets are rubbish and good
ones too expensive)

- those have been sent via the Australian Army, and are now in the
hands of the nurses.

- the organisations and people there are in dire need of lids. If you
have an old but still serviceable helmet you are planning to retire, please
think about giving it to the Timorese instead. New ones are good, old
ones that aren't damaged are better than nothing. If you have a lid to
donate, email to arrange getting it to Timor.

Pink Ribbon Ride
----------------
- 940 registrations, but there seems to have been more bikes than that
on the day.

- over $40,000 given to the Cancer Council.

Putty Road Bike Crash
---------------------
- the big crash up the Putty that got into the papers appears to have
been a serious case of Public Stupidity

- according to 2 other groups of riders who were passed by these guys
and came on the crash, they'd been close racing each other at very silly
speeds and passing other people in very silly ways. "One of them passed
me on a blind left by being right in the middle of the wrong side of the
road".

- it isn't clear what caused the actual crash, whether one went down
and took the others out (they were all very close) or if one stuffed
up and the others followed.

- the critically injured one was in shock and his breathing and heart
were all over the place so he was anethsetised and placed on oxygen
which marks him as "critical", he wasn't otherwise badly injured.
Others were mostly broken bones.

- expect more police presence on the boy racer roads.


Next meeting 6th Dec. Observers welcome. People who are interested in
helping the MCC with various projects very welcome!

 

Just slip in keywords "Truck" and ":Mooney Bridge" for future RTA dealings

 

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

Well, it sounds to me, that we should start organising a _very_
substancial "Celebration Ride" into McQuarrie Street, just to remind
them that there are a few of us.

..02 is totally stupid.

It _might_ make sense for car drivers, but motorcyclists are sort of
self-policing in this respect. If they get pissed enough they fall
over. If they are a bit pissed and ride like idiots they kill
themselves, but fairly few innocent bystanders.

The same can't be said for car drivers. :-(

regards,
CrazyCam

 

It was also James Mayfield's intro to the MCC, welcome James!

Even if I was a little late.
On the whole though, it was very definately worthwhile going. There is
lots there to get involved in. Already got myself volunteered for some
stuff!

Next time, I'll turn up on time so I can get myself some chinese for
dinner!

 

Hear, here. It's absolutely fuckin' ludicrous and downright discriminatory
considering the clear cut stats! .08 is relatively sane, .05 dumbs us
down to the lowest common denominator but .02 is too much for a mature
age person, who poses little threat to others, to bear. As Zebee said in
another post, "The current road safety regime has really lost the plot." I
totally agree. Who are these people and where do they work?

 

In aus.motorcycles on Tue, 02 Nov 2004 10:14:42 GMT

It is, but a ride just makes riders feel better.

Because face it.. we'd be lucky to get 200. As it would have to be done
on a weekday.

Protest rides do bugger all in my opinion. If every person who thinks a
ride is a good idea wrote a snail mail letter to their local polly and
the minister of transport, that would be a lot more effective.

Rides are easy. and useless.

Look at how many the Vics have and how far it gets 'em.

No idea who you would have to kneecap to get it stopped.

I suggest a snail mail or personal - as in drop in at the electoral
office and be a nuisance - complaint to your MP would be good. THe more
MPs who shoot off letter to the RTA that have to be answered, the more
pressure is on the buggers.

Zebee

 

From my experience, so too does being .02....... it frees up the process,
removes the inhibitions, and in the parlance allows one to devote more of
the
dollar - or however much (?) to the job in hand.
Rockit

 

How about a letter-writing campaign up at Mt White one sunny lazy weekend.

Push out the paper and pens whilst people sitting around doing very little. There's even a postbox there.

At least it may prompt some to go home and write, if not done on the spot.

 

Rather than campaign against the 0.02 BAC limit for motorcyclists, have you
discussed the possibility of campaigning in favour of a 0.02 BAC limit for ALL
drivers? It's easy for the powers that be to ignore the voice of the MCC, but
the threat of a 0.02 BAC for all drivers would cause a much larger volume of
public complaint. Strike the first blow and start spreading rumours through
the media that the suggestion of a 0.02 BAC for motorcyclists is just testing
the water for an across the board 0.02 BAC for all drivers.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

Nev.. wrote:

Good thinking.

I'm sure, if they thought they could get away with it, they would have
an overall .02 limit.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

Well, that would be a good start....

If we got 200 bikes, and worked out a careful plan, it could still have
an effect.

A group of 200 bikes, all riding to rule round the centre of downtown
Sydney would bring chaos to the rest of the traffic.

Even 100 would achieve that.

They do have footpath parking.

Any state labour MP or their spouse. Any RTA office-type policy type
person. Any EPA office-type policy type person.

My opinion of this is much like your opinion of protest rides.

I don't think this would bring any significant pressure to bear.

I don't think we'd get significant numbers, especially of people with
the required skills, i.e. talking under wet cement.

They are the experts and professionals in paper shuffling, opinion and
fact ignoring, and talking bullshit.

We ride bikes and like having a good time, behaving like larrikins.

Why then would we try to play them at their own game?

regards,
CrazyCam

 

In aus.motorcycles on Wed, 03 Nov 2004 08:23:09 +1100

what effect? 200 bikes causing chaos is 200 bikes causing chaos. what
does that tell anyone about BAC levels? The message it sends is
"motorcyclists are shits and get in your way and make your life
difficult".

And so? What would the result be?

Newspapers calling us shits and a lot of pissed off people who aren't
hurt by a motorcycle BAC level, but are by such a ride.

And that was got by protest rides?

Well.. all professional lobbyists - the people who make a living out of
influencing pollies - say it does.

Don't need that. Just need to turn up, say "this sucks because licenced
bike riders aren't crashing drunk, ask the fed transport safety bureau"
and walk out again.

Your average polly isn't. It's how you get to the front bench, but most
of 'em aren't there.

Because they have the power. You have to play them at their own game,
it's the only way to win.

Zebee

 

As the government has had the forsight to disarm us I was thinking more
along the lines of running over their toes.

Let us know when youse get an answer back from the RTA and, if
unfavourable, I'll invite the local polly out for a counter lunch.

 

All the issues that we are facing could be combined and send the message,
"Sorry, but we've had enough. These bastards have lost the plot and next
on the agenda will be our cars".

Lots of free media coverage. Combine it with a cleverly planned
'marketing' campaign making sure that a lot of sympathetic journalists are
on side first (shout them free, long counter lunches!).

I believe it was kept by protest rides.

Of course they would. They're getting paid for it and have a job to keep.

It would be advantageous for the media to say it too.

There's more than one way to skin a cat. We could try both ways.

 

In aus.motorcycles on Wed, 03 Nov 2004 05:30:03 GMT

Ask on aus.cars if that's believable...

Free *bad* media coverage. I don't think that's useful. I suggest you
find a journo and see if you can get them to be sympathetic *after* the
lunch.

Take 'em to lunch say "we plan to utterly disrupt the CDB for a couple
of hours, you write something positive". If yuo get a vaguely honest
one, he'll laugh while drinking your money...

The dishonest ones will agree then blame the subeditor.

I think you'll find it was kept by lobbying the council and working with
shopowners and agreeing to restrictions.

Yeah, I've heard the parkin story, but I have been hearing it for 20
years. The last time it was tried I believe they got about 30 bikes,
and made no impression.

And market forces say if they weren't getting results, the hard headed
bastard who employ them would give them the heave ho and go back to
bribery.

Which is what the MCC is doing.

But people don't want to help with that. They just want to go on rides.
Don't have enough desire to do anything else...

Not if they are mutually exclusive, not if doing one negates the other.

Which it will.

ask the gun owners what mass rallies got them... ask the people against
the war what it got them.

A few hundred bikers for an hour causing trouble for commuters is god's
gift to the RTA. Easily spun into selfish irresponsible idiots who are
clearly at fault for any crashes or problems they have.

A large orderly ride might work. Only if it's guaranteed to get more
than the few hundred who turn up to Toy Runs. 2 or 3 thousand might get
listened to. 2 or 3 hundred are just troublemakers and easily
dismissed.

2 or 3 hundred willing to spend 50c and a little brainpower are a force
they understand and have metriccs for. because they know people hate
writing letters, and so have to be really really upset before they will.
whereas they like riding bikes, so don't have to be upset to do that.
just at a loose end.

Zebee

 

Yup, again.

I have no idea, but it seemed a good riposte at the time.

Well, yes, but they would say that wouldn't they?

If you ever have any health problems, you might notice that when you go
and see a surgeon, the answer if something to do with sharp knives,
while, other doctors, who don't specialise in cutting, may have other
alternatives?

....and this would achieve?

No. It's dumb.

We have a PM who took the country to war on the basis of lies.....what
chance do you think we (as bikies) have "playing" their game and getting
any result?

What _really_ happens is that you setup a group to play "their" game,
and all you win is a sub-set of politicians....who may well ride
motorcycles, but....when you join the rat race, win or lose, you're
still a rat.

Now, I know I'm a bit of an old reactionary and all that, but I really
prefered the old days when non-bikies were just a bit afraid of bikies.

I'm not happy with those that seek to portray motorcyclists as caring,
sweet, charity supporting, do-gooding, nice guys.

Speaking for myself, personally, I'd rather see Channel Nine, or
whatever, when they phone and offer some "oportunity" for motorcyclists
to be on TV, told to **** off, ya' condesending cunts.

There is no such thing as justice, so, if bikies can cause havoc to
Sydney traffic, and still be obeying all the laws, then I reckon we
should do so.

The pollies don't know justice if it bit them on the bum, all they want
is no havoc. Like shit-house rats, they'd get the message and not
stuff about with bikies.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

If they thought they could get away with it, they would go with a 0.00
limit.

 

I have sent this info to Guy James but you all *may* find it interesting.

I snoop Hansard for Guy - I don't have much of a life ;-) Anyway whilst
on the nsw parliament site this arvo I found out that the following is
going to occur.

Inquiry into Speed and motor vehicles: Vehicle-based measures to
monitor, manage and control speed, 30 November. Link is at:
<http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/A5122541625D0F97CA256D6B0025DBB0>

So I follow the link and find that the deadline for submission is:
30/11/04 and that there was a public hearing on 7-june-2004 (They must
have published the notice of the hearing in the central west
bum-wranglers monthly to ensure everyone would see it!) (Guy had not
heard of it!)

I go to the public hearing page and look for the transcript - it aint
there! I ring the Staysafe commitee head to find out why - and am told
by some lady that 'we don't put the transcripts of the public hearings
on line until all our reports have gone to parliament - it's our
policy!" (at the end she asked if she could help any more and she was a
little put out when I remarked that she had not helped me at all yet!).

So if Guy or anyone wanted to put a submission in (heaven forbid that a
unwashed bikie would), based on the public hearing data you are stuffed!

I have queried my local impartial MP (The current speaker) to see if I
can get the transcripts thru him but I ain't holding my breath.

From where I sit - this SUCKS - and shows how arragant the pricks in
staysafe are!

Stan

 

Whilst the idea of legally wandering the city in the company of a number
of like minded people is my idea of a fun afternoon (no life remember),
reluctantly I am inclined to agree with Zeebee. (The reluctant bit has
nothing to do with Zeebee but just the fun bit!).

Remember when the pushbikes do their 'regain the city' protests and how
pissed off one feels at them (at least I do).

To be honest I think we would be better off cultivating Liberal or
prospective liberal MP's with a view of offering to help as much as
possible with the next election. Take em out for rides, wine and dine
them, distribute pamflets and help them as much as possible - in return
for quid-pro-quo (sic).

Getting the press coverage during MAW helped - I found Guy popping up in
all sorts of local papers In fact I found an article by Guy in the
Penrith Press - opposite a car dealers advert - the car dealer was
claiming they would donate up to $50,000 to breast cancer research
depending on car sales during a particular weekend" - Didn't the great
unwashed in Sydney get $42,000 contributed to Breast cancer research
based on the Pink Ribbon Ride........

Stan

 

I know a potentially sympathetic journo at the SMH, now what do you want
to do to get him to understand ?

JL