Friday, September 28, 2012

The Nanny State

For F*#$ sake this country really is going down the tubes. And I thought NSW was the nanny state but no Victoria seems to be leading the way in stupidity and if these laws below happen to get in there then it is only a matter of time before it gets in everywhere.

Read about the proposed new laws below or click link to read on new.com.au then if you don't agree sign up for the petition at the bottom.

Australia's 1.3 million motorcycle riders would be forced by law to wear fluoro jackets under proposals splitting the biker and scooter community.
A country policeman has started a national battle over the possibility of compulsory hi-visibility clothing as part of a bid to make riding safer and reduce the toll of about 200 deaths a year from motorcycle accidents.

One meeting of riders tonight is likely to start a national rebellion against forcing motorcycle licence holders, including the 750,000 who use their machines every week, into day-glo safety wardrobes.

Anger over the proposal for mandatory protective clothing is nearing the level of fury reached when daytime headlight use was pushed as a safety measure 25 years ago.

A Victorian Government road safety inquiry will consider the hi-viz option and, if adopted, other states could be expected to follow.


The public debate began when the fluoro idea was pushed by Senior Sergeant Bill Gore of the Wangaratta Highway Patrol, a 35-year police motorbike veteran.

Opponents now refer to it as "Gore's law", although it's a long way from being legally enforceable.

Sgt Gore recommended the measure at a June meeting of locals on motorcycle safety. He denies a report he told the meeting it would become law, but has not retreated from endorsing the idea.

"If a motorcyclist can make himself more visible he's less likely to be hit," Sgt Gore told ABC radio.

"I would encourage motorcyclist to wear as much high-visibility gear as they could. I wear it myself, and if it can be done, that should be the choice."

Damien Codognotto, Melbourne-based spokesman for the Independent Riders' Group, is fighting compulsory fluoro because it could affect the liability of a bike or scooter rider after an accident.

And there was no evident the jackets would add to safety.

"Gore's law is likely to change the legal standing of motorcycle and scooter riders and their liability after a crash regardless of who was at fault," Mr Codognotto told news.com.au.

"We went through all this about 25 years ago with the lights-on ADR (Australian Design Rules)."


Petition here

http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/the-hon-terry-mulder-mp-minister-of-transport-victoria-stop-the-threat-of-hi-vis-clothing-for-motorbikes-made-compulsory?utm_source=supporter_message&utm_medium=email#share

I have already signed up.

Whats next, we have to ride around in clown suits with big floppy feet and blowing air horns.

 
 
 

12 comments:

  1. The Eu have been hammering this for a long time. This year if you want to ride in France you need the hi viz vest AND they now require you to carry your own breathalyser! FFS, what for and what next? A 9mm pistol in case the cops need one of those as well? Obviously the what for is so as you can test yourself if you think you're near the limit. I needn't mention how ridiculous this is. Finally, the hi vz debate doesn't take into account the useless eyesight test - merely reading a bloody number plate at 20m, which pretty much cancels out any hi viz argument. I wear hi viz, but at a time and circumstances I judge to need them. Get off our frigging backs and tackle the bad ones FFS! Have a read.
    http://www.mag-uk.org/en/index/a6296

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    1. Haha nice comments Hogdayafternoon, sounds like this has got a lot of people all round the world pissed off. I'm glad I don't live in France right now. Maybe the gun would come in useful for wasting people who cut you off on the bike whilst their on the mobile phone and smoking and texting all at the same time.

      I like the comment the idiot that has made thats started all this off by saying that if you can wear it that should be the choice. Well then choice there is the magic word. And I choose not to, thank you very much.

      There are many more deaths on our roads caused by car drivers and you can choose to have your car painted fluro yellow then that should be the choice, just by using the same morons logic. How would that be every car painted fluro colours.

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  2. If it comes in there, I can assure you like the inspid lap god we are we will follow.!

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    1. Did you mean god or dog? It sounds better to say Rog, you kiwi dog.

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  3. Steve/Rog,
    One of my riding partners is the senior engineer at the NZ authority which investigates matters like this. NZ and Australia tend to collaborate on these sorts of things but interestingly, he said recently that there was no current intent to legislate hi viz and it would remain a matter of personal choice. Their current priority is the introduction of higher standards of riding through more meaningful tests and post-test training.

    I wear hi-viz more than I used to (always when riding with the IAM) but I'd oppose it being mandatory. Mind you, if the Labour Party and their nanny state ways got back in, I'd shudder to think what stupid H&S laws would be introduced.

    Nice post mate!

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    1. Hi Geoff
      You sure do know a lot of influential people in the NZ motorcycle community it seems.
      I would prefer that they made you do a motorcycle safety course every two years to keep your license instead of this drivel.

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  4. I'd pay good money to see you go on a ride in a krusty the clown costume...you flippin idiot!

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    1. Just vote in the labour government and you'll soon see that happen.

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  5. I was going to chime in with what Hogdayafternoon already mentioned about France. After that was going into effect I saw a nice advertisement about what was legal and what wasn't. Essetially, it showed riders wearing only high vis vests and a helmet (no clothes) and they were legal, but the people in the next pic wearing ATGATT but no high vis vest were not legal.

    I think your legislators need to quit reading news from France, yeah, that's it.

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    1. Yep too right, they need to stop the blind following the blind.

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  6. Good post Steve

    Gotta agree with all of the above, I'd also like to know how anyone is going to see all the nice reflective panels on my jacket if I have to cover it with a flouro dress .. oh I mean really long vest made for some construction worker.

    Check out this video which I think points out just how useful hi vis stuff really is .. warning it kinda shocked me when I watched it ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGQFLD6kIhU&feature=player_embedded

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    1. Yeah I've seen that video before, no amount of safety gear can save us from morons like this. That car driver was probably to busy smoking, drinking a beer and texting to even see what was up ahead.

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